Chapter50 Theaworeamoonwhitesilkdress,theelegantcuthighlightingherslenderfigure,makingherevenmoregracefulandpoised Herlonghairwaspinnedup,butafewstrandswereleftloosearoundherface,givingTheaa casuallyrefinedlook. Moreover.Theas softfeatureswerecomplementedbyslightlyupturnedalmondshapedeyes,whichaddedatouchofsharpnesswithoutmakingherappearunapproachable, Infact,themoreonelooked,theharderitwastoforgether. Themanseyesflashedwithahintofawe,butheretortedquickly.Whatdoyouthink?DoIlooklikeatoptiersimp Thea gavehimacoldsmileandreplied.And whataboutme?111looklikeatoptiersimp?Ifyoucanthandleit,shouldIsayyourjealousyisout ofcontrol? Theasteppedclosertohim,raisingherfairhandandplacingitlightlyonhisshoulder. ThenTheabrushedathisshoulderasifremovingaspeckofdust,hertonegrowingicier.Menshouldworkontheirowncharacter.Atyourage,ifyoustillhaventsettleddown,itsbecauseyourjealousyisholdingyouback. Doyourememberthat ?Youhavent gottenmarriedorhadchildrenyet,haveyou?Theacontinued. Herwordswerentquiet,andmanyaroundthemoverheardtheirconversation.Peoplebegantocaststrangeglancesattheman,andwhisperssoonfollowed. Themansexpressionshifted,turninganuglyshadeofembarrassment.AndanyonewhohadbeenplanningtogossipaboutTheheldtheirtongueswisely. Theaturnedonher heelandwalkedaway,hermood souring. Damn!WhydoJakeandMadelynalwayshaveawayofappearingwhereverIgo?shemuttered. Theroomhadfilledup ,andthenexteventwasthespeechbytheoutstandinggraduates.Thisreunionincludedtwograduatingclasses. Back whenTheawasasenior,shehadspentsometimeabroadbeforereturningtorepeatherfinalyear,soshewas ayearbehindJake. Inpreviousreunions,bothJakeandTheawouldgivespeechestogether,astheyhadbothbeenthetopgraduates oftheirrespectiveyears. AlthoughTheadespisedsharinganystagewithJake,shethoughtabouthergoalsanddecidedtoendureitfornow. Asthecrowdgatheredintheyachts mainhall,Thea sawthattherumorsweretrue. Jake hadbroughtMadelyn. Theahadtoadmit,beingbyJakessidehadimprovedMadelynsdemeanor.Heroverallstyle,fromclothingtomakeup,hadmatured Moreover,themidandmousybehavior sheused toexhibitwasalmostgone. However,nomatterhowsomeonechanges onthesurface,theirtruenatureremainsthesame deepdown Thiseventwasfullofelites.SomegreetedMadelynoutofcourtesytoJake,butshestillchosetohidebehindhim,herlarge ,innocenteyesblinkingupat people. Theanoticedthefrustrationandexasperationintheir gazes,anditputherinamuchbettermood. Sat,Oct26 Chapter30 68% Afterthehosttookthestagetowarmupthecrowd,itwastimefortheoutstandinggraduatespeeches.Theastood,justasJakerosetohisfeetas well Theireyesmetacrosstheroom,butno sparksflew,TheasgazeremainedindifferentasifshewerelookingatastrangerJakes eyesdarkenedforamoment,aflashofirritationcrossinghisface. LetswelcomeMr.HendrixandMissTerelltothestagefortheirspeech,thehostannounced. ButTheapaused,herhandstillholdingthehemofherdress,reallytostepforward.AndItwasntjusther.Everyoneintheroomfrozefor amoment. JaketurnedandextendedhishandtoMadelyn.Shesmiledsweetly,herexpressiononeofhashfulprideassheplacedherhandinJakesgently Thetwoofthemexchangedalookfullofaffection,liketheywerefilminga scenefromaromanticdrama. Asthecrowdprocessedwhatwashappening,theyturnedtolookatTheawithknowingglances.Mostwerefilledwithschadenfreude,waitingforherreactioneagerly. 22 SENDGIFT COMMENT +