She Didn’t Fix Her Reputation. She Threw It Away. Chapter 26

She Didn’t Fix Her Reputation. She Threw It Away. Chapter 26

Behind him, Zoe was mouthing the words, “Say yes! Say yes now!”

“There’s a classical concert,” Julian added quickly, as if he were afraid I’d say no. “Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. I remember you mentioned you liked Mahler. Of course, we could just go as friends. If you want.”

The tips of his ears were bright red.

He was holding the books so tightly his knuckles were white.

I thought for a moment, then I smiled.

“I’d love that.”

Why not?

I deserved to be asked out by someone who was nervous about my answer.

I deserved to be remembered.

Julian looked so happy he almost dropped his books.

“Really? That’s… that’s great.” He took a deep breath, trying to regain his professorial composure. “Thank you. For giving me the chance.”

That Saturday, we went to the concert hall downtown.

Julian was thoughtful and attentive.

During the intermission, he appeared at my side with a cup of hot cocoa.

“You seem to drink this a lot after class,” he said, scratching the back of his neck. “I thought you might like it.”

I held the warm cup in my hands and felt something inside me, something that had been frozen for a very long time, finally begin to melt.

This wasn’t a Cartier necklace.

It wasn’t a grand, empty gesture.

It was just one person, seeing another person, clearly.