Chapter 27 Was I Ever Normal?
“Are you out of your d*mn mind?”
+8 Pearls
Halford’s furious voice filled the room, but Nigel didn’t even glance in his direction. Lying on the bed, he focused on a report on his tablet, reviewing projections for advancements in energy and technology. After spotting a few errors, he quickly sent his comments to the relevant party, closed the tablet, and reached for a glass of warm water to soothe his throat.
Halford soon realized he was shouting into the void–Nigel wasn’t paying him the slightest bit of attention. His towering rage deflated considerably.
He had always known that yelling at Nigel was an exercise in futility–like yelling at a brick wall. It was something he had learned from experience. But today, Nigel’s sheer indifference had reached an exasperating new height.
HPI
Halford felt Nigel needed treatment for more than just his legs–his ears probably needed help, too.
Forcing himself to calm down, Halford pulled out a chair and sat, glaring daggers at the man on the bed. “Why the hell did you go play basketball? You never even bothered to humor me with a simple, friendly match before, and now, out of nowhere, you jump into a full–on game? You played so recklessly that your leg gave out, and you ended up in the hospital. I hope you’re proud of yourself.”
“I’d say I played pretty well.”
“Well?” Halford barked, incredulously. “You played more than well–you were amazing! Phenomenal! You were spectacular- brilliant enough to steal the spotlight and hold the crowd’s attention!” Halford sneered, his anger laced with sarcasm. that doesn’t explain why you decided to play in the first place.”
“Your vocabulary is appallingly limited. You should read more,” Nigel remarked bluntly.
Halford slammed his hand on the table, his voice shaking rage. “Nigel Jefferson!”
he
with
Though Nigel was a master at making people angry, was just as skilled at smoothing things over and making others feel at
ease.
With his usual calm tone, he said casually, “I was just bored, so I decided to play in the match.”
His tone was sincere, and his soft, rounded eyes made him look convincing.
Halford might have believed Nigel’s nonchalant explanation, if not for his pale face and shaky legs after the match.
But pressing him for the real reason wasn’t likely to work. Nigel was too sensitive and tactful, sometimes even a little dark.
Unless he chose to speak the truth, no amount of questioning or coaxing would get it out of him. He might even craft a clever lie to trap the questioner and leave no room for suspicion.
As one of the few people Nigel truly considered a friend, Halford knew this well. So, he decided not to push any further. Instead, he studied him briefly before suddenly saying, “I’ve noticed you’ve been acting strange since you decided to return to the country. Is your injury spreading from your lower body to your brain?”
Nigel smiled faintly, lowering his eyelashes, and responded in a half–teasing tone, “Was I ever normal?”
Halford fell silent for a few seconds, thought for a moment, then nodded and said, “I guess not.”
Lilith pushed open the window, and a sharp, cold breeze immediately rushed in, scattering the last remnants of sleep she had
left.
Above her, the moon hung in the vast sky, casting a faint, serene glow, like a small ripple across a river’s surface.
Lilith leaned her hands on the window ledge, and Nigel’s furrowed brow and slightly flawed legs resurfaced in her thoughts.
It turned out their meeting at the hospital last time hadn’t been a coincidence. Nigel’s frequent absences from class weren’t due to any sinister reason; he was simply sick–and he had been sick often.
The healthy, bright Nigel was no longer there–he had been replaced by someone broken and scarred.
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Chapter 27 Was I Ever Normal?
Her suspicions had proven true, and the truth of it left her uneasy–no one could escape the fate that had been predetermined.
But why?
+8 Pearls
If everyone’s life was like a carefully written novel, with every fate already set in stone, why had only Nigel’s path diverged so drastically, as if the world had turned upside down and everything had fallen out of alignment?
“Lilith.” Liana rested her chin on her hand, twirling a pen, and tilted her head with a smile as she looked at Lilith.
As soon as Lilith saw her familiar smile, she knew Liana had something up her sleeve. “If you’ve got something to say, just say it.”
Liana gave a sly chuckle before asking, “Why do you always zone out in class lately?”
“Huh? Have I?”
“You do it all the time!” Liana exaggerated dramatically. “You do it constantly, frequently, always!”
Liana’s tone was so certain that Lilith couldn’t help but reflect on whether she had really been losing focus recently, drifting off in class more often than usual.
“Alright, I’ll pay more attention.”
That clearly wasn’t the response Liana had been hoping for. She leaned closer to Lilith’s face and let out a couple more sly chuckles.
“And I happened to notice that whenever you zone out in class, you’re usually staring at Nigel’s back.” Liana poked Lilith’s arm and spoke as if nothing could escape her sharp eyes.
“Tell me the truth–do you like Nigel?”
“Not a chance.”
“But…”
“I won’t.” Before Liana could finish her sentence, Lilith quickly interrupted, cutting her off decisively. “I won’t have any feelings for him.”
I will never … never fall for him again.
Liana furrowed her brow, looking utterly confused, as if she couldn’t understand how someone could be so sure about something that hadn’t happened yet.
“But Nigel is really handsome, and he comes from a good family. He might be a bit cold, but he seems like a decent guy. It’s totally normal to like him, right? There are probably a lot of girls at school who like him.”
Love is nothing more than a long–standing flaw in humans, a common affliction. When it strikes, it could last for months, years, or sometimes just days, hours, or fleeting moments–it rarely lasts forever.
The object of affection usually meets a basic checklist–intelligence, good character, a strong family background, attractive looks, etc. And when these factors align, affection tends to last longer.
But Lilith had stopped expecting those things. She adhered to the most fundamental rule of being expendable–never to hope for or fantasize about something that didn’t belong to her.
Lilith answered Liana’s question without hesitation, adding, “I will never fall for him. We’re just not on the same wavelength. Even if I liked him, he would never like me back, would he?”
“Okay then.”
Not sure if it was just her imagination, but when Lilith said those words, Liana seemed to notice a penetrating gaze ahead.
But when she turned around, all she saw was a familiar back.
