Twenty

"So that's the reason why she can't spend the weekend with Caitlin and me. Because she wants to spend it with the new student" Cam mumbled, stopping and sitting on the couch. Then he sighed, grabbed the remote on the table, and turned on the television.

But he was surprised when he heard his phone ringing. He immediately took the thing he kept in his pocket and stared at the screen.

"Caitlin?" he frowned. "Why did she call me?" he asked himself. Then he answered the call and put the phone to his ear.

"Hello, Cait," he said, looking away and staring at the television screen.

"Hello, Cam, where are you?" Caitlin asked on the other line.

"I just got to my house" Cam replied.

"Are you with Grace?"

"No." Cam shook his head. "What's wrong?" he asked with a furrowed forehead.

"I was in front of Grace's house but the house looks empty. I pressed the bell several times but there was no answer. And when I called her the number was off. Then I thought that you were with her" explained Caitlin.

"Grace isn't home?" Cam asked inwardly and frowned. "Did she go with the new student?"

"Cam, are you still there?" Caitlin asked and snapped Cam out of his reverie.

"Yeah, I'm still here" Cam nodded. "I thought Grace was out with Theo. That's why the house is empty."

"She went with Theo? Wait, how did you find out?"

"Because I just got home from her house. I came there to check on her but soon the new student came and I left immediately" Cam explained.

"You should have stayed there not gone and left them," Caitlin said on the other line and sounded like she was blaming Cam.

"I don't want to disturb them that's why I chose to leave. So they have time to be together" Cam said, watching the television screen.

"So that they have time to be together?" Caitlin asked and sounded incredulous. "Cam, are you serious? You let the girl you once loved spend time with another man?"

"Why not?" Cam raised an eyebrow. "My relationship with her has ended so I don't have the right to forbid her to be close or date any man"

"Come on, Cam, don't lie to yourself. I know if you still love Grace. Because if you don't then you won't care about her like last night"

But Cam was silent, staring straight ahead without saying anything. And in an instant, his expression changed.

"I think if you still love her, you better try to win her heart again. If not then you have to be ready to see she has a special relationship with other men, especially the new student," added Caitlin.

***

Grace fell silent, lowered her head, and stared at the drawing book in her lap. While her hands were busy scribbling the book.

"Done," Theo said, smiling and turning to Grace. But he frowned when he saw something the girl drew. "You drew an elderly couple?"

"Yeah, I made the elderly couple in front of me my object. Because I think they look so sweet" Grace replied, turning to Theo and smiling.

Theo nodded and turned to look at the couple who were not young anymore and were sitting not far in front of them. Then he was silent and watched the couple busy with each other. But suddenly he smiled when he saw the husband who wiped the remaining ice cream on his wife's lips. The woman smiled and seemed happy with what the man she loved was doing.

"Even though they are not young anymore but they look cute and still love each other" Grace said, waking Theo from his daydream and making him turn around. "That's why I made them my object" she continued, watching the couple with a smile etched on her face.

Theo smiled. "You're right," he said, nodding his head and looking away. "And I hope that someday me and the woman who became my wife can still be romantic like them. Even though we are not young anymore"

"I also want to be able to spend time with the man I love even though we're not young anymore," Grace said with a smile that didn't fade from her face.

"I hope you meet the man soon," Theo said, turning to Grace and looking at her with a smile.

Grace smiled. "Thank you, Theo. I hope you get to meet that woman too" she said and Theo just smiled. Then she remembered something. "By the way what did you draw?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Here," Theo replied showing Grace his drawing book.

Grace's eyes widened when she saw something Theo had drawn. "You drew me?" she asked, turning to look at the new student.

"Yeah." Theo nodded. "Because I couldn't find an interesting object so I decided to draw you," he said turning to look at his drawing book. "And I'm sorry I didn't ask your permission first" he continued, turning to look at Grace.

"It's okay I don't mind." Grace shook her head and smiled. "But why don't you draw another one?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Like the scene here or something? Isn't that an interesting object?"

"But for me, the only object of interest here is you" replied Theo looking straight into Grace's eyes.

Grace blushed, lowering her head and hiding her reddened cheeks at the man's words. "I think you're exaggerating," she said.

Theo wanted to laugh but he quickly held it in. "Look at how cute this girl next to me is. Her cheeks are red like a tomato" he sneered, averting his eyes.

Grace immediately rounded her eyes, lifted her head, and reflexively covered her cheeks. And it made Theo want to laugh but he held it in.

"Why are you covering it up? You look cute though" Theo said, glancing at the girl sitting next to him.

But Grace just kept quiet, lowered her head, and tried to remain calm so Theo wouldn't know that she was acting awkward.