?Chapter 1137:


    Sariah shook her head. “I could never me them. I love them.”


    “I know. Now, get some sleep,” Katherine smiled, gently stroking her hair.


    Soon, Katherine drifted off to sleep next to Sariah.


    Sariah was wide awake when her phone buzzed. Kalel had texted, telling her to meet him in the backyard.


    “Kalel.”


    He put out his cigarette and walked toward her. “Cried again? Your eyes are still so puffy.”


    “I’m okay.” Sariah tried to pull herself together, but there was guilt in her gaze. “Does it still hurt? Your dad really didn’t hold back.”


    Sariah winced, feeling even worse. She quickly grabbed an ice pack and pressed it against his face.


    Even though he was in pain, Kalel still tried to reassure her. “Your parents weren’t wrong. After all, you’re their daughter. When I was your age, my parents never cared if I stayed out all night. They only taught me to never hurt girls.”


    Sariah smirked. “But didn’t you still end up hurting them?”


    “Huh?”


    Sariah didn’t hesitate. “The cheerleader from high school. Didn’t you dump her less than a month after you two started dating?”


    “Oh, that girl.” Kalel leaned back on his hands, staring up at the sky, lost in thought. “We both agreed to only date for a month and then break up. I didn’t expect her to get all clingy and start telling everyone we were madly in love.”


    “And what about that college girl you dated before?”


    “She was awful. We were together for three months, and she tricked me into buying her aputer, a tablet, a phone, and a bunch of other things. I thought she liked me, but it turns out she only liked my money! So, tell me, who hurt who?”


    Sariahughed. “You deserved it. You never nned on being serious with her, did you?”


    Updates loaded at g??????σv????s.co??


    Kalel nced at her, his eyes sparkling under the starlight. “Don’t follow my lead. If you’re going to date Percy, take it seriously and don’t…”


    “Okay, okay, enough!” Sariah cut him off. “Percy and I are just friends. Plus, everyone has always thought of me as your little girlfriend since we were kids. How am I supposed to date anyone else?”


    Kalel chuckled. “Once you’re in college, I won’t be in your way anymore.”


    “That’s great!”


    Kalel checked the time. “It’ste. You should get some sleep.” They said goodnight to each other. Then, one of them left, while the other stayed still. Sariah took a few steps before turning around to look at him again. Kalel sat in the moonlight, a thin wisp of smoke rising from his fingers. His shirt gently fluttered in the breeze. Watching him like that, alone, made it impossible for Sariah to see him as just a kid anymore.


    Sariah suddenly realized that Kalel had grown up fast, having been thrown into the business world at such a young age.


    But even though he was in the grown-up world, Sariah didn’t believe that just because people were doing what they loved meant they’d be truly happy. And deep down, she was pretty sure Kalel wasn’t really happy right now.


    .


    .


    .