Unable to resist the temptation, Elizabeth snuck out after school. This time, she didn't bring Lisa along. As the car raced along the highway, she was already filled with anticipation. Honestly, she had genuinely fallen for someone this time, and due to the fear of her parents' possible objections, she had kept it a secret from them.
She parked her car near the cinema. As she walked from the parking lot, she hoped to see that man, the one with the top hat and suit, like a gentleman straight out of the previous century.
Perhaps God heard her heart's desires. Just as she was about to reach the entrance of the cinema, she saw him, still wearing his top hat and suit, sitting at an open-air café near the cinema entrance. Feeling someone's gaze, he removed his hat and gave Elizabeth a slight smile.
Elizabeth returned the smile and walked over. She kept encouraging herself, "I'm just going to say hello, that's all." She approached the café and asked with a smile, "May I join you, sir?"
"Of course." The man nodded and smiled at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth carefully took her seat. A waiter approached, and she ordered, "A cup of coffee, same as the gentleman's, with two spoons of milk." She nodded at him, then turned to the man with a smile.
"This is our second encounter!" The man squinted at Elizabeth, "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Hill Steven, 31 years old, a Californian... Sorry, I've spoken too much." He apologized with a smile, but it made Elizabeth feel that he was sincere.
"Yes, Mr. Steven, could we... become friends?" Elizabeth extended her hand to Hill Steven, longing to continue their contact, "Elizabeth Kote, 18 years old, also a Californian."
Following Steven's introduction, both of them couldn't help but smile.
"A pleasure, Miss Kote!" They shook hands.
"Why don't you call me Elizabeth?" She laughed, "We are friends now, aren't we?"
"Sure, Elizabeth, and I hope you'll call me Hill!" Hill Steven also laughed, "You enjoy watching movies? This is the second time I've bumped into you here. I've only been here twice."
"You don't come to Laredo often?" Elizabeth was surprised. If he was just passing through, she might find it hard to see him again.
"No, I might stay here for a while. I have some things to attend to." Hill Steven replied calmly, sipping his coffee, "Do you live in Laredo?"
"No, I live in Harold Town, not far from here, about two hours' drive. It's very convenient. Harold is a beautiful town." Elizabeth enthusiastically invited him, "I hope you can visit Harold. I can be your guide. There are large lakes and forests there, it doesn't look like the barren grasslands of the west in people's impressions."
"Of course, I will go. I was actually planning on visiting Harold. I heard the lakes there are especially beautiful. I enjoy fishing or just playing on the lake. What a coincidence." Hill Steven nodded and smiled. Even when showing interest, he remained composed, giving off a sense of reliability.
This was what Elizabeth admired about him.
They chatted happily, and after finishing their coffee, Hill Steven insisted on paying for both of them. He also bought two movie tickets, and they watched a movie together. During the entire movie, Hill Steven gently held Elizabeth's hand.
Even after the movie, Elizabeth received the kiss she had been yearning for. Although it was a mere peck on the lips, her cheerful and excited expression indicated that she had utterly fallen for this man, finding him to possess all the charm a man should have.
In the quiet night, only time proceeded at its unhurried pace.
Jason was sitting on the balcony, drinking tea, when his mind subtly shifted. Glancing at the sky, where stars twinkled, he pinched his fingers and stood up, walking to the railing.
The night wind blew refreshingly against him. Jason mobile, pondered for a moment, and dialed a number. It was Lisa's number. After a few rings, Lisa's excited voice came through.
"Hey, Jason, what's up calling at this hour?"
When the girl said these words, she was full of anticipation and a bit excited. Frankly, although she was annoyed at Jason and sometimes angered by his cold attitude, the moment she received his call, her mood always lifted. "Is Elizabeth at home?"
Jason decided to be frank about his intentions. He didn't want to engage in superfluous conversation with this young girl, potentially leading to some misunderstanding.
As expected, upon hearing his inquiry, Lisa seemed a bit disheartened, responding with a bitter tone. "Hey, Mr. Jason, I'm not Elizabeth's nanny. Yes, we're close, but that doesn't mean I have to keep her company even at night. If you're looking for her, why not just call her directly?"
Her words were tinged with annoyance.
Undeterred, Jason continued, "Alright then, give me Elizabeth's phone number. I can call her directly."
This only served to exasperate Lisa further. Angrily, she retorted, "If you're calling just for that, please... don't bother me like this again. Unless you're looking for me!" With that, she hung up the phone.
Jason was about to voice his thoughts when he realized the call had been disconnected. He shook his head, intending to call Mr. Kote to ask for Elizabeth's number. Before he could dial, however, his phone chimed with a new text message. Opening it, he found Elizabeth's number sent by Lisa, followed by a statement - "You're nothing but a fool, a jerk, and a thief."
So, he was now a fool, a jerk, and a thief. Jason couldn't help but smile, amused by the young girl's naive emotions. Lisa was indeed a charming girl, but a relationship with her was simply out of the question.
Having finally obtained Elizabeth's number, Jason collected his scattered thoughts and dialed the number. The call went through, but nobody answered.
Indeed, no one answered, since Lisa had left her phone in her car while she was saying goodbye to a very charming man. Yes, she was heading home, just like Cinderella, even though she dearly wanted to dance with the prince, the clock was nearing midnight. At this moment, Elizabeth was feeling much like Cinderella herself.
The romantic goodbye took place as the man boarded his antique-like Chevrolet Caprice, watching Elizabeth get into her car and drive away until he could no longer see her in the rearview mirror.
On her way home, Elizabeth was almost whistling. Yes, the man's behavior had pleasantly surprised her and she found herself falling for him. Could this be what love feels like? Elizabeth felt her heart pounding in her chest.
However, she decided not to share this news with anyone, not even Lisa. She knew Lisa would try to dissuade her, perhaps even oppose her, but what's wrong with pursuing someone she's attracted to? There's nothing wrong with it, she reassured herself.
Driving through the darkness, the tranquil highway was lined by pitch-black woods. As she navigated through the narrow, silent road, a song echoed within her car, signifying Elizabeth's joy at the moment.
Suddenly, a ringtone sounded. Elizabeth glanced around and realized it was her phone on the passenger seat. Picking it up, she saw Jason's number. Just as she was about to answer, the call ended.
Elizabeth was about to return the call when...
Bang! Her car seemed to have collided with something, causing a huge crashing noise. The airbag deployed, hitting Elizabeth's head. She felt a brief moment of dizziness but quickly regained her senses. The headlights were still on, illuminating a huge rock in the middle of the road that had caused the crash.