Eveline's eyes widen at the sight of the boy in front of her. It was Gabriel Winston, Aspen College's attractive and popular hunk.
Gabriel was in his final year of a master's degree program and was about to graduate and join his family firm if Eveline remembered correctly.
"Watch where you are heading to." Her expression went cold as Gabriel's arrogant voice jolted her out of her daydream.
Everyone at the college knew Eveline had feelings for Gabriel, but she never voiced them to him. Perhaps she was shy, despite the fact that they had known one another since they were children.
"This also applies to you. You could have changed your route after seeing me," Eveline said with scorn, backing away from him.
Eveline had vowed to confront anyone who disparaged her and shun those who ruined her life.
Her audacity shocked Gabriel, but before he could respond, Eveline turned around and left, leaving him in the spacious foyer.
"What exactly did I see? Did Eveline scold Gabriel?" A student walking by mumbled.
"Whoa, I never thought Eveline would be so harsh," exclaimed the other student.
"Isn't she cool?" Another person commented:
Countless murmurs emerged among the students as they observed the historic scene.
Other students quickly flooded the Aspen forum with chatter as they inquired about Eveline's bravery. Some criticize her, while others condemn her bravery.
Gabriel gazed around, taking in everyone's faces, before turning and walking to the west side of the building for class.
"Gabriel, wait!" A voice called to him, and he turned to look at the person.
"I apologize for Eveline's impolite behaviors. She doesn't typically behave in such a rude manner, so I'm uncertain about her current situation. Tiffany reasoned. His stunning features captured Tiffany's attention.
Tiffany secretly loved Gabriel, and in order to win his heart, she needed to become close to his childhood friend Eveline.
Gabriel glanced at the girl with a blank expression.
"Hm," he hummed and walked away, barely acknowledging her comments, but that brief encounter brought a proud smile to her lips.
Gabriel's inadequate verbal communication skills prevented him from engaging in a conversation with her.
She turned and walked into the classroom, satisfied.
***
Eveline heaved a sigh of relief as she ran towards the basin after forcing the restroom door open. During her talk with Gabriel, she realized she was holding her breath.
It was surprising that she would be so cruel to the man she had committed her life to, but those events from her past would remind her of his cruelty and cause her to forget everything, including her love and devotion.
She lost her affection for him the instant she saw him emotionless as she was pushed off the building.
"Gabriel, I used to love you wholeheartedly, but not anymore." I promise to treat you like no one else, no matter how many times we cross paths.
Eveline stood there till she relaxed. Seeing the redness in her eyes, she couldn't help but smile.
"Throughout your friendship, you were gullible, and the person you loved cheated you. Why are you crying for him? Don't you feel lucky to have seen their actual faces before obtaining a second chance?" She reminded herself.
Eveline had always been kind and forgiving, but that changed when they took away her most valuable possession.
Her fingers instinctively moved to caress her stomach. The fear of losing her child was enough to strengthen her heart and make her forget about the pain.
Eveline exited the restroom with renewed determination and made her way to class.
As soon as she entered, a tremendous cheer erupted throughout the space, surprising her immediately.
Despite not understanding their brief conversation, Eveline chose to ignore it and take her seat.
"What have you done, Eve? Why did you offend Gabriel?" Tiffany queried, anxious, as she approached Eveline's side.
Eveline's stare was piercing the moment she noticed Tiffany in the seat next to her. If she had known what kind of girl she was, she would not have become friends with her in the first place.
"It wasn't my fault in the first place, and would he not just disregard me if it was?" Eveline said. Eveline ignored her and fished the book from her backpack.
Eveline's cold words toward Gabriel surprised Tiffany, and she started to wonder what had really happened.
"However, you should not have addressed him rudely. How do you plan to earn his affection?" Tiffany inquired with worry.
Eveline had always wanted to win Gabriel's heart, but now her indifference perplexed her.
"I don't care what he thinks," she abruptly responded, leaving Tiffany stunned.
Tiffany recalls Gabriel never listening to anything Eveline said, while she was the only one who attempted to acknowledge their relationship. He treated her like air, barely noticing her presence.
Did she realize there was no chance Gabriel would love her? Her eyes shine with hope.
Tiffany now has a method to pursue Gabriel thanks to her friend's surprising change in conduct.
'If she continues to mistreat Gabriel, he will despise her even more,' Tiffany reasoned, a devious smirk creeping across her lips, which she hastily concealed.
Tiffany's modest manner captured Eveline's attention, prompting her to abruptly stop her thoughts by slamming the book on the table.
"Are you only going to talk about Gabriel?" If so, please return to your seat because class is about to start." Eveline looked ahead, ignoring Tiffany's surprised expression.
Eveline had never been so arrogant about Tiffany, but her reaction surprised her, and she returned to her seat, focusing her smug stare on her friend.
Soon, the lecture began, and Eveline returned to her studies.
After her resurrection, Eveline chose to concentrate on her academic studies instead of following Gabriel.
Eveline had tried every method to win Gabriel over in her former life, but no matter what happened, she was always the target of his fury. However, this was no longer her objective; her desire was to fully embrace life and transform into the individual she had always aspired to be.
'I wasted my youth on these useless people, but no longer,' Eveline reminded herself of her life's mission while remaining focused on the class.
*****
The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and Gabriel quickly picked up his backpack and walked out of the classroom.
"Gabby, wait!!" Gabriel was abruptly stopped by a voice, and he turned to see Stefan, his only friend, approaching him.
"What is the problem?" I heard Eveline chastise you. "Has she changed her mind?" Stefan smiled as he tried to pull Gabriel's leg away.
Eveline, Stefan, and Gabriel's fathers were buddies; thus, their children bonded naturally.
Stefan believed Eveline to be his sister, and Gabriel was a love interest she had been pursuing since she had known him.
Eveline developed strong affections for Gabriel, but his friend ignored her provocative conduct and treated her indifferently.
Despite her best efforts, Gabriel rejected her admiration and continued to treat her like any other girl at the university.
Eveline, a year younger than them, had been obsessed with Gabriel since she was a child.She thought of Stefan as a brother, but Gabriel was just Gabby to her.
She was the center of their attention, yet her sole focus was on Gabriel.
Gabriel's expression darkened as his comments reminded him of the unresolved event that was spinning in his mind.
Eveline's words resonated in his eyes, and the way she stared at him with contempt fueled his rage, leading him to snatch Stefan's hand away.
Gabriel didn't intend to say anything and continued walking downstairs, but as soon as he reached the first level, his eyes caught sight of Eveline going out of her classroom, and his movements came to a standstill.
He wanted to take a step forward, but when he saw Tiffany, he halted and tailed after her, eventually abandoning his goal.
Gabriel went away, but Tiffany was fascinated by his presence and smirked secretly.
"Why do I feel you are ignoring me?" Eveline winced at Tiffany's touch and quickly moved away.
It brought back memories of Tiffany pushing her off the balcony, which ultimately led to her death. It was as if she sensed a trigger with her fingertips.
"Will you please stop jumping on me?" Eveline snapped, leaving Tiffany stunned by her harshness once more.
She wasn't sure what was wrong with Eveline. But the way Eveline disliked her touch made her wonder if she had done anything to merit such treatment.
Eveline, on the other hand, realized she had overreacted and quickly apologized.
"I—I am sorry. I did not mean to raise my voice at you, but please stop being so pushy." It makes me uncomfortable," Eveline said with a false smile, devastating Tiffany with her gorgeous but harsh statements.
She understood that in order to avoid Tiffany, she needed to be honest with her.
Tiffany blinked in confusion and bobbled her head.
Something had changed. Eveline was never so harsh with her; she was always polite. What changed within her to cause her to act in this way?
Eveline faked a grin as she looked at Tiffany's expressionless face.
"Are you going to keep staring, or do you want something from me?" she asked in the same indifferent tone.
Tiffany had become extremely gluttonous, constantly begging for favors with a sorrowful grin. However, she was no longer naive, and falling for her deception was not an option.
Tiffany faked a smile as she snapped out of her daze. She had no idea how to deal with this issue, but she was convinced that her tears would melt Eveline's heart.
"There is nothing. I only want to be with you; if you don't want—" Tiffany intended to make a guilt trip, but Eveline's comment caught her off guard.
"I do not want to, so please excuse me," Eveline said, walking away and leaving Tiffany behind.
When she heard the student speak behind her back, her countenance changed from surprise to rage, and she walked out without paying them any attention.