Although Chloe knew this day would inevitably come, she still found it hard to accept.
She resigned from her job.
On the day she left, they all asked her, "Why quit suddenly when you're doing so well?"
"Because I came to City A for someone, and for the time being, I need to be with her."
Hearing this, Grant looked up at her.
Drake thought she was going to accompany her boyfriend and said, "When did Chloe get a little boyfriend? How could I not know?"
Chloe pursed her lips and didn't speak; her eyes were red-rimmed.
Grant guessed it might have something to do with the young girl who often came before, and he said, "You are always welcome to come back whenever you want."
Chloe looked at him and said, "Thank you."
She packed up her things and went to the hospital.
Ellie on the hospital bed was so thin it was unbelievable, with large eyes that now seemed a bit lifeless, and her face was pale beyond description.
Chloe held back her tears and softly called out to her, "Ellie."
Ellie gave her a somewhat weak smile.
Chloe stayed in the hospital, watching over her every day.
Ellie's energy was getting worse, and she spent more and more time sleeping.
She was often awakened by pain, curling up into a ball from the agony.
Chloe ached with sympathy, but there was nothing she could do.
There's nothing more powerless than watching someone you care about suffer right in front of you.
Jennifer and Edward also finally understood the meaning of companionship.
Unfortunately, it was too late.
Ellie seemed to be counting down every day, living one day less each day.
It was unknown what was keeping her going, but she was still barely holding on.
On the evening of June 4th.
Ellie felt her breathing becoming more and more difficult, as if something was pressing on her chest, making it hard for her to catch her breath.
She was connected to various devices all over her body.
Ellie's mouth opened and closed.
Chloe leaned close to her and said, "What are you trying to say? Ellie, don't rush, speak slowly, speak slowly."
"I have not seen someone very, very important to me yet."
"I cannot leave."
"I haven't fulfilled the promise I made to him."
Chloe heard her say these three sentences intermittently and understood who she was talking about.
Jennifer asked, "What did Ellie say?"
Chloe repeated her words one by one and said, "I have met that boy, and he is very, very good, and he is also very good to Ellie."
Her silly Ellie was also very good.
It's just a pity that fate plays tricks on people.
Ellie struggled to hear what the others were saying.
She barely made it through that night.
Even the doctor was shocked because, judging by her physical signs, she absolutely should not have made it through the night.
But there is no absolute in medicine.
Perhaps there was something that sustained her, something she had to live for.
On June 6th.
Two pieces of clothing lay on the pure white bedsheet, a crisp white shirt and a black pleated skirt.
Two items of clothing that exuded a youthful vibe.
Ellie was helped out of bed, and she changed into her school uniform.
She looked at herself in the mirror, her face pale, her complexion terribly pale.
She asked Chloe, "Chloe, do I look very ugly like this?"
"Not ugly at all, the little one is always the most beautiful, forever and ever."
Ellie smiled at her.
Chloe took out a lipstick from her pocket and applied some on her lips.
Ellie said to the three people, "I am going back to school today to take graduation photos."
Jennifer and Edward nodded vigorously, "Okay."
The weather that day was very hot, hotter than any other summer day in previous years.
The cicadas were noisy, and the air was filled with a sense of restlessness.
As soon as Ellie entered the school gate, she saw the people from Class 17 waving at her from afar.
William ran straight towards her.
She watched the young man running towards her, wearing a white shirt and black pants, with phoenix eyes, superior bone structure, a high nose bridge, dark eyes, and thin lips.
He always looked at people lazily, lifting his thin eyelids as if nothing was worth his attention, but every time he looked at Ellie, his eyes were filled with laughter, and that sense of indifference would also disappear.
The young man's smile was particularly charming.
The young man in the white shirt always shone brightly.
Always clean and beautiful.
William said to her, "Little Teacher, come over here, the sun is strong."
He led Ellie to the shade where the people from Class 17 were, frowned, and said, "Why have you become thinner again?"
Ellie was already thin, and now she was so thin that there was hardly any flesh on her body.
Ellie said, "I haven't had a good appetite recently."
William looked at her and said, "The hot weather lately really affects one's appetite, but you must eat something."
"Okay."
William was planning to take her to see a traditional Chinese doctor after the college entrance exam to regulate her stomach, as he intended to fatten her up.
Soon it was Class 17's turn to take the photo.
With the photographer's phrase of "say cheese."
The photo was captured at that moment.
Sixty-two people in the photo, each one a unique protagonist in their own youth.
The girl in the photo was smiling very sweetly, with the young man in the white shirt exuding a bold and unrestrained aura behind her.
She was looking at the camera, while he was looking at her.
After taking the graduation photo, many people were taking out their phones to take pictures with others.
That day, Ellie took photos with many people she wasn't familiar with.
Sarah ran over from her class to take a photo with Ellie.
William stood by, his gaze always on Ellie.
After Sarah took the photo with Ellie, she said to him, "I'm done, I'm giving her back to you."
"Thank you," he said, and then he said, "It's my turn now, isn't it? Little Teacher."
As soon as he finished speaking, Daniel rushed over from behind and said, "Ellie, let's take a photo together."
William looked discontentedly as Ellie took a photo with him and Mason.
On the day of the graduation photo, they could go home after the photo session.
William and Ellie walked on a tree-lined path outside the school, and Ellie saw the young man in front of her stop.
He hugged Ellie tightly and whispered, "I've come to claim my reward, Little Teacher."
The young man smelled clean and crisp, with a faint scent of laundry detergent.
Noticing the person in his arms was still, William said, "Is there nothing you want to say to me?"
"Good luck on your college entrance exam, William."
"Is that all?"
William released Ellie, and seeing she hadn't spoken, he said, "Then I'll say it, Little Teacher, wait for me at Q University."
Ellie didn't speak.
She couldn't promise him anything,
Because she couldn't do it.
William looked at her staring at him and said, "Does Little Teacher have confidence in me?"
"Yes."
She just didn't have confidence in herself.
...
William escorted Ellie to the downstairs.
He watched Ellie turn and walk back.
After a few steps, Ellie turned her head, looked at William who hadn't left, and called out his name: "William."
"I'm here."
As if no matter how many times she called him.
He would always respond.
"Good luck on your college entrance exam, William. After graduation, do what you want to do, don't be confined by anyone."
"Okay."
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Little Teacher."
William watched the slender figure disappear from his sight.