Chapter 2The Five-Year Friend Zone

That night, Xavier didn't say a word, drank a lot of alcohol, white, beer, red, refused none.

I sat next to Zach. He kept blocking drinks for me, and took time to pick food for me. One moment I didn't watch, my bowl was piled with my favorite dishes.

Seeing us sweet and loving, they finally believed the romance between Zach and me was true.

Not long after, our dorm group chat exploded.

My best friend Lila was the first to jump out, sent a candid photo, and a sixty-second voice message.

In the photo, Zach and I fingers interlocked, he looked at me dotingly, I lowered my head shyly, looking very matching.

I clicked voice to text, the white voice bar flashed and flashed, popped out several big lines of "Ahhhhhhh!"

I could almost see the picture of Lila holding her phone turning into a screaming chicken, couldn't help smiling eyes bent.

Lila typed fast in the group sending messages.

"Heaven has eyes, finally let our child successfully escape singlehood!"

"Woohoo!" by Jasmine.

"Woohoo!" by Wendy.

Wendy even secretly sent me a small video.

Lila wearing green dinosaur pajamas, holding phone emitting "hehehehe" wretched laughter, funny beyond measure.

"Heaven opened eyes, finally let Chloe get rid of that toxic man, woohoo woohoo! Chloe as long as you figured it out it's fine, Xavier is a sugarcane man, sweet one bite and the rest is all dregs!"

I couldn't help laughing, replied to her in the group,

"Miss Lila is wise!"

Birthday boy Xavier drank unconscious, vomited twice, was carried into the taxi back to school by his roommate.

Zach and I stood outside the restaurant. Waiting for them all to leave, I raised our interlocked hands, glared at him playfully, "Addicted to holding?"

Zach rubbed and slowly let go of my hand, looking aggrieved, muttering, "No conscience, throw away after use."

I looked up at his face, flushed and moist like rouged after drinking much, eyes staring at me innocently like a puppy, and lips as red as his face, soft and sweet.

"Zach, thank you for not exposing my lie, you are a good person."

Zach reached out to ruffle my hair, "Sister Chloe, you are a good girl, Xavier doesn't deserve you. Helping you tonight, I'm very happy. But~"

"But what?" I was a bit puzzled.

Zach lowered his eyes, shyly glanced at me, stammered, "But well, just, just now was, was my, first kiss."

He dared not look at me, whispered, "The kiss just now was a bit too sudden, I didn't react. Sister Chloe can you, can you kiss, kiss me again?"

"No." I frowned and refused his request.

Zach lowered his head like an abandoned puppy, voice hoarse,

"Sorry Sister Chloe, I was too excessive.

Even if Sister Chloe you snatched my first kiss in front of so many people, me saying these now, is also a bit presumptuous.

Even if Sister Chloe refuses me, it's deserved. Sister you don't have psychological burden, giving first kiss to you, I'm very willing."

Finished, he looked up, carefully smiled at me. Ensuring I wasn't angry, he reached out to stop a taxi, returning to school with me.

Heater was full in taxi. I have constitution of getting carsick once on board, closed eyes leaning on seat, slowing breath, making myself feel better.

Zach patted my shoulder. I opened eyes impatiently. He held a tin of mints, squinting eyes asking me, "Want two mints? Will feel better."

I silently extended hand. He poured two mints into my palm. Seeing me eat mints, he also stuffed two into his own mouth.

On the way back, because of these two mints, I wasn't that dizzy, could even appreciate the brilliant night view outside window.

After getting off, Zach walked me to girls' dorm.

I broke the silence, "How did you know I get carsick?"

Zach scratched head, "Isn't it obvious, you close eyes rest mind every time in car."

"Carsick is easy to see, then why help me block alcohol?"

Zach said frankly, "Because you are allergic to alcohol, will get rashes if drink."

I was silent for a long time, asked softly, "How did you know."

Zach said, "Last year when we just entered school, club welcome dinner day, fruit salad had mango, I didn't know, got allergy after eating. Sister Chloe you found allergy medicine directly from bag.

I thought you were prepared for want back then.

Later Xavier and I played familiar, we ate together, I saw red rashes on your arm, running outside to take allergy medicine, then knew you are allergic to alcohol."

I smiled self-deprecatingly. Zach wasn't familiar with me then, could see I was allergic to alcohol. I knew Xavier for five years, he didn't know this matter.