Campus Love Pursuit

My brother, Jack Reed, and I got into the same university.

He was a junior, and I was a freshman.

On the day of freshman registration, he issued a stern warning to his dorm mates who were watching us.

"Anyone who tries to date my sister will have to answer to me."

He wasn't joking. Over the years, anyone who dared to even glance at me had been chased away by him.

But there were always those who weren't afraid, like Anthony Hudson.

"Just tell me if you agree or not. I'll handle your brother."

1

I was engrossed in a novel when someone suddenly pulled out a chair and sat next to me.

"Hi, I'm Anthony, Jack's friend."

He leaned in, speaking in a low voice. I looked around the empty library and at his fearless face.

"I'll treat you to a late-night snack later."

Without waiting for my response, he opened his laptop and started working on his assignments.

Anthony and Jack weren't in the same department. They became friends through basketball games and arcade battles.

Anthony was also one of the campus legends, frequently discussed in late-night dorm conversations and on the school forums.

My two roommates, who had just left, had gone through the forum posts last night. They said he was naturally gifted, acing exams without much effort. He was multi-talented, the head of the student council's publicity department, and had a wild and unrestrained personality. Plus, he had a face like a movie star.

Outside the library, the air was heavy, a prelude to a storm. I frowned, debating whether to go or not.

Snap!

He closed his laptop just as I reached the last page of my book.

"Let's go." He packed up his things and picked up my bag too, leaving me no room to refuse.

"What do you want to eat?" he asked, handing me a menu.

"You decide. I haven't been here before, and I'm not hungry." I replied, pushing it back.

"Don't worry about dieting. Enjoy yourself. You won't gain weight at your age."

What kind of logic was that?

We met for the first time today. Before this, I had only heard his name from Jack.

I regretted letting him order because the table was filled with all my favorites, an irresistible temptation.

"I ordered based on your hometown flavors and what Jack mentioned. See if there's anything you like."

He opened a bottle of beer and handed me a bottle of plum juice across the table, the straw already inserted.

"Thanks, I'm Jenna Reed." I said, struggling to find something to say.

His smile was captivating. There was a stark difference between his serious and smiling demeanor. When serious, he seemed aloof and distant, but when he smiled, he was as warm as a friendly neighbor.

"I know. Jack's been talking about you for years, little Jenna..."

After our parents divorced, Dad was occupied with his work, and Jack took on the role of my primary caretaker. He constantly treated me as if I were still a child, considering that my birthday coincides with Children's Day.

"Here's to welcoming you to college. If you ever need anything, just let me know." He said, raising his beer bottle in a toast.

I quickly raised my plum juice, pretending to clink glasses, and took a sip through the straw.

That night, although it didn't rain, the wind was strong.

"I'm a man. It doesn't matter how late I go back. You're a girl. It's different."

He insisted on walking me to my dorm, waving goodbye only after I went inside.

He wasn't bad at all. I lay in bed, playing on my phone.

Suddenly, I received a friend request on WhatsApp. The message left was, "I am Anthony."

After accepting, I held my phone, thinking of typing a few polite words of thanks in the chat box, but I felt it was too wordy and deleted them. I wasn't sure if I should send a smile emoji to greet him first.

But he beat me to it, sending a message, "Good night, little Jenna."

"Good night, thank you." I quickly replied.

He was straightforward.

My roommates were discussing who would buy breakfast tomorrow and bring some back. I was too full to care about tomorrow's plans.

I thought about texting Jack to thank his friend for treating me, but decided against it. What if he misunderstood? It wasn't a big deal anyway.

2

Indeed, it wasn't a big deal, but small things happened every day.

For instance, after class, Anthony would show me around the campus and its surroundings, even though I told him Jack had already done so. He said it was different. There were interesting places Jack didn't know about.

He would also bring me snacks, drinks, and fruits, claiming that he picked them up during a trip to the supermarket. He was worried that I would find it hard to carry them by myself.

When we had a cheese fondue with Jack and his friends, Anthony would prepare my dipping sauce and cook my favorite cheeses. He always managed to sit next to me, seemingly by chance.

He always called me little Jenna.

Jack was genuinely busy lately, with academics, student council duties, and internships, as he was about to enter his senior year.

Anthony was rather forthright. "Jack, there's no class this weekend, and the ancient city is accessible. Let's take Carl and ask Jenna to come along with us for a visit."

In the end, our dorm of three, along with four or five from Jack's side, boarded the bus to the ancient city.

Girls' friendships often started with a shared interest in food and gossip, and that was how it was with Kacie White, Fiona Owen, and me.

Ancient cities across the country followed a popular tourist model with shops and attractions.

Besides shopping and taking photos, they were quite similar. But for girls, shopping was always an endless source of motivation.

Jaycob Ahmed, with his girlfriend, naturally disappeared into the crowd from the start. Jack, Carl Sullivan, and Anthony initially enthusiastically guided us and carried our things, but they gradually couldn't keep up.

Carl, who had just been dragged out to cheer up after a breakup, was the first to give up, finding a place to sit and telling everyone he needed some time alone.

The ancient city, newly reopened after renovations, was built along the river, with quaint bridges and corridors connecting it. The weekend brought many tourists, and soon we were scattered in small groups.

I was originally walking arm in arm with Kacie, but she got lost in a shop selling traditional clothing accessories and couldn't come out.

"Careful, the stones are slippery."

Anthony suddenly appeared behind me as I was about to step on the stones to cross the river.

"Where's Jack?"

"He's with the beauty, taking photos. Let's go, I'll follow you." He smiled mischievously.

It always seemed to be like this. He never gave me a chance to refuse but never made me feel uncomfortable.

I always thought about how to repay him, not wanting to owe him anything. But when I tried to treat him to a meal, he would insist on paying. When I thought of giving him a gift, I couldn't figure out what was appropriate or find a reason to give it. In the end, I just bought him and Jack each a basketball, which he happily accepted.

The stones were wet from tourists, and I walked carefully, with him patiently following. Occasionally, when someone in a hurry passed by, he would gently steady my arm.

By the river, some people were washing things, while others played in the water. Although it was autumn, the water was already icy cold.

"Jenna!"

I glanced back at him, and he was holding up his phone, snapping pictures.

Was he taking candid shots of me?

I quickly ran forward, regretting turning back, unsure of what strange expressions he might have captured.

After running for a while, the crowd by the river thinned out, and ahead was a large stone bridge.

I called out, "Anthony." There was no response.

Just as I was about to take out my phone to call and ask where everyone was, a tour group surged across the bridge. I quickly stepped aside, waiting for them to pass before moving on.

Someone almost stepped on my foot, and I tiptoed back, pressing against the railing. Someone squeezed in front of me, shielding me from the flowing crowd. He placed his hands on the railing, enclosing me in his arms, a refreshing mint scent mixed with warmth surrounding me.

"Where did you go?"

"I was following you, didn't you notice?" His head lowered, his chin resting on top of mine.

Pressed against his chest, my heart raced, and my ears grew warm.

As the crowd passed, I quickly slipped out from under his arms.

He chuckled, "I booked a boat for tonight to watch the performance."

"Let's invite everyone."

"Of course."

3

"How was it, how was it? Did it turn out well?"

Finally, we gathered at the restaurant, and before we even sat down, Fiona handed me a few laminated photos.

They were pictures of them in traditional costumes.

Surprisingly, even one of those was Jack with them.