[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":10},["ShallowReactive",2],{"viewer-data-260322C9288E-204":3},{"id":4,"number":5,"name":6,"content":7,"isLocked":8,"price":9,"hasRead":8},204,17,"Chapter 17: The Song He Refused to Share","\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\u003Cchapter_title>\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The Song He Refused to Share\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\u003C/chapter_title>\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\u003Ctranslation>\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Fate, it seemed, only granted them a single season of autumn together.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">At the start of the second semester, Eden Anderson and Shelby Rivera transferred to the humanities track, moving their things into the humanities building. They were assigned to Class 16, and during the classroom reshuffle, they managed to snag desks together again. Julian Smith had also chosen the humanities track and ended up in Class 15.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Lucas Powell was a constant presence in the humanities building, usually stopping by to drag Julian out for basketball. Julian, in turn, frequently visited Class 16 to see Eden, and every single time, Lucas was right there by his side.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Seriously, Eden, what’s your deal with Julian?\" Shelby asked one afternoon.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Nothing,\" Eden replied, keeping her gaze steady. \"We're just friends.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Then why don't you ever turn him down? The excuses he comes up with to see you? A toddler could see right through them. I don't believe for a second you actually buy it.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She was right. Why didn't she shut it down? Hadn't she promised herself that she was done chasing someone who didn't want her?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Eden knew Julian was crushing on her. Everyone knew it—including Lucas. Yet, Lucas still played the wingman, hovering like a silent shadow. Was he just building up his friend’s confidence? Eden felt a cold, jagged bitterness twist in her chest.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Even as her direct interactions with Lucas dwindled, her resentment only hardened. Every time Molly Lee brought up her brother, or every time Lucas walked into her classroom to wait for Julian, that irritation flared up. It grew so intense she wanted to vanish whenever he was near.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">But why? If she saw through Julian’s pathetic excuses, why couldn't she just say no?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Eden stood by the classroom door, maintaining a polite, measured distance from Julian, while her peripheral vision was entirely consumed by Lucas. He was leaning against the window sill, waiting. The harsh light filtered in, tracing the sharp silhouette of his hair. It felt like wherever he stood, the light refused to touch anyone else.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Underclassmen would pass by and call out, \"Hey, senior!\" He’d give them that effortless, charming smile, patting their shoulders with a casual grace.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">When Shelby walked past the doorway, she’d bark, \"What are you doing here again?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Lucas would just fire back, \"What’s it to you?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">When groups of girls strolled by, whispering and stifling giggles as they glanced at him, he’d turn away with a look of feigned disinterest, staring up at the blue sky through the window.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The new math teacher appointed Eden as the class representative. She was tasked with collecting the math homework every day and delivering it to the faculty lounge during the long break. The lounge was in the STEM building. Even though the entrance was on the far left side of the second floor, Eden always made a habit of taking the stairs on the far right.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The second-floor staircase was right next to the Class 7 classroom. The back door was always propped open. Every time Eden walked by, she caught a glimpse of Lucas, sitting in the second-to-last row by the window.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Sunlight poured through the curtains, bathing his desk in a warm, amber glow. In those flickering light-and-shadow fragments, Eden saw a dozen versions of Lucas.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Lucas spinning his pen while staring at a math problem.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Lucas slumped over his desk, fast asleep.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Lucas chatting with the guy in front of him, controller in hand.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Her arms would ache from the weight of the thick stack of workbooks, and the plastic handles would bite deep into her fingers, leaving angry red welts. Yet, she took the long way every single time. She just wanted to pass that door, to steal one fleeting, \"accidental\" glance at him.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">How do you stop yourself from looking? How do you force your eyes to stay away? Eden never found the answer.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">By the end of the semester, Eden had secured her spot at the top of the humanities track, while Lucas sat firmly at the top of the STEM track.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The summer break arrived in a blur. Eden didn't go home, choosing to stay with her aunt in the city for intensive math tutoring. Shelby was in the same program, and so was Easton Ward from Class 7. August 21st, Eden’s birthday, happened to be the final day of the workshop.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">When Eden walked into the classroom, she found her desk buried under a mountain of gifts and cards.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"All from the guys in our class,\" Shelby noted, leaning back.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Eden offered a faint smile and pulled her textbook from her bag.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"You're not even going to open one?\" Shelby looked baffled.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I'll look at them when I get home,\" Eden explained gently.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Right. Any plans for tonight? Want to grab dinner? My treat, for your birthday.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Sure,\" Eden said. \"But let me treat you.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"The birthday girl doesn't pay,\" Shelby said smoothly.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I got my scholarship money today,\" Eden whispered.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The tutoring program offered a $75 scholarship to the top student of the term.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Done! Deal!\" Shelby cheered. \"Fine, I won't argue with that. Let me think… Easton mentioned his cousin opened a music bistro on the edge of town. It sounds cool. Let's go there! I'll ask him when he gets in.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Sounds good.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">That night, Eden, Shelby, and Easton headed to the bistro. The decor leaned heavily into a moody, bar-like vibe: flickering lights, dancing shadows, and walls that seemed to hum with ambient energy.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Easton, this place is nice. How come you didn't tell us about this sooner?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Just opened. Soft launch,\" Easton said, shrugging. \"I'm covering the bill tonight—birthday treats for the queen!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Nice work, Easton!\" Shelby slapped his back, then pointed at the pink balloons hung around the room, laughing. \"You decorated? It’s a bit frilly, but it definitely suits Eden’s princess vibe.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I can't take all the credit...\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Easton started to explain, but Shelby cut him off, shouting, \"Hey, I hear music!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She grabbed Eden’s hand and dashed toward the back of the room. The melody drifted closer, familiar and aching.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Cold coffee sits on the coaster, I keep my emotions hidden deep. The past I’m desperate to salvage, still visible on my face.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">They reached the stage. Shelby turned to Easton, her expression falling. \"Why is Lucas performing?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Couldn't afford a professional,\" Easton explained. \"We're on break, so I asked Lucas to cover a few shifts. Besides, he’s not half-bad.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Fair enough.\" Shelby nudged Eden’s arm. \"Hey, Molly said Lucas has a great voice. Pick a song! Make him sing for you.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"The most beautiful thing isn't the rainy day, it's the eaves where we hid from the rain together.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Lucas sat on a stool center-stage, one leg braced on the floor, guitar cradled against his chest. He was looking down at the mic, singing a melancholic classic. The stage light swept down from the ceiling like moonlight, leaving the rest of the room in darkness. He was the only thing illuminated, the sharp edges of his face cast in soft gold.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Eden stared at him, dazed. Her eyes began to sting.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"You said letting go means walking further, so why try to change a time that's already passed? Your fingertips stopped me from saying goodbye, imagining you still here, before I lose you completely.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Her lashes were damp. Eden turned away, frantically wiping her eyes.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Eden? You okay?\" Shelby asked.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I'm fine,\" Eden said, her voice cracking. \"Just... going to the restroom.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She hurried away, missing the brief, jagged pause in Lucas’s guitar playing before he forced the rhythm back into place.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Perhaps the fate we were dealt, was only to meet, only to fall in love, for this single season of autumn.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The melody hung in the air. In the safety of the hallway, Eden finally broke, sobbing into her hands.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">*“Hey, want to go to a concert this summer?”*\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">*“Where?”*\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">*“I bought the CDs. I’ll give them to the girl at the cafe, and have her play them for us.”*\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">*Eden had laughed then. “Okay. On my birthday, we’ll go together.”*\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">*“It’s a deal,” Lucas had said. “Don't you dare flake on me!”*\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">That summer, he was the one who broke the promise.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She had thought they would find their way back to each other by autumn. But she had survived autumn after autumn, only to realize she would never reach him again. Fate, it seemed, only granted them a single season.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">When Eden walked back into the bistro, the room was buzzing. Shelby waved from the front row. Lucas had finished his song, and a random pop track began to play.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"It's a duet!\" Easton shouted. \"Any ladies want to sing with our star?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Eden, you love this song! You know it!\" Shelby stood up and signaled to Easton. \"She’ll do it! Get her up there!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Easton trotted over, shoving a microphone into Eden’s hand.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I can't,\" Eden said, recoiling. She handed the mic back. \"I really can't.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I'll do it!\" Molly Lee materialized, throwing her arms around Eden and Shelby.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Why are you here?\" Easton frowned.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"You’ve got my brother working for free! I’m here for my bestie’s birthday!\" Molly beamed at Eden. \"Happy birthday, Eden!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Perfect, you're the hero we needed,\" Easton said, handing the mic to Molly.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Molly preened, but as she opened her mouth, she froze. Lucas had just tapped his guitar, cutting the song short.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Why’d he stop?\" Molly huffed.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Shelby burst out laughing. \"Honestly, thank god. One note from you and the guests would be demanding refunds for psychological distress.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"You're the worst!\" Molly reached out to mess up Shelby's hair.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Eden forced a polite smile, but her eyes locked with Lucas’s on stage. She looked away, her expression hardening.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Lucas left shortly after, claiming he had somewhere to be. Molly chased after him. It was the most crowded birthday Eden had ever had. There were well-wishes from strangers, a \"Happy Birthday\" song from the staff, and plenty of cake. It should have been perfect.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Except for one thing: Lucas Powell never once said happy birthday to her.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\u003Cnew_glossary>\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">[{\"zh\": \"音乐餐厅\", \"en\": \"music bistro\", \"type\": \"Location\"}]\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\u003C/new_glossary>\u003C/p>",false,0,1774272926777]