Chapter 290: Chloe's courage

''What didn't you understand? Let me explain them to you'' Collins offered.

''Maybe later, right now I am so hungry''

''Let's go over there and sit then'' he pointed at a park close by and Chloe nodded her head before going with him.

''I can't believe spring is coming so soon. When I see the flowers blossoming from the trees, they remind me of a time I used to like sitting under them back at the University''

''I used to see you sitting at the flowers pathway at school. You would always wait there for your friend each time'' Collins said making Chloe to stop in her strides. She looked up at him and squirted her eyes, the sun was blinding her eyes and she couldn't see his face well enough. But, she suddenly felt that warmth in her heart.

''Be careful'' he said and took hold of her hand, pulling her closer to himself as the bicycle owner apologised riding away.

Chloe crashed into his chest and her body stiffened, but she didn't move. She looked up, meeting his gaze. He smiled at her and pointed at the bicycle rider, ''he was coming so fast. Good that nothing happened to you''

Chloe came back to her senses and stepped back away from him, ''thank you'' she said softly and walked away. Collins smiled and walked hurriedly to catch up with her.

The two soon found a place at the park to sit. Chloe removed the snacks in the bag and saw that he had bought fish cakes and smiled, ''you bought fish cakes?''

''En, I went to that woman's place. Do you remember there used to be a woman who sold fish cakes by the school? that's where I bought them''

''Whoa, it has been so many years since I ate her fish cakes. But, why did you go so far away to get me this?'' she looked at him. She remembered that she was always teased by the girls that he liked her but she didn't understand. Compared to him, she was nowhere near the kind of person he had become. He was so flawless and almost perfect. He was already a lecturer at such a young age while she was just a nobody. She had just quitted her job and was going back to school, so in actual sense, she had nothing to boast about. He had also seen how she was embarrassed for almost dating her former boss.

To Chloe, if anyone like Collins liked her, she would think of it as a crazy idea. Not only would it be a crazy idea but she would think of him as being crazy too. But, his actions were somewhat leading her to think of the impossible.

''Chloe… the way you stare at me is too obvious'' Collins said as his ears turned red. When Chloe saw this, she felt that he was extremely cute and it made her chuckle.

''Why? Has no woman ever looked at you that way before?'' she asked him and he shook his head. ''Are you being serious?''

''I don't usually stay this closed to women. You are the first woman to have caught my attention''

Chloe busted into a fit of uncontrollable laughter when she heard him say that so seriously. He frowned displeased.

''Stop laughing'' he said as his ears turned redder.

''Senior, I didn't know that you were quite so innocent. Then, does it mean you have never kissed a woman before?''

''I haven't done that before either'' he answered and Chloe opened her mouth widely apparently rendered speechless.

''Wait. How are old are you, senior?''

''I am 32 years old''

''32 years old and you haven't had your first kiss before? What were you doing with your life? How could you not have had a girlfriend all your life?''

''I was busy getting in and out of the hospital. I didn't have the time to think about such things because I was getting treatment for my cancer. I had to be at the hospital most of the time. After surgery, I still stayed for rehabilitation and therapy'' he looked at her after saying that. His voice, his eyes were so sincere that Chloe felt a knot tightening around her heart before losing up.

She had always wondered how he was. She was curious about him for a while after he suddenly left school but she had no idea how it was like to be him. Only after he left school that she realised, she often thought about him but it was too late.

Collins looked at her face. He didn't like that way she was looking at him because he felt that she only felt pity towards him. It was true that he never got the chance to experience life like everyone else because he had to battle sickness. But he didn't like to be looked at so pitifully.

''Don't look at me so pitifully. I hate it''

Chloe smiled and placed the fish cakes aside before lifting herself up a little to reach his level since he was still taller than her even though they were sitting. She leaned closer enough and pecked his lips, placing a light and gentle kiss that went as it came before looking into his eyes.

''How does it feel? Your first kiss?'' she asked him and he sat frozen. He hadn't expected such a move from her and was quite shocked by her actions. Chloe seeing that he didn't react much to it, she pouted her lips and sat back, taking the fish cakes into her hands, ''I guess it wasn't that impactful'' she murmured and started eating the fish cakes.

Collins didn't know why he was suddenly rendered speechless. maybe it was because he hadn't anticipated her move at all. It totally shocked him and he didn't know how to react. He had wanted to wait till she had fallen for him before he confessed, but she had just kissed him. He didn't know what to make of the sudden new development.

Even though he was a grown man, he had never encountered such a situation before. he was used to thinking about things logically and acting same way. He would often use his knowledge in maths and economics to make careful calculations of things, finding balance between his everyday life, but now he realised she had made him throw that balance away as he tried to figure out what she was thinking.

He looked at the movement of her lips; how she was enjoying the fish cake. His Adam's apple moved up and down. he wanted to have some of the fish cake too but he wanted to taste them from her mouth so he did what came to his mind. He called her name, ''Chloe''

''Yes?'' she turned to look at him and he held her chin and leaned in closer surprising her with a kiss. The fish cakes fell right out of her hands as she blushed looking at him. He had already closed his eyes and was kissing her much deeper than she had thought and imagined.

She held his tightly and reciprocated the kiss, closing her eyes in the process.

At what felt like a long time, they gradually slowed down and looked at each other. Chloe let go first and cleared her throat, turning her face away as her cheeks turned red.

''I really wanted to do that for a while now'' he said to her.

''Huh? Do… what did you want to do for a while?'' she asked and turned to look at him.

''Kiss you, it was perfect. Just like I imagined it would be. Chloe, I will take responsibility for my actions''

''Huh?'' Chloe said rather loudly. She was confused and her head seem lighter than usual. She could still feel tickles on her lips.

''We just kissed. I heard that women call men who kiss them without taking responsibilities jerks. I don't want to be a jerk so let me take responsibility for my actions''

''Well, you don't really have to…'' Chloe flushed as she spoke, ''technically speaking, I was the one who kissed you first. so why would you take responsibility? There is no need to take responsibility, senior''

''Then, you take responsibility for your actions'' he said and Chloe almost choked on her own saliva. She looked at him. Since when did kissing someone involved taking responsibility?

''How… how do you want me to take responsibility, senior?''

''First of all, stop calling me senior. We are no longer in school''

''But, when I get accepted into your school, I will be your student. I would have to address you formally''

''Call me Collins''

''I… it doesn't feel right''

''If you don't call me Collins, I will kiss you again. I really want to do it again now that I've tasted your lips'' he licked his lips and Chloe flushed. How could someone be shamelessly cute in this manner? She was really confused and didn't know of the new development.

After not hearing a response from her, he took it as a consent and leaned in again to kiss her but she stopped him halfway by placing her finger on his lips and mentioned his name.

''Collins'' she said and stood up walking away hurriedly.

''Chloe, wait'' he stood up and ran after her.