Chapter 167: Exchanges I

Chapter 167: Chapter 167: Exchanges I

Vivienne’s phone vibrated.

Her eyes immediately snapped toward it.

For one brief second, she simply stared.

Then she grabbed her phone.

Christopher Archibald.

Her heart jumped.

He replied.

She opened the message.

Yes, having lunch now. You should as well.

Vivienne read it once.

Then again.

And again.

A smile slowly spread across her face.

He replied.

He actually replied.

And...

He had replied while he was eating lunch.

Vivienne’s heart fluttered.

He was having lunch.

He was probably sitting with other people.

And yet he had still taken the time to answer her.

She looked at the message again.

There wasn’t a question.

Nothing particularly suggestive.

Just a simple response.

And yet...

He had answered her immediately.

He could have waited until after lunch.

But he didn’t.

Vivienne’s smile widened.

Maybe...

Maybe he didn’t mind hearing from her.

Perhaps he had even been a little pleased.

Her imagination began running ahead of her.

She caught herself.

Don’t get carried away.

But then...

She looked at the message again.

Too late.

She was already carried away.

She glanced at her friends.

They were watching her expectantly.

Amelia smiled.

"Well?"

Vivienne hesitated.

Then—

"I think I should reply."

Claire immediately leaned closer.

"What are you going to say?"

Vivienne thought for a moment.

Then typed.

Oh, I see. I just finished mine earlier. Do enjoy yours! Uhm... and thanks for replying immediately!

She stared at the message.

Her cheeks warmed.

Was that too obvious?

She looked at her friends.

Amelia’s eyes widened.

Claire covered her mouth.

Eleanor simply stared at the screen.

Vivienne narrowed her eyes.

"What?"

Claire slowly lowered her hand.

"You’re really good at this."

"What?"

"That."

She pointed at the message.

"That is professional-level flirting."

Vivienne’s face immediately heated.

"It’s not!"

Amelia laughed.

"You thanked him for replying immediately!"

"Because he did!"

"Exactly!"

Claire grinned.

"You noticed."

"Of course I noticed!"

The girls burst into laughter.

Vivienne covered her face with one hand.

"Ugh."

She looked back at the message.

Then sighed.

"Fine."

She pressed Send.

The message disappeared.

Sent.

Vivienne immediately put her phone down.

Then picked it up again.

Then put it down.

Claire laughed.

"You’re hopeless."

"I know."

She smiled despite herself.

She waited.

A few seconds passed.

Then—

Her phone vibrated.

Vivienne froze.

"Again?"

Amelia immediately leaned over.

"Open it."

Vivienne picked up the phone.

Christopher

Christopher’s phone vibrated again.

He glanced down.

Another message from Vivienne.

He opened it.

Oh, I see. I just finished mine earlier. Do enjoy yours! Uhm... and thanks for replying immediately!

Christopher paused.

Then smiled faintly.

She seemed rather pleased that he’d answered quickly.

He didn’t think much of it.

He had his phone in his hand anyway.

So he replied.

Sure, anytime. And yes, lunch is enjoyable.

He sent it.

Then returned his attention to the conversation at the table.

Vivienne’s phone vibrated.

She practically snatched it from the table.

She read the message.

Then her eyes widened.

Sure, anytime. And yes, lunch is enjoyable.

Silence.

Vivienne slowly looked up.

Claire was already watching her.

"What?"

Amelia leaned across the table.

"What did he say?"

Vivienne turned the screen toward them.

They read it.

Then—

Amelia gasped.

"Anytime?"

Claire’s eyes widened.

"Anytime!"

Vivienne’s heart fluttered.

She tried to remain reasonable.

"I mean..."

She looked at the message again.

"That’s..."

"That’s definitely something."

Claire nodded gravely.

"He’s flirting."

Amelia pointed at the second sentence.

"And look!"

"Lunch is enjoyable."

Vivienne blinked.

"Yes?"

"Is it because you texted him?"

Vivienne’s face turned pink.

"Amelia!"

"What?"

"You’re reading too much into it."

Claire shook her head.

"No, no."

"I think she’s onto something."

Vivienne stared at them.

"He just said lunch was enjoyable."

"After you texted him."

"That doesn’t mean—"

"Maybe your message improved his lunch."

Vivienne covered her face.

"You two are impossible."

Eleanor, who had been quietly watching the exchange, finally smiled.

"You’re all overanalyzing a perfectly ordinary conversation."

The other three turned toward her.

A pause.

Then Amelia nodded.

"Yes."

Claire smiled.

"Absolutely."

Vivienne lowered her hands.

"...Thank you."

Eleanor took another sip of her drink.

"Although..."

She glanced at the message.

"Anytime is rather friendly."

Vivienne stared at her.

"You too?!"

The three girls burst into laughter.

Vivienne couldn’t help laughing with them.

She looked down at the message again.

Sure, anytime.

She smiled.

Maybe it really didn’t mean anything.

Maybe it did.

Either way...

She liked seeing his name on her screen.

Very much.

Before she could think of anything else to say, the bell rang.

Vivienne blinked.

"Oh!"

She quickly checked the time.

"We have class."

Claire immediately gathered her things.

"Right."

Vivienne looked back at her phone.

She hesitated for only a moment before typing one last message.

Okay, I’ll head to class now. How about you? Do you still have class?

She pressed Send.

Christopher’s phone vibrated again.

He glanced at it.

Another message.

He opened it.

Okay, I’ll head to class now. How about you? Do you still have class?

He checked the time.

His next class wasn’t immediately after lunch.

He still had some free time.

He replied simply.

Yes, I have class later. Then, enjoy your class.

He sent it.

Then slipped his phone back into his pocket.

Across the table, Anthony continued discussing the Sports Fest schedule.

Christopher returned his attention to the conversation.

Meanwhile...

Vivienne stared at her screen.

Enjoy your class.

Her smile returned.

She was about to put her phone away when another thought occurred to her.

He had said he had class later.

She still had a few minutes before hers began.

So...

Why not ask?

She quickly typed.

Thank you! I just arrived in my classroom. Uhm... since you said you have class later, what time do seniors usually get dismissed?

She hesitated.

Then sent it.

Claire immediately glanced over.

"You’re still texting him?"

Vivienne tried to look innocent.

"I’m just asking something."

"Something?"

"Yes."

Amelia leaned closer.

"What?"

Vivienne showed them the message.

Claire laughed.

"You found another excuse."

"It’s not an excuse!"

"You want to know when he gets out."

Vivienne’s cheeks warmed.

"I was curious."

"Of course."

Before she could defend herself further—

Her phone vibrated.

Vivienne’s eyes immediately dropped to the screen.

Christopher had replied.

Depends on the schedule. But the last class in the school gets dismissed at 9 p.m. You focus on your class.

Vivienne stared.

Then smiled.

He told her to focus on her class.

That was...

Kind of sweet.

She knew it probably wasn’t meant that way.

Probably.

Still—

She couldn’t stop smiling.

She slipped her phone beneath the desk just as the classroom door opened.

Their Professor walked in.

Vivienne quickly straightened.

The conversation was probably over.

She should put her phone away.

She really should.

Instead...

She looked at the message one more time.

Then typed.

Okok. Thank you, Senior Archibald... hehe ^_^

Her thumb hovered over Send.

She knew exactly how that looked.

It was shameless.

It was flirty.

It was absolutely not necessary.

Which was precisely why she wanted to send it.

She pressed Send.

Then immediately locked her phone.

Her cheeks were warm.

A ridiculous smile appeared on her face.

Claire, sitting beside her, noticed.

"What did you send?"

Vivienne shook her head.

"Nothing."

Amelia leaned over.

"Show us."

"No."

Claire narrowed her eyes.

"Vivienne."

Vivienne hugged her phone against her chest.

"No."

The two girls stared at her.

Then burst into laughter.

"You’re hiding something!"

"I’m not!"

"You definitely are!"

Vivienne tried to suppress her smile.

She wasn’t going to show them.

Not this one.

Because somehow...

That little hehe ^_^ felt too embarrassing to share.

Especially with three girls who would never let her live it down.

At the front of the room, their Professor cleared his throat.

The laughter immediately stopped.

"Good afternoon."

The students straightened.

Vivienne slipped her phone into her bag.

Her smile lingered.

She opened her notebook.

But for the next several minutes...

She couldn’t stop thinking about one simple thing.

Christopher Archibald had replied to every single message.

And, for the moment...

That was enough.