The Mysterious Him and Mind Reading

I was so caught up in watching my favorite movie star’s live stream in the dorm that I accidentally knocked over the cactus on the windowsill. The cactus pot tumbled three floor down.

Guys, please don’t follow my example. It’s bad enough to mess up with people, and it’s even worse to mess up plants. But the cactus didn’t just hit the ground—it landed right on a Peppa Pig bedspread!

The soil splattered Peppa’s nose, like it was mocking my clumsiness. Help!

The bedspread probably belonged to some sweet, innocent girl. So, I took a deep breath and posted on the campus forum to find the owner. I explained what happened and apologized profusely.

I then grabbed my phone and typed out a message on campus forum, hoping the recipient would be understanding.

Soon, the comments started piling up:

“Peppa Pig gets a new tattoo—so funny!”

“Hahaha, isn’t that Asher’s blanket? He’s always putting his bedspread on that tree, sunning it.”

“It’s just a blanket. Do you make it on purpose?”

I was speechless. It turns out the blanket belonged to Asher, the biggest bully on campus—the last person you’d want to mess with.

My roommate Ava sat up in bed with a start.

“Lena, that Peppa Pig blanket belongs to Asher, the school bully! I can’t believe he likes something so childish. They say the most childish on surface is the cruelest man in the world. I heard he broke a guy from Civil Engineering department bones last month and that guy was even hospitalized. Lena, what did you do to piss him off?”

Oh no, this is a disaster!

Just as Ava finished speaking, a WhatsApp message popped up: Asher, the blanket.

The message made my heart sink.

I hesitated for a moment but accepted the request. Before I could even say “hello,” he replied with a short, to-the-point message: “Let’s talk at the playground tonight.”

He was so blunt and commanding.

I swallowed hard and replied, “Okay.”

Lena, what have you done to anger the school bully?

I guess college life really does make everyone a bit crazy. I was just trying to fit in.

That night, keeping my roommates’ worries in mind, I nervously made my way to the playground. There, under the national flag, I spotted Asher. He looked intense with his sharp features and his messy bangs falling over his forehead, as if he’d been waiting forever. He had his hands shoved in his pockets and was kicking at the broken stones on the ground.

When Asher’s in a bad mood, even passing dogs get kicked.

Summoning all my courage, I almost fell to my knees, clinging to his leg and putting on a tearful performance.

“Asher, I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize that was your blanket. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have dared to do it. Please forgive me.”

I apologized in a jumble of words, wishing I could prostrate myself. Honestly, with my acting skills, I should have won an Oscar. It’s their loss that I didn’t go to the best Film Academy.

Asher leaned against the flagpole, his high frame giving him an imposing presence. He looked at me thoughtfully, his height and demeanor radiating a sense of intimidation.

“Are you saying if it wasn’t my blanket, you’d have dared to do it.”

“No, let me explain—”

I was about to defend myself when I suddenly heard some strange, disembodied voices.

[How could you dirty someone else’s blanket? It should only be me who gets dirty.]

[Finally, I made an appointment with Lena. How could I bear to be harsh with her? Lena, please see through my tough exterior and realize that aloofness is just my way of protecting myself.]

[Chances are for the one who will jump at them! Look, my love has arrived.]