Chapter 197 - Living Together

Moving in with Edward hadn't been easy for Scarlet or Edward. When Scarlet gradually moved in and spent more time over a week, Edward could feel the shift in the atmosphere. The apartment felt less like a place to sleep and shower and more like a place he wanted to go back to and let himself go.

Seeing two toothbrushes warmed his heart in the early morning. Hearing Scarlet bustling about in his apartment made his heart race. Hearing Scarlet sneeze made him melt. The girl was adorable at every moment and he didn't know what to do.

On the other hand, Scarlet was still struggling to adapt to her new environment like a fish transferred from a pond to a tank. She felt bad about using Edward's things and kept realising that she was constantly missing something that she didn't pack or buy. She thought that she was a minimalist but compared to Edward, Scarlet now knew what a true minimalist was like. The teen didn't even have a spare cup for drinking so Scarlet had to buy one.

Today would be the first day of them going to school together. Claire and Orita had officially left and the apartment was evacuated. That also meant that Scarlet would have to take the public transport to get around now that Claire wasn't here to fetch her and send her to school. Edward wasn't too concerned with it and told Scarlet what time they had to be ready to leave together so that they wouldn't be late for lectures.

Scarlet woke up two hours earlier than Edward to prepare herself and gather her thing. Edward also noticed that Scarlet followed a very strict routine. The girl woke up once after the alarm rang and turned it off within ten seconds. She woke up and walked straight to the bathroom to freshen up even if her eyes weren't fully open. Then, a cup of coffee would brew as she made toast. After breakfast, Scarlet would start working out for about an hour. Edward had to admit, she was way fitter than most other people he knew. It wasn't obvious because Scarlet was small in size but the way she did those cardio and planks made him cringe. She was one fit actress and he could now confirm in person that those stunts she did for the movies were done in person and not by a stunt person.

After the workout, Scarlet would take a shower and that would be about the time Edward got out of bed with messy hair and a bad headache. While he put himself together, Scarlet would be revising her lecture notes before classes or checking through emails on her phone. Sometimes, he would even see the girl work on something in a notebook that she always kept close to her. Edward didn't know what that notebook was but he made it a goal to find out before Scarlet left his apartment.

"Are you ready? Do you have a travel card?" he asked.

Scarlet blinked. "Travel card? I have some money to take the bus. Now that you mentioned it, I don't have one. Claire has been driving me around so much that I forgot it existed. Where can I get one?"

The spy smiled in resignation. Sometimes he forgot that Scarlet was still a rich person's daughter. The fact that she knew about a travel card was impressive enough. Edward didn't want to compare but he didn't think Alex would know about a travel card.

"It's fine, we can still use money for today. However, please remind me to get you one before we come back. It's more convenient to buy a travel card because we can top it up using online credit cards. It's always a hassle to find the right change for the trip and the bus driver has to issue you tickets if you use cash. I don't think the rush hour crowd would be happy either with too many cash payers holding up the line."

Scarlet nodded and put on her shoes. "Alright, I'm ready. Let's go."

Edward did one last check and asked if Scarlet had her keys. The writer patted her pocket and Edward nodded. He locked the door and checked it twice as Scarlet hit the lift button. They walked together and huddled closer when the chill morning air hit them. Shyly, Edward offered his hand to Scarlet and the girl looked at it for two whole seconds before breaking out into a bright smile to accept it. They held hands all the way to the bus stop and Edward showed Scarlet the bus routes on the chart.

"We're going to be taking this one so watch out for the number when it comes. There aren't many stops so we will alight very soon. On a normal day, it will take ten minutes to get to school. However, if there is a peak hour jam, it can take three times longer. On days like that, I would walk back. It's usually faster for me to walk."

Scarlet nodded and thought about it. There was a huge distance between the campus and Edward's apartment. Did that mean Edward walked home in the rain the day they were in the library? suspicious, she gripped onto his hand tighter and stared at him.

"Ed..."

"Yes?"

Scarlet stared at him intently and Edward felt slightly nervous. Why was she so serious all of a sudden?

"Please answer me honestly. What happened to you the other day when we were at the library and had to go home later because of the storm? You gave Mandy your umbrella and didn't have spares. Did you run home in the rain? Was that why you were missing for a few days?"

Busted, Edward tried to look away but Scarlet's eyes held him captive. Swallowing hard, he tried to form a reply but words failed him. Even so, Scarlet already had her answer. His actions confirmed her suspicions and Scarlet felt Edward's hand start to become sweaty from nervousness.

Before Edward could say anything, Scarlet sighed and glared at him. "Don't do it again," she told him strictly and Edward shut his mouth, nodding dumbly. Who knew that such an adorable creature would also have such a scary side to her?

The bus was his saving grace and they had to let go of their hands for a while so that Scarlet could pay the bus driver the correct fees. Edward stood behind her and waited just to be there in case she needed assistance. Scarlet didn't struggle with it and Edward tapped his travel card before ushering Scarlet to move behind where he knew there would be seats. There weren't many people getting on the bus this early as most students preferred to attend the afternoon lectures and sleep in more in the mornings.

Scarlet looked like a child getting on a bus for the first time. She sat near the window and looked out of it the entire time while linking hands with Edward and marvelling at the sight of busy crossroads.

This was another perk that Edward got to enjoy from living with Scarlet. He got to know more about her from living together. Scarlet was a meek person and a shy girl with some social awkwardness but once that was gone, she was actually a jovial person with an inquisitive mind and an undying hunger for knowledge. They were rather similar in their quest to know more and Edward didn't know if this was a good or bad thing. It was very easy for both of them to go down the rabbit hole together if they were curious about the same thing.

They reached the campus in no time and Edward offered Scarlet his hand as she got off the bus. His gentlemanly behaviour didn't go unnoticed by his friends. Alicia was the first to notice them alighting the bus and yelled out to them.

"Good morning love birds! Isn't it a little too early for that?"

Edward stiffened and scowled when he recognised that voice. Scarlet giggled at the sudden change in mood. Her boyfriend was sometimes a little bipolar and Scarlet wasn't a fool to think that he was always an angel. He was only an angel for her and Scarlet didn't mind that. It was always fun to see different sides of him and her favourite was when Edward was napping on the sofa, doing nothing.

Mandy smirked and pushed up her glasses. "I can't believe that Scarlet's parents allowed her to live with you while they are o a business trip. What kind of magic did you cast?"

Beatrice wasn't going to pass up the chance either and congratulated them with a gift. When Scarlet opened the box, she blushed. Edward looked at the couple mugs and wondered what he was going to do with them.

Mike grinned and suggested that they can use it to put their toothbrushes in. "It's going to be really sweet," the jock claimed and Scarlet tried to imagine it but failed.

"Not possible," she said. "Edward's bathroom mirror opens up to have toothbrush holders. There isn't any space to put these cups in there. Although I do think cups will be needed in the kitchen. I've been drinking my morning coffee from his because we don't have spares. Thank you, Beatrice."

Edward didn't know why Scarlet wasn't more embarrassed as she said that. In fact, it was now Alicia, Mandy and Beatrice's turn to feel awkwardly shy after hearing Scarlet flaunt her love life so naturally in front of the lonely singles.

"Lectures are about to start," Alicia coughed. "I think we should get going."

"Yeah," Mandy agreed. "See you later at lunch?"

Scarlet smiled and Edward offered to take the mugs instead. "It's too heavy. I'll carry them instead. Text me after classes?"

"I will," the writer smiled and Edward gave her a quick hug before running to join the group for his lecture. Scarlet allowed herself to linger and watch Edward go a little further before she headed to her class alone with a gentle smile on her face. Today was going to be a good day.