My Counterattack System After Reborn

Chapter 28: Todd’s Many Smiles

Ten times! – thought Todd. He could not believe his ears. He did some quick math and found that his profit would be equivalent to one Slap-Face Numerical Value, which could be exchanged for one hundred dollars, which was more cost-effective than gold.

Both men remained calm, even though there was great joy in both of their hearts. The problem was that they were each suspicious of the other. 

Todd thought for a while and then he said, "I must consult with the master craftsman before I agree to anything.” Then he took the older man's business card and left.

By the time he slipped over the wall and arrived back at school, the afternoon classes had come to an end, so he went back to the classroom to pick up his schoolbag. As soon as he walked out of the classroom, though, he bumped into Eve Roberts.

Compared to Todd's weight, Eve was as light as a piece of paper. Thus, after being bumped, she fell to the ground, causing all of her homework to scatter.

Todd Knelt and offered her a hand up. "I’m so sorry,” he said. “Are you okay?”

“I am fine,” Eve replied, and with Todd’s help, she was on her feet in no time. Then he knelt again to collect her schoolwork, and as he stood up, he asked her why she was still there. “Our last class ended over thirty minutes ago,” he pointed out.

"I wanted to put the teacher's graded homework on each of our classmate's desks so that they can see it when they get here tomorrow morning," Eve replied.

Todd nodded and smiled. His smile had always been sunny. He had inherited his mother's dimpled cheeks and neat white teeth, which outlined his unique charm. In the past, his smile had appealed to Eve, but she had always felt that there was something missing. It is no longer missing now – she realized. She could see that his heart was full of love for life and that he was confident about his future. Thus, his smile was full of positive energy. Still, Eve was stunned by Todd’s sunny smile, and when she came back to her senses, her face turned red and her heartbeat started to accelerate. Not wanting to make a fool of herself, she took the workbooks from Todd and ran into the classroom.

Todd did not notice the change in Eve's expression or that she was embarrassed, so he followed her into the classroom. Once he was in the room, he noticed the smell of her hair, and his smile widened.

They liked each other, but they were both trying to play it cool. Eve held a stack of homework and she was placing the graded papers on the top of the proper desks; each one upside down. Meanwhile,  Todd was standing at the door, staring at Eve's back. He was in a daze, and there was a silly smile on his face.

Once Eve was finished, they walked towards the school gate together, and although they were silent, their hormones were doing the Hokey-Pokey. Eve was hugging her schoolbag to her chest in an attempt to hide her fierce heartbeat, but her blushing cheeks betrayed her. Todd was equally as nervous, though, and he did not dare to look at her face.

What the hell - thought Todd – Why am I acting like such a p***y? In his previous life, Eve had once been his girl. They had held hands and kissed, so there was no reason for him to be behaving in this manner.  

The trip that normally took a short time, from one end of the campus to the other, seemed to be taking ages, and the silence was becoming more and more unbearable. Finally, Todd spoke up. He said, “Eve, may I drive you home?”

"Ah?" Eve was startled by the question. She hesitated for a moment. Then she lowered her head and muttered, "Hmm… Okay."

“Okay!” Todd exclaimed, and he ran off to get his car. Then, when he returned, he parked beside her, ran around the vehicle, and opened the door for her like a true gentleman.

Eve had never been in such a luxurious sports car, and she was impressed. When Todd returned, she asked, "Is this the supercar that the boys in the class have been talking about?"

"This is not a super sports car,” Todd replied. “It is an entry-level sports car."

"Well, I don't know much about cars," Eve admitted. 

Todd smiled warmly and said, "It doesn’t matter. Sports cars are all a waste of money. Truth be told; I can barely afford the gas on this, let alone the payments. I wish that I had gone with a KIA…”

"You could sell it and take the bus to school," Eve suggested. "The bus is environmentally friendly and convenient. Not only that, but if you took the bus, the other students wouldn’t think that you were such a snob, and it would be easier for them to warm up to you.”

"Is that so…?" Todd forced himself to smile.

Eve saw that his smile was fake, and she said, "Think about it. Almost all of our classmates either walk or take the Bus to school. You are one of the few students driving a luxury sports car. I am telling you; it drives a wedge between you and your peers.

"Don't you want to fit in with your classmates? Then, like everyone else, if you study hard and get good grades, you will be admitted the university of your choice!" She hoped that he would want to go to the same university that she went to, but she was to shy to come right out and say so.

Todd sighed without answering. He also wanted to live a simple life, but he still had the evil Asian monk to worry about, plus the payments on his home, and his parents, and the million other things that he was forgetting.  He frowned and his eyes welled up with tears.

Eve saw the desperation in his eyes, and she did not know what to say. The life he was living was causing him pain, but he seemed unable to make the simplest of changes. Is it so difficult to relax and live a normal life? – she wondered. And for the first time ever, she was glad that she had been born into poverty. In her opinion, wealth complicated everything.

The car went quiet again, and time fell back into its snail’s pace. Before long, though, they arrived at Eve’s house. She opened the car door to get out of the car, but then she realized something. She closed the car door, looked at Todd, and said, "I never told you where my house is, so how did you know where I live?”