Chapter 5 5

On the way, I called Nathan twice, but he didn't answer.

I called his roommate, who said Nathan hadn't returned.

I started to feel uneasy.

I rushed to the lab, but it was locked. Peering through the glass door, I saw no one inside.

I felt a sinking feeling in my chest.

Something must have happened.

I searched the entire lab building but found no trace of Nathan.

Feeling lost and helpless, I suddenly remembered an old, abandoned school building nearby. It was slated for demolition and reconstruction due to issues with the load-bearing walls, and a fence had been put up around it to keep people out.

I turned and ran to that building, searching floor by floor until I finally found Nathan in a classroom on the third floor.

The classroom door handle was locked with a broom, trapping Nathan inside.

Normally, an adult male could kick this door open with one swift motion, but Nathan couldn't.

He had been dumped on the floor and left there for four hours, his wheelchair nowhere to be seen, with notebook parts scattered around him.

I walked into the classroom, feeling both heartbroken and furious as I saw him lying there, looking so desolate and haggard.

"Nathan, are you in pain?"

He was covered in dust, struggling to sit up and look at me. "Why are you here?"

I took a deep breath to steady myself.

After a few seconds of silence, he said, "Don't cry. It doesn't hurt."

I didn't respond, just helped him up.

But his legs were completely numb, unable to support him at all.

With gritted teeth, I lifted him onto my back. "I'll carry you!"

He looked alarmed. "Scarlett, you can't carry me!"

"I can!"

Ignoring his objections, I carried him on my back.

He looked thin, but carrying him felt like carrying a mountain.

Especially since he was much taller than me, his long legs dragging on the ground with nowhere to go.

Using all my strength, I inched forward with him on my back, soon drenched in sweat.

He stayed silent, breathing lightly, as if trying to lessen his weight for me.

As we passed the restroom, he hesitated before speaking. "Scarlett, I need to..."

I got it right away.

He had drunk a bottle of water before we parted, and it had been four hours since then. He must have been holding it in for hours.

I carried him into the restroom.

"Wait!" He clung to the restroom door. "This is the men's restroom!"

I asked in surprise, "Do you want to go to the women's restroom?"

His face turned beet red. "You can't go in!"

I was speechless. "There's no one inside. You're about to burst, and you're still worried about this?"

I pried his hand away and carried him inside.

This building didn't have toilet bowls installed, and he couldn't stand on his own. It took a while, but he finally managed to relieve himself with my help.

I've seen and been through a lot.

But Nathan was as naive as ever, his face turning beet red after just a few minutes.

I couldn't help but find it funny.

When we came out, I let him lean against the wall to support himself.

He asked, "What's wrong?"

I went to the next classroom and pushed out his wheelchair.

His eyes widened. "Why didn't you bring it out earlier?"

I put on an innocent look. "I just saw it now."

Yeah, right.

I took him to the dormitory building.

The lights were dim, but his eyes were bright and intense.

"Scarlett, I'll win for you."

I waved and smiled.

I knew he would win.

I just didn't expect him to win so completely and devastatingly.