Love's perfect match novel (Elspeth and Callum)
Chapter 745 Side Story: Childhood Sweetheart 5

After stepping into the school, Alice quickly found her classroom location, walked in, and sat.

Looking at her panting, her desk mate Lynne grabbed a tissue and wiped her sweat, saying, "What happened today? Did you see a ghost?"

"It's scarier than seeing a ghost."

Alice managed to calm down, but the next second, she was startled by the announcement over the intercom. "Students who have reached their respective classrooms, please hurry downstairs to gather in the Dauntless Hall."

"We'll talk later. Let's head downstairs to the flag-raising ceremony first."

The Monday flag-raising ceremony was a fixed routine, and every student had to participate.

Alice nodded and, after setting her backpack down, followed Lynne downstairs.

Standing in formation, Alice looked up through the glaring sunlight at the podium and unexpectedly saw a blurry figure up there.

She couldn't see clearly without her glasses, but she felt a sense of familiarity.

Lynne nudged her arm with an expectant look in her eyes. "Can you see the person on the podium? He's so handsome, right?"

"Handsome?"

Alice shrugged it off.

The Winthrop Family, the Damazio Family, and the Joneson Family were all full of handsome guys. Anyone you picked out would be uniquely handsome. After spending so much time surrounded by them, she had developed an immunity to handsome guys.

However, as she pondered this, she discreetly started ranking the guys from her family in her mind.

Liam always enjoyed pulling her hair and playing pranks on her. He ranked last.

Cameron had always been gentle, treating her incredibly well. Unfortunately, his looks were slightly overshadowed by the others, placing him third.

Ethan and Damian...

Both of them had their own charm. After all, Ethan's father was a former A-list actor in the entertainment industry. Even though Miss Lisa wasn't as good-looking as Miss Elspeth, Ethan and Damian still held their own.

After some thought, Alice gritted her teeth and put Damian in first place.

It wasn't that she feared Damian, but he truly was the best-looking among the four.

Just as she finished sorting her thoughts, a familiar voice reached her ears.

Through the intercom, she heard Damian's cool voice say, "First of all, congratulations to everyone for becoming a part of Damoria High School. Secondly, I have an announcement to make. Starting today, I will be the new principal of Damoria High School."

Principal... Principal?

Alice's eyes widened. "How can he be the principal?"

In the hall, apart from Damian's voice, it was dead silent.

As Damian finished speaking, Alice blurted out her words without reservation. Not only did everyone in the audience hear her, but even the person on the stage probably heard it too. He shifted his gaze to her.

"Excuse me, do you have any objections to me being the principal?"

Damian looked at her. For some reason, his tone carried a hint of fondness that the surrounding students picked up on.

"No, no."

Alice quickly lowered her head after saying that to avoid ridicule from others.

However, being the top-ranked student in her grade and with her name and photo always at the top of the honor roll, she was naturally known by many.

"What's going on with Alice? Does she have some connection with the new principal?"

"What are you talking about? Our new principal used to be our senior, who's a few years older than us. How could you forget someone so outstanding?"

"I remember back then, Damian was always protective of Alice. He seemed really fond of her!"

"Yeah, their families are close. They grew up playing together, so their relationship must be deep."

"But who knows what happened later? They suddenly stopped appearing together as if they broke off contact."

"Shh..."

Hearing their hushed whispers, Alice felt overwhelmed as she kept her head down, her mind a mess.

She knew all these things, and their relationship almost shattered due to her actions.

Recalling those events from back then, she felt a pang of heartache.

Her heart tightened as if in a vice grip, leaving her lost for words.

Clutching her chest, she looked increasingly pale. The people around her noticed her distress and stopped talking.

Thankfully, Alice's anguish was short-lived. She took a deep breath and managed to calm down.

She hadn't really heard what was said on the podium due to her emotional turmoil, only snapping back to attention at the last sentence.

"Okay, the assembly is over. Alice, come to my office."

Like a stone cast into a pond, the gossip that had only just stopped immediately returned to life.

Facing the pressure from everyone, Alice walked forward step by step.

She came up to Damian, looking at him and offering a smile. "Damian, uh, Principal, did you need something from me?"

"Come with me."

Damian gestured for her to follow him and led her to his office.

As the office door closed, Alice grew nervous.

It wasn't really her fault. Damian's gaze felt just too intense, leaving her unsure how to react.

"I know you were lying in the car earlier. Now, tell me, why have you been avoiding me all this time?"

Damian loosened his tie, took off his jacket, and sat down.

Though seated, his presence remained undiminished.

"I really haven't been avoiding you. You're overthinking it..."

Alice instinctively took two steps back, seemingly afraid of him.

"I'll give you one last chance."

Damian's gaze was piercing, making Alice eventually succumb to the pressure. Her voice was weary as she said, "Okay, okay, I admit. I have been avoiding you, but I have my reasons."

"Finally admitting it, huh?" Damian stood up and approached her, and the encroaching intensity of his presence left Alice flustered. "Tell me your reasons."

"I..."

"Because you're grown up now, and we shouldn't be so intimate with each other? Because my confession bothered you? Or perhaps because I kissed you back then..."

"Okay, enough! Stop talking!" Alice breathed heavily, color draining from her face.

"It's okay. You don't have a heart condition. I can continue."

Alice covered her ears in pain. "Please, I'm begging you. Stop talking."

"Then tell me the truth."

Alice's eyes welled up with tears. "I can't reveal the truth behind this and don't want to. It's all in the past, and there's no need to bring it up again."

"Alice, have you ever considered my feelings?"

Alice, with teary eyes, looked up at him. It was like time had turned back.

She was in eighth grade at that time, and she was just a young girl.