Chapter 98

Once Kelvin left, Kaitlyn finally glanced at Christina. "What happened at the birthday party wasn't your fault. I didn't mean to get mad at you, it's just..."

It was surprising how much Kaitlyn had matured in just a few days.

Christina coughed lightly. "You okay?"

"Honestly, I'm really sad and upset. I don't get it. Why doesn't he like me?" Kaitlyn's expression turned dejected again as she spoke.

Christina tried to comfort her. "You're more than good enough. Sometimes, when someone doesn't like another person, it's not because there's something wrong with them. It's just that they're not a good match. Kaitlyn, if you and he can't be together, I hope you can gradually let go of these feelings."

"Do you think you'll end up with him?" Kaitlyn asked, looking at Christina seriously.

Christina chuckled and replied sincerely, "I only see him as an upperclassman. Besides, I probably won't be thinking about relationships for a long time."

"Really?" Kaitlyn looked at her, still unsure.

"Of course. I fully support you in pursuing true love, but sometimes he might not be the right one for you," Christina advised.

She could see that Kaitlyn was straightforward and sincere, bright and cheerful, while Stanley was a bit reserved and might not understand her feelings.

Kaitlyn waved her hand dismissively. "I don't want to think about these things right now!"

"Do you want to go shopping? Dress up nicely, and who knows, you might have a chance encounter," Christina said with a playful wink.

It was unexpected that Christina had become the lively one between the two of them.

Kaitlyn shook her head. "The city's hustle and bustle means nothing to me now. I don't want to go shopping. It's pointless to dress up nicely if there's no one to appreciate it."

It was rare to see her so downcast.

Christina decided she had to cheer her up. "Where do you want to go? I'll go with you!"

"If we're going somewhere, let's go to a less crowded place with beautiful scenery. That would be interesting." Kaitlyn propped her chin on her hand, thinking. "Moonlit Ridge. I saw a travel ad for it. There are a lot of undeveloped areas that look really interesting."

"If you want to go, I'll go with you," Christina said firmly.

She had some free time recently and could afford to take a few days off for a trip.

Kaitlyn's eyes lit up. "I knew you were the best! Let's pack our things and go. I've always wanted to take a trip like this."

"That place isn't very close. Should we let Mr. Fisher know? So he doesn't worry about us," Christina suggested, feeling it was a bit irresponsible not to inform anyone.

"No need. What's the point of telling him? When you're young, you should just go when you feel like it," Kaitlyn said, suddenly energized as she started packing.

When she came out of her room, she peeked out with a mischievous smile. "You don't need to pack. You can wear my clothes, and we can buy anything we need on the way."

"Isn't this a bit too hasty?" Christina tried to persuade her, thinking it was best to inform their families to avoid any accidents.

But Kaitlyn was determined. "There's nothing to discuss. I've made up my mind. Are you coming with me or not? If not, I'll go alone."

Christina had no choice but to nod. "Alright then."

That day, Kaitlyn managed to book urgent plane tickets, and about twenty minutes later, they were at the airport.

Seeing Kaitlyn finally looking lively again, Christina breathed a sigh of relief. It was better for her to be adventurous than to stay home and brood.

Moonlit Ridge had a tourist area, but most of it was undeveloped wilderness.

As soon as they got off the bus, some locals were nearby selling goods.

"Come, come, all local specialties, guaranteed genuine!"

Kaitlyn picked up a fruit. "Can I try it?"

After getting the nod from the local, she took a small bite and shook her head. "Too sour. I don't want it. Let's go. I found a travel guide online. There's a route with very few people but beautiful scenery."

"Is it reliable?" Christina didn't want to dampen her spirits but felt a bit uneasy.

"Of course, it's reliable. Don't worry." Kaitlyn showed her some photos on her phone. "Look, isn't it beautiful? All taken on that route."

Christina couldn't refuse and agreed.

The initial part of the route was within the tourist area, but it became more desolate as they went further. The undeveloped areas were indeed stunning.

Kaitlyn walked along, taking pictures, not noticing how desolate it was becoming, with the signal getting weaker.

Christina grew worried and stopped. "We should head back."

Kaitlyn pouted. "I'm not done exploring yet."

Christina sighed. "Let's walk a few hundred more meters, then head back. Otherwise, we won't make it down the mountain before dark."

"Okay, okay." Kaitlyn agreed, but her expression showed she wasn't very serious.

They walked for a while longer, the forest growing denser, the scenery more untouched but increasingly desolate.

Christina started to feel scared. "How about we stay at the foot of the mountain?"

Kaitlyn turned back, unhappy. "Didn't you say you'd stick with me? Why are you always killing the mood?"

"This place is deserted and dangerous. If you really want to come, we can bring more people next time. Just the two of us is risky," Christina said, feeling the eerie atmosphere.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt something was off about the travel guide post. It seemed to lure women to this place. She didn't know if she was being overly sensitive or if there was a real reason to worry.

Kaitlyn finally seemed to listen and nodded. "Alright."

As they turned to head back, a few burly men appeared behind them. "Tourists, huh? College girls, and just the two of you?"

Kaitlyn hid behind Christina, terrified.

"What do you want?" Christina shielded her, eyeing the men warily. "What are you planning?"

"By the time you realized something was wrong, it was too late." The men advanced.

Christina pushed Kaitlyn. "Run!"

Kaitlyn took off.

Christina ran in the opposite direction.

But it wasn't long before they were both exhausted and caught on the mountain path.

"Did you really think you could outrun us?"