Chapter 212 I Donât Need Special Treatment
Damien was very different from how he used to be.
Cherise looked at him, entranced. In the past, she had never noticed this energetic side of the man
who was always in a wheelchair. Could it be that she was the reason for his change?
Cherise shook her head, abruptly interrupting her train of thought. What had she been thinking? Even
the truth about Damienâs eyes was uncovered by her, with Damien merely acknowledging. her
discovery. How could she be so naive as to assume she was the cause of his transformation?
With these musings, a sensation of loss swelled within her heart, like ink saturating paper. It weighed
on her until Lucy tugged at her arm and said, âLetâs go!â
Only then did Cherise return to reality; it was time for the physical fitness test.
Due to her short stature, her starting position was toward the rear, and she happened to be in the last
group of students participating in the 800-meter assessment.
Observing the students who went before her, visibly fatigued and sweating, Cherise felt an inexplicable
pressure mounting within her.
Positioned at the starting line, Lucy clenched her fist and cheered her on. âYouâve got this!â
Cheriseâs gaze involuntarily shifted to Damien. He had stripped off his outer layer, revealing at white T-
shirt identical to hers. With a sun hat, stopwatch hanging around his neck, and the attendance roster in
hand, he emitted a youthful vibe, more like a fellow student helping out than a teacher conducting an
assessment.
Cheriseâs heart quickened.
Sensing her gaze, Damien smiled gently at her. âGet ready.â
Cherise refocused her attention and fixed her gaze ahead. With the whistleâs shrill sound, she and the
other girls bolted off.
Yet, strangely, just halfway around the track, the girlsâ pace in front of Cherise began to dwindle.
Although Cherise maintained her initial speed, her thoughts wandered to Damien, her mind. drifting.
Two of the girls collided in a moment of distraction, and due to inertia, Cherise found herself sprawled
on the ground. Strong, masculine hands steadied her shoulders just before her face could meet the
unforgiving earth.
While her face was spared a painful collision, her knee took the brunt of the fall, slamming onto the
rubber track with an agonizing thud that furrowed her brows.
Damien lent a hand and inquired, âCan you keep going?â
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Cherise clenched her teeth and responded, âYes.â
Giving up halfway wasnât in her nature, especially not for a minor scrape.
âPerfect, Damien said with a touch of admiration.
âLetâs patch you up now and have you complete the test separately. Iâll also inform the PE teacher
about your situation. If you make it to the finish line, youâll pass.â
Cherise shook her head. âNo thanks,â Pass or fail, she didnât need any special treatment.
Damien gestured to Lucy. âLetâs patch her up. We shouldnât delay the other students.â
âAre you going to run again later?â Lucy questioned, frowning as she applied a band-aid to Cheriseâs
leg. âThey might pass you since Damienâs your husband, even if you donât make it.â
âWith an injury like this, they really should consider passing you.â
Cherise shook her head. âItâs just a minor injury, and I donât want any special treatment.â
âPlusâ¦â She observed Damien as he meticulously recorded the results for the other students,
occasionally glancing her way. âItâs just 800 meters; Iâve got this.â
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