Neal's mother didn't give up to introduce her son to socialite daughters. Neal never liked the occasion, but being an obedient son, he went to one regardless. In one of the many matchmaking occasions, when everyone left to get some refreshment, he on purposely stayed behind to take a break from those girls. He loosened his bow a little and took a deep breadth. Suddenly, he heard someone talking to him.

"It must be very annoying that you need to go trough all this."

He turned around to see who's talking to him. He saw a dark hair girl with a friendly face. She's about the same height as Candy but a bit thinner. As usual he couldn't stop comparing any girl to Candy. She's not beautiful but attractive, at the first sight anyway. She seemed to be much friendlier than Candy, that's for sure.

He laughed and asked, "Pardon me, Miss...?"

"Smith. Elizabeth Smith. Call me Beth. My mother asked me to come to this kind of event often too. As you can see, I just sit in this corner. I come, but I just sit here. So... I get both of the world. Now everyone is gone, what if we run away? You can take me home, so both of us gain something," she said with a funny smile.

Neal laughed and agreed right away. He called his servant to get him his car key and meet him outside.

While walking to the car they chatted and Neal found that Beth also went to University of Chicago just like him.

"I never saw you, well, not a surprise there are many students there. But I go there too," said Neal.

"I know. My mother already told me everything about you, that's why I come to your matchmaking party."

He laughed and started to be interested in Beth who seemed to be very positive and outgoing. He got the car key and took her home.

"Where do you live?"

"I live in a dormitory. It's good, to get some freedom, far away from parents and I can do whatever I want."

"That's not a bad idea, indeed," Neal replied.

They were talking about classes they took and found they took the same math class. They promised to stay in touch. On the next class, Neal came as fast as he could, he stood at the door waiting for Beth. To his excitement, they met again. They started to chat and be friends, went to lunch together and did many more things together.

One time, Neal promised to meet Beth at her dorm. He knocked at the door and to his surprise Candy opened the door.

"Candy?" asked Neal surprised

"Neal? This is my home. What do you want?" said Candy. She saw him coming with a box of chocolate and flowers in his hand. She thought he's been following her and wanted to give those to her. She was about to slam the door when she heard his answer.

"I am looking for Beth." He looked at the door number to check if he got the correct address.

"Beth? She's my roommate. She's not home. You can wait here." Candy was surprised with his answer. She let him in and went back to her room curious what happened next.

After a while she heard Beth came back home.

"Hi Neal, sorry I am late," said Beth with her usual friendly tone.

"Beth, how are you?" Candy could hear Neal's voice from her room. Candy took a peek outside and she could see his face beaming with happiness. Probably with a slight blush.

"Oh you brought me flowers, that's so sweet. Thank you, Sweetheart," said Beth. She gave him a hug. "Oh and some chocolate too. Let's share this to Candy, she loves chocolate."

Beth shouted to call Candy.

Candy saw Neal nailed at his spot non stopped watching Beth. He didn't even move his eyes to see her when she entered the living room.

"Delicious, thank you," said Beth.

Candy couldn't help to laugh in her heart seeing the blushing Neal. She certainly never saw him that way before. Beth was forever gracious and sweet which made her enjoy seeing the interaction between the two. Beth was clearly at the center of his attention, not even once did he look at her or tease her.

After Neal left, Candy asked Beth, "Are you Neal's girlfriend?"

"He's a very sweet guy. I wonder, why didn't you accept his proposal?"

"Sweet?" said Candy with a distorted face. "Not the Neal I know off." She stopped there. Being a gracious woman, she didn't talk bad behind someone's back and didn't tell her all the problems she had with him. "How do you know that I rejected his proposal?"

"Who doesn't?" responded her back. "All the Leagans circle of friends know that. And my mother is his mother's closed friend."

Since Candy didn't answer, Beth just tried to answer her question herself. "He's shy maybe that's why you don't like him. But he's very kind inside."

"Are you his girlfriend now?" Candy asked again.

"He gave me his first kiss today so I guess, yes, I am his girlfriend."

"Really? How's it?" asked Candy curiously.

"Pretty good, considering it's his first time," laughed Beth.

"His first time?" asked Candy with eyes wide open. "I certainly didn't know that."

"Wait, he proposed to you and he hadn't kissed you before?"

"No," without explaining that he tried but she didn't let him. "But I thought he kissed many girls before."

"Well not what he said to me. But I think it really was his first. I could tell form his nervousness. He's not a romantic kind of guy. From what I saw in the matchmaking party, I don't think he's a womanizer either. So I guess he lacks that experience. But that's a good thing, it's a praise not a pan," said Beth with a day dream smile.

"He's a husband material not a boyfriend material," Beth added with a big laugh.

Candy laughed too certainly never thought about him that way. She couldn't believe the description of Neal she just heard from Beth. What did I miss here? She thought to herself. Or probably it's just because Beth was in love? She thought to herself trying to make a sense out of it.

"Tomorrow, we'll go canoeing, do you want to come? Take Carl," Beth said suddenly waking her up from her confusion. Candy agreed.

Like Candy and Carl, Beth really liked outdoor activities. She dragged Neal to do many outdoor activities with her. She rowed fast and Neal needed to work hard to catch up with her. In the center of the lake, Candy could see him wiping her sweat which she accepted graciously. She wiped his and both smiled happily beaming with so much happiness. How she could change him, Candy thought in awe. When it rained, he hurriedly took an umbrella and opened it for Beth. He put his arm around her and both laughed walking in the rain with so much happiness.

Thanks to Beth, the four of them met often and went out to have fun. The four became fast friends or rather, Beth glued four of them together. They went to outdoor activities, parties, and many occasions together. Neal for sure was there just to be with her. Gone is the teasing Neal since he's too busy to pay attention to Beth.

One day Beth proudly showed Candy her engagement ring.

"Neal proposed to me, we'll get married this Spring!"

Beth was beaming with so much happiness.

Candy couldn't believe it happened this fast. She's happy for them! Beth took her to shop for the wedding dress and other wedding preparation which she enjoyed a lot. In the wedding, Candy was the bridesmaid. Beth and Neal were beaming with so much happiness. Candy couldn't believe that even Neal was married. She sighed... thinking of all men she had in her life, except this very same man who just got married to Beth, no one had ever made a daring move to take her to be his wife. Secretly she looked at Carl, wondering if he'd be the one. She sighed, regardless, she was happy for them. Then they went to their honeymoon.

In the summer, Neal, Candy, Clark, and Beth graduated. They had the graduation party together. Neal and Clark then worked with their fathers and Candy went back to work in the hospital. This time she entered the management level. Beth who was expecting a baby stayed at home momentarily. Her belly grew bigger each month and Candy who always liked babies and children couldn't be more excited for her friend. They often went to shop together to buy baby accessories, crib and more. She felt genuinely happy for them. Neal worked diligently thinking that he'd be a father soon. His parents were very happy on his development. He gave his beloved wife a kiss and hug every morning and when he came back from work.

"If it's a boy, he'll be as handsome as you," said Beth. Neal was very happy to hear that.

"She'll be as beautiful as you if it's a girl," he replied back.

She talked happily about how to take the child to row, outdoor activities and more in the future. And Neal answered, "I'll take him to do many car test drives."

Candy could see how happy the young couple were together. Gone forever the obnoxious Neal since he's too occupied to Beth. She saw how Beth's kindness and sweetness brought the best things out of him in contrast to the past where her bitterness brought more bitterness out of him.

-To be continued-

Thanks for reading.