F̶o̶r̶b̶i̶d̶d̶e̶n̶ ̶l̶o̶v̶e̶

13.

Fourth

Right now, I'm sitting in the car with Gemini driving, just watching the streetlights flicker by as we head to the event.
After I asked Gemini to leave that day, I stuck by Noah's side for nearly a week straight. I hardly slept or ate, even though my friends kept nagging me to take care of myself. I did try to eat once, but it all came right back up. I managed to sip some water from a bottle, but honestly, I was so focused on Noah that I didn't really care about anything else. I did lose some weight during that time, but it wasn't really a big deal.

Noah didn't wake up during those days even once, no matter how much I talked to him or held his hand. Every morning, the nurse would come in and draw more blood. I did faint a few times, but I insisted they keep going until they had what they needed. They kept saying Noah was in desperate need of blood, so I just let them do their thing. I did feel weaker each time, though, and I started to wonder if they were taking too much. But I didn't want to make a fuss.

By the end of it all, getting pricked with needles had become so routine that I hardly even felt it anymore. When Gemini called me that day, it's all kind of a blur. I was feeling so out of it from the low blood levels. Once I got home, I took a bath, put on some nice clothes, and even slapped on some makeup to try to hide the dark circles under my eyes. And now, here we are, on our way to the event.

As we made our way from the car to the event, Gemini filled me in on the dos and don'ts, saying not to engage with Lek. I trailed behind him, feeling a bit out of my depth since Gemini seemed to know everything about the event.

After what felt like endless walking, I couldn't hide the discomfort in my legs any longer. I leaned in and whispered to Gemini, confessing that my legs were throbbing. His expressionless eyes softened as he nodded in acknowledgment, saying goodbye to the person he was speaking to before guiding us to a nearby table.

As we settled in, Gemini's voice took on a gentler tone, different from his usual demeanor. He asked about my leg pain, his hand finding its way to my thigh to offer some relief through a gentle massage. My cheeks began to warm at his touch.

"Feeling any better?" Gemini asked.

"Y-Yeah, a bit. Thanks for... this."

We made eye contact yet again. "No problem. You looked like you could use it."

"You're surprisingly good at this, how?" I chuckled.

"Secret. Besides, it's the least I can do." His hand still massaging my thin thigh.

I smiled gratefully, "Well, I appreciate it. And your softer side too."

"Soft side? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that." I laughed.

As Gemini and I continued our conversation, I couldn't help but notice the change in him. His voice had softened, and his eyes, once expressionless, now seemed to sparkle with...love. It was a side of him I hadn't seen before, and it left me speechless, yet oddly at ease. We shared laughter and deepened our connection, and for the first time, I felt like I was truly getting to know his true side.

While his hand continued to massage my thigh, offering comfort, my attention was momentarily drawn to the door as it opened to reveal a stunning woman with a slim figure and long brown hair. Gemini's reaction was palpable as he sighed heavily upon making eye contact with her, his hand tightening on my thigh.

As the woman approached our table with an unmistakable sweetness in her eyes aimed at Gemini, I couldn't help but feel a pang of discomfort as he withdrew his hand from my thigh. It was a small gesture, but it left me strangely longing for his touch, a sensation I hadn't anticipated.

She attempted to engage Gemini in conversation, but he seemed to brush off her attempts, his focus elsewhere. It wasn't until she started pouring out her feelings, confessing her love for him and begging for another chance, that I then realized.

Her name was Prim, and it became clear that she and Gemini had a history together. She clung to him, trying to touch his hand and get his attention, while I observed from the sidelines, feeling an unexpected twinge of jealousy despite reminding myself of my commitment to Noah.

Prim's tone shifted from sweet to angry upon noticing my presence, ''Excuse me, but who are you?'' Before Gemini could respond, I decided to speak up, injecting a bit of sarcasm into the conversation.

"Ah, me? Just your trusty assistant here, keeping Gemini in line and making sure his coffee stays hot. And you must the one who still hasn't quite moved on?"

Prim glares at me, "And who are you to listen to our conversation?"

"Just a bystander enjoying the drama. But hey, now that your love confession is over, can we get back to our evening?"

But Gemini's sighs interrupted, "Prim, this is Fourth. Fourth, Prim. We..."

"Surprising, I've figured. But hey, nice to meet you, Prim. Always interesting to meet the exes." I smirked at her angry face.

Prim huffs, "Likewise, I'm sure."

"Can we please just enjoy the evening?" Gemini clears his throat and soon after, the awkward atmosphere took place.

I felt Gemini subtly placed his hand back on my thigh, comforting me. I glanced at him with concern, but he didn't meet my gaze; instead, his jaw was clenched tight. In an attempt to ease his tension, I placed my hand on top of his, gently rubbing circles with my thumb.
As I stole a glance at him from the corner of my eye, I noticed a slight ease in his expression and a hint of a smile.

Meanwhile, Prim continued to cast glances between Gemini and me until Lek arrived from thin air. He greeted us with a kiss on Prim's cheek, introducing her as his new girlfriend. I was left speechless. How could she manipulate Gemini like that? And why was she lying about still missing him?

As I tried to make sense of the situation, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease creeping in. Why was I getting so caught up in their drama either way? Lek left saying he has some business to attend, only for Prim to eat shit in 2 minutes before her boyfriend came back. Prim's introduction as Lek's girlfriend only seemed to fuel Gemini's anger. With each word Lek spoke about Prim, Gemini's frustration bubbled to the surface until it finally boiled over in a burst of raw emotion.

"I don't care," Gemini snapped, his voice laced with bitterness. "This whole thing is torture, and I've wasted my time at this event."

In a sudden display of fury, Gemini stood up and grabbed me by the arm, his grip tight.

"And as for your little girlfriend," Gemini continued, "before you go jumping into a relationship, make sure they're not still hung up on their exes ass."

Before I knew, we were storming out to the car, leaving behind the tense atmosphere at the table. As we made our way outside, I couldn't help but sneak a glance back at the scene Gemini has left behind. Their stunned faces mirrored my own smirk.