"does it ever drive you crazy, just how fast the night changes?"
~#~
"Another party?!" Ari asked, astounded. "Didn't we just go to one last week?"
"We did, but there's another one in which cute boys are coming!" Sarang whined to her friends.
"Sarang, my darling Sarang," Lim Chaewon said in a calm, authoritative voice. "Stop looking for love so desperately. It will come to you at the right time, from the right person"
"I'm not looking for love, Eonnie!" Sarang said frustratingly. "I just love going to parties, and I'd appreciate any gain from it. But I'm not desperate!"
"Okay calm," Hyejin, the youngest, said, patting the older one's cheeks. "We'll go with you if that's what makes you happy"
"What, no!" Ari exclaimed. "My social battery is drained out. I'm not going, you guys go"
And so they did. Lee Ari was left alone in the dorm the next day, and being a national holiday, she had nothing to do and nowhere to go. She decided to visit the rooftop again, hoping for some entertainment.
She was loving the view and the birds that occasionally came and sat on her head, when someone called her name, again.
But this time, it was not Lee Heeseung.
"'Sup?" the Australian waved from the rooftop of the building in front.
"Hey," she waved at him, cursing at herself for coming. "I didn't know you and Heeseung lived in the same dorm"
"We do. There are seven of us," he replied. He was in a white shirt with wet hair that made Ari lose her focus on the conversation.
"Dang, that must be messy," Ari managed to say, keeping her eyes on the sky.
Jake laughed. "It's mostly Riki that's messy. But yeah, if you look at it that way, it is messy"
She smiled at him. She couldn't understand how it was so easy for him to talk after three years of despising her and doing everything in the world to stay away from her. But here they were, talking like long-lost friends.
"Did you get transferred here?" Ari asked. "Because I've never seen you around in the university"
"Yeah, my dad transferred his business here," Jake answered. "What's your major?"
"Astronomical physics, what about you?"
"Oh, that's me as well"
"So what are you doing today? I don't see company with you," the boy said after a few seconds of silence.
"My friends are way too extroverted," Ari laughed. "They're at a party and I denied going with them. I'm bored now"
"Wow, same," Jake said, widening his cute puppy eyes. "Wanna hang out? I'd love your company right now"
Like in the past, his flirting skills won Ari's heart and she immediately said yes, then mentally slapped herself for being so open with him.
They agreed to meet in ten minutes, and that meant she had only ten minutes to pick her best outfit, though she didn't know why she was trying to impress him when her goal was to get over him.
She decided to wear some shorts and an oversized hoodie to keep it simple and not too vibrant, sprayed fragrance over her clothes, and scurried outside. Jake was waiting for her near the gate of the girl's dorm, looking handsome in a black leather jacket and boots.
"You look pretty," Jake was the first one to compliment.
"You too," Ari said. "I mean, you look handsome"
He laughed. "So, where do you wanna go?"
"Uhh, I dunno, maybe a park or something?" she suggested. In the back of her mind, Ari knew this was a bad idea and it would not help her in any way to get over him. At this point, she even considered running away.
"Sure," he smiled, his big eyes beaming with excitement.
Without any warning, he took her hand in his and started walking, making the girl scurry behind him.
"Do you remember," Jake asked when they reached the local park and found a tree to sit under, "when we used to run around here back in the day"
That was the first time Jake mentioned the past. And it did nothing but give Ari pretty but melancholic flashbacks.
-flashback-
"Jake, wait for me!"
"Catch me if you can, shortie!"
"Hey, you're shorter than me, shortie!" The seventeen-year-old caught up with the boy. She clutched onto his shirt, panting hard.
"You are shorter than me, baby girl," he said, suddenly too close in front of her. "See? You're straining your neck to see my handsome face"
"I hate you," Lee Ari muttered, her face red and tongue-tied.
"What was that?" Jake bent down to her face, eyebrows raised. "Say that again and you are dead meat"
"I hate you~" Ari cooed. Before she could process, she was pushed to the ground, through a soft landing with Jake's palm on her neck. Jake pressed his lips on her, not giving her room to breathe.
"Jake, what the-," She was cut off by his lips on hers again.
It was a completely new feeling to Ari, never having kissed a boy before. It took her a few seconds to realize what was even happening. She didn't know how, but her lips moved in sync with his. It felt like a puzzle being completed. She slowly put her arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss, becoming more breathless every second.
He finally broke apart, their lips still touching, and spoke, "Say again you hate me"
She gave him a small peck and said through it, "If this is what I get, then I will say it every day"
Jake chuckled. He lifted his face and traced his lips on her jawline, giving Ari a tornado of butterflies in her stomach.
"I love you," he whispered into her neck, making her more breathless than she already was.
"Thank you for being my first kiss," she spoke. She kissed him this time and he gave right in.
"I promise to be your last" And that was the last day of Ari's happily ever after.
-end of flashback-
"Yes, I remember," Ari said in a small voice, hating herself for remembering her past.
"I miss those days," Jake said casually as if talking about the onion prices in the market.
She remained quiet, afraid she'd make things worse if she said she did too. They sat in silence, not too comfortable, but not awkward either.
"Jake," Ari called, turning her head towards the male as he hummed in response. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure. Anything for you," he smiled, but it lowered when Ari spoke next.
"Why are you acting like we were nothing in the past?" She asked, careful not to drop a bomb. "Like what we did, what you did, doesn't matter now"
Jake sighed. He remained silent for some time before giving Ari an answer. "I'm sorry, Ari if it made you sad or uncomfortable. I'm just trying to get close to you, maybe I can't like we used to be, but close enough to see if I'm not hurting you with my actions again"
"How does it matter now if I'm hurting or not?" Ari asked, her voice sounding hurt. "It never did before"
"I'm sorry," he said again, full of regret. "I will stay away if you're happy that way"
"It's okay," she spoke, giving him a smile. "We can be friends"
Ari stretched out her arm for a handshake.
"Are you sure?" Jake asked, his expression showing his concern. "You won't regret it?"
"Friendship is a two-way path," she said as if she was about to give a speech. "If you're okay with us being friends, then it's a green light from me"
Jake gave a big grin that reached his ears and shook Ari's hand.
"Thank you for giving me a chance," Jake said sternly as if committing to an obligation in the military. "I will not let you down in any shape and form"
Ari let out a chortle. "That was hilarious"
"Hey, I'm making a promise!" Jake defended, punching the girl's shoulder playfully.
"Then I promise the same too," she said. She saluted Jake, making the atmosphere lighter since the previous conversation.
"Stop teasing me," Jake whined like a puppy, giving a fake cry. His long hair that reached his neck swayed in the wind, which Ari couldn't help but notice. He used to have short hair three years ago. He disliked wearing jewelry, yet, now he wore multiple chains around his neck. Indeed, a lot had changed about him; the way he dressed, the way he wasn't shy anymore to talk to other women...
"Also, I met your friend Heeseung from your dorm room's window last night," Ari said, suddenly remembering what he had said. "He said something about you that didn't fit right with your personality"
"Oh," Jake went silent. "What did he say?"
"He said you were gay," she said giving out a laugh to not make it awkward.
Jake laughed. "What? Me? Gay?" He spoke, trying to catch his breath from laughing. "He was joking. Imagine me being gay"
"Then why did he say that?"
"He's a sadist that way," Jake revealed. "He loves ruining friendships and relationships. He says he finds joy in seeing people cry"
"Wow," she breathed. "What a friend you've got."
that song always makes me cry :") so many memories with so many people TOT
don't forget to vote if you're enjoying :)
it makes me happy to see some response from my readers.
ty and ily.