Liya
I was staying at Luka's house tonight, just because it was my birthday tomorrow. I knew he had something planned for me and just made excuses for me to just be at his place tonight. Right now, I was cleaning up the kitchen whilst Luka had gone out to get us some drinks from Starbucks.
It was nearly ten at night. My cleaning was interrupted by the sound of a doorbell. Luka has his keys why is he ringing the door? I head out and as soon as the door opens, a huge drunk body collapses on me. My body forcefully straightens to hold the weight.
"Strawberry," the strong smell of alcohol burns my nostrils and nearly makes me gag.
"Chase," I scolded in a heavy tone.
I push him off me but he can barely stand on his two feet. His body nearly collapses into the wall the second time.
"How much did you drink?" I gasped taking one of his arms and throwing it around my shoulder so I could give him support.
"Not too much," he mutters with eyes that want to shut immediately.
I walk him through the living room and into the guest room. He murmurs unrecognisable words, not shutting up until I place his body on the mattress. I take his shoes off and place them to the side, giving the covers over him. He seems passed out but holy fuck.
He hasn't drunk so much like this in so long. I can't even remember the last time he drank so heavily. One of his eyes peeks open and a smile appears on his face, so wide that his dimples appear. God, he looked so dignified and adorable with dimples.
"You have really pretty eyes," he commented like a little child, stretching a candy-floss sweet smile that pinched his dimples deeper into his skin.
"Thank you," I appreciated with a smile and a snuff.
His head tilts on the pillow as I watch his finger rise up to shadow my freckles.
"Strawberry has really pretty freckles too," he complimented again, so sweetly.
He has never spoken so sweetly to me. My lips were widespread across my face by the sweetness in his voice. He could hypnotise anyone with it.
"One, two, three," he starts to count my freckles which made me adore this side of him.
He pulls me down, closer to him. Normally when he is drunk it's chaotic. But right now it's so calm and cute that it makes my heart flutter so hard. I listen quietly as he counts each and every single freckle of mine with intimate concentration.
"You have exactly 74 freckles," he concludes, gliding his finger towards the edge of my face, tracing it.
"I never knew rude CEOs loved counting freckles," I taunt with a little laugh to tease him.
"Mhm, just yours," he clarified.
He wasn't flirting with me right now. This wasn't flirting. Whatever this was, it wasn't good because it was making my heart take a different turn from what it originally should.
"Alright, I'll get going now. I'll see you tomorrow morning," I said, tucking him in.
"Can I get a good night kiss?" he politely asked like a little baby.
My body froze in its place for a second, wanting to peck him so desperately. And I did. My body leant in once again and I softly placed a gliding buttery kiss onto his cushion lips.
His eyes closed as I leaned off him. The devil tonight looked so angelic once again, free of sin. I get up on my feet to walk away but feel my hand locked in his to prevent me from escaping.
"Why couldn't you choose me?" Chase painfully spoke.
My heart froze this time and my eyes expanded at his words. I couldn't bear to look back at him. Those words had set me on fire. Or should I say fuelled the already restless fire that I had been feeling from his romantic gestures and words?
I feel the grip drop off my wrist. He had finally passed out. I left the room with the chaos that was ruining my mood. I was feeling so annoyed that I could nearly break something.
"I'm back with the drinks," Luka spoke entering into the living.
"I'm not feeling it anymore," I muttered which made him concerned.
"Is everything okay, Liya?" he asked coming forwards.
"I'm just a bit tired. Chase popped in drunk so I got him to the guest room," I let him know.
"Did he say something stupid?" Luka asked trying to get why there was such a drastic shift in my mood.
He didn't say anything stupid. Rather those words wouldn't stop echoing in my head. Choose him? Did he mean to choose him over Luka? The thought of choosing between them was easy until this moment.
I was fighting myself to choose between them because I could not have both of them. Have both of them? Why would I even want Chase? I throw my head to the side and get into deep thought again. Luka took me into his arms and hugged me so warmly.
At that moment, fear filled into me. I didn't want to lose the only good thing in my life. Luka. I loved him so much, even if he didn't reciprocate these feelings or just looked at me as his best friend. Or someone he had saved.
"No, I just need to sleep," I lied looking up to him once he had freed me.
"Alright then. Get a good night's sleep because you have a busy day tomorrow," he smiled.
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"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you," the beautiful sound of Luka's voice along with the strings of his guitar playing reaches my ears as I wake up.
"Happy birthday dear Liya, Happy birthday to you," he sang taking a seat beside me whilst I rubbed my eyes and got up against the headboard.
He dramatically finishes his little singing tune off with a few guitar notes, perfectly fit.
"Thank you," I squealed with a sleepy smile.
"I am one lucky girl if I'm getting Luka Kelp singing me happy birthday," I laughed.
He came in to hug me and I hugged him back.
"You're getting old. You're growing old. But you're doing both beautifully," he adored the spark on my face, making me blush.
"Of course I am," I proudly responded, over-confident about my beauty even though I wasn't.
"Now, come on. Get fresh. I have cooked your favourite breakfast for you," he told giving me space to get off.
"Oh, I love this treatment. I wish my birthday was every day," I stretched my arms.
"At your service your majesty. If you want this service every day, every second of your life, I will gladly do it," Luka beautifully expressed locking eyes with me.
"I'll think about it," I blinked turning away from him.
I smiled brightly away from him because I knew that right now if I had agreed to what he had said he would unhesitantly and effortlessly abide by what he said. I had dressed myself and when I walked downstairs, a huge bouquet of red and white roses sat on the table with a little box near it.
"Wow. White roses," I smiled feeling one.
"Who got these?" Luka questioned walking in behind me.
"Didn't you get these?" I asked scrunching my adoration for these.
He nodded no and then the doorbell rang. I opened the card and it said, 'Happy Birthday, my sweet Strawberry'.
Chase. Chase got me these... Of course.
Luka knows I like red roses. Only Chase would know I love white flowers because of the reaction I gave to his bouquet during the housewarming lunch.
I open the gift box beside it and there's a necklace. A crystal one. Red, shiny and authentic in the shape of a strawberry. This looked so luxurious and I bet it was.
"Here are my roses," Luka interrupts bringing in a bouquet of red only roses.
I take them in my hands and thank him, even though I want to get back at the necklace.
"I think Ellah sent this," I lied watching Luka hold the necklace in his hands.
"It looks pretty expensive," he commented, studying it.
"I love the flowers," I say trying to change the topic.
He places the necklace back into the box and gets his attention back to me. And at that moment Chase walks towards us. My heart starts thumping against my chest nervously, remembering his words. I could nearly blank out right now.
"What are we celebrating?" he asks as if he doesn't know.
"It's Liya's birthday," Luka told taking me into his arms.
"Oh, Happy Birthday, Strawberry," he wished with a smirky smile.
"Strawberry?" Luka repeats hearing this stupid nickname he has for me for the first time.
"Stupid, right?" I spoke mocking it.
"Pft. Weird," Luka agreed which makes Chase frown.
He walks over into the kitchen side after telling us to get to the table for breakfast. I place the bouquet down and turn my back to him when Chase grabs my arm again like last night.
"Did you like the necklace?" he questioned to which I slid my wrist out of his hand.
"You love strawberries, don't you?" he further smiled but I didn't respond.
I kept silent and started walking away from him. This needs to end here. For good.
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