My feet pound the pavement as I jog back to my house. On this early morning, I've been jogging around to change my mind. I needed this to get all that has happened lately out of my head. My breakup with Thomas, my venture with Erden and telling him the truth about him was stressing me out.
Sighing, I slow down and begin walking as nearly reach my house. But I panic as I pass in front of Erden's house. He is in front of his garage in a grey vest, washing his black sleek Kawasaki bike.
Gosh no. I don't have the strength to talk to him after all that happened. I can't give him more explanation.
Lowering my head, I walk fast, hoping he will not notice me.
"Hey."
Shit.
I walk faster, ignoring him.
"Hey, hey."
I accelerate my steps even more when I hear his footsteps trying to catch up. But he is faster than me.
"Hey, stop!" He grabs my arm and turns me.
Butterflies fill in my stomach at the sight of him. His silky morning hair is sticking out in all direction, giving him a sexier air. But I ignore my raging hormones and push his hand away, stepping back. "I don't wanna talk to you."
He raises a brow.
"Why are you mad?" He pauses, tucking his tongue in his cheeks. "Miss writer."
Miss writer? Seriously?
"Bye, Erden." I roll my eyes and turn away.
He jogs after me and comes in front of me this time. "Okay, okay." He sighs, raising a finger. "Let's make a race."
My eyes narrowed.
"The first one who finishes one complete round of the park, wins. If I win, you explain me more about what you were talking yesterday. And if you win, then you don't have to tell me anything."
I'm bug-eyed. God, no.
When I don't respond, he spreads his shoulders in confidence. "All right?"
I grunt under my breath. "Fine."
"Ready, go!" I don't have time to blink when he immediately starts to run.
I scream in anger. "That's unfair! You're cheating Erden!"
He turns a deaf ear to me and continues to gallop. I panickily sprint, trying to catch him up. But he has already taken so many steps ahead from me. I clench my teeth. How unfair. Now he is sure that he will win. I'm screwed. I can't give him more explanation. There is no way I can face him and avow to him that I have to kill him.
But I maintain a motivated spirit. I have to overtake him!
My feet pound the ground as I accelerate, causing mud to splash on my legs. I dart past trees, my ponytail swinging. Erden is going so fast, his long legs making him take large steps. It's still far to catch him. But I keep going. The steady pound of my footsteps is echoing into my ears. I run, run and run, but the path seems interminable. We are dashing by other joggers, making sure not to stumble against them. I'm starting to breathe steadily as I've completed half the track, but I push harder and go faster.
I dash the last half of the tract, gasping for air. A thin layer of sweat is covering my nape. I'm hyperventilating, my view bouncing in synch with my movements. Why did I agree on this? It seems impossible to surpass Erden as we nearly reach the finishing line.
But I give my last everything. I speed up, my steps pounding in time with my heartbeat. I can feel beads of sweat rolling down my forehead and splatter to my chin. My head starts to spin around.
I see him win as my gaze blurs.
Defeated, I slow down, my heart pumping hardly in my chest. Unable to bear my tired, shaking legs, I fall down on the mowed grass.
Erden rapidly gets down on his knees next to me. "Hazel, you're okay?" His breath comes in short gasps. He concernedly gets a hold of my face and gently taps my cheek, trying to make me respond. "Hazel, Hazel. You're here?"
I'm breathing so fast, trying to appease my need for oxygen. But I succeed to smile at him. He is worrying about me. I don't know if it's the effect of the story on me, but my heart feels strangely warm.
Seeing me still in my senses, he stands up. "Wait here, I'm going to get you some water." He quickly jogs towards the stall of drinks.
Meanwhile, I close my eyes and inhale and exhale to regain a good respiration. My heart is still beating at a gallop, but the rate is slowly decreasing.
After some minutes, Erden is back with a bottle of cold water. I get into a sitting position and takes it from him, thanking him. I thirstily guzzle the cool liquid, feeling the inside of my body relieved.
"You lack fitness." He teases and plops down by my side.
I huff. "You cheated Erden."
He tucks his tongue in his cheeks. "Don't be a bad loser."
I was about to snarl at him, but he takes the bottle from my hand and quaffs the liquid. Something weirdly flutters in my stomach on seeing him drinking my leftover.
But I ignore it and lie back on the grass, looking at the light blue sky. I hear Erden makes a deep exhaling sound after he finished drinking and to my astonishment, he lies down beside me. I can't help but to smile. We remain silent as we observe the sky, where there is a mix of silvery white clouds interspersed with the yellowish glowing sun. The light breeze is caressing our skin which makes me want to snuggle to him. But I don't want to ruin this moment. It feels so peaceful, like one of the chapters of my book just came true.
"So." Erden speaks, breaking the silence and this moment.
Damn, you.
"If you feel better now, explain what you were saying yesterday."
Here we go again.
I sigh and sit, looking at him tiredly. He sits up too and runs a hand in his hair in a stressed manner. "What you said yesterday hasn't left my mind...I don't know if I'm believing you or not."
"You should be." I say, seriously.
He rubs his face and sighs. "How is that even possible?"
"I-"
"I couldn't sleep last night. I kept thinking how can I get out from a book? From Wattpad?" Erden groans, sounding frustrated. "I thought it might be a freaking joke. But every time I look at my arm." He raises his arm and roams his eyes on it. "That tattoo says the contrary." He breathes out heavily. "That explains why I don't have a clear memory about certain topics."
Guilty, I lick my lips. It's all my fault.
"I-I don't know what to say."
Erden gives me an understanding nod before he lets out a deep breath. "What's the book about?"
My eyes widen a little. No. I can't tell him it's actually about the neighbour, he will doubt that the book is about him! How can I tell him that I wrote him as my soulmate?
"Uh..." I trail off. "About a girl falling for her bestfriend."
His eyes narrowed. "Which character am I?"
Oh, god.
I gulp. "J-just the main character's roommate."
"Do I date you in the story or something like that?" He smirks.
My eyes widen a little more. We even fuck, dude.
"N-no." I fake out a laugh. "You're not even important to the story."
He looks at me suspiciously. "But when you pushed me after we kissed in the class, you said that it's just because of the story."
Shit.
"Oh ya!" I chuckle, trying to act cool. "I meant that you're fictional, that's why the tension is unrealistic."
He gives me a half-hearted smile, looking quite disappointed. I fake back a smile, and look away, feeling all the lies I've just spoken reflecting on my face. Phew, I'm saved for now.
"You left me so damn confused yesterday." Erden resumes and I look back at him. "Before you left the class you said something. What did you mean by th—"
"You need to stop using Tinder." I say shortly.
"Why?" He arches a brow.
I fiddle with my fingers nervously. "You can't risk impregnating someone."
"Condoms exist." He winks.
I roll my eyes. How will he understand?!
"Hmm." A smirk sprouts on Erden's face. "Do you want me to have sex only with you?" His smirk stretches. "I wouldn't mind."
Somehow, it makes me blush. Ju...just with me?
"I- I never said that." I bite my lips.
Erden emits a puff. "Then why do you want me to stop? Everyone does night one stand."
"Because you're not everyone. You are not from this world, Erden!" I burst out, tired of his insistence. "You have to return to where you come from."
His eyes squint suspiciously. "There is something you're not telling me."
I swallow hard.
The stage we have reached is necessary for him to be aware of the reality. It is the only mean that he will know that he should control his activities during his short time alive.
With that definite thought, I intake a breath of courage and look back at him. His lips are set in a grim line as he is waiting for me to spit out the matter.
"Erden...The Wattpad's command..." I breathe out heavily and finally blurt out. "I-I need to write a chapter where you die peacefully, your corpse will disappear and you will be back as a book character only."
On the spot, his face darkens.
He fixes me like a predator, his eyes cold, but burning my soul. I'm speechless. His hand has slammed into a fist, the muscles on his exhibited bare arm throbbing.
He is figuratively fuming.
Without saying anything more, he gets up abruptly and storms away.
"Erden!" I rapidly stand up and calls him but in vain.
He won't hear me like I've feared.
Oh, god. What have I done?
A shiver runs through my body.
I did a huge mistake.
(╯⊙ ω ⊙╰ )
Oops, Hazel indeed did a big mistake, but she had no choice.😣
Don't miss out the upcoming chapters for more dramas!😆