Sipping my Coca-Cola, I jeer internally as I watch Ariel and Brandon on the dance floor. It's my special feature to be sitting alone at a bar and spectate others. The lovebirds are moving slowly with the rhythm of the music, while losing themselves in each other's eyes. The small peck, which they exchanged during Truth or Dare, charmed them more than we thought.
The party has started about fifteen minutes ago, after Ariel and Latasha have cut their birthday cakes. The illuminated hall is now packed with the students of our school. Just some blasting musics, and they are already hyper.
Well, not for my case as usual. With Ariel now busy, I'm without company.
As I think so, the stool next to me scrapes. My head drifts to see the person who just sat by my side, and my face crumples in displeasure.
It's Lia.
"Hey." She smiles at me politely.
Even if my ego is compelling me to ignore her, I smile back. "Hey."
Her maked-up face lights up hopefully. She then orders a beer, tapping her fingers distractingly on the counter.
It's weird to see her not among the hysteric dancers. "I've never seen you so calm at a party." I can't help but to voice out my thought.
She throws at me a sad look as she pays the barman."I lost interest in almost everything since what happened. I'm not saying it to make you pity me and forgive me, but..." She trails off, her eyes trembling in sadness as she stares at me. "I really miss you, Hazel."
There is a pang at my heart.
I quickly look away from her, feeling a mixture of emotions climbing up my throat.
I miss you too, Lia.
At the back of my head, I can hear Erden's voice telling me that Lia was just not courageous enough, and that everyone deserves a second chance. Unbelievably, Erden is not a devil as I thought. His voice is speaking to me, like the positive side of me would do to guide me.
I watch around to avoid any more conversations with Lia. My eyes catch Thomas who is standing in the far end of the hall, his gaze already us. But I know it's not on us, it's on Lia. He has been gawking at her since a while.
My eyes rapidly flick to Lia, to check if she is staring back at him. As I catch her, she swiftly looks away and starts humming along with the song in the background.
I can't retain a chuckle. They are undeniably cute.
"Don't punish yourself more." I finally cede. How can I let them suffer more because of me. "Go to him."
She bounces on the stool, her eyes wide.
"You forgive me?!" She cries out, her eyeballs twinkling.
In such a direct manner, my ego refrains me from agreeing. But seeing her so happy makes me beam cheerfully. "You are my friends. I just wish both of you happiness."
Lia's eyes fill with tears of joy. "Thank you, Hazel!" She leans on me, wrapping her arms around me for a hug. "Thank you so much!"
Hugging her back, I close my eyes and appreciate the feeling of having back one of the most important persons of my life. I was not the same without her. Crazy how it sounds, I was like a phone without internet.
"I will never deceive you again, I promise." She swears as she pulls out of the hug.
I nod, hopefully. I know she will keep her words.
"We can talk about that later," I wiggle my brows, shooting a glance towards Thomas. "Go! Go to him!"
"Right!" She laughs sheepishly. "I have so much to do to make up to you!" She plants a small kiss on my cheek as she wakes up from the stool. She waves at me before she sneaks through the crowd to reach her prince, who is on the other side, smiling at me gracefully as he has watched everything.
I nod my head in his way, beaming back, before I turn around to finish my drink.
I breathe out happily, taking a gulp of the cold liquid. I finally feel inner peace. I know I did something good tonight. I burned my ego, forgave, united a pair of lovers, and got my best friend back. There is no way I could feel better.
"I just want a partner tonight." I suddenly register Damon's voice nearing to me. I look up and see him approaching the bar, accompanied by Erden and Lexi. He is shirtless, his toned chest glowing with sweat. But he is nothing compared to Erden. The brunet's shirt is unbuttoned, his glazing abs at display.
I quickly look down at my drink, overhearing them discretely.
"Look, you are in a relationship, everyone is in a relationship, except me!" Damon complains childishly to Erden. "Lonely, I'm so lonely. I have nobody. I'm on my own, ouuuuaaahhh!" He sings out dramatically.
I muffle a laugh.
"Stop yowling like a pussy." Erden groans. His voice sounds rough after having danced and jumped around since a while.
"It's curious, that's not the sound I receive from those which belong to my sex buddies." Damon says sillily.
God.
Erden lets out a snort. "I mean a pussycat, man."
"Ah, I think I got someone for you, Damon." Lexi precipitates to me as she realizes my presence. "Poor Hazel is single since her ex best friend stole her man." She winks at me devilishly, taking the glass from my hand, and guzzles the liquid.
My jaw tightens.
I don't know what enrages me more, the fact that she is gutty or her provoking words.
But I maintain my calm and look at her with a wide smile. "First of all, Lia and I are perfectly fine. I'm so happy that she is with Thomas." I point at them as they are dancing happily near Ariel and Brandon.
Erden beams at me, happy that I listened to his advice.
"And secondly, I don't need a random man for now." I jut up my chin.
"Whatever." Lexi pouts and turns to order some drinks to ignore me.
"Hazel, baby..." Damon calls, taking a seat next to me. I flinch at the name. Staring at me, he holds his face in his hands and bats his eyelashes. "I'm not a random man. Just dance with me one time, and you won't be able to live without me after it." He pleads, clasping his hands dramatically.
I chuckle. He is more amusing tonight since he is drunk.
"Damon, leave her," Erden croaks on his drink. "She doesn't want."
Where did I say I don't want to? Damon is right. Everyone is in a relationship, falling in love. Even Roy is following Latasha in quest of a dance with her. Cupid is surely around these days, but he is definitely blind. He doesn't notice me and Damon.
"Why would I leave your pretty sis-in-law alone." Damon says to the brunet, giving me a wink.
Sis-in-law? The word leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
"She is not my sister-in-law." Erden frowns. "Lexi and I are just dating."
Bruh.
"Okay, Damon." I finally agree. "Just one dance." I don't want to keep sitting here alone the whole night.
"Youhou!" He blasts up and claps his hands, doing a happy dance.
Erden throws at me an unbelievable look. Ignoring him, I walk with Damon to the dance floor, the brunet and Lexi following lamely behind us.
On reaching there, we begin dancing. Damon encircles my waist with his arms, and mine go around his neck. We sway with the tune, our feet moving in sync with the rhythm of the music. I've never imagined myself dancing with Damon, but I'm not regretting it. He is humorous, a joker. In addition, he is good-looking, a dreamy Wattpad bad boy. But for some reasons, my eyes can't stay focused on him.
I discreetly glance at Erden and Lexi, and to my astonishment, I catch Erden who is already staring at us. My gaze locks with his and for an instant, I'm alone with him. A spot illuminating us as his arms wrap around my waist.
But I snap back to reality, when Damon turns me around and draw us so close that I feel his breath on my face. I take a few steps back, the alcoholic smell of it perturbing me.
I can't deny the fact that deep inside me, I wish Lexi and I could swap places.
"Even in the dark, your eyes are shining so beautifully." Damon compliments, leaning to my ear. Though he is trying to whisper, Erden and Lexi can definitely hear everything since we are dancing so close.
"Thank you." I mutter.
I take another glance at Erden. He is glaring at me this time. What's his problem?
Damon smirks before he leans back to my ear, closer this time. "Want to go in the room upstairs?" I'm bug-eyed by his question, stepping back in reflex.
"Get the fuck away from her, Damon!" I just heard Erden barked, and the next thing I know is that Damon is pinned down on the floor by a hard fist.
A gasp escapes from the people around us as they instantly stop dancing.
My eyes are wide, shocked my Damon's behavior and Erden's reaction.
Erden is standing like a mummy with clenched jaw and fist. He himself can't believe his sudden aggressiveness.
"Fuck, Man!" Damon grouses, rubbing the red patch on his face as he tries to stand up. "You fucking like her!"
My stomach flips at his words. Actions always speak louder than words. Erden feels something for me. He just proved it.
The brunet finally try to respond. He lowers his head and loosens his fist. "I-I..."
As Ariel reaches us, she rubs her face on, seeing that it's her own friends who made a scene at her party. "Damn, boys!" She hisses.
"Fuck." Erden mutters under his breath. Without raising his eyes to look at us, he storms through the crowd, making his way out of the hall.
The beating inside my chest pushes me to follow him. I need to have a conversation with him.
I walk rapidly after Erden, calling him repeatedly, but he doesn't turn around once. It's only when he reaches the pool that he is compelled to halt. Since everyone is in the hall, this part of the villa is deserted and quiet, but the booming music can be heard from afar.
"Erd-"
"Just leave me alone, Hazel!" He groans, still not turning to look at me.
"Not before I get an answer." I insist.
To my astonishment, he removes his shirt and throws in on the ground, exposing his impressive back.
Don't tell me he is going to-
And he jumps in the pool.
I blink twice.
If he thinks in doing that he will escape our conversation, he is totally wrong.
Not bothering about my look, I jump in the pool with my clothes on. A shiver runs down my body as the water is cold at that time.
"Wow." Erden exclaims in amazement, rolling his eyes. "You're not serious."
I try hard to retain my teeth from clacking. "I-If I was not serious, do you think I would jump in this cold water with you?"
He gapes at me before his wet arms quickly encircle my waist, steadying me against him. "What do you want to know, huh?" He says aggressively, his hot breath fanning in my face. All the blood is draining in my head, unable to think straight when I'm that close to his naked chest. "That I couldn't bear to hear Damon talking to you like that?"
I swallow hard at his words.
Erden stares at my eyes for a few seconds before his gaze lowers down to my lips. "You want to hear me say that I was fucking jealous, that I fucking want you."
My eyes widen at his words, my heart beating wildly inside my chest.
"I've to relieve myself." He breathes against my lips, needingly. "I can't hold any longer." I feel his hand turn into a fist on my back.
Like wildfire, he grabs a fistful of my hair, hungrily taking my mouth. I gasp, my heartbeat accelerating. Everything around us vanishes instantly in a whirlwind. I close my eyes, savoring his luscious lips after such a long time. They are so soft and warm as they move starvingly against mine. It's as though it's the water I've been thirsting for. My heart is racing, and it speeds up even more when his hands rush to my face, intensifying our heated kiss. My breathing has become uncontrollable. It's so quick and heavy, just like his. And when he slightly grazes his teeth against my lips, I melt against him, a low moan escaping me. It then hits me.
He is my stepsister's boyfriend.
"Erden, stop!" I push him back with full force, causing the water to splash around. He gawks at me in despair, breathing hard.
I inhale a deep breath, catching my breath. "I-I lied Erden." My voice wobbles. "I fucking lied!"
His brows narrow.
My lids shut briefly. "You are not the roommate of the main character, but the main character himself. I've written you as my soulmate, my pair."
His eyes widen in total shocked.
"That's why we are both so damn attracted to each other since the beginning." I let out in sobs as I feel all my emotions climbing up my throat.
"Oh god, how could I kissed you again!" I get a hold of my head, not believing that I allowed my feelings to consume me again.
"It's okay Haz—"
"It's not okay!" I scream out, my arms dropping to the side. "You're fucking dating my stepsister!"
"Why do you care?" He hisses in disbelief. "She always treats you so badly."
I look at him in all seriousness, remembering Leon's words. "She is still my family."
Astonished, his mouth opens to say something, but immediately closes. His eyes seem troubled. There is something which he is hiding far in the deep sea-green ocean which are his eyeballs, something which he wants to bring to surface but afraid to.
"I-I don't want to see you again, Erden." I take a last look at him, my eyes watering, before making my way out of the pool, muttering with a heavy heart. "Goodbye..."
(¯―¯٥)
Ah well, finally!❤😈
Don't miss out the next chapter! Erden and Hazel will probably be together...or not? Hehe😏
See you!🌺