Dragged

CHAPTER TWO; Dragged.

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Winter came.

Under the clear sky is a roadside that turned white with snow. The snow was heavy the other day, and in the morning, the street and doorsteps were almost covered in the thick snow. The trees around the area were all without leaves and the branches were covered in white. People 

'Ding!'

A door of a certain convenience store slid open. Althea went out with plastic bags of food on hand. She was in her favorite purple winter coat, and even her blond hair was tied with a purple hair tie. Her boots are also purple. If anyone says that she doesn't love purple, they better dig their eyes up.

Althea breathed out to warm her freezing fingers and rubbed her palms together. 

It was the weekend, and she discovered that the food in her fridge was running out, so she decided to run quickly to a convenience store. 

She almost forgot her mother's warning; never let your food run out. Or else I'll spank you, understood?!

Althea can't help but lightly chuckle upon remembering her. 

She is still not used to this kind of lifestyle. A year ago, she was living with her parents, and then she just found herself living alone.

Althea did not want to live by herself in the first place, but she had to move and study away from home. The place where she came from doesn't have a high school. It was a small town, after all. Well, there are high schools in the nearby areas, but her parents want a better education for their child.

'And that, unfortunately, sent me far away from home to study under a very, very good education.'

To release her boredom and get rid of homesickness, she set her goal of graduating with flying colors. So, she began unconsciously conscious of her marks. Seriously, she just wanted to build a small shop in her hometown and have a very amazingly simple life. Living with lots of money versus living with enough of it doesn't make any difference to her. 

Because in the universe, there's no such thing as permanent. Humans will, after all, die too. Too bad they can't bring their wealth along to wherever they are going after death.

Althea exhaled; her hot breath was visible to the naked eye. It was cold, and the coat she was wearing was not enough to block the harsh wind of winter. But she didn't care. In fact, she loves winter.

When she was still a kid, she often saw herself beside the window. Her mother will always bring her a piping hot mug of milk and honey. 

Her mother will sit on the chair while she sits on her mother's lap. Then together, they will stare outside. Silently watching the soft fall of the snow.

 She kept on doing that together with her mother until she was old enough to watch the snow alone. As time passed by, it became her hobby.

The tip of Althea's nose and ears were red due to the cold weather. She kept on walking towards the building where her apartment was.

Harsh winds occasionally went by. Althea will just pause for a second and then rub her arms with her hands before walking again.

"It's getting colder." She muttered to herself. 

Althea hastens her pace. She wants to arrive at her apartment before she freezes to death. No matter how much she loves winter, Althea still is, after all, a human. 

"Come on, Tyler, the girls won’t come if you don't!"

Althea was about to turn into a corner when she heard it. She froze. Without warning, her heart began to beat wildly against her chest. She was even afraid that it would jump off her throat. 

'He- He's here?!' She can't help but shout panicky in her mind. 

Sure enough, three figures emerged from the corner she was supposed to enter. Then, both of their eyes met.

Althea begins to panic inside, but her outer appearance is as calm as a pond. Not even a ripple can be found.

Tyler's face visibly lit up. "Althea!"

Althea's brain began to swirl like mad. She wanted to say something, but nothing she thinks is coherent enough to make a sentence. She was nothing now but a pile of mess.

To not embarrass herself, Althea ran for it.

Just as Tyler was about to walk toward her, she abruptly turned around and walked away, fast.

Tyler, who was watching this, paused. He watched her retreating. He was speechless. This was the first time that someone deliberately avoided him! And worse, it's a girl!

He was in a daze for a little while before he chased after her. 

"Althea Grahams- wait!"

 The other two companions of Tyler, who were left behind, looked at each other before shrugging their shoulders and then ran to chase the other two. 

It seems like a good show is brewing.

Althea sped up as if she didn't hear his call. But she knew she couldn't outrun an... Uh, an athletic person.

Not even a minute passed before a hand grasped her arm. She was pulled to a stop. The hand was hard with callouses; its warmth was seeping through her coat. 

 She knew, without even looking back, that it was Tyler, the one that she kept on avoiding for almost two months.

 Ever since the cafeteria accident, she began avoiding him like a plague. When she sees him on campus, she will tuck her tail between her legs and run. 

 Why? She doesn't even know herself! Such behavior is weirding her out. She thinks that maybe she hit her head or something. 

 "Hey, why are you avoiding me?" His low voice sounded from behind.

 The corner of her lips twitched. I want to know that myself! 

 "What? Why would I?" she said in a very calm voice, despite her internal struggle that even shocked her. 

 She was relieved, though. Good thing she still knows how to not fall into a shameful situation.

 "Hm? Maybe because I'm embarrassed or something? About my sudden confe-" 

 Before Tyler could even finish, Althea whipped her head to look at him with a hateful glare. He stopped talking immediately.

 Althea retracted her gaze after realizing she was glaring at him. Her heart was thumping loudly. She was afraid that Tyler might hear it, so she pulled her arm back and stepped back.

 Tyler just watches her move away from him. Althea raised her head, only to meet his eyes that were gazing at her deeply. And then they both fell into silence. 

 The two friends of Tyler's just watched from the sidelines and they couldn't help but look at each other.

 'Did we see right? Did Tyler just get hushed by someone? No, by a girl?!'

 "You were really avoiding me." He said after a while. It was not an assumption, he was certain. 

Althea can't help but scowl. "Why would I?"

 ‘I mean, I really am avoiding you. But that's none of your business.’ Althea can’t help but think to herself.

 "Well," he grinned, Althea almost squinted, and Tyler was sparkling. "Why would you, I wonder?"

This, this dumb male specie. Answering a question with a question, do you intend to put out a fire with another fire?

"If that's all, I'm leaving." 

 "Wait!" Althea stopped and looked back at him. "Where are you going?"

 "My apartment." 

 Tyler let out a low laugh. "Isn't your apartment over there?" He pointed in a certain direction.

 Althea followed his finger and reddened in embarrassment. 

She was caught lying. How did he know about it?! 

 Seeing this reaction, Tyler's smile deepens, and he has the urge to pinch her cheeks. So cute!

 "So, I was right. Your apartment is on that corner."

 Hearing this, Althea didn't need to take a second thought to realize that she was played by him. 

 Her flaming face intensified. Not just from shame, but also from anger. How dare he trick me? And how foolish I am to be tricked so easily?

Althea wanted to throw a fit, but that would erase the calm image of her inside the minds of other people. Besides, her throwing a fit is something out of character. She was born with a calm temperament. But now,

"Goodbye!" She was pissed and did not care what he or they'll think, so she casually said that and ran off.

But she was not even meters away from him when he called out for her again.

"What?!" she spat out. 

Tyler paused, then he looked at her, shocked. Althea was also shocked at herself and embarrassed. She looked away.

Stupid self, why are you angry? 

"What?" she repeated, now with calmness.

 "Are you," mad at me? Tyler did not finish his sentence. He left it hanging there.

"Hm?" 

"Are you free this evening?" He said instead. He suddenly thought about something.

"What?" she asked. An ill premonition was rising in her heart.

Sure enough, Tyler looked at his friends. "If she's going, then I'll go."

Althea, who was suddenly dragged into something she doesn't know, widens her eyes.

She looked at him in shock. Tyler winked at her. She looked away.

"If Althea won't, I will not go too."

Althea desperately stopped the urge to step on his feet and grab a handful of his brown hair. 

Althea screamed inside.

The audacity of this guy to drag her to his own problem!