Sincere

CHAPTER FIVE; Sincere.

—

She was pulled out of the party. 

 Tyler was holding her wrist, dragging her out of the party effortlessly. Althea struggled in futility. She cursed herself for being weaker than the other. She gave up on trying to pry his iron-like hand off her wrist and sighed helplessly. He won't budge no matter how hard she tries. Also, she's too lazy to try it again.

 "Tyler," she called out. "Where are we going?"

They passed countless people, all of them ignoring the two. Althea did not dare to look at them, nor did Tyler.

They were passing through a dimly lit part of the huge asset mansion. She knew immediately what this place was for.

It's for those people who can't ignore their earthly lust and decide to engage in public sex. It's a place for those who want to quench their thirst. An unholy place.

She is already fifteen. She is fully aware that most of the girls her age lost their virginity to an asshole. Althea is not part of those outgoing and careless teenagers. 

Having her tummy bloated for nine months is not ideal for her.

Although there are contraceptives, she was not that excited to explore the desires of the common teenager just yet. Being by herself and trying to pave her way towards an easy and laid-back life is her goal.

Tyler laughed. "I told you, didn't I? We're going to another place!"

Althea was dumbfounded by his attitude. In her eyes, Tyler is becoming more and more annoying. She can't help but force herself to a stop and yank her arm from his solid grip.

"Haaa?" she yelled in disagreement. "Did I even agree-"

 Tyeler was pulled to a stop, too. His grip on her wrist tightened, and he suddenly pulled her towards him. She immediately stopped talking and crashed into his sturdy chest. Her nose hurts.

  

"That hurts!" She groaned. "What was that for?!"

"Quit struggling, woman!" Tyler said. "Or do you want me to lift you instead?"

Althea was petrified. Then an image of her being carried by Tyler in a bridal carry through the sea of people entered her mind. She was almost short-circuited from the humiliation.

"Wha- Wha- what- what are you talking about?!" She stomped her right foot on the floor, furiously glaring at him. "I can walk, so let me walk, okay?! Stop dragging me!"

"What a shame," he muttered. "Okay!" He let her hand go before raising his two in surrender. He was planning on carrying her over his shoulder like a sack of rice.

'What a shame your ass!' she furiously grumbled inside her. 'If you want to shame yourself, shame only yourself! Don't drag me down with you!'

She was glaring at his back along the way. Althea knew she couldn't go away and escape from him. If she will, for some reason, walk in the opposite direction, he will surely drag her again. Worst, he might lift her and carry her towards who knows where.

Althea forced herself to calm down and recover her cool. After twists and turns, they finally saw an exit. They stepped out and were welcomed by the harsh wind of the winter. Althea involuntarily shivered.

"Here," she looked up. Tyler was extending his arm with her coat in his hand. Althea wanted to ask him when and how he got their coats, but, well, never mind. Something trivial like that is not worth mentioning. It's just a waste of time for both of them. Althea wanted this to be over with and go home.

She reached for her coat and hurriedly slipped her body into it. The warm feeling comforted her shivering body.

Tyler guided her towards a place away from the mansion. They passed through a garden, the loud music of the party growing silent along the way.

They soon reached a clearing, and she spotted a lone bench facing the city of lights. That was when Althea remembered that this place was located on top of a hill. There was an iron fence that extended like infinity. The fence was leveled around her waist. 

She walked towards the fence and rested her elbows there, gazing at the city of shining lights. She was mesmerized by its beauty. It was dark at the place where they stood, so the lights of the city were too bright, but it didn't hurt the eyes of onlookers. 

In her small town, you can't see something like this. The establishments there are not as grandiose as those in the cities. 

 Althea watched the city languidly, letting the cold dry wind pick up the strands of her hair. 

"You like it?" 

It took a while before she answered with a hum. "... Hmm, it's nice." 

Tyler did not reply. He walked to her side and also rested his elbow on the fence, gazing at the city. 

Althea pondered for a moment before opening her mouth to ask. "How did you know about this place?"

She noticed earlier that Tyler walked around the mansion like he knew its layout was like the back of his hands. Is he the owner of this huge asset mansion? If yes, it is not surprising. She heard rumors about him being the son of a multi-millionaire businessman. She also heard that even though his parents were divorced, both were of equal social standing, and both of them supported him.

His parents are still friends despite ending their who-knows-how-long marriage.

Althea was envious of him once. This man, although he's thick-faced, a womanizer, careless, and airy, is most known for his brain and athletic skills. Moreover, he has a face! And the money! Not to mention lots and lots of it!

And also, if this is his, having a party inside a supposedly elegant mansion, only those crazy people will do it, and of course, she knows he is that crazy to stain it with the wild people. So it also makes sense.

"Oh, I often came here when I was a kid." He said nonchalantly.

'Oh,' she thought. 'This is not his then.'

"Then, whose?"

"My friends."

Althea replied with another 'oh'. Sure, okay! He is ridiculously rich, of course, and his friends are supposedly ridiculously rich too! 

Their school is meant for the rich, after all. Her being admitted to it is a miracle. She even got a full scholarship. If those people who longed to enter this place heard about it, they would surely die of jealousy. 

It was a good thing that the students here didn't discriminate against scholars. The school wants the students to be in equal standing. Besides, they want to nurture talented and smart people for the future. They will surely have a better and more successful life in the future, then many donations will enter their pocket in the future.

They were silent after that.

"You know what? I was jealous earlier!" 

"Huh?"

"Yes! I was! There were so many eyes on you earlier, I was really glad I was able to hold myself back from digging their eyes out!" 

'Hey, hey, hey!' Althea was alarmed. 'Is he senile or something?!'

Of course he is!

"But I figured out that you might hate me if I started a fight out of nowhere, so I didn't. I don't want you to hate me."

Althea could not hold it back. She finally looked at him and their eyes met. Tyler was leaning his whole weight on the fence. He was looking at her sideways. On his face was a small tranquil smile, but his eyes were carrying the seriousness he had before. The same seriousness as the head when they first talked.

Althea's heart began to pound loudly again. Her heart fluttered because of his gaze. The darkness did not completely hide the redness of the tip of her ears. 

'This guy, he got me hard.' She helplessly laughed inside after admitting it. She was afraid that he might hear the booming of her heart, so she looked away.

"Is that so?" She decided to play with him. "It cannot be helped. I'm beautiful after all."

She slyly smirked. Tyler laughed.

"Damn, woman! You got that right!"

She wanted to flip her hair. "I know!"

"I'm serious though," Althea looked at him. "I am. With you. I am serious."

Althea looked for a moment before suddenly chuckling. Tyler watched her turn to face him sideways and leaned on the fence, crossing her arms across her chest. She then bravely held his eyes. Tyler replied with the same intensity.

She smiled. "Then persuade me, Mr. Tyler Barns." Her smile widened, her eyes twinkling against the lights of the city. " Persuade me and I might consider going out with you."

 Tyler blanked for a moment before laughing hard. His face was red from the cold and his hearty laugh was evident in the air in the form of a hot mist. He then held her eyes, searching for something.

"The game is on, Ms. Althea Grahams. The game is on."

Their laughter and argument were mixed in the air, disappearing into the void. 

And then, white cotton-like balls fall from the sky. They both looked up. The white cotton-like balls were followed by countless of them. Althea extended out a hand to catch some of them in her eyes.

She smiled.

It was snowing.