It was cold. Everyone breathed out white mist, but Felix's face was as red as an apple. His eyes wandered to Matthew and lingered on me. Then, he looked away as he said, "You were young. I didn't want you to be distracted from your studies. If you need those letters back, I can give them to you."Matthew immediately retorted, "Felix, you're the biggest prick ever. You took more things than just the letters. You know it's true."Felix barked back, and they got into an argument. It escalated quickly, causing the other guys to jump in to mediate the conflict.I was appalled. Felix confiscated the love letters others had written for me? He didn't like me. Why did he take those things? There was no way he kept them for fun.The commotion grew louder and louder, so much so that passersby at great distance turned around to look at us. The day started with a fight. Was this what my birthday would turn out to be?"More things? So you didn't just take my love letters? What's wrong with you,
I vowed internally to settle the beef with Felix once we went back. As for Matthew, his inconsiderate act made me realize that it wasn't worth keeping him as a friend.The guys in the group managed to hype us up, and the women were all excited and giddy. Soon enough, we forgot what happened and enjoyed ourselves on the rides.The entrance to the haunted house was right under an old willow tree. There was a bottomless well there that read "You're doomed!"The staffer gathered us and explained the rules. He reassured us that the haunted mansion was all about an immersive experience and that all ghosts were played by employees. They looked scary, but they would never abduct us.The group then descended into the well in a cheery mood. When I went down, Felix and Colin were waiting for me."Follow me. No need to be afraid." Colin held my hand and led me down the middle tunnel.It was my first time in a haunted house. My ears picked up howling winds and harrowing cries. They sent chill
I squealed. I couldn't dodge the ghost's attack in time, so I hopped on Colin's back. "Run! There's a monster!"Colin laughed. He carried me and made a beeline for the exit. I clung to Colin's neck desperately and shouted into Colin's ears. Silently, Colin dashed past all sorts of scary creatures until we reached the light at the end of the tunnel."We're out now. Perhaps you should come down now?" Colin slapped some sense into my brain.I was still horrified, so I refused to let go of Colin's neck. "No! No!"Then, I heard a burst of laughter. I opened my eyes and saw that everyone was laughing at me. Abashed, I climbed down Colin's back. Somehow, my timid expression made everyone laugh out loud.However, I felt comfortable with everyone here, so I wasn't too embarrassed. I eventually joined them and laughed at my own cowardice too. I was a chicken, wasn't I?As I turned around, I realized that Felix was standing behind Colin with a long face. He looked like he had just come out
In the end, Zara got the queen and Jade got the witch. I was the last one to draw and was surprised to see that I'd be playing the role of the princess.Felix had it worse, though. He was supposed to portray the boy laborer who was bullied. Poor thing. I wondered who would play the chef, then. They could give Felix a good smack!Meanwhile, Colin peered at me affectionately before the glass window. He was several years my senior. He wouldn't be playing such a childish game if it were not for my birthday. This kind of game was far beneath his sophisticated demeanor."Colin, which character did you get?" I wanted to check his character card. Felix stood in front of me, seemingly trying to tell me something. But I ignored him and rushed to Colin's side.Colin's fingers unfurled as he showed me the crumpled paper. The word "prince" was written on top. I blushed. At the end of the fairytale, the prince would wake the princess with a kiss. They then lived happily ever after.In other wor
It was just an innocent mistake. I didn't fuss over it, so how dare Colin make a big deal out of it? Besides, it was just a kiss. I didn't do anything else."So what? It was my first kiss too. Get up now. They'll come in soon."As soon as I finished the sentence, a voice blasted out from the speaker. "The prince has awakened the princess. In the next scene, the prince will carry the princess out of the palace."What? How did the operator know we were about to change to the next scene? Were they watching through the cameras? Oh, no. This was embarrassing. Colin turned around and extended his hands toward me. I rolled to the other side of the bed and uttered, "Heh, no need to carry me, Colin. I can walk.""According to the script, the princess should be carried in the prince's arms. Failure to do so will lose you the game," the voice continued.They could hear whatever conversation we had? Did that mean everyone knew that I accidentally kissed Colin? What the heck? Where was the p
When it was Felix's turn, he took out a red velvet box from his bag. It felt heavy. Thinking that it was jewelry, I wanted to say no. But my speculation was proven wrong when I opened it. It was a portrait of me.In the drawing, I was sitting on a bench, hugging the school bag on my lap. I was looking at something gleefully, and there were sparkles in my eyes.Felix must have drawn a younger version of me watching him play basketball. Those who didn't know began chattering. They complimented Felix's drawing and said it looked exactly like a younger me.But I was confused. What was Felix doing? He wasn't himself lately. Had he gone crazy from missing Lilac too much? I wanted us to go our separate ways, yet he kept doing things that sent me the wrong signals.I would have been flattered to receive a portrait someone drew for me. But if it came from Felix, I found it repulsive. I used to look up to him, but he trampled on my feelings. Now that I had given up on him, he brought up our
Zara wrapped her arms around my shoulder and asked mysteriously, "Do you know what giving out a bracelet as a present means?"It had another meaning? I shook my head. "No.""You're so naive," criticized Zara, as if not knowing what a bracelet meant was a cardinal sin."What does it mean?""It means he wants to tie the knot with you. I think Colin wants to be more than just your friend."I was putting food in my mouth, but what Zara said took me completely by surprise. I ended up swallowing without chewing. I wheezed and coughed out loud."What the heck? It's Colin we're talking about." I corrected Zara's misconception with my puffy cheeks that were red from coughing.Zara rolled her eyes at my naivete and said, "You'll see in the future."Colin was into me? But how could that be? When we finished lunch, it was already around 2:00 pm. We parted ways reluctantly but still in high spirits. We all agreed to hang out another day.After everyone had left, I saw Matthew smoking again
I was shocked. The chubby, always-smiling boy who was shorter than me had had a crush on me for many years?Matthew smirked, delighted to see the disbelief on my face. He ruffled my hair gently. "I was very mad when I found out. There were times when I wanted to confront Felix. But it was so many years ago. Why bring it back now, I thought."I was away these few years, and even when I returned, I hardly talked to the people in the group. I only learned yesterday and you and Felix weren't together. Before I came here, I told myself to keep a level head."But whatever I told myself was swiftly discarded when I saw Felix. I couldn't hold myself back. If you weren't there, I would've punched him.""I don't like violence." I didn't know what to say. These few words were the only ones I could come up with. It was difficult to talk about someone I had a crush on for years with someone who had a crush on me for years."Look, Lulu. I wouldn't have been so mad if he had treated you right an
Luna furiously scolded me, asserting that I didn't deserve Queenie's love and that Queenie had been blind to my true colors all those years. Driven mad by desperation, I chased after Queenie, determined to tell her I was wrong and plead for another chance to prove myself. However, the young man intervened, delivering a swift and punishing combination of punches and kicks that knocked me to the ground. Humiliated, I struggled to get up and fight back, unwilling to lose to another man.Despite his youthful appearance, the look in his eyes as he glanced at Queenie was undeniable. It was a blend of love, desire, and possessiveness only a man could understand.I was consumed by the thought that he wasn't worthy of my precious Queenie's love.Nevertheless, my body felt heavy and powerless. It was as if the strength had been drained from me. The blows rained down on me, bringing with them a strange sense of relief amidst the pain. Part of me yearned for him to kick me harder, inflict
I wanted nothing more than to run to Queenie, to hold her tightly and tell her how much I missed her during those endless days apart. I wanted to kiss her deeply and feel the warmth of her embrace. I called out, "Queenie, I'm here."Seeing me seemed to jolt Queenie from her joyous state, replacing it with a vacant expression. Mere moments before, she had been smiling brightly, her eyes aglow with happiness. Now, she appeared lost, her initial elation dissipating into a blank, unresponsive gaze.I couldn't understand why she had turned so distant upon seeing me. The love and joy that once shone in her eyes were nowhere to be found. As I observed her, I wondered if our time apart had caused her to forget. Or perhaps the events of the past had wounded her so profoundly that she had stopped waiting for me.The thoughts terrified me, and I dared not ask for fear of confirming my suspicions. All I wanted was to hold her, kiss her, and tell her how much I missed her. Yet, it seemed tha
I had no interest in Daniela's pregnancy, so I kicked her out of the house. My friends came to console me, each expressing their sympathies with a drink because they didn't know how else to comfort me.The money I had sent to Queenie's account was quickly returned as the account had been closed. Her phone number became unreachable, and when I sought her at her parents' home, I found the elderly couple waiting anxiously for their daughter's return. I lost not only Queenie but any connection to her. I grew disinterested in everything, neglecting my company and spending my days in a drunken haze.Then, my uncle came. We drank through the night as he shared tales of his hardships, the painful memories of his mother, and the years he spent alone, suffering.He said, "Everyone has their fate, Flynn. And choosing one thing often means losing another. Just as you've chosen to fight for the family business, you've sacrificed a part of yourself. But you must rise and fight me with all you'v
Queenie would then jump off the cliff, leaving me to jolt awake in a cold sweat. I endured each twilight in my hopeless vigil, counting down the days.On the 75th day, the door finally unlocked. I stepped outside and realized that this was the neighborhood where Queenie and I lived. All this time, we had been mere yards apart.My mom truly knew how to break a person's spirit. All I had to do was lift my head to see the pomegranate tree planted in our yard.I stumbled toward our home, my wounds screaming as I desperately called for Queenie. But the immaculate house stood eerily silent, echoing my footsteps like thunder.Except for Queenie, every possession remained meticulously in place—the exquisite clothes, expensive jewelry, and designer cosmetics.Queenie was gone, and the thought of losing her drove me into a frenzy.I collapsed in the middle of the room, sobbing uncontrollably. Regret consumed me. I should have never let my family's threats manipulate me and left Queenie to
I clenched my fists, barely resisting the urge to rush over to Queenie's side. All I wanted was to embrace her and whisper assurances that I would protect her, always. But I knew I had no right to do so.My dad's threat hung heavy in my mind, and the stares of Daniela and her mother bore into Queenie like daggers. One wrong move or word and those blades would descend upon Queenie, cutting her to shreds.The pain was unbearable. I felt sorry for Queenie. I was powerless and couldn't help her. With all my heart, I wished for her to stay strong and survive. She deserved better than me. Daniela's mother slapped Queenie, calling her a whore and a homewrecker, accusing her of seducing other people's boyfriends.Queenie stood rigidly, her gaze filled with humiliation. Her lips trembled, and the light in her eyes gradually faded.I winced in agony but held myself together, picking up Daniela and walking away.Countless times afterward, I berated myself for choosing to take Daniela away
We both knew the truth—neither of us could cross the chasm that had formed between our hearts.After that, I went home almost every day. We managed to maintain a semblance of normalcy in our day-to-day lives. We prepared sumptuous dinners and tended to our garden. I even considered adopting a pet to keep Queenie company while I was away.However, no matter how hard we tried, we couldn't rekindle the warmth we had once shared. Queenie hardly smiled anymore. No matter what I did to cheer her up, she would only give a half-hearted smile, her eyes remaining cold and distant.I knew something had transpired during our separation, but she refused to discuss it. My attempts to uncover the truth through private investigators were in vain. Any evidence had been meticulously erased.Eventually, I realized Queenie was simply biding her time, waiting for the moment when she would be forced to relinquish all hope and leave.A month later, my mother joyfully told me that Daniela was pregnant an
I grabbed a brush from the bathroom and scrubbed myself furiously, desperate to wash away the overwhelming sense of filth. Even as the rough bristles tore into my skin, drawing blood and causing searing pain, I felt no closer to feeling clean.My mind was consumed with thoughts of Queenie and the nearly five years we had spent together—the happy moments, the arguments, every single memory.At that moment, I realized I was terrified. Never before had I experienced such abject fear. Knowing Queenie's uncompromising stance on love and fidelity, I knew she would never forgive me once she discovered my transgression.She would undoubtedly turn and leave, heedless of any pleas I might make. I probably wouldn't even have the courage to ask for her forgiveness in the face of her justified anger.I regretted everything. If I had listened to my friends and taken Queenie away from all this, none of this would have happened. But I had hesitated. Even now, I couldn't be certain if my hesitati
Yesterday afternoon, my dad called and demanded that I make a decision within two days, or they would take action.I felt cornered because I genuinely didn't know how to talk to Queenie about this. The mere idea of her packing her belongings and leaving, accompanied by the unspeakable anguish it would inflict upon me, was a burden too heavy to bear.I wasn't sure if I could ever have a semblance of normality in my life again after that.So, I gathered some friends to drink with me. I drank heavily because I had made a decision—a disgraceful, heartless decision. The thought of what I would have to face the next day made life seem hopeless, so I drank even more.Before losing consciousness, I handed my car keys to my assistant, using my last bit of clarity to tell him to take me home no matter what state I was in.Even if it meant returning to the Hayes family's residence, he should not leave me out on the streets. Despite the imminent breakup, I wanted to part ways with Queenie in
My mom proved to be even more ruthless than my dad. She found me, dropped to her knees without a word, and begged me. She reminded me of the years they had spent raising me, pleading that I ensure they wouldn't be left without a sense of security in their old age.In essence, they were pressuring me to abandon everything. I was to pursue money and power for their sake, secure the Hayes family's head position, and ensure our grip on wealth and influence. Their priority was maintaining their luxurious, elevated lifestyle. My happiness, my desires—whether I even wanted those things—meant nothing to them. Sometimes, it felt like I was nothing more than a tool for achieving their ambitions.My dad told me bluntly that he would go after Queenie if I didn't comply. He said, "You're right. I'm incapable of outmaneuvering your uncle. But no matter how incompetent I am, I can easily make Queenie's life in Harveyton unbearable."To be honest, that day was the coldest my heart had ever felt