Chapter 4: In the dark, he found me

I looked away from Ian.

The girl in the white bikini stepped out of the swimming pool, grabbed a black bathrobe, and tied it around herself. She walked up to Ian, kissed him on the cheek, and whispered something in his ear. He nodded at her, his expression blank and indifferent. It was clear she meant nothing more than a temporary distraction to him. After that, she left the pool area and went back inside.

I couldn’t understand girls like her.

How could they let themselves sleep with him so casually? Why did they offer themselves to someone who would never choose them? These girls came from influential families, and even their parents seemed aware of what was happening. No one stopped them. Instead, it seemed like they were all hoping their daughters might become Ian’s Luna someday. What if he actually picked one of them?

I forced those thoughts out of my head and rose from the couch. There was no point obsessing over him. The best thing I could do was keep my distance from Ian.

“Where are you going?” Luke asked, walking up to me with two glasses in his hands. I assumed he had come to spend time with me and handed me one of the drinks.

“I just need to use the washroom,” I told him.

“Oh. Then let me show you the way,” he offered, motioning with his hand.

“Luke, where are you going?” one of his friends called out.

I glanced from his friends to him. “You can just tell me the direction. I’ll find it myself.”

“No, I can’t trust others,” he replied.

“I promise I’ll be fine,” I insisted. I wasn’t a child who needed someone to walk me around to stay safe.

He eventually gave in and explained the directions. I walked away from the pool area and entered the living room. I moved through the crowd in the direction Luke had pointed out.

My attention was drawn to the staircase. Luke had said the bathroom was upstairs, but I quickly changed my mind when I saw a couple making out halfway up.

I asked a girl nearby if there was another washroom downstairs. She gave me a judgmental look but pointed to the far right corner.

I walked in that direction, only to be bumped by a tall boy coming from the opposite side. His drink spilled over me, soaking my hair.

It was beer.

“You should have been more careful,” the boy said casually.

I didn’t respond. I just kept walking toward the right corner. When I reached it, I noticed the area was poorly lit, almost completely dark.

“Did that girl give me the wrong direction?” I whispered to myself. Still, I moved toward a nearby door and opened it, relieved to find it was actually a washroom.

I looked in the mirror and stared at my wet hair, sticky with beer. I quickly washed it in the sink, used the toilet, and then cleaned my face, which also had drops of beer on it. Before leaving, I took off my glasses and placed them in my bag.

I stepped out, running my fingers through my damp hair. As the door closed behind me, the entire hallway returned to darkness.

I slowly walked back toward the way I had come. In the distance, I could see some colored lights and faint smoke. I was just starting to move faster when I suddenly felt someone grab my wrist.

A sharp gasp escaped me as I was pulled into the shadows and slammed gently against a wall.

I couldn’t see the person clearly, but I could make out the shape of a tall male figure.

“What took you so long?” he said in a deep, teasing voice. “Were you in there playing with yourself?”

My eyes widened.

It was Ian.

He leaned in close and inhaled deeply.

“Why do you smell different now?” he murmured. “What fragrance is that? I like it.”

His face moved to the crook of my neck. I was frozen, too shocked to say anything. The tip of his nose brushed my skin, gently gliding along my neck.

My heart started to pound.

“You smell so good,” he growled under his breath.

His body pressed against mine, and his arms slid around my waist. I could feel the warmth of his breath on my cheek.

I couldn’t understand what was happening. Why was he acting like this? Why was he touching me like this?

Before I could form a single word, my eyes widened once more as I felt his lips touch mine.

There was no hesitation.

Without warning, he crushed his mouth against mine in a heated, forceful kiss.