ARC ONE:

DAFFODIL; The Beginning

PROLOGUE:

—

Pitter, patter.

The raindrops fell one by one, clattering against the glass window. Not long after, the sky cried fully, obstructing the person inside the room to see the outside through the window.

Yet, the person was not bothered by it at all. The sound of rain did not even reach her ears as she stared intently at her phone that was lying silently on her pale palms, her thumb anxiously rubbing against its edge.

Moments later, Althea moved her fingers to type on the phone. She hesitated for a second before sending the text.

: Tyler? 

She typed. 

: Can we meet?

Althea sucked in a rather large amount of air and let it out through her mouth shakily while waiting for a reply from that person. She waited expectantly.

But seconds, and minutes passed, and Tyler had yet to reply.

'Again,' Althea thought inwardly. 'He did not reply to me again.'

Her heart tightens and her tears are on the verge of falling, but Althea stubbornly holds them in, making her eyes look glassy.

It's been like this for a couple of months now. She did not know the reason, but Tyler suddenly became cold and indifferent. They have been together for 3 years, and now, in their 4th year, he suddenly becomes like this.

Althea can't understand. She asked, but Tyler did not bother explaining. He just shrugged it off with a few words.

"You're just being paranoid."

--

Morning came.

Althea wore her favorite purple jacket. She was going out.

Making sure she brought everything she needed, she headed out to the small store near her apartment.

It was cold, the winter is, after all, approaching. Althea did not hate winter she loved it. 

When winter comes, she would occasionally sit near the window, with a thick blanket on her body and a cup of steaming hot chocolate with marshmallows floating on it at hand, together with Tyler. They would talk and laugh about the past and then plan about the future.

They had already planned for the future.

Those memories seem so distant now.

Althea entered the small store, heading straight to the section she wanted, then, after choosing, she headed straight to the counter and paid for everything. She then headed toward the nearest pharmacy. And after some hesitation, she finally grabbed the product and bought 5 pieces of it before going out.

She stepped out of the Pharmacy but only to stop again after seeing the familiar figure. She looked up.

"Tyler..."

Tyler, too, stopped and stared at her before greeting her back.

"Althea, hey..."

Then an awkward silence enveloped them. It was understandable, they had not, after all, seen each other for a month now. And Tyler never spent any effort to reply to her.

Althea, fully aware of the situation, tightened her grip on the bag that contained the food and 'that' thing that she bought and mustered up the courage to speak up first.

"Are you free this evening?"

"No," Tyler said without missing a beat. "I'm sorry, I have a group study tonight. You know that the finals are coming up, right?"

Althea lowered her gaze and pursed her lips.

Yeah, right. Group study. I know that you can pass the exams with flying colors even by studying only by yourself. 

She did not voice her true feelings. Instead, she nodded and tried to ask if she could join. As expected, the man refused. Althea did not press any further.

"By the way, what are you doing here?" 

Althea opened and closed her mouth, and didn't know what to say. She wanted to tell him, but she was still unsure. So, she lied.

"Nothing, I just bought, Uhm, medicines. I was running out of them." Althea is a bad liar. Everyone knows that.

"Mhm," Tyler said, unconvinced. But he also did not press any further.

And so, they bid goodbye to each other just like that, and Althea unwillingly watched Tyler's back, which is getting smaller and smaller as he walks away from her.

With heartache, Althea went home alone. 

Then she brought out the pregnancy test kit. Followed the procedure and waited for the result.

Hours later.

The moon is already out; the streets are illuminated by the streetlights. Almost all the apartments in a certain building turned their lights on, but there was a certain apartment that didn't, despite the darkness.

Althea had been looking at the result for ten hours now with eyes puffed. But no matter how she looks at it, the results of the five test kits are the same.

She's pregnant.

She wanted to inform Tyler, fast. But she did not want to tell him via text because of the seriousness of the matter. So, she texted him, asking where he was.

Tyler did not reply, so Althea bolted out of the bed, grabbed her wallet and jacket, and went out.

After asking around, she finally was standing in front of where Tyler was 'studying'. In a bar. 

Althea wanted to cry. How dare he lie to her! But she can't do it now, she has to tell him.

Althea knows that Tyler loves bars and girls. But that was before they were together. He was loyal and loving when they became a couple, so why? Why is he back with this again?

What did I do wrong?

The ear-shattering music boomed in the air. Althea couldn't help but cover her ears until she was used to the loud music. She then tried to find Tyler.

It was not hard to find him. 

He was at the table where you can see him right after entering the bar. Althea was shocked to see him. She can feel her body going numb and her mind going blank.

Tyler, he's actually cheating on her!

Tyler was leisurely leaning on the sofa with a woman at his side. His arm was wrapped around her waist and he was laughing at what she was whispering to him. They were flirting like nobody was there aside from them. Disgusting, shameless!

Enraged, she walked towards their table. Some saw her and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. And finally, the woman that Tyler was cheating with can't help but sneer.

Althea was known all around the campus since Tyler was pretty famous. But even without Tyler, she can shine on her own. She was one of the prettiest in her department. After all, she's smart too.

Althea was so mad that she almost lost her reasoning, but fortunately, she pulled it back to her. She stood in front of their table.

Against the loud noise of the bar, she called him.

"Tyler?! What's the meaning of this?"

Everyone who heard her can't help but sneer. What's the point of asking? Can't you see it with your eyes? Stupid!

The woman in his embrace leaned on Tyler and looked directly at her with mockery. She then asked in a disgusting, overly sweet voice.

"Tyler, hon, do you know her?"

Tyler did not even spare Althea a glance before looking down at the woman in his embrace.

"No, of course, I don't."