—
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.
CHAPTER SIX; Old ways—"Knock, knock!"Early in the morning, Althea heard a knock. She was preparing for school and was about to go out when she heard it. She paused for a moment before heading towards the door and opening it."Good morning!" Said the delivery man in red, smiling brightly.The corners of her lips almost twitched. How can this guy smile like that so early in the morning?"Good morning," she also greeted, but unlike him, she was calm like a pond. "What is it?""Here!" He said cheerfully handing over a bouquet of purple flowers. "Flowers for Althea Grahams!""..."She stared at the flowers for a minute. It took a while before she understood him.'Wait- Pardon- What?'Althea looked at the flowers again, petrified. The delivery man nudges the bouquet to her again, urging her to take it. His arms are aching already. She hesitated for a moment before taking it."Thank, uh, thank you." She was unsure what to say. She wanted to ask what the hell is this and who the hell sent i
CHAPTER SEVEN; Courting-"Man!" Exclaimed a man leaning on a pillar of the school's entrance. All the buttons of his school uniform are undone, showing his underneath white shirt. "Why do I have to study? Why do I have to go to school? School sucks!"His group of friends snickered."Adler, dude," another man said. Unlike the other, he was not wearing his school uniform at all. "Suck it up! There's no way your family is letting you run off. When you are the only child of your family, you have no other choice but to inherit the business.""You have it hard, Adler." Another one said with laughter evident in his eyes."The only heir. Sucks for you.""Shut up!" He angrily shouted at the two.They laughed at him. Adler also laughed along. He and his unfortunate life.To many, being the successor of a big company is a blessing, but to those heirs, it's a long and painful task."But Tyler, you have it hard too, don't you?" Everyone turned their head towards the person on the topic.Of all the
CHAPTER EIGHT: Courting (2) – "Althea, can you do this part?" Althea read it and agreed. "Sure." "Great," Sheryl smiled at her before turning to one of their classmates. "You do this one." Althea silently typed on her laptop after determining what to do. She muted out the whispers of her group mates at the table and buried herself in her little world. Five days ago, Tyler brought her to a botanical garden at the back of the school building. In exchange, Tyler wanted to take part in Althea's group project. Instead of relaxing and having a peaceful time studying, she was pestered by him instead. Nevertheless, Althea still didn't tell him the place. She never had a peaceful four days after that. She sighed and leaned on her chair. The day had just begun, but Althea was already tired. School works after school works, everything seems so unending. She glanced at Sheryl, one of the beauties in their room. She's also smart and soft-spoken. Althea can't help but heave a sigh in her
CHAPTER NINE: Jealousy...?—"Althea, I like you."Of all the phrases that Althea wants to hear why he is still talking and flirting with her even though the bet has ended, why this?Receiving such a confession out of the blue is too much for her. Her brain short-circuited.Tyler watched her blankly for a moment before looking away, her ears red as cherries. Amusement danced in his eyes. This was one of the reasons why he kept pestering her. Her reactions are just too cute and precious. The urge to pinch her cheeks came again."Y—you—shut up… What a lie." Her words were faltering. Her mind gears were madly turning to think of any coherent words but it just over-heated.Tyler can't hold back anymore, he laughed that almost all of his body shook. "You asked! I answered! What's wrong with that? Why are you telling me to shut up suddenly?”"A—anyway!" She almost shouted that word, obviously trying too hard to change the topic. "How much did you bet?"She can't think of any topic that is wo
CHAPTER TEN: An Odd Girl—"Yes, I understand," Althea replied after listening to her mother's scolding through the phone. "I know. I won't do it again."Althea rested her head on the soft pillow then she couldn't help but sigh helplessly. On the other side of the line, her mother was still ranting. Althea was tired of listening to the point that the words entered and exited her ears without delay.Again, she sighed and looked up at the white ceiling, still holding the phone next to her ear. Currently, she's inside the school's infirmary. According to the school nurse, she fainted in the hallway. The nurse even gave her an earful, saying that if she felt unwell, she should have stayed at home. She was lucky that there was someone who saw her fainted and called for help to carry her or else she'll be there until the bell rang for a break.After that, her parents called her. Apparently, the nurse contacted them. The moment she answered the phone, her mother started cursing her endlessly
CHAPTER ELEVEN; An Awful Feeling—“…”“…”Both didn’t say a word for a while now. The unknown beautiful girl stared at her with wide sparkling eyes while Althea looked down at her with her pair of dead aquamarine eyes. To many of the passersby, they were having a staring contest. They were both amused and curious. They couldn't see two beautiful women staring and standing near each other every day. What’s more, they are nearing a corner. The two looked like they were having a serious conversation with the other, more serious and the other one was not. Some even thought that maybe they were couples thinking about their future plans, with just the one planning everything.Althea was unaware of the curious eyes and the crooked thoughts of the people. Her mind stopped at the conversation they just had. Like a broken tape, it kept on playing itself.“So, who is this fiancé of yours?”“Uhm, I think his name is… Ah! His name is Tyler!” And when her brain finally worked normally, her mind s
CHAPTER TWELVE: Nope, it’s okay! —He called at a great time. Althea smiled apologetically at the girl. “I’m sorry but I have to take this call.”The girl smiled. “No, it’s okay!”Althea excused herself once more and when she’s out of her hearing range, she answered the phone.[Why did it take you so long to answer?] Tyler asked right after she pressed the answer button. It was funny that she could imagine him frowning just from his voice. [Are you still unwell? I heard that they gave you the permission to go home early. Are you not home yet?]He did not give her the chance to speak, and Althea just silently listened. She can hear rustling noise on the other side of the line. Maybe he is already lying on his bed since it is already evening there.Tyler didn’t hear a reply and was welcomed by silence. Instead, he frowned and glanced at the screen and saw that the line was still connected. His frown deepened even more. He put the phone back near his ears and asked in concern. [Hey, are
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Say what?—Tyler stared at the blank screen of his phone with disbelief but there was amusement in his eyes.“Dude, what are you doing?”Tyler looked back to see his roommate looking at him with furrowed brows. He was silent for a moment before a low laugh escaped from his lips. His roommate heard it and can’t help but raise his eyebrows. He knows that Tyler is weird, but he just became weirder. Who laughs without reason?“Althea is mad at me.” He plainly said.“… Oh.” His roommate looked at him like he lost his head or somehow grew a tail. He laughed because someone is mad at him. “Is that even something you can laugh about? I thought you were serious with her.”“I am.”The guy is even more bewildered. “Then why are you laughing? Should you not clear or mend things up?”“Of course, I will. I can’t let my girl stay mad at me when I am away.”“…” Your—what? Tyler’s roommate was in shock. He can’t believe that Tyler used a possessive word! “Then why were you laughing?”