Prologue

"HEY, Yannie!" I was startled by Belle, who was beside me, loudly calling me.

"Seriously? Am I deaf for you to shout like that?" I commented to her while clutching my chest due to surprise.

"I've been calling you several times, but you've been ignoring me. Kris might just melt with how much you're staring at him," Belle said angrily to me. I immediately felt my cheeks flush from what she said. "You know, friend, it's so obvious that you're in love with your suitor. Why haven't you answered him yet?" she continued, repeatedly fanning herself.

We are currently in our school gymnasium to watch a basketball game. It's our school's intramurals, and Kris is one of the basketball players playing today.

Kris has been courting me for over two months now. Although I have developed feelings for him, I can't find the right time to tell him. Additionally, I'm concerned about how my parents would react if they found out I have a boyfriend. My father often reminds me that it is not the right time to enter into a relationship. Like many young people, I feel a rebellious urge to defy that advice. It's challenging to resist the heart once it starts beating for someone else.

"Before we finish senior high, I might say yes to him," I replied with a blush to Belle.

"Oh, interesting. It's already planned. But that's still a few months away. Your Papa Kris might get impatient. Watch out, he might find someone else," Belle teased me, causing some concern.

I have feelings for Kris and envision him as my first and last boyfriend. Perhaps Belle is correct; it's time for me to respond positively to Kris's patient pursuit with a heartfelt yes.

After Kris's game, he quickly approached me.

"Congrats, you were amazing out there!" I cheerfully congratulated him.

"Thank you. I got motivated in the game because you were watching," he said with a smile that caused my cheeks to turn red. I restrained the urge to let out a broad and sweet smile, but in the end, I failed. Especially when he gently reached for and held my hands. "I was extremely tired, but now I feel revitalized. Seeing you up close again gave me a burst of energy," he expressed warmly while still holding my hands.

My heart pounded at that moment, and I couldn't deny it anymore – I really like him, and I'm falling for him.

"Um... Kris, after our intramurals, on Saturday, let's meet in front of our school. Where you... first confessed to me," I said gently to him.

"Why? What's going on?" he asked.

"I have something to tell you on that day. So, let's meet there," I replied, then smiled at him again.

He quickly took out his phone from his pocket and checked it. He gasped.

"Saturday is quite a wait. It's only Thursday now. I can't wait to hear what you have to say," he said.

"Don't worry, you'll find out on the coming Saturday," I assured, and we both shared sweet smiles while he continued to hold my hands.

"Okay then. I can wait without a doubt," he asserted confidently, then took my bag from the side and put it on himself. "Let's go; I'll walk you to the transportation going home. You shouldn't be out late."

I nodded with a smile, and together, we strolled towards the school exit.

However, true to the saying that all things must come to an end, In the blink of an eye, Kris's affectionate, warm, and tender treatment towards me slowly changed. On Friday, he remained silent throughout the day, and I didn't receive any text messages from him either. I also went home alone that day because he didn't accompany me to the transportation, contrary to what he often did.

I didn't know what the problem was or if something happened to him. Until the day I had been eagerly anticipating arrived. The day I thought would mark the beginning of a fairytale-like chapter in my love life. But little did I know... that it would be a day I would regret.

I waited for him for over three hours at the agreed-upon meeting place for the two of us. I waited and waited until it got dark. I waited and waited until he finally arrived.

He came with a cold gaze directed at me. And my heart quickly felt the pain because of it.

"G-Good thing you came," I said to him.

He immediately averted his gaze from me, causing me great concern.

"What are you going to say?" he asked coldly.

"Uhm... Kris... d-do we have a problem?" I asked.

He looked at me slowly, seemingly surprised by my question.

"What do you mean?" he asked back.

"Yesterday, you didn't show up, and you didn't talk to me the whole day. You also... didn't respond to my calls and text messages. I was worried about you. Is there... a problem? Are we having a problem?"

"Yannie, we're not together."

"Huh?"

I saw his emotionless gaze on me, completely different from how he used to look at me before. I wondered, what happened?

He sighed and looked into my eyes again.

"I really have something to tell you, which is why I came here," he said.

"R-Really?"

"What will you say?"

"You go first. What are you going to tell me?" I asked him.

He bit his lower lip and paused for a moment as if carefully considering the words he was about to utter.

"Yannie... I have a girlfriend now," he said directly, as if momentarily deaf to my presence.

"Huh? W-What do you mean?" I asked slowly.

"Belle and I are now a couple," he replied.

"S-Si... si Belle?" I asked in disbelief. "S-Since when?"

"Since yesterday," he gave a simple answer.

"S-So... you didn't talk to me all day yesterday because... you were already with my friend?" My vision started to blur, but Kris remained silent in front of me. I tried to gather my courage, so even though my heart felt pain and tears wanted to fall, I held them back. "Okay. All I have to say to you is... I'm rejecting you," I lied.

"Huh?"

"I really don't like you. No matter how hard I try, I can't bring myself to like you. So... it's good that you're with Belle. At least, I won't feel guilty thinking that I might have hurt you."

"Yannie..."

"Alright then, I'm leaving. Goodbye." And I began to turn away from him and walk away.

The joy I felt because of Kris was unexpected to end like this. He briefly brought happiness into my life, only to dispose of me like an unwanted object. Abandoned because he abruptly lost interest. Cast aside because he swiftly found someone new.