Crush

Valerie Scott, who came from a humble family, was seen sitting in a high-end club named Rino. It's owned by a powerful figure who is said to keep a very low profile. Unlike every other woman in the club who is wearing short dresses and open hair paired with flawless makeup, Valerie is seen wearing baggy pants and pairing them with a sweatshirt. Her hair is tied into a high bun, which is covered by a hat that she wears reversed. She is not wearing a speck of makeup. She is holding warm beer like the other guys around her, just like Jace Oswald prefers.

Jace Oswald, her best friend and her secret crush. But he always treated her like one of the guys. Now, he has his mouth stuck to Mia's, who is his current girlfriend of 6 months. His longest relationship so far. A feeling of bitterness crept from her gut. She has liked Jace since she was 16. Before that, she used to dress up like a tomboy. But once she realized that she liked Jace, she tried dressing up like a girl for once to impress Jace. But when he saw her wearing a dress, he laughed for hours.

'You look awkward,' he told her then. After that, she never dressed up like a girl again. She is back dressing up like a tomboy, who looked actually like a young boy. She tried countless times to tell him that she liked him, but before she could gather enough courage, he would find another girlfriend whom he would dump in a couple of months.

"Val, will you ever tell him that you like him?" a guy named Zack asked. Zack is one of their friends from college.

"Tell him what?" she played dumb.

Zack chuckled with mirth.

"Girl, I know you like him. I am just waiting for you to confess if you could ever," he said knowingly.

Valerie rolled her eyes at him.

"Your imagination runs wild," she said, brushing his claims away.

Zack gave her a knowing smile.

"Fine, let's just think you don't like him. But I like you. Can you give me a chance?" he asked her out of nowhere.

Valerie choked on her own spit in shock. In her 22 years of life, not a single guy had asked her out. They simply never looked at her like a girl, until now.

"You are crazy," she replied, because she didn't have anything else to tell him. She liked Jace, and she was not about to date anyone else in front of him and ruin her chances with him.

Zack sighed.

"I know you would say that. I still want to try. After all, we finished our final year and soon will get busy with internships and jobs. I don't want to regret anything. But Valerie, if you ever change your mind, don't forget me," he told her softly. So softly, just like how they speak to a girl.

She couldn't help the blush that crept up her cheeks. Who wouldn't be flattered? Zack is cute and easy to get along with.

"Sure, when I decide to marry and find no one else, I will call you," she joked. He chuckled good-naturedly.

"But on a serious note, if you start dressing like the girls he likes, maybe he might remember that you a girl" Zack suggested.

Valerie froze. It's not that she doesn't want to dress up like a girl. She is scared that she might lose Jason as her friend as well.

"Val, come and persuade Mia here. She doesn't want to come to the Bahamas with us," Jace called over, with his complete attention on Mia. Like the good friend she is, Valerie looked at Mia with a small smile.

"Mia, this is a special trip Jace arranged for our college friends to spend a good time. Who knows when we could meet again like this. Jace would be happy if you came," she said, choosing the right words to make Jace happy. But deep down, she doesn't want Mia to come at all.

Mia, a sweet and innocent-looking girl, smiled back shyly.

"My parents are really orthodox. I don't know if they would allow me. I will request them and try to come along," she agreed.

Jace grinned from ear to ear and kissed her again.

Valerie had enough of their PDA.

"Excuse me," she said, and walked out of the private room Jace hired. She went to the women's room and splashed some water on her face before looking at herself in the mirror. She looked plain and dull. In front of someone like Mia, she surely would fade into the background. With her unappealing clothes, no one would think that she was actually a woman until they took a closer look. That's when she heard a muffled sound coming from outside. She frowned before walking out to check what was happening. To her horror, she saw a tall man pushing another man into the corridor wall and choking him.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" she demanded like the good Samaritan that she is.

The man who was assaulting turned his head to look at her. Valerie froze in her place. He was wearing a black suit that hugged him like a second skin. He was tall and utterly handsome. The cold look in his eyes made him unapproachable and deadly. He didn't seem to feel an ounce of guilt that he got caught while trying to kill someone. Her spine shuddered with fear. She could feel her palms sweat.

"Let him go. I will call the cops," she said, acting brave and threatening him. But he didn't look scared at all.

"I am really calling the cops." She lifted her mobile high in the air, trying to scare him. But that man narrowed his gaze at her, clearly asking her to mind her own business. When the assailant was distracted, the guy who was being choked pushed his assailant away and ran for his life.

The assailant looked pissed.

"Idi*t," he muttered before storming towards her and roughly grabbed the front of her shirt near her collar. His holding right over her breasts, making her eyes go wide with shock and embarrassment. The hat she was wearing fell out and her hair tumbled out of her bun, revealing that she is actually a woman. She is now shaking all over, thinking that he might kill her for helping his prey escape.

The moment her hair tumbled down her back revealing that she is actually a woman, he immediately let go of her shirt, as if he was not expecting that she was a woman. But his eyes are still cold and unfathomable.

"You look like a gutter rat. Mind your own business," he spoke lowly into her face before he disappeared after his prey.