Michelle woke up abruptly to the sounds of violent rapping at her door. She sat up groggily trying to figure out who had been trying to wake her up at this ungodly hour but the bright beam of sunlight that infiltrated through the gaps among the curtains, made it quite clear that it was way past sunrise. She was about to get up and slip into her robe when she felt an arm restraining her from moving. She immediately turned to her side to get a good glance of the figure sleeping next to her, head buried underneath the pillows.

How could she have forgotten? Luhan didn’t exactly stop at simply kissing her yesterday; he had wanted more not that she objected anyway. Color rose up in her cheek when she thought more about it. She didn’t know what it meant for Luhan and her from now. They hadn’t exactly regarded putting a label on whatever it is that they had now. Neither did she know what the guy had wanted from her. Was he solely after her body or did he wish for something more?

“Michelle!” The knocks seemed to be getting louder and Michelle came to realize that the voice she heard from the other side belonged to none other than Liling.

Luhan jolted up as soon as he heard the girl’s voice. Panicking slightly, he shuffled out of the bed to find his garments that had been carelessly flung around by them the night before probably in the heat of the moment. He was slightly grateful that the door had been locked and Liling hadn’t barged in on them. He wasn’t ready for Liling to find out. In fact, he wasn’t quite sure about all of this himself. What was it that he expected out of this? He hadn’t really had a chance to think about it. He knew Michelle would be rather composed about it. As of now, he was driven by his desire for more. He only wished to continue this for as long as he could.

“Michelle! Michelle!” Liling continued to yell. Luhan brought a finger to his lips, as an indication for Michelle to keep quiet. The girl just stared at him blankly wondering what he was trying to do. When he made his way to the window, she realized he had been trying to get away. She didn’t know why she felt uneasy. It definitely seemed like he wanted to keep this a secret, especially towards Liling.

When Luhan was completely out of sight, Michelle slipped into her satin silk robe and sauntered towards the door.

“Oh thank goodness. I thought you’d never open the door,” Liling exclaimed, letting herself inside the door.

“What are you doing here?” Michelle asked. She didn’t want to come across as rude but she couldn’t help but wonder why Liling had visited her so early in the morning.

“Is that a way to treat your guest?” Liling retorted, smiling playfully. Michelle shook her head, smiling back at the girl. Liling had made herself comfortable on Michelle’s bed, Michelle walked up to do the same.

“Well since it was your birthday yesterday and I couldn’t wish you, I came to wish you now,” Liling spoke again, grinning widely at the girl who had come to lie down beside her.

“Well thank you, Miss Liling,” Michelle laughed. She knew Liling had been caught up with some familial matter.

“So, what did you do yesterday?” Liling asked, wanting to know how the girl had spent her favorite day.

“What did I do?” Michelle was about to tell her about her day when she realized she had been missing something. She shot up from her bed quickly, grasping her wrist while doing so.

“Oh no…where did it go?” she mumbled to herself while her eyes scanned her entire room for a shiny, silver object.

“What’s wrong?” Liling got up. She didn’t know what had got the other girl so worked up.

“Nothing…I’m just…I just can’t seem to find something.”

Michelle was now rummaging through the sheets on her bed, flinging the pillows aside violently.

“Well, tell me what it looks like so I can help you find it,” Liling said to a flustered Michelle, who had now ducked to look underneath the bed.

Michelle heaved a sigh of relief, her hand clutched on to the bracelet firmly. Liling raised her brows questioningly.

“Is that it? You were upset over that cheap piece of jewelry?” she quipped.

Michelle chose not to respond; instead she dusted the bracelet slightly and clasped it onto her wrist. Liling didn’t miss the small smile on her face.

“Michelle…” Liling spoke again earning a hum from the girl.

“Say…who gave you that?” she probed. Liling couldn’t really insinuate what it was but there was something about the smile on Michelle’s face which made her rather curious. And she had to know.

“Nobody,” Michelle said rather defensively. She didn’t like Liling’s teasing manners, so she chose to not tell.

“Really, I hardly think so,” Liling replied, the smile never wearing off her face. Michelle continued to gape at the girl when she realized Liling had gotten quite close to where she had been standing.

Bracing herself because she knew what was coming next, she ran, letting out a loud squeal when Liling caught her. Liling giggled while she tickled the other girl on her sides. If there was any way to get Michelle to confess something when she was being difficult, it was this for the girl was particularly ticklish. It was an age old trick both Luhan and Liling seemed to be using since their childhood.

Michelle squirmed and flailed around, her eyes tearing slightly from all her squeals.

“Alright, alright, I’ll tell you. Please stop this,” she pleaded. Liling decided she had tortured the poor girl enough and let her go, much to Michelle’s relief.

Michelle settled on her bed tiredly. “I cannot believe that you resorted to that,” the girl sighed after she calmed her erratic breathing.

“Always works,” Liling spoke smugly. “Anyway, are you going to tell me or should I tickle you yet again?”

“No, please don’t. I’ll tell you.” Michelle raised her hands as if she was surrendering. Liling let out a playful giggle and sat next to the girl.

“Then tell me,” Liling said.

Michelle averted her eyes from Liling’s scrutinizing looks. She wasn’t sure why she had been acting this way.

She cleared awkwardly. “That peasant…he gave it to me.” Her voice came out rather squeaky. Liling’s eyes widened.

“Yixing?” she asked excitedly. Michelle could merely nod.

Liling clapped her hands once as if she had made some significant discovery. “Is that why it is so important to you?” she went on to ask. Michelle’s eyes widened slightly.

“No! Definitely not that,” she protested. She couldn’t absorb why she was being so defensive. “It’s just…It’s just that no one’s ever given me anything before,” she continued, hoping to clear out Liling’s misinterpretation.

“Oh,” Liling frowned. She somehow wanted it to be more; she seemed to like the idea of Michelle getting along with the handsome secretary.

“Is that all?” she asked rather dejectedly to which Michelle nodded.

“Well we never gave you anything because we figured you could always buy whatever you wanted on your own, I mean…” her voice trailed. Liling felt bad, if she had known she would have probably showered her all kinds of presents but she always thought that they would be of no use to Michelle.

“No, it’s alright,” Michelle assured the other girl. She smiled at Liling before squeezing her shoulders gently.

“Of course, it wouldn’t matter now that you’ve received your precious first present from your precious someone,” Liling teased the girl again. However, this time Michelle laughed along while her fingers gently the silver charm that hung loosely around her delicate wrist.

                                                                                                                         ∻∻∻∻

When Luhan skipped in through his window, he was met with his livid parents. He gasped slightly knowing that he had been caught and there would definitely be consequences. What he didn’t understand was how long would