Eva finally gets to see Mia when school ends. She runs into her friend when she was searching nook and cranny for her, Mia just happened to walk out from the health office, still in her dirty uniform. Guilt washes over Eva when she sees her friend in this state. She wanted to pull her away from the scene, save her from the bullies, but that stupid spell made her fail to do so. "I'm so sorry. I should've told them to stop." Eva walks over to the girl and hugs her, despite that she will get the food stain on her own uniform. "I-it's okay, I'm used to it." Mia chuckles bitterly. This is not good. Why isn't there any teacher stopping them? What are the rules for? Eva rambles her thoughts furiously. She did talk a lot today. 

"I'll bring you to the dry cleaning station." Eva says and pulls Mia to her car. She directs the chauffeur, and he's kind enough to bring them to the place. Even when Mia is sitting in the car already, she keeps telling her to send her home instead and that she doesn't want to cause anymore trouble. "Mia, just at lease let me do something for you okay? I already feel bad enough when I wasn't there to help you." Eva is firm with her decisions. 

"Who were they? What did they want from you?" There's a small cafe in the dry cleaning station, it's warm and cozy. They decided to sit there for awhile to catch up on things, at the same time waiting for Mia's uniform to be dry cleaned. "Well Jess, she got rejected by a boy last Summer, I heard it accidentally when she was ranting to her friends and somehow my tongue slipped. She knew about it and came to find me to talk about the matter and I told her that she deserves it. She had a fit and nearly slap me in the face. Damn... that is crazy." Mia emphasizes her words with her flailing arms. From what Eva heard, Jess does get infuriated easily and has that princess syndrome. Sigh. Typical girls from rich families. "I was never wrong for saying that though! I believe Mark will never ever fall for those kind of person she is. He did a right job for declining her." Mia never stops blabbering. "Mark?" "Duh. There's only a Mark in our school. Mark Tuan." That guy has the charm to attract girls? What a joke. 

"I guess we'll see each other tomorrow?" "Y...up..." Mia fumbles with her backpack, mumbling the word 'wallet' continuously. "No no. It's okay. You don't have to pay." "B-but..." She already pulled out a few bank notes in her hand. "Just take it as my apology." "You don't have to be sorry for that. I'm actually okay with it." It's amusing for Eva to see someone still being that bright and cheerful after something horrible had happened to them. 

"Eva! Bring my laundries to the maid! They're are in my closet room!" Steph shouts the moment Eva steps into the house. These days, Eva has been living as a Cinderella with their parents not around, they were appointed to go overseas for their business for a week. The poor girl has to do almost everything for her stepsister, waking up in the middle of the night to make something for the starving princess, choosing outfits for her friend's birthday party but only to endure the whines for her awful taste, taking her beloved puppy for a walk in the park, finishing school works for her because she just doesn't understand a word. The list is never ending. It's a pity for Eva because she has no choice but to do it. An order is an order, there's no way she can disobey it. Eva finishes the deed when she is on the way to her room, this is considered a simple task because Steph's room is just opposite hers, but she has to take the route twice, which is pretty annoying. 

The sky has gone dark unknowingly.  Eva finishes her dinner, takes a hot bath, then sits herself at the window. Strangely, she has a lot of thoughts to herself. The scattering stars seemly her complicated thinking, there are more of them tonight. Eva's eyes diverts to her neighbor's backyard, she sees a white Shih Tzu playing by itself, then she examines the surroundings. Big trees covering the land at the back of their houses, clearly there's no end to the pitch black forest. Chills run down her spine when she hears howling from the mysterious woods. Suddenly she feels a presence near her, when she looks up, she sees Mark at the opposite of her window, staring back at her with his mouth agape. "Oh my! You scared me!" She nearly chokes on her breath when she takes in the attire the boy is wearing. Sky blue with fluffy white clouds, hair sticking out in any possible way, a llama plushy in his arm. The fact of Mark being her neighbor was already long forgotten, but seeing him now freshens her memory. She remains calm on the outside but deep down she's nervous. "What are you wearing?" She questions him, but there's no answer, just the boy giving her the same look. She thought her voice can't be heard from the long distance, then repeats herself slightly louder. She doesn't want to wake up the people, as the time is around two at midnight.

"What are you doing here?" He finally speaks, immediately kneels at his window seats in excitement. "I live here. This is my house. And my room." She points to her back. "No way! You didn't tell me that we're neighbors?" He exclaims loudly, Eva has to shush him down. "You never ask." "Oh god, this is just great! I can't believe that we're neighbors! This is a sign! We're meant to be." He squeals while squishing the plushy. Now he's going to brag it to the boys, Jackson especially. She doesn't want them to interfere, it's tiring enough to deal with their nonstop blabbering at school. Therefore she begs him to keep it as a secret. "But but but... why? Don't you want the boys to join us? It's easier for us to have sleepovers now. We can do a lot of things together. Cook together. Play together. Shower together..." He rambles, counting on his fingers. "It's better to have just one person to talk to." That's true. Talking with a bunch of people is a burden actually, opinions might clash, conflicts might happen. "So you prefer a late night date ay..." Mark wriggles his eyebrows, making the girl chuckles in embarrassment. 

Now there's only silence lingering in the air, it was never awkward yet comfortable for the two of them. Both staring into space, already traveling in their own world. The chirping sound of crickets additionally soothing for their ears, cold night breeze brushing against their faces. The night is just perfect. It's a shame when people are usually asleep at time like this, they wasted their chance to appreciate all the fantasies happening right now. 

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Mark asks. 

"I should be asking you that question too." 

"Is something bothering you? I don't mind if you rant it all out on me." 

"Are you... perhaps a lady killer?" Eva purses her lips, testing the boy. She never expects him to laugh it off like the question is obviously stating the truth. Mark gives her the you-don't-know-me look.

"What did you hear about me this time?" He plops his elbow on the window sill, resting his chin in his palm. "Tell me." He ushers in anticipation. 

"You rejected Jess." 

"Who wouldn't?" 

The two continue to talk for the next hours, eventually they got closer.