“Okay now go to your respective groups and draft a proposal to be passed at the end of this period. I need you to guys talk with purpose, not making noise, understand?” The drafting teacher, Mr. Kim said dismissively as he took a seat behind the teacher’s table, hiding his face with a gossip magazine. Some classmates of mine stood up from their chairs and excitedly went to their respective groups, while others, including me, sat a little longer to our chairs, not really wanting to move at all.

My arms are crossed on the table, my head resting on it when I felt something hitting my back. “Yah, Shim Cea, you plan sitting there the whole day?” my girl best friend, Ara scolded. I looked at the envelope, which she used to hit me then back at her, giving me the no nonsense look. “Fine.” I breathed and stood up slowly, my chair scraping loudly against the floor, making Ara flinch and glare at me. “Sorry.” I mouthed and followed her as she made her way to Yixing’s table.

Her boyfriend.

My guy best friend.

Which is also the person I’m currently in love with.

Yixing smiled, his dimples poking holes to his cheeks as he sees Ara and I approach. I really wanted to sit right next to him, but I’m only a best friend, so of course, the rightful place beside him belongs to the girlfriend. I took the empty seat beside a classmate who’s also in our group.

Half of the period passed with us discussing and exchanging ideas on what we want to do—a plan for a house, a building or whatever. The task at hand and the project itself is already making me see the future stress that I’m about to experience. We need to nail and pass this project so that we could graduate college.

Even though my head is focused on what we are discussing, my mind can’t help but be aware of Yixing and Ara’s presence, which are whispering in each other’s ears and talking in hushed voices. They looked really sweet which makes my stomach hurt. “Maybe you can share to us what you guys are discussing?” I said, trying to hide the bitterness in my voice. Yixing and Ara looked at me surprised, looking guilty.

“Sorry.” Yixing mumbled and gave me an apologetic smile. I looked at him then at Ara one last time before I turned my attention back on the meeting.

The class has ended, our drafted proposal submitted and everyone is preparing to leave for their next class except to Ara and Yixing. They are whispering again, lost in their own world. How I wish I was the one exchanging secrets with Yixing.

“Yah, we have to get going.” I shouted, making the two of them jump. They looked at me, again, with guilt in their eyes.  I raised a brow at them, my hands on my hips. “Okay, spill. What are you guys whispering about and why are you guys looking at me with guilt?”

Ara looked at Yixing, pleading him to be the one to answer me. Yixing looked at me, which made my knees sort of weak because Yixing the guy I love is looking at me. “What?” I croaked, hoping that I’m not blushing. He sighed and spoke. “Well, there’s a birthday party this Saturday and—“

“Am I invited?” I asked excitedly, not letting Yixing finish. He nodded, but he looks worried. What is there to be worried about in a birthday party? Clowns? “Yeah, and they are hoping that you would go.”

“Of course I go. There’s free food!” I exclaimed as my eyes fell on the envelope on Ara’s hands. “Is that my invitation?” I grabbed it from her and ripped the end of the envelope. “Are you sure?” Yixing asked. I looked at him like he’s crazy. I’m invited to a birthday party, not a war. “Of course, why wouldn’t I—”

I stopped as I take a good look at the invitation, reading it all over again.

“Well I’m not really sure now…” I mumbled.

“Why am I attending again?” I asked Ara for the nth time as I looked around the room, trying to locate the person I’m not really looking forward to meet. A nagging feeling tells me that I shouldn’t have come, but I did anyway because…

“Because you don’t want to give Luhan the impression of you being bitter about him having a new girlfriend that would give him the idea that you are still in love with him, which is not true.” Ara answered me for the nth time, her voice in a monotone.

Exactly.

Because I don’t want my stupid and persistent ex-boyfriend to think that I’m not over him. Even though I have broken up with him years ago, he still thinks that I’m in love with him, which as Ara has said, not true. I already explained to him that I don’t want to get back with him again because I don’t love him anymore, but Luhan just can’t get the message.

And I think it’s because of the fact that I haven’t gotten myself a boyfriend after my relationship with him.

“I shouldn’t have come. He’ll think that I wanted to see him that’s why I’m here and then he’ll be chasing me again.” I muttered. “He has a girlfriend.”

“As if having a girlfriend stopped him from pursuing me. You know how Luhan is.” I retorted. Yixing came back from somewhere and wrapped an arm to Ara’s waist, making my heart clench. They looked really, really good together and I know that they are really happy with each other.

I looked away and placed the glass of some juice into the table, excusing myself to the powder room. I had to get away from them, and surely, Luhan wouldn’t see me in the powder room, right? So that’s hitting two birds with one stone—my heart spared to Yixing and Ara’s PDA, while I’ll be able to save my sanity by not talking with Luhan.

I took my time in the powder room. My backside leaning on the sink, with my arms crossed, thinking of nothing. I just want to get away from the buzzling room full of people, and the powder room, with its silence, gave me comfort. But of course, I can’t stay forever in the powder room and so I looked at myself one last time in the mirror and dragged my feet back to the party.

I was intercepted though…by the person I don’t want to be left alone the most.

Luhan.

Luhan is smiling his sweet smile at me, really pleased to see me. He looks so…pretty that I felt envious a little. Though he would probably smack me if I ever told him that he’s pretty. “Hi Cea.” He greeted, his eyes shining as he took a step towards me. I subtly took a step back, which is not so subtle at all because his face fell as he noticed. “Cea.”

He repeated my name, but this time, he kept the space between us. “Um..err…happy birthday!” I greeted cheerily, giving him a genuine smile. Yes I don’t want to talk to him, but I genuinely wished for him to have a happy birthday. Which he might take and interpret in a wrong way, because that’s what Luhan does on things that concern me.

Luhan’s face lit up again, the smile returning to his face. “Thank you…so you really came…huh?” he said, his tone laced with disbelief and relief as he ran a hand to his hair. “Of course… you invited me, and there’s food. Yay!” I quipped, then silence passed between us. Luhan looked at me with love and longing in his eyes, which sort of scares me.

That look on his eyes says it all: he hasn’t moved on. Still hasn’t moved on.

“Well, I’ll go back inside first. Thanks for inviting me again.” I said and walked hastily. Unfortunately, I had to pass by him so I doubled my steps. But unfortunately, Luhan has no plans on letting me go as he gently grabbed my arm and made me face him.

“You know I love you, right?” he asked in a soft voice.

Here we go again.

I looked at Luhan sharply and removed his hand from my arm. “Luhan, please, let’s not do this again. My answer’s still no.” I took a deep breath to try and control my temper; Luhan is a sweet guy, but he can get really persistent and annoying. “And besides, you have a girlfriend, so you shouldn’t be telling me that you love me. That’s just wrong.” How I pity his current girlfriend.

Luhan is sweet, but he can be jerk.

“Just tell me that you’ll give me another chance, and then I’ll break it up with her…you’re the only one I want.” My eyes widened at him and shook my head, disgusted with his actions. “Luhan you are a jerk. Stay away from me.” I stalked off, my temper barely contained.

“A chance. A second chance is all I’m asking you.” He called with a strained voice. I stopped in my tracks and went back to where I’ve left him. Luhan’s face brightened up, probably thinking that I might give him the second chance that he’s been asking. “So you’ll go get yourself a new girlfriend, and when you see me, your ex girlfriend, you are going to tell me that you still love me and if I’ll give you a chance, you are going to leave her for me?”

I repeated his words to him, trying to make sure that that is what he’s trying to tell me. He nodded and answered yes.

My balled fist connected to his face as I hit him, hard. I could feel my hand aching, but it feels really good to hit him.

That’s for being a jerk towards your girlfriend, and that’s for annoying the hell out of me, and treating girls like they’re toys that you can play with.

Luhan fell on his on the floor, his hand on his nose. “Luhan!” a girl screamed and dashed pass me then crouch right next to Luhan. “Oh god, baby, are you okay? You’re bleeding!” she shrieked. Bleeding? Crap. The girl then glared menacingly at me, demanding me on why I hit her boyfriend. “He’s bleeding! Bleeding! If something bad happens to him, I’m going to sue you!”

Woah. Overreacting much?

“Sara, Luhan will be okay.” A deep voice said comfortingly. I looked at my right and found myself staring at someone’s well-defined chest clothed by a white, v-neck shirt. I tilted my head up, and found a pair of brown eyes looking at me, his face serious but a glint of amusement in his eyes.

He’s so freaking tall and good-looking to boot.

“But Kris…” Sara cried and helped Luhan on his feet. He was a mess; blood was trickling down from his clamped hand, his white button up shirt tainted with blood. Hurt was on his eyes as he looked at me, but I don’t feel sorry at all. He deserved it.

“Luhan, just stay away from me, please.” I walked out.

“You look like a zombie. Have you combed your hair already?” Yixing teased as he took a seat on the patch of green next to me, handing me a can of soda. I glared at him as I took the can and stared blankly on it. “You’re supposed to drink that.” he smiled and took the can from my grasp and opened it before handing it back. “He’s okay.”

“What are you talking about?” I feigned ignorance as I took a sip of my soda, burning my throat. Yixing chuckled and I looked at him. “Luhan’s nose is still the same; he just bled, but nothing broken.”  I sighed in relief, grateful that Luhan’s okay.

Not that I am worried about Luhan. I am worried yes, but not because I cared for Luhan, or because I still have feelings for him. I was worried that I broke his nose and his overreacting girlfriend would sue me. “You can sleep peacefully at night now.”

Yixing smiled his dimpled smile and pinched my cheek.

After teasing each other and just talking, Yixing and I headed back to the apartment complex, walking side by side. There’s an expensive car parked in front of the apartment building that I lived in, looking so out of place. “I wonder whose car that is?” Yixing mumbled as I shrugged my shoulders. A neighbor’s visitor, maybe?

Yixing and I bid goodbye to each other and I walked over the entrance of the building when I heard my name.

“Cea?” I looked back and found myself staring into someone’s chest, again. I looked up and saw a familiar pair of brown eyes looking intently at me. I racked my brain for his name and to the memory on where I first saw him. He leaned against the expensive car, his hands on his pocket, waiting for me to recognize him.

“Kris…?” I asked uncertainly. “Correct.”

“Um…may I help you?” what is he doing here? Why is he here? I thought Luhan’s alright?

He smiled a dazzling smile and walked towards me. “I have a proposition to make.”

My heart skipped the beat, but I’m not sure if it’s because of his ‘proposition’ or his smile.

[a/n: Please subscribe and leave a comment if you liked the story. Though we're only on the first chapter. Hihi :)]