“There comes a time when the world gets quiet and the only thing left is your own heart. So you'd better learn the sound of it. Otherwise you'll never understand what it's saying"  Sarah Dessen

Spring

“I like this tea. Jasmine tea right?” Alex asked Jinki raising her blue cup.

He nodded, once again sticking his nose inside the book he was reading.

Alex watched him, only his eyes could be seen over the book, a big volume of Egyptian Curses that he ordered the previous week.

“Don’t you miss your family?” She asked wanting desperately to talk with him and share what she felt lately.

“Sometimes.” He answered “But what’s the point? They are dead already. I won’t ever be able to see them again.”

“Mine aren’t.”

He raised his eyes from the book noticing how Alex looked away from his gaze.

Jinki closed the book and placed it on the floor of the balcony. The same one she fell on before, where they were drinking tea and reading over a blue blanket. They did that a lot lately. She called it dating. After it they would kiss for a while and he liked that moment very much. Lately he felt like he was getting braver, holding her closer to him, and kissing her more intensely.

“You miss your parents?” He didn’t know what to do in cases like that. There were many books about loss but none could give a good solution to stop missing a person besides actualy seeing them again.

“I do. Most of all I think I failed them.” She placed her cup of tea on the floor and crossed her legs under her “My dad did a lot of sacrifices to pay for college for me to be an engineer and look at me now. I did nothing. I came to Korea saying I would find a job here but I spent my whole time doing silly jobs that can’t even pay a ticket for a concert of the idol group I like.”

He tilted his head gulping. He didn’t know what to say and he felt his mouth dry. “Did you tell them that?”

“Are you crazy? I can never tell them that I achieved nothing. That would kill my parents with grief.”

“Well maybe you aren’t mean to be an engineer. Maybe you still need to find your true vocation.”

“Do you really believe that? That I can have a secret talent or something that will show up eventually?”

“Why not?!” He fixed his glasses knowing that it was his time to share and surprisingly he didn’t mind doing it with her. “When I was little my dad signed me in for a chess contest. I was awful at chess. Which is very surprising since I have a QI above average and I can actually memorize several chess strategies. Yet and despite of everything I studied for it and I did awful at the chess game. Do you know why?”

“Why?”

“I didn’t want to be there. That same day in the other side of town they were doing a dinosaur’s exhibition and I wanted to be in there. Science is my thing.”

Alex smiled and leaned forward kissing his cheek. “I’m glad I met you.”

“Me too. I’ve never had many friends. Lee is my only friend here.”

“Lee? As the cat guy?”

“Yes. He was the only one who tried to talk with me before. He even came once to watch a movie with me. “

“That was nice of him.” Alex sipped the last of her tea “He has a crush on my roommate.”

“That’s wonderful. He deserves to be loved. He is a good guy!”

“You are too.”

She watched him finish his tea signaling the ending of their tea conversation and the beginning of their make out session of the day.

He swallowed nervously when she moved closer to him, moving the tea set away with the book and settling over his lap, straddling him.

Jinki looked at her eyes and smiled nervously closing his waiting for her kiss. Alex took his glasses off and placed them on the floor before she gave a good look at him.

He was handsome with his perfect cute nose that he scrunched curiously opening one eye to look at her wondering why she was taking so long.

She moved closer and he observed before their lips joined in a kiss.

They kissed for a while, his hands caressing her back. Alex hands caressing his neck before she pulled away letting both breathe.

“What are we doing?” She asked bumping her nose against this “Are we dating?”

“We don’t go out!” He said scared. He rarely went out of his house. It made him really nervous.

“No. I mean…are we girlfriend and boyfriend?”

He his lips “I’m sorry. This is all new to me…”

“In a way it is for me too.” She caressed his hair “Did you have a first love before?”

He wondered. “I’m not sure. Maybe in first grade. She had a cute pink bag and a book about Einstein.”

Alex kissed him again “My first love is an idol. He is the leader of SHINee and one of the reasons I choose South Korea to live in. Have you heard of him?”

“I think I did.”

He didn’t seem to though and she hugged him. “It’s silly to fall for a man that doesn’t even acknowledge your existence or that you don’t know for real.”

He pushed her away so he could look into her eyes.

“No. Not all. When I fell for that girl I also didn’t know her and not once she looked at me. Maybe we fall for what we see in people. Sometimes it’s true, others it isn’t but that doesn’t change the fact that we loved right?”

“Are you sure you are new to this?” She asked caressing his cheek.

“I swear! I read a lot!” She chuckled. He was adorable.

“You are not weird Alex. You are just confused and doing your best like everyone else.”

“You are perfect!” She said blushing a little kissing him once again.

This time she did it with so much intensity that he fall backwards with her over him. However they didn’t stop and her hands moved under his shirt showing him for the first time what it felt to be touched by a woman.

Summer

Mia drank her hot coffee eagerly burning her tongue in the process. Ondrew didn’t seem to notice, his eyes on the mug in front of him that he didn’t even touch yet.

“So?” She raised her eyebrows claiming his attention to her. “Tell me everything!”

He leaned against the table, his elbows resting on it while he picked up his mug, warming his hands with it.

The coffee shop was almost empty and they were practically alone in a corner of it so he felt as if he could tell her all that he hid inside him.

“I tried to protect my mom that night like I always did ever since I was old enough to understand what was happening to her.” He sipped his bitter coffee “But I was weak. I was always only a boy. That night…” He swallowed “That night my older brother wasn’t home and I was the only one who could have protected her because no employee inside my house dared to.”

“Who hurt your mom?”  Mia knew deep down who did it and he didn’t answered her immediately.

“That day I misbehaved at school once again and my dad hit me. He took off his belt and asked me to lean against his desk so he could hit me with it.”

“I can’t believe…”

“That my dad would do something like that? People are not always what they seem. Not a few hours ago you thought I was a low life didn’t you?”

He was right. Some people could pretend to be someone else really well. “I’ve never thought of you like that….well sometimes.”

Ondrew smiled a little and kept going “However that night I decided that I didn’t want to be punished like that anymore. I told him I was going to my bedroom and would stay grounded for weeks if he wanted. He didn’t need to hit me anymore! He didn’t agree with my idea and followed after me over the stairs.” He drank his coffee “At the top of the stairs my mom was watching. She often had a lot of migraines so she just had woken up and heard the commotion downstairs. I ran past her and she stayed behind trying to convince my dad to stop. He hit her!”

“I’m so sorry!” Mia grabbed his hand over the table.

“He once again hit her and then…he pushed her and she stumbled and…” He closed his eyes briefly as if gaining courage to tell her “She fell. She fell down the stairs. She died!”

“Your dad killed her?” Mia mumbled and he nodded finally relieved that he could tell that to her. “You need to tell someone.” She whispered tightening the grip on his hand.

“I did. I told my brother. He chose to leave home and forgot about him. We don’t have the power to put him in jail and no one would believe us. You met my dad. He is powerful, polite and nice to everyone. Would you believe that he used to hit us and killed my mom?”

“I do!”

Ondrew smiled pulling her hand to his lips “You are special!”

“I can’t forget it like my brother. I stayed home for a reason. I’m going to graduate and as soon as I do I can assume the control of the family company that was hers all along and in her memory I’ll put him in jail.”

Now everything made sense to Mia, how he acted so cold to his father, how he hid behind the mask of the conceited son of a ceo…

“I have proof of what he did to us. I saw all the abuse, my brother did too. We saw what he did to her for years. Also we have the employees and the medical records and her diary. I have it all. That’s why no one must know about my secret. I committed the mistake of telling half of it to Nam-gi and he turned out to be someone like my dad. I need to be careful around this rich kids. You need too. He will try to hurt you to get to me.” Ondrew sighed “He can’t tell my dad or anyone what I’m thinking about doing. Not before I have power to destroy my dad. I’m only waiting for the moment that I can be a candidate as the president of the company. I know I can win to him.”

“Why not now?”

“I need to graduate first.”

“No. I mean your brother. He could try it. He is older right?”

Ondrew smiled. “He is only my half-brother. His mother died of cancer when he was young and our dad married my mom after. He helped me in everything he could and still does and he will be my side in taking the company but he doesn’t care about money or power. He is an artist, a musician. He plays the piano and sings wonderfully. He hides in an apartment living from the little money his mom left him. He completely pretends our dad died and his only family is me, his half-sister and his cat. Actually he is your neighbor.”

“Lee?” Mia asked perplexed. The world was a small after all and now that she reflected about it they were actually similar.

Mia raised her arm to caress his shoulder. “It’s not your fault. I mean, what happened to your mom. It was an accident and if anyone is at fault here it was your dad.”

“It still doesn’t change the fact that I couldn’t save her or the other women he hurt.”

She paled “There were others?”

“Yes. He is a monster. I’m ashamed to be his son. He did it to others, to his girlfriends after my mom died, to his mistresses…That’s why I hate him. How can I love someone like him even if…” His voice failed him “even if he shares the same blood that I do.”

Mia moved her chair closer to his and hugged him, pulling his head against her shoulder. “It’s ok. You are not a bad son. I understand now why you act like you do but if he is like you say he is, he will hurt you if you keep defying him.”

Ondrew moved away and cupped her face, caressing her cheeks carefully, because she was delicate to him.

“He won’t hit me. He doesn’t dare to because I’m his solo heir now. Lee won’t ever come back home and he was the apple of his eyes. He is stuck with me and he is trying to turn me into what he always wished Lee was.”

“So you pretend to be that son.”

“Yes. I told you first impressions are lies. Like my dad. He is a lie.”

“You are not a lie.” She caressed his hands on her cheeks “who you are right now is beautiful and everyone should know you.”

“I would get crushed if I showed the true me to everyone. You don’t know how things work in my world. That’s why Lee run away from all this once he became an adult.”

“Then…” She kissed his cheek “..be strong and stop pretending for me. Only me.”

“I did…” There was no more pretending. For her he will be only him with no mask.

Mia smiled enamored with the man in front of her. He was like a super hero, brave, altruist, smart and amazingly sweet.

Above all else he seemed to like her and he wanted to protect her.

They kissed ignoring the other people inside the coffee shop and Ondrew pulled her closer to him, Mia hands caressing his chest and hugging him back.

Mia walked inside the campus and the first thing she saw was the wall she was recovering with Ondrew, then she saw him, leaning against it, his hands in his ripped jeans pockets, his black shirt half untucked from his jeans.

He saw her almost immediately and a smile spread on his face. She smiled back knowing that it was the real Ondrew smiling back at her until he masked it with a blank face. She didn’t mind. She agreed with that.

Mia walked in his direction and he moved away from the wall meeting her halfway.

“Morning.”

“Morning.” She answered feeling a little shy now that she could read what his eyes were hiding.

“You look beautiful. Skirts fit you.”

Mia looked down at her denim skirt and back at him. “Thank you.”

They looked at each other and she looked around noticing how several eyes were on them.

“Are this ok, us talking here in the open?”

“Yes. It’s perfect since we are starting to date now.”

“We are?” Mia asked hiding her grin.

“Yes. Nam-gi is watching too.”

She followed his gaze and saw Nam-gi with his group of friends watching them like a hawk.

“He knows I like you so there is no point in hiding. Better accept it and become your shadow instead.”

She blushed realizing that he meant, that they will be together a lot from now on, as a couple.

“So will you be my girlfriend?” He asked in a whisper, his expression blank but his eyes full of emotion.

“Yes. It will be an honor.”

He kissed her forehead surprising her and grabbed her hand placing it in his pants pocket, pulling her with him over the stairs.

“You are mine now!” He said out loud so everyone could hear, including Nam-gi.

Mia normally hated that kind of comments but she ignored it because he whispered something else for only her to hear “And I’m yours…”

Winter

Charlotte waited for Onew and Eun Sun to come back which took approximately ten minutes making her get sickly worried.

She saw them enter the apartment, Onew with tired eyes and Eun Sun with a crying face. She barely looked at Charlotte and Onew made her a sign asking her to wait for them while they entered the living room, now Eun Sun improvised bedroom to talk.

Charlotte walked around the bedroom lifeless and sat over the plastics that Onew placed to cover the little girl’s bed, staring into nothing, thinking about what just happened. It was night already and the paint Onew used to start painting the room was forgotten completely at one side.

Charlotte stood up deciding to go home just when Eun Sun stepped inside the room wearing a pink pajama’s, Jinki behind her.

“I’m sorry!” Eun Sun said in a weak voice raising her eyes to Charlotte, her hair falling over her eyes. Onew seemed to notice the same and run a hand over her forehead, brushing her big bangs away from her eyes.

Charlotte walked closer to the little girl and crouched in front of her. “It’s ok sweetie!”

“No…” Eun sun raised her eyes to her dad and then back to Charlotte. “What I did was very rude and after talking with daddy I see what I did wrong.”

Charlotte wanted to hug the little girl but she wasn’t sure that would be the right thing to do now. What if she ran away again?!

“I really like you Eun Sun, more than a student, you know that right?”

“I like Char- teacher Charlotte too.”

Charlotte grabbed the little girl’s hand, her fingers were cold and she caressed them “No. you can call me Charlotte when we are outside school. I don’t mind, I also prefer it.” She blinked an eye at Eun Sun and then stole a glance at Onew. He seemed grateful with her reaction.

“Also, I’m the one who should be sorry. I was the one who came into your house and…kissed your dad!”

There was no point on denying what she saw. “I know how you didn’t want it and I didn’t respect your request but I really like your dad!”

Onew moved behind Eun Sun and the adult’s eyes met again. He did seem curious watching Eun Sun reaction to Charlotte words.  “I love your dad and I think your dad deserves to be happy!”

Her words were equally directed at Onew and they shared an intense look.

Eun Sun didn’t say anything her eyes moving to the floor.

“No one is going to get hurt. That’s not love. Love doesn’t hurt!” Charlotte added but Eun Sun stepped back showing that she was tired of that conversation.

Charlotte released the little girl’s hand giving up on that battle for now.  It was probably better if she left now and let them have some time alone. She stood up from the floor and sighed.

“Stay!” Eun Sun asked grabbing Charlotte hand again, who looked at Onew clueless. He seemed as surprised as she was. “Have dinner with us.” Eun Sun looked up at her dad “She can right? You could make the lasagna, my favorite?”

“S-Sure…why not?!”

Eun Sun smiled, light coming back to her eyes and she pulled Charlotte “Stay please!”

Of course Charlotte couldn’t say no to that. “Sure. We can help dad cook!”

“No. You play with me while he cooks!” She pulled Charlotte to the living room and Jinki chuckled.

The sound was very beautiful and Charlotte couldn’t stop looking at him while his daughter pulled her down the hallway. He was so beautiful when he smiled and it was so rare to see a genuine laughter coming from his lips so witnessing that was like being blessed by God.

Charlotte played with Eun Sun while Onew cooked and once he came to tell them that dinner was ready he found both of them hiding inside the small purple tent the girl asked him to set up in the middle of the room. They were lying down together singing songs about animals when he entered the room. He stayed watching them for a while and Charlotte pretended not to notice. It was probably something new to him; see his daughter playing with a woman that could be her new mom. Only the thought was enough to make Charlotte blush delighted. It was too soon to think about that though. There was still so much she needed to learn about them and their past.

After, they had dinner as if they were a real family, although with some awkward moments once in a while, and both of them cleaned the kitchen while Eun Sun walked around them pretending to help.  Later Onew went to tuck in Eun Sun in the improvised bed in the living room and Charlotte drank her tea waiting for Onew inside the kitchen giving them some time alone. She shouldn’t interrupt that moment between them. He took a while and she wondered what they were talking about. Whatever it was left Onew in a very good mood because he left the room smiling wildly.

“Is she ok?” Charlotte asked immediately, both knowing what she meant.

Was she ok with her presence, with her in his life!

“I think so. We did talk a lot and I think she likes you. She trusts you. She just said you were strong and like an heroin from her stories. She called you Mulan.”

Charlotte chuckled drinking her tea “I feel honored even though I didn’t save a country yet!”

Silence fell over them and Jinki stepped closer to Charlotte. “I think there is a pending business between us.”

He placed his hands around her and kissed her immediately, as if he was holding his thirst for her kisses the whole evening. He probably was.

She answered to the kiss, pulling him even closer against her. They kissed for a while and when Charlotte noticed he was pushing her against the wall, his hands fondling her over her clothes impatiently. He wanted more than a kiss and she eagerly wanted the same.

Dad?” a soft voice called and Onew stepped back from Charlotte as if he was burned both looking horrified at Eun Sun that was watching them with sleepy eyes.  “Charlotte didn’t give Hop and me a goodnight kiss.” She raised an old white rabbit soft toy that she had on her hand completely ignoring the guilty faces of the two adults in front of her. Ok they were kissing, dad explained to her that afternoon, when she run away, that that was what people who loved each other did. She could understand completely but that other man used to do that a lot with mommy and even hurt her when they were in bed and she was afraid of it. Daddy explained her that that wasn’t love, that love doesn’t hurt and that what he and Charlotte had was the good kind of love. She always trusted him so she decided to believe him once again.

Charlotte tucked her hair behind her ears and grabbed the soft toy giving it a kiss. “Done. You can sleep now!”

“Come with me!” Eun Sun asked and Charlotte followed after her inside the living room where a lamp in the shape of a turtle was on, illuminating the open couch where she climbed to. Charlotte covered the girl and kissed her forehead.

“I like you a lot.” The girl said under the covers, only her eyes peeking out.

“I like you a lot too. You are a good girl.”

“I wish you could be my new mommy.” Charlotte swallowed uncomfortable her eyes moving to the door that was slightly open. She was sure Onew was outside listening to their conversation, probably as nervous with what just happened as she was.

“We will see…”

“But I’m afraid that man will come back again, you know? The other dad!”

“The other one?”

“Yes the one that is mean. He might want you too. Like he wanted mommy.”

“Your daddy is a good man and he will never be like that one you mention.”

Eun Sun laughed softly “Of course not. He wasn’t the one hurting mom. I mean the other one.”

Charlotte frowned. “No one is going to hurt me because I’m strong!” She flexed her arm showing her muscles. “I’ll fight him if he comes.”

“Will you protect daddy too?”

“I will! I’ll protect you both! I promise!” Charlotte kissed the girl’s forehead again “Sleep well now, ok?”

Charlotte turned off the light and walked outside, closing the door before she turned to see Onew watching her, the light from the kitchen making seem like he had an aura around him.

She had so many questions in her mind. Who was that man his daughter kept talking about, was he his wife’s lover, a previous husband maybe? What scared Eun Sun so much? However she was still overwhelmed with everything that happened that day. “I think I’m going home!”

Her remark seemed to make him sad and he nodded his head slowly “I understand!”

She cleared and walked inside the kitchen to grab her bag. He didn’t stop her, still watching her in the shadows, not even moving when she walked by him in the direction of the main door.

However once she opened it he placed his hand on it closing it again, his body next to hers. She turned around, his face in the shadows, yet so close to her that she could see his eyes.

He was always so mysterious but she could always see through him perfectly ever since the first time she saw him. She wondered if he could see through her too. He probably did because he was reading her mind and she was reading his, both knowing what he would say next, both wanting it. “Stay.”

There was no pain in his eyes, it was only desire, love and the need of being hugged, tucked in bed like his daughter was. He was a grown up and yet even him felt weak once in a while.

“I-I’m not with a woman in a long time.” He said as if he needed to explain his request, showing that she was special to him. However she knew that already, she felt it in the way he kissed her desperately in the kitchen before, years of ual frustration coming up. “I’ve never wanted to be with someone so badly in such a long time.” She wondered if the last person he slept with was Eun Sun mother. “I don’t mean only I…please stay. Sleep with me. Stay with me.”

Charlotte blushed knowing that that was his way of confessing to her once again. He wanted her and she wanted him. He felt lonely and in a way she did too.

So she moved her hand away from the door and kissed him, his arms slowly wrapping around her, pulling her to his bedroom, just next to Eun Sun’s never breaking the kiss.

Fall

Lucy woke up and stayed in silence without moving, her eyes in Lee’s next to her, her hands next to his skin, her legs touching his. She was in bed with him and she was slowly remembering every detail of the previous night. The way they kissed, the way he caressed her and kissed all her body, the way he had with her, slowly and yet eagerly, how she almost felt like crying when she reached her , how happy and satisfied she felt after it, how he pulled her to his arms and the peace she felt before falling asleep.

!

She was confused. She didn’t regret it; she couldn’t because she never went through such a special moment like that. Actually now that she thought about it, she experienced a lot of special moments with Lee and that scared her even more. Also she was sure she loved him and that was making her want to run away from that bed before he noticed her. She was going to do it like a coward when he turned around in the bed and faced her, his eyes open, yet sleepy, his hair messed up making him look so y that she wanted to kiss his tasty lips. She couldn’t avoid looking at them, at the rosy color they had. Last night those lips kissed her own lips, her neck, her s, her stomach and even further down and she couldn’t think about it any longer without feeling something like a lightning bolt inside her filling her with feelings for him.

Her eyes moved to his bare chest and she swallowed nervously. That perfect man made love with her last night, he touched her and treated her as if she was precious.

He smiled rubbing his head on the pillow that they were sharing now, his eyes never leaving hers. She wondered what he was thinking but whatever it was it was making him smile wider. He was probably recalling what happened and she felt herself blush. He noticed and moved one hand to caress her shoulder, his fingers moving on her skin gently and yet as if she was his possession. She felt as if she was and that scared her even more as if it was possible.

Lee grinned seeing how her eyes moved to his fingers how she nervously stared at it, her body reacting to his touch. He was sure she wanted to be his again and he didn’t mind having morning with her either.

Without warning he pulled her closer to him and Lucy didn’t even react, melting against his body, hiding her face on his chest, while he caressed her back and neck.

Kimchi meowed jumping over the bed and snuggling closer to them, next to their legs as if he was happy for the extra warmth in the bed he shared with his owner. Lucy was actually surprised that the cat didn’t interrupt them the previous day, watching them from his spot in the living room couch and yet giving them privacy.

Lucy closed her eyes firmly trying to memorize that moment of sweetness and when he moved a hand to her making her erect she used her hands on his chest to push herself a little away from him.

“What’s wrong?” He asked making her heart hurt because his sleepy voice was to die for, the huskiness was closer to the one he had the night before when he was making love with her, calling her beautiful and adorable.

“I-I Shouldn’t…”

Pain crossed his expression showing her that he completely understood what she meant “No, don’t say that.”

He sat up on the bed, the covers falling around his body, making him even more and Lucy covered her eyes as if that would erase the delicious memories of him from the night before.

He groaned watching her “Don’t even say it.”

Lucy slowly sat up, covering her chest with the covers as if he didn’t her a few minutes before. He noticed that and looked away upset.

“Last night was wonderful and I don’t regret it but I acted without thinking and I have a boyfriend.”

“, LUCY!” He answered angrily “He doesn’t love you, can’t you see that? He is solely using you. He did it all this time and you deserve to be loved. You deserve better.”

She wanted to believe him but she was scared and Max was her first love. He was safer and she needed to think about everything that just happened and she couldn’t this close to Lee.

She moved quickly away from the bed, collecting her clothes and dressing them up while he watched her. “You have feelings for me Lucy. You can’t lie and tell me that last night meant nothing.”

She didn’t answer but her eyes glanced at him making her hesitate when she saw his painful expression. “I never felt this for anyone Lucy…And I know you didn’t either.”

She ran to pick up her bra and sweater from the living room before coming back and he let himself lie back on the bed rubbing his hair in frustration. “Don’t go!” She stopped on her tracks watching him. “Stay!”

She pulled her sweater over her head pulling her hair away from inside it.

He looked handsome in his bed, his eyes on the ceiling, his voice pleading her to stay. “Stay with me. Let’s have coffee together. Let’s get to know each other better. I want to know all of you. Please.”

She bit her lip hearing him talk, his eyes moving to the window beside his bed that was full of little drops of water from the rain outside.

“Let’s drink coffee while I play the piano for you. You will sit by my side with Kimchi on your lap and we will laugh and cry together talking about stories of our lives before we met. Then we will make love over the couch or maybe on the floor and we will kiss each other to our heart content. Stay with me! And I will never let you forget how special you are. If you go….If you go Ill pretend that I’ll never laid my eyes on you, Ill forget about your existence and the Cat Fairy will cease to exist.”

Lucy cleaned her tears away and sent him a last look. He wasn’t even looking her so she was sure that he didn’t believe that she would stay. Deep down she wanted to, she wanted all that but she wasn’t even sure she deserved it.

“I can’t! I’m sorry!” She walked away avoiding the look Kimchi gave her as if he didn’t understand her decision either.

Lucy watched another couple leaving the coffee shop and she sighed petting one of the dogs before she walked behind the counter. It was almost a week after she left Lee. Yes she was counting the days, hours and she would count minutes and seconds too if she wasn’t busy crying her eyes out at night, feeling guilty over what she did.

She didn’t tell Max about what happened between her and Lee but she didn’t have to because he seemed to sense that something was different in her. He started calling her more often and he even invited her to have dinner with him. It was Macdonald’s and she paid but it was better than nothing, or so she told herself to feel better about it. The truth was that she didn’t feel better at all with the new attention Max was giving to her and that confused her because she should.

That night Max called her to visit him in his apartment and she tried to feel a little excited about it but she couldn’t stop thinking about Lee and how much she missed talking with him, seeing him.

“You seem sick!” His sister and her boss said making her jump on her spot.

“I don’t feel well lately,”

“Because you turned down my brother?”

Lucy widened her eyes leaning on the counter so she could talk with his sister, some color returning to her cheek. It was so obvious that mentioning Lee made her happier and his sister noticed it too, laughing with her reaction.

“He told me. He is very sad about it too so he is focusing on work more now.”

“Piano?”

“Yes. “ She patted Lucy head as if she was one of her dogs “You know he is my half-brother only. Our mother left my dad and then remarried with this terrible man before she died of cancer. This man was rich as hell so Lee could have inherited a company and loads of money. Instead he preferred to live a poor life even if he has the money to be so much more.”

Lucy watched her with an open mouth drinking her words about Lee.

“What I mean is that he was always very serious about what he wants. He wanted music and piano so he followed that, he wants you so he gave his all…you can’t make a person stay with you if she doesn’t want to. You didn’t so he moved on and concentrated his energies in his other passion: music!”

“It’s not like I don’t want to be with him…” Lucy mumbled covering realizing what she said.

“Well make up your mind quick or it will be too late soon.”

Lucy pouted sadly “I believe that he doesn’t want me anymore. He said he would forget my existence.”

His sister laughed “As if. He is crazy about you!”

Lucy wasn’t that sure and she had a proof that he meant what he said later that evening when she left work.

She bid goodbye to her boss and walked down the street in Max’s apartment direction. That’s when she saw him, casually walking in the direction of the coffee shop, his hair ruffled by the wind, tightening his black jacket against this body. Lee saw her and for a brief moment he seemed surprised to see her. He probably thought she left earlier and she was glad now that she didn’t. She smiled weakly waiting for him to reach her, wondering what she would tell him. However he didn’t even stop or acknowledge her presence walking by her as if she was a stranger, even fastening his step and climbing the stairs so he could enter the coffee shop to meet his sister.

Lucy stayed like a statue observing his back and then she walked away too, trying to held in her tears. It was all her fault. She made her decision.

“Can you change the channel for me please?” Max asked from the living room and Lucy sighed for the tenth time that night. She was washing the dishes after preparing dinner for him, that he complained about none stop, and now he was treating her like a slave making her walk from the kitchen to the living room just to do it.

She took of her gloves and threw them to the side taking off the apron and placing it on the back of a chair before walking back into the living room.

He wasn’t wearing any shirt, drinking his bear and she stared at him, wondering what she saw on him before.

“Do it yourself. I’m going home.”

She turned to leave but he stood up pulling her by one arm to his side.

“What are you doing? You are hurting me!”

“I’m treating you like you want to be treated.” He made her raise her chin to face him “You like when I act like your man don’t you?”

Lucy frowned at him and he kissed her lips, pulling her to his arms.

At first she weakly answered trying to find inside her what she felt for him before but nothing was coming.

He pulled away after a while and sat on the couch again “Now you can go!”

He seemed satisfied with himself however she didn’t feel satisfied at all.

She made the wrong decision and she hoped it wasn’t too late to go back. 

Sorry it took a while. 

I have all this fic planned and I'll try to finish it quickly since I have other things to write.

Sadly this fic doesnt give me the pleasure it used to give me when I used to write it for personal reasons.

So it will end when we reach December. 

Thank you for all the love you gave to it, enjoy the last chapters.