If it was meant to last, it would have.

20^th July 2015

Aleyah sat on the wooden bench, letting the cool summer wind blow past her. Her eyes were fixed on the watch on the wrist. Every time the minute hand ticked, her heart sank a little deeper. There was only a minute left before the agreed timing but there was still no one in sight.

Biting her lower lips worriedly, she wondered how was she going to tell Chanyeol about her supposedly boyfriend. That moment, she regretted so much for lying. But she still has a million things to talk to him about that was why she agreed to all his requests.  A mllion things they have to talk about. All she wants is to see him and talk. If possible, she wants the two of them to begin everything from the beginning because she miss being a stranger.

She remembered when Chanyeol would treat her like she was a stranger. Someone who was just entering his life. He wanted to impress her and he did, but now she misses the way he showed her the back of his teeth in his smile when she did nothing at all. The urgency to talk, to update and tell all of his secrets disappeared as she stayed longer in his life.

It was easier to trust a stranger – someone who didn’t know her. She can spill all of her feelings because she may not see them again. And that was why she pinned her last hop on Locker 303, because it was easier for her to tell the stranger that she was not over Chanyeol.

But, a part of her tells her that the rumour may just be a rumour afterall.

“Aleyah!” Chanyeol’s voice caused her to look up right away. There he was, walking towards her with that wide grin that she loves the most. “Sorry, we are late.”

“No no, I was early.” Aleyah looked up and shook her head gently. Chanyeol avoided her gaze right away. They were involved in that awkward procedure of getting to unknow each other.

“Right.” Chanyeol gave a dry laugh and stepped aside, revealing the girl who was hiding him behind all along. “This is Hana, my girlfriend.”

“Hana, this is Aleyah. One of the 4 treasures in our school.”

“Hello!” The girl replied chirpily, “I’m Hana! Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.” Aleyah forced out a smile and shook the girl’s hands. From her outward appearance to her character, she was a total opposite from her. The girl before her had short, bob hair and she was just like a ball of sunshine, radiating with excitement about everything through her speech and actions. She was nothing like Hana. Aleyah wore her hair long and straight long and she was too soft-spoken. No wonder Chanyeol left her. She was too plain and boring compared to Hana.

“So.. shall we begin?” Chanyeol asked excitedly.

“But.. Aleyah’s boyfriend is not here yet.” Hana pointed out, causing Chanyeol to look around to see no one in sight. The trio sensed the weird atmosphere lingering around them as Aleyah hung her head low instinctively.

“Oh no, looks like Aleyah’s boyfriend can’t make it. We can’t have a double date anymore.” Hana mumbled disappointedly after 10 minutes had passed.

“Is your boyfriend coming?” Chanyeol pressed, causing Aleyah to hung her head even lower than before. She didn’t what to tell Chanyeol and Hana that she didn’t had one and Locker 303 was just a rumour.

Looking at her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, Hana gasped as she looked at Chanyeol and her back and forth. “Don’t tell me you still…”

Chanyeol understood what Hana meant right away. He turned to look at the girl who was avoiding their gazes and anger rose in him. Even when Aleyah found out that he was cheating on her, she still pretended nothing had happened, keeping quiet about it until he broke up with her. At first he thought it was just her quiet nature causing her to be blind about his actions but now he knows, it is not.

“Aleyah, by chance do you still love me?” He asked and through Aleyah’s hesitation, he found his answer. “Oh my god.”

“I only love Hana now, Aleyah. We are long over. I don’t have any feelings for you anymore.”

Aleyah did not dare to lift her head up, she was afraid that her tears would fall if she did. Chanyeol’s words slit her heart like a dagger, making her realize she could not have all the sweet moments with just him and her back anymore. It was just her wishful thinking.

“Sorry, I’m late.” A voice interrupted the trio and Aleyah looked up with her blurred vision to see a boy standing before her.

Hana couldn’t help but to be surprised at how the boy before her was as good looking as Chanyeol and she really envied Aleyah for always getting such a good catch.

“Everything alright?” The boy asked when he saw Aleyah’s teary eyes. Nodding her head, she wiped off her tears with the back of her hand so she could get a proper look of the boy. However, before she could see how he looked like, he reached out his hand to the couple before him.

“I’m Sehun.”

-

Aleyah’s boyfriend of the day didn’t talk much after his short and cold introduction just like how he did in front of the classroom a few days ago. She was more than shock to learnt that her classmates was one of the Locker 303 boys that probably all the school in her girls lust over. She remembered she didn’t write any ideal type in her letter, so why of all the people did the Locker 303 club send her classmate?

“Aleyah! Join us!” Chanyeol beckoned her over to the sea but she shook her head immediately. Ignoring her refusal, Chanyeol went over to drag her into the water. He hoped that they could have as much fun as they could together.

However, before Aleyah’s feet could touch the shoreline, she pulled back immediately. Sehun observed how the girl’s face turned white as she withdrew her hand from Chanyeol to hide it behind her back. The boy didn’t give up, he went over to pull her shoulders which Sehun felt the need to step in.

“Don’t force her.” Sehun’s words made Chanyeol froze and Aleyah could sense how the atmosphere was becoming awkward once again. This was his third sentence of the day and it didn’t sound friendly at all.

Breaking the tension, Aleyah cleared up. “I’m tired. I will just take a rest. Sehun will accompany me, you go ahead with Hana.”

When Sehun sat beside her, Aleyah mumbled a soft thanks which Sehun gave no reply. Then, her eyes drifted to the couple that was giggling happily as they fought in the water. A sad smile formed on her face as she reminisced the time they wouldn’t even play near the shoreline because she was afraid of the sea, “I know I’m waiting for something that will never happen but whenever I try to forget him and someone says his name or I smell something like him or when I see someone who has his smile, I lost all the progress I made. “

“So, I had been waiting. I waited for him, watched my phone every night, waiting for a phonecall that somewhere in the back of my mind knew I would never get.”

“I just wanted to hear him say that he was sorry for hurting me, and that maybe he wanted to get back together. I hoped and hoped that he sees me in the hallways because I thought he would miss me too.”

“But well, he doesn’t.”

The girl’s soft but sad voice cause Sehun to turn and look at her properly for the first time. Compared to the boy’s new girlfriend, her beauty is not any lesser. But there was something else that made him unable to tear his gaze way. Probably it was the way she feels unwanted yet she gives the love she thinks he will need. Or maybe it was the way she talks about Chanyeol that made him wonder how many times did she forgive him just because she doesn’t want to lose him, even if he didn’t derserve her forgiveneness.

“I am the only one who misses him so much that I would do anything to make him happy.” Aleyah continued spilling her feelings to the stranger beside her, “Because then, I will be happy too.”

“Are you happy or pretend to be?” Sehun asked her abruptly, causing Aleyah to be stunned at his question. “Because fake happiness is the worst sadness.”

“So never try to convice somebody of your worth. If a person doesn’t appreciate you, they don’t deserve you. Respect yourself and be with people who truly value you.”

This was the longest sentence Aleyah had ever heard Sehun speak of since he arrived and she couldn’t deny that it struck something in her. However, Aleyah was not the only one who was shock. Sehun, too, was shocked that he actually talked this much to a stranger. But, he felt the need to tell her that.

“Aleyah! Sehun! Shall we go for dinner together?” Hana interrupted the couple who were both in deep thoughts when they returned from the sea.

Shaking her head, Aleyah declined the offer which Hana thought she wanted to spend more time with her boyfriend so she left with Chanyeol shortly after. When the couple finally disappeared out of sight, Aleyah saw her driver that was waiting for her a distance away. She knew it was time to go.

“Thanks Sehun.” Aleyah bowed to the boy beside her. Without him, she probably wouldn’t be able to face Chanyeol ever again. The last thing she wanted was to destroy her own image in his heart. “I promise I wouldn’t say anything about the locker.”

With that, she walked towards the white Mercedes that was waiting for her. A part of her still couldn’t believe that the rumour was true. But she also knew that if it was true, it only showed how secretive they were. Or, there wouldn’t be anyone who couldn’t justify it.

Sehun watched the car slowly drove down the road with an unreadable expression. Shrugging his shoulders, he mumbled.

“I guess there’s just a weird pleasure in loving someone who doesn’t love you.”

Sehun is in! Sorry about this chapter, it was really hard to rewrite this chapter. I've tried my best but I know it's boring. I will make up to you guys in the next chapter!

Btw, please take note of what Sehun says here. It will be really really useful in the future!

Enjoy!