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Chapter 1 — The First Talk

ARC ONE:
DAFFODIL; The Beginning
PROLOGUE:
—
Pitter, patter.
The raindrops fell one by one, clattering against the glass window. Not long after, the sky cried fully, obstructing the person inside the room to see the outside through the window.
Yet, the person was not bothered by it at all. The sound of rain did not even reach her ears as she stared intently at her phone that was lying silently on her pale palms, her thumb anxiously rubbing against its edge.
Moments later, Althea moved her fingers to type on the phone. She hesitated for a second before sending the text.
: Tyler?
She typed.
: Can we meet?
Althea sucked in a rather large amount of air and let it out through her mouth shakily while waiting for a reply from that person. She waited expectantly.
But seconds, minutes passed, and Tyler has yet to reply.
'Again,' Althea thought inwardly. 'He did not reply to me again.'
Her heart tightens and her tears are on the verge of falling, but Althea stubbornly holds them in, making her eyes look glassy.
It's been like this for a couple of months now. She did not know the reason, but Tyler suddenly became cold and indifferent. They have been together for 3 years, and now, in their 4th year, he suddenly becomes like this.
Althea can't understand. She asked, but Tyler did not bother explaining. He just shrugged it off with a few words.
"You're just being paranoid."
--
Morning came.
Althea wore her favorite purple jacket. She was going out.
Making sure she brought everything she needed, she headed out for the small store near her apartment.
It was cold, the winter is, after all, approaching. Althea did not hate winter, in fact, she loves it.
When winter comes, she would occasionally sit near the window, with a thick blanket on her body and a cup of steaming hot chocolate with marshmallows floating on it at hand, together with Tyler. They would talk and laugh about the past and then plan about the future.
They had already planned for the future.
Those memories seem so distant now.
Althea entered the small store, heading straight to the section she wanted, then after choosing, she headed straight to the counter and paid for everything. She then headed toward the nearest Pharmacy. And after some hesitation, she finally grabbed the product and bought 5 pieces of it before going out.
She stepped out of the Pharmacy but only to stop again after seeing the familiar figure. She looked up.
"Tyler..."
Tyler too stopped and stared at her before greeting her back.
"Althea, hey..."
Then an awkward silence enveloped them. It was understandable, they had not, after all, seen each other for a month now. And Tyler never spent any effort to reply to her.
Althea, fully aware of the situation, tightened her grip on the bag that contained the food and 'that' thing that she bought and mustered up the courage to speak up first.
"Are you free this evening?"
"No," Tyler said without missing a beat. "I'm sorry, I have a group study tonight. You know that the finals are coming up, right?"
Althea lowered her gaze and pursed her lips.
Yeah, right. Group study. I know that you can pass the exams with flying colors even by studying only by yourself.
She did not voice her true feelings. Instead, she nodded and tried to ask if she could join. As expected, the man refused. Althea did not press any further.
"By the way, what are you doing here?"
Althea opened and closed her mouth, and didn't know what to say. She wanted to tell him, but she was still unsure. So, she lied.
"Nothing, I just bought, Uhm, medicines. I was running out of them." Althea is a bad liar. Everyone knows that.
"Mhm," Tyler said, unconvinced. But he also did not press any further.
And so, they bid goodbye to each other just like that and Althea unwillingly watched Tyler's back which is getting smaller and smaller as he walks away from her.
With heartache, Althea went home, alone.
Then she brought out the pregnancy test kit.  Followed the procedure and waited for the result.
Hours later.
The moon is already out, the streets are illuminated by the street lights. Almost all of the apartments in a certain building turned their lights on but there was a certain apartment that didn't despite the darkness.
Althea was looking at the result for ten hours now with eyes puffed. But no matter how she looks at it, the result of the five test kits are the same.
She's pregnant.
She wanted to inform Tyler, fast. But she did not want to tell him via text because of the seriousness of the matter. So, she texted him, asking where he was.
Tyler did not reply, so Althea bolted out of the bed, grabbed her wallet and jacket, and went out.
After asking around, she finally was standing in front of where Tyler is 'studying'. In a bar.
Althea wanted to cry. How dare he lie to her! But she can't do it now, she has to tell him.
Althea knows that Tyler loves bars and girls. But that was before they were together. He was loyal and loving when they became a couple, so why? Why is he back with this again?
What did I do wrong?
The ear-shattering music boomed in the air. Althea couldn't help but cover her ears until she was used to the loud music. She then tried to find Tyler.
It was not hard to find him.
He was at the table where you can see him right after entering the bar. Althea was shocked after seeing him. She can feel her body going numb and mind going blank.
Tyler, he's actually cheating on her!
Tyler was leisurely leaning on the sofa with a woman on his side. His arm was wrapped around her waist and he was laughing at what she was whispering to him. They were flirting like nobody was there aside from them. Disgusting, shameless!
Enraged, she walked towards their table. Some saw her and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. And finally, the woman that Tyler was cheating with can't help but sneer.
Althea was known all around the campus since Tyler is pretty famous. But even without Tyler, she can shine on her own. She was one of the prettiest in her department, after all, she's smart too.
Althea was so mad that she almost lost her reasoning, but fortunately, she pulled it back to her. She stood in front of their table.
Against the loud noise of the bar, she called him.
"Tyler?! What's the meaning of this?"
Everyone who heard her can't help but sneer. What's the point of asking? Can't you see it with your eyes? Stupid!
The woman in his embrace leaned on Tyler and looked directly at her with mockery. She then asked with a disgusting overly sweet voice.
"Tyler, hon, do you know her?"
Tyler did not even spare Althea a glance before looking down at the woman in his embrace.
"No, of course, I don't."
CHAPTER ONE:
The First Talk
—
She was only in her first year in high school when Althea met Tyler. He was more dazzling than the sun, one can't help but squint their eyes when they saw him. Tyler was one year ahead of her.
She was 15 at that time, and Tyler was 16.
Of course, as a normal teenager, Althea is also a victim of his charms. She sometimes blushes when their eyes meet, then hastily drag her eyes away, making the other intrigued and curious of her.
She can even still remember their first conversation like it was yesterday.
--
Lunch.
The cafeteria is full of students as usual. The place was so chaotic that even scraps of food were flying in the air. The voices of other students are loud enough to drown the conversation of others. Some looked at the noisiest group with disdain.
Lunch is supposedly peaceful!
Althea, who was sitting alone near the corner, was busy with her books. Her food remained untouched on the corner. She cannot bother eating them since her exams are coming. She's conscious of her grades. Failure is not an option for her.
Her head bowed as she was reading and highlighting the important words and phrases and she naturally did not notice the almost flying figure heading toward her table.
Althea's focus is topnotch, she didn't even notice that a fight broke out.
As the flying figure, who was unfortunately kicked by his enemy, flew towards her table, another sturdy figure appeared just in time. He stopped the figure from directly crashing towards Althea's table, but because of the force, he was pushed back a little and managed to disrupt the still table of Althea.
Althea was in the middle of highlighting a sentence when her table moved. The pen was pushed upward.
Startled, she raised her head to see what was going on. Many heads turned toward her table and stared at the two figures in front of her. Some were laughing loudly; some were frowning since their lunch was ruined. It was so noisy that she couldn't make out most of the words they said.
But she still managed to catch one word; Tyler.
Surprised, Althea focused her attention on the man who was currently laughing while holding another man by his collar.
The man, who was apparently Tyler, was facing his back to her. His body is sturdy and the lines of his muscles are visible under his shirt.
What is he doing here? Althea asked herself.
As she was busy asking herself why Tyler suddenly whipped his head to look at her over his shoulder. Incidentally, their eyes met.
At once, Althea blushed and hurriedly lowered her head down. Why not? She has been crushing on him ever since she saw Tyler on the school grounds months ago. That time, too, their eyes met. As the weakest one between them, Althea was the one who dragged her eyes away and stumbled for escape.
So, naturally, she did not see him gazing at her back with amusement in his eyes. Since then, Tyler kept on noticing her everywhere.
Althea really scolded herself that day. Stupid! She's usually calm and rational, but how can she be flustered by just one man?
Come on Althea! You have faced many men already!
"Hey."
A low and tempting voice pulled her out of her internal battle.
Althea almost jolted in shock, fortunately, she stopped herself. She looked at Tyler with wide eyes.
Di- Did Tyler just talk to me?!
She was already squirming inside but her outer self-remained calm, except for her traitor cheeks and ears that were currently reddening in shame and, well, a little bit of excitement.
"Hey, hello."
Althea mentally sighed in relief. Thank goodness, I did not stammer, if she did, she would literally dig a hole and bury herself, or just pray for the ground to open up and swallow her whole. She can't take such humiliation. Not in front of anyone, and absolutely not in front of this man.
Seeing that Tyler was still staring at her, she blushed even more and hastily looked down then she pretended that she was reading. Such an obvious lie.
She wanted to persist and stubbornly hold their gaze together but she couldn't handle the intensity of his gaze. She cowered like she always did.
Unbeknownst to Althea, a soft smile with a hidden amusement appeared on Tyler's face, only to disappear a second after.
"Is this seat taken?" Tyler asked.
Althea raised her gaze again but carefully avoided his piercing eyes. She was already composed and the red tint of her ears and cheeks was already gone as if it never existed in the first place.
'Aw,' Tyler thought. 'What a shame.'
If Althea happens to hear what he was thinking, surely, she will not only have red cheeks and ears but from toes to head, will be colored with flaming red. Her head might even let out some steam.
But unfortunately for Tyler, she isn't a mind reader, nor a psychic.
Althea looked at the plastic chair he was referring to and shook her head. She was thinking about saying it was, but she did not want to be rude. Besides, she has no friends on campus. Not that she did not want to have one, it's just that, no one approached her. That is understandable though, she is, after all, a transferee.
"No, it isn't." She finally said.
"Sweet!" Tyler sat down almost immediately after Althea said her reply and, once again, bore his gaze towards Althea.
She can't understand why he has to stare at her openly. She shrugged it off, thinking that he will stop looking at her later on.
But, minutes passed, and Tyler was still looking at her.
Althea was feeling really, really uncomfortable under his gaze. She straightened her back and asked.
"... Is there something wrong with my face?"
"No, of course, there isn't."
'So why are you staring at me like that?' Althea wants to ask, but she has no courage to do so.
Althea just nodded and pretended to read her books again.
Even if wants to focus, she can feel Tyler's gaze on her. How can she focus?! One cannot focus if one knows that someone is staring at them. Of course, she's not exempt. Unless she was already too focused on something before they gaze hard at her, she won't notice.
But Althea is fully aware that someone is staring at her. And that the man who was staring at her is not a random person, he was the person she was crushing for months now!
She originally thought that it would just last for days, but now, after many months, she confirmed that it did not even lessen, worse, it even intensified!
How in the world?!
Althea labels herself as a rational woman. She firmly believes that there's no such thing as love at first sight! What a ridiculous thing it is! No logic at all!
Still, she can't explain it herself, for some reason, she took the liking of looking at him from afar. It was frightening. She had never been like this in the past.
"So, how about you?"
Tyler suddenly asked. Althea's internal suffering paused for a while after she heard him talking to her again. She looked up and Tyler directly held her gaze. His deep green eyes are holding her aquamarine one.
Those eyes...
Althea unconsciously held her breath. Those captivating eyes again! They were in deep green, like a black hole, you can feel the strength of the pull in his eyes.
"Althea, how about you?" He asked again. His eyes showed a small smile.
Althea was startled. How did he know her name?!
"What about me?"
Tyler smiled and leaned back to the chair he was sitting on. He crossed his arms across his chest, not breaking their eye contact even for a second.
"Althea, how about you?" He paused for a while before his smile widened. But unlike his previous smiles that carried carelessness and amusement, the smile he was showing right now was full of seriousness.
"Are you taken?"
Silence engulfed their table.
It took a minute or so until Althea understood what Tyler just said. She opened her mouth but nothing came out, she closed it again.
Thi- thi- this Tyler is, Tyler is, Tyler is too lame! He's lame! Super lame! That was not cool at all!
Even though she has that in mind, under the gaze of many students inside the cafeteria, Althea's face heats up. Her face is colored deep, deep, red.
Did she just receive an indirect confession?!
--
If only she knew what would happen 4 years from now, she would never, ever ask that question. No, if she did know, she will never, ever meet those eyes of his again.

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Chapter 2 — Dragged

CHAPTER TWO;
Dragged.
—
Winter came.
Under the clear sky, is a roadside that turned white with snow. The snow was heavy the other day, and in the morning, the street and doorsteps are almost covered in the thick snow. The trees around the area were all without leaves and the branches were covered in white. People
'Ding!'
A door of a certain convenience store slid open. Althea went out with plastic bags of food on hand. She was in her favorite purple winter coat, even her blond hair was tied with a purple hair tie. Her boots are also purple. If anyone says that she doesn't love purple, they better dig their eyes up.
Althea breathed out to warm her freezing fingers and rubbed her palms together.
It was the weekend, and she discovered that the food in her fridge was running out, so she decided to run quickly to a convenience store.
She almost forgot her mother's warning; never let your food run out. Or else, I'll spank you, understood?!
Althea can't help but lightly chuckle upon remembering her.
She is still not used to this kind of lifestyle. A year ago, she was living with her parents, and then she just found herself living alone.
Althea did not want to live by herself in the first place, but she has to move and study away from home. The place where she came from doesn't have a high school. It was a small town after all. Well, there are high schools in the nearby areas, but her parents want a better education for their child.
'And that, unfortunately, sent me far away from home to study under a very, very good education.'
To release her boredom and get rid of homesickness, she set her goal of graduating with flying colors. So, she began unconsciously conscious of her marks. Seriously, she just wanted to build a small shop in her hometown and have a very amazing simple life. Living with lots of money versus living with enough of it doesn't make any difference to her.
Because in the universe, there's no such thing as permanent. Humans will, after all, die too. Too bad, they can't bring their wealth along to wherever they are going after death.
Althea exhaled; her hot breath was visible to the naked eye. It was cold, and the coat she was wearing was not enough to block the harsh wind of winter. But she didn't care. In fact, she loves winter.
When she was still a kid, she often saw herself beside the window. Her mother will always bring her a piping hot mug of milk and honey.
Her mother will sit on the chair while she sits on her mother's lap. Then together, they will stare outside. Silently watching the soft fall of the snow.
She kept on doing that together with her mother until she was old enough to watch the snow alone. As time passed by, it became her hobby.
The tip of Althea's nose and ears were red due to the cold weather. She kept on walking towards the building where her apartment was.
Harsh winds occasionally went by. Althea will just pause for a second and then rub her arms with her hands before walking again.
"It's getting colder." She muttered to herself.
Althea hasten her pace. She wants to arrive at her apartment before she freezes to death. No matter how she loves winter, Althea still is, after all, a human.
"Come on, Tyler, the girls won’t come if you don't!"
Althea was about to turn into a corner when she heard it, she froze. Without warning, her heart began to beat wildly against her chest. She was even afraid that it would jump off her throat.
'He- He's here?!' She can't help but shout panicky in her mind.
Sure enough, three figures emerge from the corner she was supposed to enter. Then, both of their eyes met.
Althea begins to panic inside, but her outer appearance is calm as a pond. Not even a ripple can be found.
Tyler's face visibly lit up. "Althea!"
Althea's brain began to swirl like mad. She wanted to say something but nothing she thinks is coherent enough to make a sentence. She was nothing now but a pile of mess.
To not embarrass herself, Althea ran for it.
Just as Tyler was about to walk towards her, she abruptly turned around and walked away, fast.
Tyler, who was watching this, paused. He watched her retreating back, he was speechless. This was the first time that someone deliberately avoided him! And worse, it's a girl!
He was in a daze for a little while before he chased after her.
"Althea Grahams- wait!"
The other two companions of Tyler who were left behind looked at each other before shrugging their shoulders and then ran to chase the other two.
It seems like a good show is brewing.
Althea sped up as if she didn't hear his call. But she knew she can't outrun an... Uh, an athletic person.
Not even a minute passed before a hand grasped her arm. She was pulled to a stop. The hand was hard with callouses; its warmth was seeping through her coat.
She knew, without even looking back, that it was Tyler, the one that she kept on avoiding for almost two months.
Ever since the cafeteria accident, she began avoiding him like a plague. When she sees him on campus, she will tuck her tail between her legs and run.
Why? She doesn't even know herself! Such behavior is weirding her out. She thinks that maybe she hit her head or something.
"Hey, why are you avoiding me?" His low voice sounded from behind.
The corner of her lips twitched. I want to know that myself!
"What? Why would I?" She said in a very calm voice despite her internal struggle that even shocked her.
She was relieved though. Good thing she still knows how to not fall into a shameful situation.
"Hm? Maybe because I'm embarrassed or something? About my sudden confe-"
Before Tyler can even finish, Althea whipped her head to look at him with a hateful glare. He stopped talking immediately.
Althea retracted her gaze after realizing she was glaring at him. Her heart was thumping loudly, she was afraid that Tyler might hear it so she pulled her arm back and stepped back.
Tyler just watches her move away from him. Althea raised her head only to meet his eyes that were gazing at her deeply. And then, they both fell into silence.
The two friends of Tyler just watched from the sidelines and they couldn't help but look at each other.
'Did we see right? Did Tyler just get hushed by someone? No, by a girl?!'
"You were really avoiding me." He said after a while. It was not an assumption, he was certain.
Althea can't help but scowl. "Why would I?"
‘I mean, I really am avoiding you. But that's none of your business.’ Althea can’t help but think to herself.
"Well," he grinned, Althea almost squinted, Tyler was sparkling. "Why would you, I wonder?"
This, this dumb male specie. Answering a question with a question, do you intend to put out a fire with another fire?
"If that's all, I'm leaving."
"Wait!" Althea stopped and looked back at him. "Where are you going?"
"My apartment."
Tyler let out a low laugh. "Isn't your apartment over there?" He pointed in a certain direction.
Althea followed his finger and reddens in embarrassment.
She was caught lying. How did he know about it?!
Seeing this reaction, Tyler's smile deepens and he has the urge to pinch her cheeks. So cute!
"So, I was right, your apartment is on that corner."
Hearing this, Althea didn't need to take a second thought to realize that she was played by him.
Her flaming face intensified. Not just from shame, but also from anger. How dare he trick me? And, how foolish I am to be tricked so easily?
Althea wanted to throw a fit, but that will erase the calm image of her inside the mind of other people. Besides, her throwing a fit is something out of character. She was born with a calm temperament. But now,
"Goodbye!" She was pissed and did not care what he or they'll think, so she casually said that and ran off.
But she was not even meters away from him when he called out for her again.
"What?!" She spat out.
Tyler paused, then he looked at her, shocked. Althea was also shocked at herself and embarrassed, she looked away.
Stupid self, why are you angry?
"What?" She repeated, now with calmness.
"Are you," mad at me? Tyler did not finish his sentence, he left it hanging there.
"Hm?"
"Are you free this evening?" He said instead, he suddenly thought about something.
"What?" She asked. An ill premonition was rising in her heart.
Sure enough, Tyler looked at his friends, "If she's going then I'll go."
Althea, who was suddenly dragged into something she doesn't know, widens her eyes.
She looked at him in shock. Tyler winked at her. She looked away.
"If Althea won't, I will not go too."
Althea desperately stopped the urge to step on his feet and grab a handful of his brown hair.
Althea screamed inside.
The audacity of this guy to drag her to his own problem!

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Chapter 3 — Being Lame Again

CHAPTER THREE;
Being Lame Again
—
The trees and street lights blurred as the red Lamborghini drove faster on the road. Inside the expensive car floated a soft and mellow melody of a 90's song, the complete opposite of its ferocious speed and dashing color.
The driver hums along with the music whilst tapping his finger on the steering wheel. The guy is too relaxed while driving the car at a speed of almost 60 kilometers per hour. He was dressed in his thick and expensive leather jacket, sitting languidly on his seat like he doesn't even care about crashing and dying.
On the other seat sits a petite girl in her violet cocktail dress. On top of her dress is a thick black coat, trying to protect her delicate skin from having frostbite.
The said girl was glaring at the driver through his reflection on the window she was leaning on. She was not bothered by the speed of the car at all. Her glare did not even falter when he increased his speed.
The man, upon noticing her murderous glares, showed a lazy and attractive smile on his ravishing red lips. Althea wants to reach out and pull his lips to destroy that smile. What an infuriating smile it was!
"Althea, no matter how much you glare at me, I will not pull back and send you to your apartment. I mean, you've agreed to come."
Althea rolled her eyes and sat up straight. She watched the seemingly unending road ahead of them. No one knew she quit looking at him through the reflection because she was envious of his sinful lips.
'Darn,' she thought. 'His lips look more appealing than mine, a girl. Not just that though, I noticed that his skin is much smoother than mine, that is, again, a girl. How though?! He does sports, how come his skin has that kind of texture? What skincare does he use? What routine? Argh, the perks of having tons of money.'
Despite her rambling inside, she replied calmly. "You forced the responsibility on me."
He shot her a sideways glance, the corners of his lips raising for a playful smirk.
"You hold the decision though. You can agree, and you can also decline. I'm fine with either of the two, by the way. But, in the end, you choose to accept."
She surpassed the urge to send him flying with a kick for the fear of dear life, besides, Althea cannot refuse his words. She accepted and said yes. But—!!!
They were forcing me!
Her shout resounded in her ears. She refused to let her frustration out and just dismissed the topic with a harrumph.
Tyler, fully aware of her forcing the topic down, chuckled. His low laugh drowned the music that was playing. Althea thought that he would push out a taunt, but, to her surprise, he remained silent. Hiding a smile on his pretty lips.
She thought that Tyler never backs down with anything and talked back with a taunt or teasing, but he just stayed silent and it looks like he was ignoring her completely.
'Well,' Althea once again started her inner monologue. 'Not that I know this, uh, a crush of mine.' She nearly laughed at what she referred to him. It was not a lie though.
Come to think of it, I transferred here in September. Then a week passed, and that is when I met Tyler. Not met, 'met', since we did not talk, just, just sudden eye contact, accidentally, I tell you. Then I began observing him from afar. Then, November. Yes, it was November when he first talked to me.'
Althea mentally face-palmed just remembering that scene.
'After that super ass lame hitting, for some reason, I decided to avoid him, and after just two months, here I am, sitting in his car.'
The two friends of Tyler did not give her a breather after he said those words, making her easily lose her calm. She wanted to throw the groceries she bought toward them and ran for them, but she couldn't. If her mother gets wind of her wasting food, she needs to prepare and pack back home. Wasting money is a big no-no.
She, of course, doesn't want to agree. But they told her that if she went, they will help her out by distracting Tyler so she can go home early. She only hesitated for a minute before giving in.
Don't get her wrong. Not that she hates attending parties, but this city is different from where she came from. And, of course, she knew no one here. Just some classmates, and some familiar faces, but they cannot be considered friends. They are not close enough either. Just classmates or schoolmates' relationships. A very formal one.
The old Althea doesn't like noisy places. As much as possible, she wants peace. She was often alone when she was in elementary. When she was already in the middle of middle school, she was afraid of being left out, so, sometimes Althea attends parties created by her previous classmates in the past.
Getting used to the loud music and stinky place with sweats is hard, it took her a lot of effort to not push the monkeys that are trying so hard to get close to her. But she is gradually getting used to it and she sometimes enjoys parties and such.
So she sees attending parties as so-so. Not bad, but also not good.
And besides, she can't deal with two annoying monk- humans at once.
Althea heard their conversation earlier.
'Come on Tyler, the girls won't come if you don't!'
She snorted in her mind once again. She already knew that Tyler is pretty popular around the campus, so maybe nearly half of the female population is after him. She also once heard that he likes parties and girls. After hearing this, she unconsciously draws a line between them.
"We're here."
Tyler's voice pulled her wandering mind back into her head. Althea looked out from the window. Tyler's car entered a huge lawn. Even though in the dark, you can see expensive cars parked neatly on the other side. Tyler drove past them and found a free space to park his own.
His car stopped and he unbuckled his seatbelt and then reached out to turn the music off. Althea did not wait for him, she got out of the red car and was welcomed by a very cold breeze of winter.
Althea was grateful that she wore a coat.
Meters away from where the cars were parked stood a mansion where loud music was booming. She can hear the faint voices of the students partying wildly inside.
Althea wants to go back home already. Her precious weekend is now ruined.
"There's no backing out you know."
She heard Tyler's voice behind her back. She shrugged, now not wanting to retort back.
"I know."
Tyler chuckled and shot her a sideways glance. "Let's go."
Tyler went ahead and she trailed quietly behind him. Althea looked at his wide back and unconsciously gulped.
'Such wide shoulders and arms. If he ever loses his mind and tries to crush me, I, with no doubt, will break into two.'
She shuddered at the thought and looked up, only to meet Tyler's smiling eyes. Even in the lack of light, his eyes shone brightly.
It was winter but his eyes were very warm. Comfortably warm. Like the spring after the winter. The feeling was also like finding shelter amidst a raging blizzard. She felt her heartstrings move.
Heartstrings-- what stupidity is that?!
Althea looked away. He chuckled and looked back in front. He thought that it was a shame that she withdraws rather easily. But he was also oddly satisfied with her reaction.
There was silence after that. Althea can hear their footsteps against the paved floor and the distant music. She looked at the mansion with tired eyes.
"I wish there were many chairs there." She unconsciously mumbled.
Tyler did not stop walking but he laughed hard at what she said. His whole body was shaking while he was basking in mirth. Althea's face, after realizing what foolishness she just mumbled, went pale then red from embarrassment and anger.
"Who sits at a party?"
Althea wanted to kick him. "I'm sorry, but I do!"
Tyler laughed heartily before slowing down his pace until they were both walking side by side. His laughter stopped and he glanced at her briefly.
"Well, if there are not enough chairs, I will make it so there's none," Tyler spoke slowly, every word was spoken out languidly. "But sitting on my lap will do.”
Althea stopped dead in her tracks, while Tyler's laughing voice sounded in her ears as she glared at his back.

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