Chapter 3 A Dream, Empty and Fleeting

Alec roughly grabbed my wrist and dragged me into a small and empty room.

In the nearly pitch-black space, I nervously swallowed.

He pushed me against the wall, pinning my hands firmly.

In the dark, I could only see his eyes, and in their depths, I glimpsed a flicker of anger. He said, "When did I ever say I liked her? When did I string her along?"

Before I could respond, he leaned in and kissed me. His cold lips pressed against mine, leaving me breathless.

The strong scent of alcohol made me feel dazed, unsure if I was dreaming. This kind of scene seemed like it could only happen in a dream.

The contrast between the noise outside and the silence inside was stark, and all I could hear was my pounding heartbeat.

After he pulled away, he frowned at me, a hint of regret in his eyes, and then he left the room.

I stood frozen, completely unsure of what had just happened. The lingering sensation on my lips felt all too real.

It wasn't until Rosalyn searched room by room that she finally found me and brought me back.

Once back in the room, I glanced at Alec, who was sitting far away.

He acted as if nothing had happened, drinking and playing games with Jackson. Even when our eyes met by chance, he remained calm and indifferent.

It seemed like what happened earlier was just a dream.

Suddenly, a familiar intro caught my attention. It was Taylor Swift's "ME!," my favorite song. But I hadn't chosen it!

In the room, only Rosalyn and I were the girls. Rosalyn shook her head, saying she hadn't picked it because she didn't even know the lyrics.

The microphone naturally ended up in my hand.

I had no choice but to pick it up, deciding forget my worries and immerse myself in the song.

"Like a rainbow with all of the colors. Baby doll when it comes to a lover..."

Snicker...

I heard a quiet laugh from beside me and turned to see who it was. Alec had somehow sat down beside me

Just then, as I reached a high note. Thinking about what had happened earlier, I panicked and sang off-key.

"Not bad at all!" Alec teased, his voice dripping with playfulness.

I was so embarrassed I wanted to disappear.

I quickly skipped the song and shoved the microphone into someone else's hands.

After several rounds of drinks, everyone was getting ready to head home. Many were picked up by their girlfriends, and in the end, it was just Alec and me left.

I knew where he lived; after all, I used to walk him to his neighborhood after school in high school.

I hailed a cab and helped him into it.

I hadn't expected him to have such a low tolerance for alcohol; just a few beers and he was out. His whole body was heavy as a rock.

At his doorstep, I rang the bell, but no one answered.

Helplessly, I fished out the keys from his pocket and carried him inside.

I found his bedroom and tossed him onto the bed. But his arm was still hooked around my neck, pulling me down with him.

The soft bed made my already heavy eyelids even harder to keep open. How I wished I could just close my eyes and fall asleep.

But this was Alec's home, a place I had always fantasized about visiting! I slapped my face hard, trying to wake myself up.

The room was filled with so many his certificates of honor that they nearly packed several cabinets to the brim.

However, on his bookshelf, I saw many familiar little items. Many were gifts I had given him such as birthday presents, celebration gifts, holiday tokens. I even gave him a gift for my dog's birthday, saying it was to share the joy.

I was really going overboard back then!

After wandering around, I turned back to look at him on the bed.

At that moment, he had none of his usual aloofness, his eyes closed like a sleeping baby.

I quietly took his hand, intertwining our fingers.

"Well, at least now I can say I've held your hand," I whispered.

And just like that, I fell asleep on his couch for the night.

As I was still sleepy, I heard the sound of a key turning in the door.

I snapped awake, sitting up abruptly, just in time to see Alec's parents as they walked in.

The three of us stared at each other, and no one said a word.