I pull the blanket over my head, hoping to get an extra hour of sleep. The perfect match is a broken heart and a bed. Erden did everything to defend me and to summon back my honor. Unfortunately, he also confessed the wicked games he played me. Even if his reasons were valid, I still can't believe it. But I should've been able to tell. It seemed too perfect to be true. Perfection doesn't last long. I've refused to get out of my room since yesterday. Thankfully it's weekend, I didn't miss school. I don't want to see Lexi's face. I've neither talked to anyone, not even Lia. I just wanted to be alone.

As I think so, I exasperatedly turn on my back and stare at the white ceiling. For how many days will I continue to fix this space?

I can't keep doing this to myself.

I can't sink into depression because of them.

With that definite, I decide to muster some courage and get out of bed to freshen myself. But as I try to pull off the cover from my body, it feels impossible to move my limbs. Even at this moment, the memories of Erden flash in my head. My hands tighten on the bedsheet, infuriated that I can't focus on anything other than him.

A lump is escalating in my throat as I'm about to burst into tears again. But I press on my lips tightly, controlling myself with all the strength left in me. I realise that the wrath I have for him will break my heart again and again.

There is only one way to appease me for once and for all.

Revenge.

Hurting him will heal me.

Like Lia said the other day, make him perceives how easy it is to replace him. And of course, to fill him up with regret that he lost a gem like me. I may have found her idea childish the other day, but right now the pain in my heart is only mourning for vengeance and requite.

As if a devil is whispering in my ears, I'm coerced to take my phone from the chest of drawers. Without thinking twice, I click on my contacts and look for the new number I've saved the other day.

Austin.

I don't know what I'm doing, don't care with whom. There is a strong-willed command in me, pushing me to send him a text.

Me: Wanna grab some coffee?

~~~~~~~~

As I reach the small cafeteria in the vicinity of the city, a smile crops up on my face at the sight of Austin, who has already arrived, waiting for me by the door. His head is busied down in his phone, which gives me the opportunity to quickly check him out. He is elegantly dressed in a white long-sleeves shirt and black trousers, with his sandy-coloured hair perfectly styled into a quiff.

"Good afternoon, Austin." I let out in a joyous tone. His head immediately raise up to look at me, his hand slipping swiftly his phone in his pocket. "Hey, Hazel." He smiles widely, showing his flawless set of pearly-white teeth. "You're so pretty." He compliments, rapidly eyeing to my emerald-green dress with elasticized waist and short-sleeves.

Flattered, I raise my dress a little to the side in demonstration, chuckling. "You look good too."

"Thanks." He beams, adjusting his sleeves properly to his wrist. "It's what I usually wear every day for work."

My eyes light up as I recall that he is on his coffee pause. "Thank you for spending your break to take coffee with me."

"My pleasure." He gives me a wink before signaling me to enter the shop.

After Austin ordered his double espresso and a caffe Mocha for me, we head to a small table to have a seat. The cafeteria is pretty much full at that time, with people drinking coffees and chatting loudly. On reaching the table at the far-end corner of the shop, Austin pulls out my chair like a gentleman before he goes to sit in front of me. His eyes haven't left my face at all. His fingers are distractingly tapping the table as we are waiting to receive our order.

"I didn't expect that you would remember me." He starts up, his lips curling into a content smile.

My cheeks heat up a little in embarrassment. I've never made the first move before in my life. What if he really thinks that I was dreaming about him all the time?

God Hazel, stop overthinking.

"I-I wanted to change my mind a bit." I tell him a part of the truth, sighing. "Tired of the routine."

A cocky mien spreads on his face. "So, what make you think that I can change your mind?"

I hum, knowing that what I'm going to say will please him. "Let us say that you own Wattpad. You must be an interesting person."

He barks out a laugh. "I'm pretty sure that my life is more boring than yours. For someone who dared to hack Wattpad," His chin juts up, impressed. "You surely have more adventurous stories to tell."

"Says the one who is surrounded by spells." I wiggle my brows at him.

"Ah, maybe I can indeed tell you something unusual." His eyes twinkle as he remembered something. "Do you know who is the old woman who threw the spell?"

I shrug, leaning forward on the table in curiosity.

"The receptionist at the headquarters!" He cracks up.

"Oh my god!" I almost jump in the chair, hiding my mouth with my hand to refrain myself from crying louder. "Are you serious?!"

"Yeaaahhh!" He is laughing his ass off, not even bothering about the people in the cafeteria. "My father then gave her a job at the company itself."

"That explains her witchy pointy nose." My mouth is remaining wide in amazement. I can't believe it. That also explains how she knew it was me who hacked Wattpad at the first sight. "I can officially say that it's not a stereotype." I raise up my arms sarcastically as I testify, which makes Austin bursts out of laughter again.

My good humor immediately slowly dissolves as his rowdy chortles warm my heart. Watching the upturning of his flushed cheeks in happiness makes me realise that Austin is such a nice guy. My heart feels heavy for wanting Erden to see us together to make him jealous. Austin and I can develop an amazing friendship, I'm sure. I can't feel guilty for using him.

After about forty-five minutes of conversing merrily and laughing with Austin, he had to return to work. Though he was in a kind of rush, he was still polite enough to insist on dropping me home. He is definitely a kind-hearted person, someone gentle and mature, yet banter. It's so easy to get along with him, a friend whom you can rely on.

When we reach in front of my place after I've explained to him which street to take, he reclines in his seat relaxedly. Letting go of the steering wheels, he looks at me, his sky-blue eyes gleaming sincerely. "I had a nice time."

"Me too, Austin." I beam back.

His face then immediately switches into a more serious one. "Uh..." He trails off, rubbing the side of his jaw slightly. "My friend is throwing a party tomorrow night. Want to come over?"

I can't help but to chuckle lightly at how he suddenly got nervous to ask me. "Y-yeah, that would be cool." Wasting myself a bit will really help to change my mind.

He cheers happily. "Great!"

"See you then!" I proceed to open the door of his white Porsche, but he promptly cries out. "Wait!"

My hand automatically releases the car hinge in confusion. I watch him with narrowed eyes as he gets out and walks around the car to reach my side. A wide smile spreads on my face as I realise what he is doing. Indeed, he charmingly opens the door for me with his other hand resting at the bottom of his back like a perfect gentleman. My heart melts. It's one of the nicest thing that someone did for me since those last days. "Thank you so much, Austin." Giggling in gratitude, I get out of the machine. "You know how t-"

My words cease as I catch sight of Erden on the other side of the road, gaping at us as if we were some ghosts.

I gulp hard. Crap, I've decided that I don't want him to see us!

"Are you okay?" My gaze flicks back to Austin's face as I register his voice. He is looking back, checking what I've been lostly staring at.

"I-I'm fine, don't worry." I feign a smile, which makes him nod in relief. "Thank you again."

"My pleasure." He gives me a second wink for the day, before closing the door and walks back to the driver's seat.

Heat is creeping up my neck as I'm waving Austin goodbye, knowing that Erden has his gaze plastered on us. It feels so uncomfortable, but I try my best to showcase that I'm totally ignoring him, without glancing at him even once.

As Austin's car disappears along the road, I make my way to my house, pretending that Erden is completely invisible to me.

"Hazel."

There is an echo at my heart as he calls out my name. I stop in my track, deliberating on what to do. My mind is advising me to pay no attention to him, but my heart is urging me to confront him.

And the heart unfortunately wins.

I turn back to face him as he has already crossed the road to join me. The sight of his perfectly structured face makes me feel all kind of ways. Specially, waspishness.

His eyeballs bop as his gaze meets mine, before his eyes immediately crunch. "What are you doing, Hazel?"

Bruh.

"Can't you see that I was walking?" I snap sardonically, gesturing to the pavement behind me.

He shows careless regard at my mockery. "Who is that guy?" He rectifies, his eyes flat and cold.

My hand clenches. With what guts can he still question me after what he has done!?

As I was about to hiss at him, when he lets out softly before I can do so. "You don't need to do that. I'm already hurt that I broke your heart and lost you." He sounds so truthful and passive that it automatically extinguish the fire which was flaming inside me. I loosen my fist, gawking at him. "Don't do that to him and give him hope for nothing."

As he says so, my eyes roll skyward. He has totally gone farfetched with his suppositions.

"I know what I did was horrible, but I explained to you. You were trying to kill me, and I just thought of protecting myself." My mouth feels dry, as the more he is reminding me that I was plotting to kill him, the more I'm apprehending him. "I'm just praying that you can forgive me one day, and that I can hug yo-"

"I don't want to hear you, Erden!" I lash out before his words start to soothe me, which makes his lips part in surprise. My emotions are overtaking me, other than pure rage for him.

"And for information, he is just a friend." I clarify with a puff.

"A friend who is trying to impress you by opening doors." His brows are raised, humorlessly. He is reacting exactly the way I would have wanted if I've conducted the plan, but right now he is pissing me off.

"Not every guy is a jerk who breaks girl's heart." I declare heartlessly, but deep inside my own heart aches at those words.

Erden has turned pale. His eyes drop to the ground in shame before gazing back at my face, his eyeballs as if slightly trembling. "I-I'm not, give me a chance to prove it, please."

As my view begins to blur, I turn and continue walking, turning a deaf ear to him. A heavy sensation is climbing up my throat, mixed up with wrath, sorrow, but confusion as well. Part of me knows he is right. He set a trap for Lexi to stand up for me. But the pain of knowing that he lied and pretended is immense. There is no love without sincerity and trust, right?

How can I forgive him?

( '･･)ﾉ