Hazel

"He is Erden?!"

Just like Austin, my eyes are wide as I goggle back at him.

Shit.

I'm screwed. I will end up in jail this time, for sure.

The beating of my heart is galloping inside my chest, not knowing what to reply. "Uh..."

Erden is looking at us with narrowed brows, not grasping anything. My palms begin to feel sweaty as my mouth is unable to form words.

As my silence confirms everything, Austin nods to himself again and again in total disappointment. "Got it, Hazel." His lips stretch into a lackluster beam, before storming through the mass.

"Au-Austin! Wait!" I call out, but he ignores me and keeps proceeding away.

I run a hand over my face. Shit Hazel. Shit!

"Let him go. Why do you care?" Erden abruptly turns me back into his solid chest, forcing me to look at him. His face has crimsoned in anger as he is glaring at me. "And how does he know me?"

I can feel the veins of my neck throbbing. I've had enough! Along with the trouble that just arose, the alcohol in my system and the unbearable headache I'm experiencing, I can't control myself anymore. It was a freaking bad idea to get drunk! My teeth clench together, my arms dropping to the side.

"Erden! You always fucking mess up everything!" I pour out everything on him. His eyes stretch out a little at my sudden aggressivity. "Since you came into my life, you have fucking destroyed everything! Attracted so many problems!" He gapes at me in disbelief, his eyelashes batting repeatedly.

"I wish I've never written this book." The words keep escaping my lips without control. I don't know what I'm saying. I can't come to my senses. It just feels satisfying to release everything that I've amassed, blame him for everything. But I know I will regret everything tomorrow.

"I wish I've never dreamt about you!" This time, his eyes flood with tears. His mouth opens and closes several times in shock. "D-do you really mean what you're saying?"

Without thinking once, I shake my head in agreement. "I do Erden. I do!"

"H-hazel." He pleads, his voice shaking. "You're still angry at me. Pleas-"

"Yes! And it will never go!" I shout out, gripping my head in weariness. I'm not even giving a damn that I'm making a scene. "Just stay away from me!"

His eyes shut briefly at my words. The hurt on his face is inexplicable. He remains inert as such for some seconds before he nods, giving me a slight, asymmetric, painful smile. "Fine then." He then stares into my eyes for what seem an eternity. "G-goodbye Hazel." With that, he slowly walks away and disperses into the crowd. I blankly fix the pack of dancers, my heart feeling heavy.

God, what the hell am I doing?

I guess I need to call Lia and ask her to pick me up. And upset her as well for not telling her anything about Austin yet.

You're so loveable, Hazel.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Pick up Austin. Pick up.

I have been parading in my room, waiting for him to pick up the call. Since last night, I've tried to reach him about ten times. But he still doesn't want to talk to me. I need to explain to him everything before he probably fills a complaint against me.

My hand tightens around my phone as it has only been ringing.

Pick up the damn thing!

As I mutter some curses under my breath, I unexpectedly register his voice. "Hey, Hazel."

I immediately freeze in my track, puffing. "God finally."

"I needed to think." He explains shortly.

"I will explain everything! The reasons why I hid the fact that I didn't kill Erden." I justify anxiously.

"Yeah, we need to talk." He affirms, surely. "Meet me in one hour in the park we met the other day."

"Alright." I breathe a sigh of relief.

~~~~~~~~~

One hour seemed longer than usual. Eagerly waiting, I've been sitting at the same bench where we accidentally met the other day. I've been fiddling with my fingers, beseeching that he will understand and believe me. Checking my watch, I note that it's nearly half past one. Where the heck is he? As I raise back my head to look around the quiet park, I catch sight of Austin approaching me, clad in a white plain t-shirt and black jeans.

Thank god, he came.

When he finally reaches me, he manages to put forward a wide smile to greet me. Inspirited, I beam back widely. "Please tell me that you didn't bring the cops with you." I tease while discreetly trying to assure myself.

Instead of joking around with me, his face promptly facades to seriousness. "I can't because it's our fault as well."

"Well." I fake out a chuckle. By the way he is remaining standing also, he has definitely got down to business. "What do you mean?" I squint my eyes at him.

He intakes a deep breath. "To start, I want to apologise for yesterday. I was drunk, and I didn't know what I was doing."

Glad that he excused himself, I nod. I myself don't remember exactly what happened on the dance floor.

"I also want to apologise for another reason and also on behalf of my brother."

I raise a brow, not understanding.

"I-I forgot to tell you something crucial that day at the headquarters." He mutters guiltily, and my eyes go out of their sockets. "And Justin didn't think it was important, since he thought there was a low probability that it would happen."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I gasp in shock.

That's the catastrophe he was talking about?

"Please listen." Austin huffs, slipping his hands in his pockets.

Giving him all my ears, my feet begin to tap impatiently. "I didn't doubt you at all that day. I didn't bother to wait for your call to inform us that you successfully performed the task."

I can't help but to lick my lips in culpability.

"Because when you came to the headquarters, you were so determined to get rid of Erden." His shoulder lifts into a deceptive shrug. "I never thought that a few days were enough for you to fall in love with him and totally change your mind."

I blink repeatedly, astonished at how he has misinterpreted the whole thing. "Wow."

"Why didn't you call to inform us that you couldn't do it?!" His tone is harsh this time.

"It was not just love!" I snap defensively, glaring at him. "There was a big dilemma at that time, Erden didn't want to leave me alone. I had to tell him everything. But he couldn't accept that he must die. He installed a virus on my account and even plotted behind my back to do in sort that I never want to delete him." My voice tears up as I pronounce those words. "My conscience also couldn't allow me to kill someone when he was totally opposing it." Austin is speechless, fixing me in stupefaction. "Based on what you and Justin told me, I was convinced that there is no harm if he stays alive. So I totally gave up the idea. And yes!" I jut up my chin, surely. "I slowly fell in love with him."

On hearing me, he rubs his face fully with his hands in a stressed manner. "That's the mistake we made! There is a big harm, Hazel!"

My heart begins to beat faster. "Which harm?"

('･×･')