Ava's PoV
As I rejoined my friends, Chloe and Aubrey were engaged in a conversation with someone I didn't recognize. However, it was evident from Aubrey's intense glare that she was not pleased with the person next to her.
"Who's that handsome man?" I whispered to Aubrey, trying to lighten the mood. She rolled her eyes and continued to glare at the person.
"He's the top-ranked student in our class," she replied, her competitive nature shining through. I finally understood why she had transformed into a villainess. Aubrey had always been the first honor student since kindergarten, but in college, her position was snatched away by the same person. It was all thanks to him that Aubrey had to settle for being second placer.
"Good luck," I offered, raising my glass in a friendly gesture. I took a sip, allowing the conversation to continue while enjoying my drink.
"Ava," Ezra called, leaning closer with a frown on his face. I could sense a dark aura surrounding him, making me wonder what was bothering him now.
"What were you talking about with William?" he suddenly asked, his tone filled with curiosity.
"Oh, he just gave me some ginger tea. You know, I sang three songs in a row, so I couldn't just drink cold water afterward," I explained, hoping to ease his worries. However, his frown deepened even more.
"How could you just drink something from a stranger?" he questioned, leaving me dumbfounded by his reaction.
"Well, at least a stranger cared about my vocals," I retorted, feeling a bit defensive. To prove my point, I finished my drink, savoring every last drop.
"Ahahaha, guys, did you know that Mr. William is Ava's suitor?" Chloe suddenly blurted out, bragging about it without flinching. I discreetly kicked her leg under the table, but she seemed oblivious to my silent plea.
"He even sent two dozen red fresh roses and a pair of shoes to her house, and he wrote a letter too! Kiyaaa!" Chloe continued, relishing in the attention she was getting from our friends.
"Shut up, Chloe," I snapped, feeling a mix of embarrassment and annoyance. She smirked in response, clearly enjoying the situation.
"Hahaha, of course, it happened. Not only William, but also- ouch!" Chloe's sentence was cut short as I pinched her for real, hoping to silence her.
"Hmm, so are you going to date him? Well, he seems decent, and he doesn't seem like a bad guy. You can go on a date if you want," Ezra chimed in, his words causing a pang of hurt to surge through me.
"Of course! William is handsome, kind, intelligent, and a future owner of Adam's private properties. Hahaha, Ava got herself a top-tier suitor," Chloe added, her words dripping with a hint of spite. It was clear that she was intentionally trying to make Ezra jealous but he won't feel something like that, especially when he doesn't even like me in the first place.
"Well, why not, right?" Ezra said, seemingly unfazed by Chloe's comments. I took a sip of my drink, trying to hide the heaviness in my heart. I glanced at Ezra and let out a sigh. How can you be so dense?
We spent the next few hours talking and drinking, gradually getting more intoxicated as the night went on.
I noticed that my best friends were nowhere to be found, so I mustered up the courage to get up from my seat. However, the room was spinning, and I felt as wobbly as a jellyfish. "Never mind," I thought to myself, "it's not like anyone will offer to take me home." With that in mind, I made my way downstairs and stumbled towards the parking lot, my vision was blurry.
"Hey, are you going home?" I heard a familiar voice call out. I turned around and saw Ezra approaching me. Instantly, I felt a surge of sobriety wash over me, and I couldn't help but smile.
"Yeah," I replied, my voice filled with relief. Ezra let out a sigh and spoke up, "I'll drive you home." It was just a small act of kindness, but in that moment, it made me forget about all the pain he had caused me throughout the day.
"But you're drunk too," I protested, concerned for his well-being. Without saying a word, he grabbed my hand and practically shoved me into the car. He could be so mean! It won't kill him if he could have helped me gently right?
"Hays, do you think I would drink knowing that you're going to indulge like there's no tomorrow?" he retorted as he settled into the driver's seat. I couldn't argue with his logic, but I couldn't help but point out, "But... you've been drinking too."
"I'm not. I'm just drinking juice," he clarified. A glimmer of joy filled my heart as his words implied that he hadn't been drinking because he was worried about me.
"Put your seatbelt on," he instructed, and I obediently complied. However, I struggled to pull the seatbelt across my body. Frustrated, I let out a sigh, and Ezra leaned closer to help me fasten it. In that moment, his actions felt incredibly romantic. He was so close, and I could even catch a whiff of his intoxicating cologne. It made me wonder how I would feel if someone else did these things for me. But for Ezra...
"Will you be alright if I date someone else?" I blurted out, my thoughts escaping my mind without warning. I immediately regretted saying it out loud and quickly averted my gaze, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over me.
"No," he replied, catching me off guard. I looked at him, my eyes wide with surprise.
"What did you just say?" I asked, needing confirmation of his words.
"I'm not fine at all. It feels like someone is stealing you away from me," he confessed, his words causing my heart to race. He... he didn't like the idea of me dating someone else? My face flushed with warmth, and in that moment, everything felt undeniably butterflies in my tummy.
As I reminisced about Isabella, my heart sank, and my joy quickly faded away. How could I forget that he had someone else in his heart?
"But I also want a love life," I continued. "I want to experience the warmth of someone's embrace, go on romantic trips with my boyfriend, wake up to sweet messages in the morning, and have late-night conversations. I yearn for someone to hold me close, to shower me with affection..." My words trailed off but before I could finish expressing my desires, his warm lips suddenly pressed against mine, catching me completely off guard. The surprise left me momentarily speechless, but I couldn't bring myself to push him away. It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and even if it was just for a few seconds, I couldn't resist the allure of the moment. All the patience and longing I had held for a long suddenly felt worth it.
I kissed him back, allowing myself to get lost in the passion of the moment. Our lips moved in perfect harmony, our tongues dancing together in sync. The desire between us grew more intense with each passing second. I couldn't help but wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer as if trying to merge our souls through the connection of our bodies.
At that moment, I poured all of my emotions into the kiss, hoping that he could feel the depth of my feelings and the intensity of my affection. It was a bittersweet realization that this encounter might be driven by lust, but I was willing to accept it. Perhaps, just maybe he would develop genuine feelings for me after this passionate exchange.
As our lips continued to explore each other, his kisses trailed down to my neck, causing a shiver to run down my spine. I flinched slightly at the unexpected sensation, but I allowed him to continue, surrendering myself to the moment.
To be continued...