For Me,There Is Only You |18+|

3.Omichli Mountain

(Improvised version)

Socializing had never been my strong suit.

I was the type who preferred blending into the background rather than standing in the spotlight—it saved me from awkward small talk and potential slip-ups that would haunt me at 3 a.m. for the rest of my life.

But today was different; I was willingly walking right into the lion's den.

All week, Ash had been giving me the rundown on her family, as if preparing me for a job interview. She seemed worried I might accidentally offend someone, or maybe she just didn't trust me not to open my mouth at the wrong moment.

She mentioned having two half-brothers, one from each of her parents' previous marriages. Alaric was her father's son, but for some reason, she kept the name of her mother's son under wraps like it was some sort of state secret.

"They're a bit... eccentric," Ash had warned, her eyes narrowing like she was remembering some past trauma. "Just be careful around them."

I couldn't quite grasp why she felt the need to sound the alarm; I mean, how hard could it be to deal with a bunch of humans? I wasn't that bad at socializing.

Alright, maybe just a little.

Annoyance seeped into my tone as I bit out, "How long?" My patience had worn thin after enduring Ash and Nate's giggling and whispering for what felt like an eternity.

Three hours of this nonsense. How much longer was I supposed to tolerate their never-ending honeymoon phase?

It was like they had been glued together the moment we got in the car, all lovey-dovey and making goo-goo eyes at each other. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, feeling very much like the unwanted third wheel stuck in the back seat of their love-mobile.

I tried my best to distract myself by staring out of the window, counting the trees or maybe trying to mentally calculate how fast I'd have to run to escape from a moving car without any serious injuries.

But their laughter kept pulling me back, each giggle a little needle poking into my sanity. Ash's hand resting on Nate's arm, the way he leaned in to whisper something that made her blush—it was impossible to ignore.

I could feel my inner introvert screaming for solitude, my comfort zone, where I could hide away from all this romantic fluff and the general absurdity of life.

My thoughts wandered to Ash's family, a whole new thing to deal with. Would they accept me, or would I just be the awkward outsider, floundering around like a fish out of water?

Knowing my luck, I'd probably be the fish gasping for air on land.

Their engagement was scheduled for tomorrow. Curiosity got the best of me, so I asked Ash why she hadn't gone back home earlier to prepare for her big day. Her answer? "I don't want to deal with my family."

Classic Ash.

So, we decided to make the trip today, a day before the event. At least Nate volunteered to drive, and they both took the front seat, completely absorbed in each other... doing God knows what!

"Just two more hour," Ash finally responded, but she wasn't even looking at me. Her eyes were glued to Nate's hand as it rested on her thigh, slowly creeping upward beneath her skirt.

I immediately averted my gaze, my face twisting in disgust. I did not need to see where that was going.

Fucking couples!

I slouched further down in the back seat and stared out of the window, desperate to escape this accidental voyeurism. I mean, I didn't sign up for a live porn.