External Affairs

00 | prologue

hi, hope you're safe and happy. this is a new chapter that hasn't ever been published and even if you are a re-reader (then I love you and thank you), I would recommend reading all the chapters even if you are familiar with the story because I've made quite a few changes.

new readers and the old ones too, welcome to external affairs!! thank you for giving this book a chance, I hope it doesn't disappoint. this an insight purely into Will and Iris in college and that's why it doesn't include a bunch of other characters which I'm so excited for you to meet in the next chapter.

it would be lovely if you could vote and comment your thoughts, thank you!

much love,

nevada

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It is easier to figure who isn't meant for you.

It was odd to look at the world that way — looking at people and just knowing they weren't meant for you. There exist many ways to figure out how someone isn't meant for you. One was seeing the obvious dissimilarities and knowing you wouldn't match. Second was the feeling that you deserved better — it might come a little late into the relationship but it surely did come and once the realisation hits, it's impossible to ignore it. It's like moss growing over you or a disease spreading over your skin. The third way was what I felt with Will. It was how I knew that we weren't meant to be together.

When I first noticed Will Kang, he was lying. I had stopped at the admin office to pick up a few things for my classes in college. The receptionist had happened to bring her young daughter who seemed to be crying about something. The girl didn't look like she could be more than seven years old and even that was a stretch. She had black hair although they were cut short and barely reached her small and narrow shoulders and she had big green eyes, slightly lighter than my own.

"Oh, baby," the receptionist said to the little girl, "the doll can't be fixed anymore, it's broken. I'll buy you a new one."

"NO," the girl screamed and the boy standing beside me flinched. He threw an irritated look towards the girl and she started wailing even more. The boy snatched his papers from the desk and left, muttering under his breath about how children shouldn't be brought to work. I gave the receptionist a consoling smile, almost like I was telling her it was going to be okay soon and that I didn't mind at all. The receptionist seemed irritated enough but flashed a sad smile to me. "I want only Joy. She left me!" The girl shrieked again.

I hadn't noticed by another boy had stepped through the door and was standing near me. I glanced at him and then just couldn't take my eyes off him. Dark brown hair fell into his eyes as he charmingly told the receptionist what he wanted. His lashes brushed against cheeks when he blinked and there was something so, so soothing about his voice.

"Do you mind if I talk to her?" He asked the receptionist, clearly indicating that he wanted to talk to the baby girl. The girl realised that the conversation was about her and stop crying for a moment and looked up adorably at the boy, her eyes wide.

"No, not at all, go ahead." The receptionist told the boy and gave him a warm smile, clearly appreciating him even though she didn't know what he was about to do.

I realised I was staring and looked in front of me, as if I hadn't noticed he was there. The little girl was standing beside the desk. He stepped aside and kneeled in front of me her to match her gaze. She didn't take a step back and I realised that she wasn't afraid of him. He seemed to exude so much warmth that it was almost impossible to be afraid of him. 

"I've been left alone too," he told her in probably the softest voice I had ever heard from anyone. It sounded sincere and I couldn't help but wonder how a stranger could sound like home. Shocked at the way I just felt even though I hadn't a clue about him, not even his name, I shook my head to no one in particular.  I couldn't help but look at him.