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Thalia's POV
Sometimes life is great. Sometimes it isn't. It especially is not when you realize things you probably should have noticed before but tried to ignore forcefully — knowing that accepting the truth would be likewise to a punch in the face.
But there is always a point where you need to face what is reality and just overcome the pain. For me, this point has finally come. I knew it was for the better, but it didn't make the pain any less.
I couldn't remember for how long I already had the fattest crush on Changbin — for how long these damn butterflies were already terrorizing my stomach whenever I saw him, or for how long I thought that maybe he could return the slightest bit of the same emotion that I had.
But I got my hopes up too easily — remembering when he always came to meet up with me and Nova back in the days and we would do the stupidest things together, I could just laugh at how I thought that he came to spend time with me.
I waited patiently for Changbin to make the first step for that I myself was too scared of rejection, hoping that he would one day ask me out — but he never did.
Realization came knocking on the door when I counted the times that he chose Nova over me, and it ripped my heart apart. There was no difference today when he did not even hesitated a second before deciding to trail Nova and then bursting into class together at least 20 minutes late, to which I could only wonder what the hell these two had to do for that filling up a water bottle was not something that much time consuming.
It was silly how I thought that he liked me, when it was clear as day that he had never come to see me — never come to spend time with me, but solely to be with my best friend.
Ah shit.
He liked my best friend.
The most frustrating thing about this all was that whenever I thought back in time, Changbin was the one I remembered first. The one I could tell stories about for my whole life without forgetting anything, for that he was so important to me. But in his view, I was probably just the extra. The one person that would be forgotten when telling stories in maybe a year or two, the one where people have to think about who it was who went with them before remembering maybe just the name but not the looks.
And then there was Nova — my best friend. The one who unintentionally stole not only the heart of my long time crush but also the one of Felix, all unbeknownst to her. Of course. Just a main character thing. And yet, here she was, hanging out with even more guys who looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the world. I really adored her and understood why people were falling for her in rows — but it made me want to burst out into tears that the one and only person who I desperately wanted, could not be mine. That I was left with no one.
❝ But everything is going to be okay ❞
I sat at one of the tables of the bar — this time alone however. I just wanted to sulk and pity myself, not intending to burden anyone else with my minor problems. Especially not Nova. I couldn't tell her how I felt at all, not wanting her to feel bad about something that she couldn't control. She was my best friend after all, and I wanted her to be happy. I just wanted a bit happiness for myself as well, but hey, maybe that is selfish.
Taking a sip of the copper colored liquid on ice that was not even filled up to the half of the glass, my face scrunched up at the strong taste when the alcohol left a burning feeling in my throat. "Ew..." I wasn't really a fan of alcohol but everything for the dramatic effect I guess.
Taking another sip, things just repeated and I wondered why I was even trying to taste the rich aroma that people were so addicted to. It was disgusting.
Just then, a man sat down besides me, being rather moody how it seemed when he sat down in a rushed manner and his face painted with pure annoyance. "Glen McKenna on ice" was all he said to the bartender and soon received a glass similar to what mine looked like, just that I knew his was way more expensive than mine. Hell, I would probably have to sell my mom's car to afford the drink he had just bought.
I don't know how, but he sipped on the liquid aggressively. Kinda calm but still aggressive. He sure had an even more worse day than I had. "Stop staring" he then muttered what caused my thoughts to be cut short and snap back to reality where the stranger stared at me — his dark eyes narrowed and his blond hair falling in his pale face.
"Sorry, I didn't meant to stare, but you look like you had a really bad day" I reasoned, taking a sip of my drink to avoid his gaze but regretted that decision as soon as the drink came in touch with my lips and quickly placing in down in front of me.
"You don't look any better," the male answered bluntly, then furrowing his brows for a second when he looked at my face, quickly getting me uncomfortable under his stare, "aren't you, how was the name again, Thalia?"
My head perked up at the statement, eyes wide when my head spun back in his direction, wondering why the hell he knew my name. He did looked like he was around my age, maybe a bit older, so I wondered if he was attending our school but soon had to realize that I've never seen him before. And a handsome guy like him would sure attract some attention.
"Do I... know you?"
A single laugh escaped the male when a sly smirk started to form on his lips, "Not in person, but I've seen you around. You're the daughter of the sheriff if I'm not mistaken?"
