Chapter 1

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"At that party..was it you?"

At the age of seventeen, Iris Gardens pours her heart out to the boy she likes. A thousand— a million different thoughts race throughout her mind. She musters all her courage to chase after him now, so again, she says, "At that party, the man...was you, wasn't it?" Iris' hands tremble.

Elijah Iris' eyebrows furrow and his eyes close, as he leans against the stone cold, brick wall. When Iris finishes repeating her question, he didn't even open his eyes or open his mouth. His usual bright complexion turns flat and dull.

Though Iris didn't see his change in expressions, she stands quietly and patiently. Within that moment of silence, Iris stares unwaveringly at the teenage boy only a few feet in front of her. Seeing as he never answers her question, Iris purses her lips to repeat the question once more, only this time with more conviction behind her voice. "It was you that night, am I right?"

After Iris asked multiple times, Elijah finally looks directly at her and sweeps a dirty and dark glare at Iris. He straightens up, turns around and starts walking hastily away without a warning.

Iris instinctively balls her hands into fists as she sees Elijah's back becoming further away from her.

"The person that night must have been him, there's no doubt in my mind. With the way he kissed me, so gentle and passionate, I must have been right", Iris thinks to herself.

Even with his change of moods, she had already summoned all of her courage to confess to him that night. She couldn't have just given up so easily. With her feet picking up the pace, Iris runs towards Elijah, thinking she'd never have the courage to confess to him ever again.

As she catches up, she says, "At that party, during the night, I know that person is you. I.."

Before she could finish, Elijah quickens his feet and leaving Iris once more. The distance between the two teenagers grows further and longer.

Iris jogs up once again, "For a while, I..I've noticed you..and I.."

Elijah is already on the other side of the road with his arm waving a taxi. But before he could step towards the taxi, Iris' hand already clings onto his sleeve. He turns around to face Iris, but the height difference is too great that Iris feels intimidated.

With his eyes on her, Iris becomes more anxious. She nervously looks up to meet his eyes and gulps. Eventually, her courage builds back up and her mouth moves on its own.

"I've liked you for a long time now, and I always will. Do you," she loosens her grip on his sleeve, "like me?"

Though all Elijah wants to do is tear away from Iris' grip, the muscles in his arm relax. With his arm trembling, Iris tells herself, "He must like me, or must feel something for me! I mean, why else would he have kissed me and touched me that night? He wouldn't be this stunned from what I just told him."

Iris raises her head and stares into Elijah's eyes, full of content and tranquility. Her breath becomes steady, and with a calm expression, she emphasizes each word, "Will you be my boyfriend?"

Without knowing which word surprised him, a twinkle shoots into the deepest and darkest areas of Elijah's pupils. Before she could let go of her breath, Elijah roughly drags Iris by her wrist into the nearest alleyway.

Elijah walks too quickly for Iris to realize, but when they reach deep into the dim alleyway, she snaps back to her senses, and she let out, "Eli—", when Elijah suddenly raises his hand and pushes her against a wall. She snaps back to her senses, feeling the cold, brick wall behind her and Elijah's angry eyes onto her. "Name a price."

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