《Something New, Something Old, Something Borrowed and Something Violent》


 CHAPTER 1: I鈥檓 a Guy! (1)

    CHAPTER 1: I¡¯m a Guy!


    PART 1


    Mike Dieter was a wealthy nineteen-year-old. His father was Charles Dieter, a renowned executive of a prosperous beauty cosmetics multinational who had practically neglected Mike since the boy could remember.


    Despite this, Mike grew up as a humble and kind-hearted child, possessing a unique androgynous beauty. With skin as pink and pale as snow, platinum blonde hair, and deep blue eyes like the sea, Mike¡¯s delicate features often caused him trouble. Feeling self-conscious about his feminine appearance, Mike decided to keep his bangs long enough to cover his face, ensuring that no one could recognize him, least of all the girl he had been secretly in love with for over five years.


    ¡°Mike! Over here,¡± Andrew called out to his friend, waving as he entered the classroom.


    Andrew was Mike¡¯s childhood friend, and over time, they had become the closest of friends. Unlike Mike, Andrew was an attractive young man with a compelling masculinity. With emerald eyes and copper hair, he was quite a sight.


    ¡°Still hiding behind your bangs?¡± Johnny asked, lifting Mike¡¯s fringe slightly as he joined them.


    Johnny, like Andrew, was a sex symbol in their group of four. With broad, muscular shoulders, full lips, and penetrating grey eyes, he easily captured women¡¯s attention.


    ¡°He¡¯s self-conscious about his face, though if he were a man, he¡¯d be just as insecure,¡± Andrew added with a smirk that was half mockery, half exasperation.


    ¡°What a welcome. If you weren¡¯t childhood friends, I¡¯d think you hated me,¡± Mike remarked, taking his seat and pulling out his books from his backpack.


    ¡°Come on, come on. After all, if Mike were a woman, we¡¯d all be head over heels for him. And that¡¯s a reality we must admit,¡± Oscar added jokingly, taking his seat and gaining the support of the rest of the group.


    Oscar, the last member of the group, was the least known after Mike. A know-it-all with glasses and no notable attractiveness except for his brains, but the friendship they all shared spanned years. Despite their varying levels of popularity, they were never seen apart.


    ¡°You bunch of idiots!¡± Mike shouted, embarrassed by his friends¡¯ comments.


    ¡°Admit it. You¡¯re practically a woman. You cook, dress well, pay attention to every detail, and you¡¯re quite feminine¡­¡± Andrew continued, intending to tease Mike.


    ¡°Not to mention delicate,¡± Johnny added.


    ¡°You¡¯re the perfect man/woman for both sexes,¡± Oscar continued, further inflaming Mike¡¯s anger.


    ¡°That¡¯s how things are, my dear friend,¡± Andrew said, pushing Mike¡¯s patience to the limit as he rested his arm on his friend¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Mike retorted angrily.


    ¡°Come on, come on. We were only joking,¡± Andrew said, patting his friend on the back. ¡°By the way, Emily is celebrating her birthday tonight.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Mike raised an eyebrow skeptically.


    ¡°Well, of the four of us, as you might expect, only the two most popular ones have been invited,¡± Andrew continued, proudly pointing to himself and Johnny.


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°The thing is, Johnny already has a partner, but I haven¡¯t been able to find anyone.¡±


    ¡°After you hooked up with Emily and then ditched her for someone else, no girl at the university in her right mind would agree to go to that party with you,¡± Mike inferred, looking at his friend.


    ¡°Not just from the university, but from the city,¡± Johnny added.


    ¡°It¡¯s well known how rich her family is and how crazy she is,¡± Oscar said, twirling a finger around his temple with a whistle.


    ¡°Crazy and rich is not a good combination,¡± Johnny declared, making a negating gesture with his hands.


    ¡°Andrew¡­¡± Mike raised an eyebrow. ¡°Tell me what you want.¡±


    ¡°Remember that time in the first year of secondary school when Johnny¡¯s sister dressed you as a girl? I was just wondering if¡­ would you be my date for the party?¡± Andrew asked, joining his hands in a pleading gesture.


    One of Mike¡¯s greatest weaknesses was Diana. The girl he had secretly loved for years. A sweet, self-made woman with strong principles. But what he loved most about her was her smile. A smile that shattered every part of his body, reaching his most vital muscle, shaking every limb and weakening his legs, speeding up his heart and warming every corner of his being. A smile that made him wake up every day, making him believe in people again.


    ¡°All right,¡± Mike agreed, embarrassed, as he reluctantly took the photos from his friend¡¯s victorious and gleeful fingers.


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Mike,¡± Oscar said, covering his smiling mouth with his hand.


    ¡°Good morning, Mike,¡± a shy voice said from behind the young men.


    ¡°Good morning, Anna,¡± Mike responded to Anna¡¯s greeting as she suddenly ran off, leaving everyone stunned.


    ¡°Do you know that Anna is smitten with you?¡± Johnny broke the silence caused by Anna¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°She¡¯s known since we were in primary school, but he only has eyes for one of the most beautiful girls at the university, whom he has zero chances with. And speaking of the queen of Rome¡­¡± Oscar subtly pointed to the door through which Diana and Emily were entering.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    The two girls, renowned as the muses of ¡°1-D¡±, were known as the most beautiful in the entire faculty.


    Atlanta, the most prestigious university in the Midwest, was where the children of the world¡¯s most powerful politicians and magnates received their education.


    And at this university, despite not having a special surname or the economic level of her peers¡¯ parents, Diana, among all the girls, stood out, especially to the male students. A girl with fine features, a round face, a curvaceous figure, and ebony skin. With full lips, a feline but shy gaze, and a jet-black wavy mane, Diana was the weakness of many men at that academy.


    ¡°There¡¯s no doubt about it, zero chances, my friend,¡± Andrew muttered through gritted teeth as the girls passed by them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get on with the class,¡± the professor announced as the bell rang, signalling the students to take their seats.


    Half an hour into the class, boredom was palpable in the air. Mike, sitting two rows behind Diana, nervously fiddled with his pen, glancing from a distance at the girl who made his body falter just by her name. When he noticed that she, with a subtle turn of her head, diverted her attention to him, making their eyes meet, time seemed to stand still. A few seconds that felt eternal, during which his heart stopped beating. Those deep black eyes observed him with curiosity and a hint of mischief. A playful yet tender gaze.


    Mike wasn¡¯t sure how to react in such situations. If he kept looking, she might think he was a creep, but if he looked away, she might think he had a problem with her. However, he didn¡¯t expect the radiant smile she gave him moments later, which caused his body to freeze for a few seconds, losing control of all his limbs, and as a result, the pencil he had been playing with fell.


    ¡°Mike!¡± the professor called out at the sound of the object hitting the floor.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Mike replied, standing up from his seat, blushing.


    ¡°Caught in the act,¡± Andrew murmured, suppressing his laughter.


    ¡°Since you have time to stare at girls, why don¡¯t you solve this exercise for me?¡± the teacher asked, amid the laughter and muffled murmurs of his classmates.


    As time went by, Mike worked on the exercise while unable to stop thinking that he had no chance with Diana. That she was elegant, refined, kind, and feminine. And it was impossible that someone like her could be interested in a man who seemed incapable of dealing with even a fly.


    ¡°It¡¯s just an impossible love,¡± he convinced himself with bitterness deep in his heart as he dropped the chalk on the edge of the blackboard and began walking back to his seat, avoiding Diana¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Perfect as always,¡± the professor praised Mike as the class came to an end.


    With the chime of the twelve o''clock bell, students scattered to meet their friends and enjoy lunch in the expansive English garden provided by Atlanta¡¯s facilities.


    ¡°What are you staring at?¡± Mike asked his friends, who were sitting on a bench, eyeing him impatiently.


    ¡°You know why we¡¯re looking at you,¡± Oscar replied with a mischievous smile.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Mike retorted, avoiding their gazes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t play coy,¡± Johnny added, leaning back on his outstretched arms.


    ¡°Thankfully, I¡¯ve made more than enough this time,¡± Mike muttered after a deep sigh, opening his lunchbox to reveal its contents.


    Despite his own thoughts, Mike possessed many talents, and among them, his cooking skills stood out the most.


    Due to his father¡¯s frequent travels, Mike spent long periods alone. Although his father provided him with every comfort and large sums of money, he deemed it a waste to hire a catering service or a cook for just one person. Thus, Mike began his culinary adventures at a young age, starting with Asian cuisine and progressing to Mediterranean, eventually becoming quite a chef.


    Spanish tortilla skewers, shrimp and squid bites, spring rolls accompanied by goat cheese balls, and carefully sliced rye bread. As he did every day, Mike prepared a hearty lunch for all his friends, who, spoiled by his cooking, always left him with no food. Over time, he had learned to make extra.


    ¡°This is delicious,¡± Oscar moaned in pleasure as he tasted the food.


    ¡°The girl/guy who marries you will be very lucky,¡± Johnny teased, grabbing another piece of tortilla.


    ¡°Before I forget, come by my place around six in the evening,¡± Andrew told Mike, brushing his hands clean.


    ¡°Six o¡¯clock?¡±


    ¡°My cousin has taken a personal beauty course; she¡¯ll help make you look even more like a woman than you already do,¡± Andrew said with a mischievous grin, considering what Mike was willing to do for a few photos.


    Meanwhile, not far from the group of young men, another meeting of the opposite sex was taking place.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why that oddball Mike can¡¯t take his eyes off you. Doesn¡¯t he realize he has no chance with you, or what?¡± Emily spat with a look of disgust. ¡°He never lets anyone see his face; he even hides it behind his bangs when he¡¯s working out. Just thinking about him gives me the creeps.¡±


    ¡°To me, he seems like a very attentive and kind young man. From my perspective, he¡¯s not weird at all,¡± Anna corrected her friend as she ate an apple. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about him like that.¡±


    Anna was the epitome of angelic beauty. With golden blonde hair cut to her neck, her sky-blue eyes perfectly complemented her pale, pink skin, and her small but full lips made her look flawless. For a long time, Anna had harbored feelings for Mike; she had known him since they were children, but she had never had the courage to confess her feelings.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re going to act like this, why don¡¯t you just confess already instead of nagging us, Anna?¡± Emily leaned toward her friend, pressing her.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Emily repeated mockingly. ¡°That¡¯s because sometimes you¡¯re just as odd as he is. Too many years together with him have made you scatterbrained.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be harsh, Emily,¡± Diana interjected in a calm tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that sometimes she gets on my nerves. Let¡¯s change the subject before I get even more annoyed.¡± Emily left half-eaten apple on the bench and stood up, placing her hands on her hips. ¡°I¡¯ve talked to Derek¡­¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t¡­?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Emily answered Diana, cutting her off with a victorious smile. ¡°I told him you¡¯d be willing to go to my birthday party with him.¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯m not interested¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not interested in anyone. Yes, I know. But it¡¯s time for you to go out with a guy, girl. Besides, he¡¯s really eager to meet you. You can¡¯t turn him down.¡± She leaned in, pleading with her friend and making a pouty face.


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± Diana agreed reluctantly, knowing how stubborn Emily could be when she had an idea in her head.


    ¡Þ¡Þ¡Þ¡Þ ¡Þ¡Þ¡Þ¡Þ


    Hours passed, and the sunset lights began to appear on the horizon. As expected, Mike returned to his luxurious yet solitary, cold, and empty apartment.


    His father had embarked on another business trip, as indicated by a note left on the dining table alongside a large wad of five-hundred-euro bills. As was his custom, Mike crumpled the handwritten note and tossed it from a distance into the trash.


    In the complete darkness, he made his way to his room, turned on the desk lamp, removed his backpack and placed it on the edge of the bed, then collapsed onto the bed.


    A multitude of thoughts swirled in his mind, with the idea of dressing as a woman to accompany his best friend to a party where the girl he liked would be, feeling like the worst decision he had ever made.


    Without moving from his position, he used a hand gesture to unzip the front pocket of his backpack and retrieve the photos he had agreed to go through with this madness. As soon as his eyes made contact with Diana¡¯s images, his heart took a leap, quickly plunging him into utter sadness. For deep down, he knew that Diana was, and would never be, for him.

 CHAPTER 1: I鈥檓 a Guy! (2)

    PART 2


    The colors of the sunset reflected off the city¡¯s cluster of buildings. Still hesitant, Mike punched in the numbers forty-two on the keypad of the intercom outside the luxury apartments on Bakeford Street.


    ¡°Mike?¡± A hurried voice crackled through the speaker.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! I thought you weren¡¯t coming! Get up here before I have a heart attack!¡± Andrew shouted in a panic as the door buzzed open.


    ¡°You guys look sharp,¡± Mike remarked to his two friends, who were already dressed to the nines, as he crossed the threshold of the house.


    ¡°What can I say? Everything looks good on me,¡± Johnny boasted, running a hand through his hair.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d have the nerve not to show up,¡± Andrew scolded, surprising Mike, who wondered, ¡°Who¡¯s really doing who the favor here?¡±


    ¡°I always keep my promises,¡± Mike replied with a pout, just as he felt a hand grab him from behind. ¡°Hi, Coraline¡­¡±


    ¡°Save the chit-chat for later; we don¡¯t have time,¡± Andrew¡¯ cousin interrupted, dragging Mike down the hallway to sit him in one of the many rooms in the house.


    The place where Andrew lived was a first-class apartment with a sea view. It had an open-plan layout, except for the bedrooms located down a hallway that led to an enormous balcony. The city views from the living room were spectacular, thanks to the large glass windows that lined each wall.


    However, Andrew¡¯ life was shrouded in mystery. For as long as anyone could remember, except for Mike, his friends knew that Andrew had always lived alone in that massive house. When it came to privacy, Andrew was like a vault¡ªhe never talked about his family, let alone his past.


    Mike¡¯s face turned pale when he saw the amount of potions and gadgets Coraline was piling up on the room¡¯s desk. He had no idea what most of them were for, and they could easily pass for instruments of torture.


    ¡°Do I have everything? Extensions, silicone breasts and hips, butt padding, leg-shaping tights¡­ What else? What else¡­?¡± she muttered to herself, tapping her lower lip with her index finger in thought.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to put all that on me?¡± Mike asked, a shiver running down his spine.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m missing a few things¡­ But this will do for now. Ever since I met you, I¡¯ve been dying to make you my doll,¡± Coraline added after a long pause, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Mike asked, horrified.


    ¡°Did I say that out loud?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me,¡± Coraline waved it off nonchalantly, waving her hands as she approached him with a facial depilator, which to Mike seemed like the worst instrument he had seen in his nineteen years of life.


    ¡°I really feel sorry for Mike,¡± he heard Johnny say from behind the menacing Coraline.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave everything in your hands,¡± Andrew added, leaving the room with his companion as if they had just lost a soldier on the battlefield.


    ¡°DON¡¯T LEAVE ME ALONE!¡± Mike¡¯s desperate cry echoed from behind the closed door.


    Three and a half hours later, in the living room, aside from the silence, the only sounds were Andrew¡¯s restless leg tapping incessantly against the floor and Johnny¡¯s continuous sighs, exhausted by his friend¡¯s stressful aura.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to wrinkle it if you keep that up,¡± Johnny pointed out, nodding toward the black slim-fit suit by Pablo del Ferro that Andrew was wearing.


    ¡°I know, I know¡­ but I just don¡¯t know if this is a good idea. I mean, Mike is really feminine, but passing him off as a woman¡­ I don¡¯t know, man. My cousin isn¡¯t that good.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, I¡¯m not that good?¡± Coraline interrupted as she entered the room. ¡°I hope you take that back after seeing this¡­ he¡¯s ready.¡±


    Andrew¡¯s and Johnny¡¯s jaws dropped when Mike walked in. What they saw was completely unexpected, to the point where their hearts skipped a beat and their faces flushed.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she stunning?¡± Coraline concluded with a flamboyant smile and a great sense of satisfaction. ¡°¡­Well, I mean, stunningly beautiful.¡±


    Moments later, outside the Imperial Eleanor Hotel, the constant flow of cars and people created an overwhelming bustle. High-end cars pulled up, occupied by people dressed in designer suits and carrying couture handbags.


    At this hotel, Emily, the daughter of the well-known CEO of the Imperial Eleanor Group, was celebrating her birthday. As she did every year, Emily spared no expense when it came to throwing a good party. Her father¡¯s deep pockets allowed it, and she had to live up to her family name.


    As the guests were escorted by waiters to the designated event room, a black car remained parked at the entrance.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting out?¡± Johnny asked as he and Andrew stepped out of the SUV.


    ¡°I need to talk to him for a minute. He¡¯ll be out soon,¡± Coraline informed him, holding the arm of an embarrassed and speechless Mike.


    ¡°And where¡¯s your date?¡± Andrew asked Johnny as they leaned against one of the hotel¡¯s columns.


    ¡°She¡¯s waiting for me in the lobby. By the way¡­¡± Johnny cleared his throat before continuing, ¡°Would you like to trade dates?¡±


    ¡°Ohh,¡± Andrew raised an eyebrow with a mischievous expression.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you swung that way too.¡±


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Andrew, you know women are my world.¡±


    ¡°Then why do you want to switch dates?¡±


    ¡°You know perfectly well. I¡¯ll make more of an impact with Mike than with my date.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re way too shallow sometimes. Stop complaining¡ªat least you¡¯re with a real girl, not your best friend dressed in drag,¡± Andrew chided, watching as his friend struggled to hold back laughter at the situation.


    ¡°And finally, this is the lipstick. You just need to apply it once on your lower lip, then press your lips together a couple of times to spread it evenly. Every hour and a half or so, you¡¯ll need to touch up your makeup in the bathroom,¡± Coraline explained inside the car, slipping the lipstick into Mike¡¯s purse.


    ¡°The complicated world of women,¡± Mike sighed.


    ¡°Complicated? I¡¯m jealous that even though you¡¯re not a woman, you¡¯re prettier and more feminine than I am. Come on, get out before I fall into a deep depression.¡±


    One of Mike¡¯s perfectly shaved legs touched the ground, and all eyes outside turned toward him. He was wearing an elegant black lace dress with a V-neck, long semi-sheer sleeves to hide his toned muscles, and a high waist to create the illusion of fuller hips. Unlike what¡¯s usually worn at these kinds of events, Mike had his hair down with wavy extensions and his eyebrows perfectly done to blend in with his face. However, the only thing going through our protagonist¡¯s mind was whether he could walk more than two steps without tripping or breaking the stiletto heels of his black shoes, as a fall could be life-threatening.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± Andrew asked in a seductive tone, extending his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m nervous,¡± Mike admitted, blushing.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about; I¡¯m with you,¡± Andrew reassured him with his typical gigolo smile, his gaze piercing through Mike.


    ¡°Who the HELL do you think you¡¯re talking to, Andrew?¡± Mike snapped, smacking his friend on the head with his tiny purse.


    ¡°Sorry. For a second there, I forgot you were a guy.¡±


    ¡°Just a guy? Andrew, it¡¯s me, Mike. Your childhood friend. I¡¯ve seen you as God brought you into this world, and I know the most embarrassing and degrading things about your¡ª¡±


    ¡°Okay, I get it. I¡¯m sorry. Shall we?¡± Andrew cut him off, regaining his composure and extending his arm once more.


    Every step Mike took, guided and held by his childhood friend, felt like a sequence of images flashing through his life up to that moment, as if he were about to die. He continued to question why he had agreed to this madness, something he would never forget, especially if the girl he liked found out his true identity. But the last step, crossing the threshold that led to the party, was the one that sealed his fate. He was now standing before all his classmates and acquaintances. Moreover, he was the center of attention for most of the people in that gigantic room.


    ¡°By Monday, I¡¯ll be the talk of the whole university,¡± Andrew whispered in Mike¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so proud¡ªremember that you¡¯ve brought your best friend in drag to your ex¡¯s party,¡± Mike muttered back, holding onto his arm with a forced smile as they greeted everyone.


    ¡°Was it necessary to crush me like that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just making you see reality, as a good friend should.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s that bold girl with Andrew?¡± Emily asked, disgusted, as she sat at one of the tables with Anna.


    ¡°I have no idea. I haven¡¯t seen her around the university either,¡± Anna replied, not taking her eyes off the star couple.


    Finally, the topic of whispers was replaced by another pair making a grand entrance¡ªDiana accompanied by Derek. And although many men approached Mike with the intention of winning his heart, at that moment, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the woman he secretly loved.


    A million doubts began to surface in his mind again. He compared himself to Diana¡¯s companion¡ªa virile and muscular man, perfect for her. ¡°What could a woman like her want with someone like me?¡± ¡°Besides laughs and mockery, nothing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get us something to drink,¡± Derek said once he left Diana at the table where Emily and Anna were sitting.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she replied with a polite smile.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going with Derek?¡± Emily asked, pouncing on her friend without getting up from her seat.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have anything in common. I¡¯ll have to tell him to leave.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even given him a chance,¡± Emily added, irritated.


    ¡°He¡¯s a good guy, but I don¡¯t want anything right now.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t want to force you,¡± the redhead reluctantly conceded. ¡°But now¡­ have you seen the harpy that Andrew brought to make me jealous?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s very pretty,¡± Diana admitted after glancing over at Mike, who, upon making eye contact, blushed and quickly looked away.


    ¡°What childish behavior,¡± Emily muttered, grabbing her glass of wine and downing it in one gulp.


    ¡°Maybe he really likes her. He¡¯s a good guy; I don¡¯t think he¡¯d do something like that. After all, you were the one who cheated on him. Why would he waste his time trying to make you jealous?¡± Diana pointed out, crossing her arms.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m not a one-man woman.¡±


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t a one-woman man either until he started dating you, and it was clear he genuinely cared about you. So much so that people thought it was he who cheated on you. Not every man would do that for an unfaithful woman.¡±


    ¡°I hate your honesty,¡± Emily whispered, her expression torn between anger and disappointment as she watched Andrew, who was displaying a very close attitude with his date.


    ¡°Here you go,¡± Derek said, placing the non-alcoholic cocktail in front of Diana.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she replied with a pleasant smile, followed by a thoughtful silence. ¡°Derek.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Could we talk for a second?¡± she asked, getting up from the table.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    As Diana walked away from the table with her companion, Emily found herself unable to take her eyes off Andrew. She had always been a free and independent woman, but with him, everything was different. She had never felt anything like this for another man...


    ¡°Was I too harsh on him?¡± she murmured to Anna without looking away.


    ¡°He was a heartbreaker, and with you, he stopped being one. He treated you like a queen, and instead of appreciating it, you just threw it away. Yes, Emily. You were very harsh with him.¡±


    Maybe, just maybe, she had been too hard on him. Maybe, just maybe, she could have handled things differently. Even after humiliating him and letting people think the worst of him, he still spoke to her and respected her.


    As all these thoughts ran through her mind, tearing apart the disposable napkin she held in her fingers, Emily felt a hand violently grab her wrist.


    ¡°How could you sleep with someone else the very day we started dating?¡± a handsome young man reeking of alcohol accused her, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.


    ¡°When we started dating, I made it clear to you, Carlos. That¡¯s how things are in my life, and I don¡¯t owe you any explanations,¡± Emily retorted haughtily, trying to free her wrist from Carlos¡¯ violent grip.


    ¡°Dirty, filthy whore!¡± Carlos shouted furiously, yanking Emily to her feet and raising his free hand to hit her in a fit of rage. However, another arm quickly stopped him mid-swing.


    ¡°A man should never behave like that,¡± Andrew said with a frown, emphasizing the ¡°never¡± as he firmly held the drunk man¡¯s raised arm.


    ¡°Mind your own business,¡± Carlos replied, returning Andrew¡¯s grip with a punch under the chin that sent him straight to the floor.


    The entire room fell into a stunned silence. The fear of the guests to break the tension with any trivial sound was immense. Not only because of the tense situation, but also because the elite tended to be a gossipy crowd and didn¡¯t want to miss a single detail.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Emily rushed to Andrew¡¯s side when she saw him lying on the floor. He adjusted himself, sitting up to wipe the blood trickling from the corner of his full lips with the sleeve of his suit, paying no attention to his ex-girlfriend.


    As Carlos started to walk toward Emily, a masculine voice echoed through the room.


    ¡°Leave,¡± Mike warned the drunk man, his expression tense until he noticed Johnny, standing right in front of him, signaling with his hand to raise the pitch of his voice.


    ¡°You stay out of this too, bastard¡­!¡± Carlos shouted angrily, turning in the direction where he had heard Mike¡¯s voice. But all his anger vanished when he saw that the voice he thought belonged to a man had actually come from a stunning and beautiful woman with golden hair.


    ¡°Please, leave,¡± Mike emphasized again, this time with a feminine gesture and sweetening his tone.

 CHAPTER 1: I鈥檓 a Guy! (3)

    PART 3


    "Please, just leave," Mike emphasized again, his gesture feminine, sweetening his tone under the expectant and concerned gaze of the audience.


    "Hey, you''re looking fine. You and I could have a good time," Carlos said, flailing about, approaching Mike, whose expression grew increasingly serious with each step Carlos took toward him.


    "It seems you don''t listen to reason," the young blond declared with determination, hitching up his dress to tear it, revealing to all the garter belt he was wearing, "so I''ll have to teach you the hard way."


    Every stride Carlos took echoed in every corner of the room. The crowd was anxious for the spectacle unfolding before their eyes, a show they would gossip about for weeks, as it was clear that Carlos''s imminent actions toward Mike would be anything but kind. None of the onlookers had any intention of moving from their spots; on the contrary, they awaited the scene eagerly. All of them pulled out their high-end phones to capture on video what would circulate for weeks on social media. Such was the nature of most people today, not just the elite, but everyone.


    However, the incident they expected to criticize and make the talk of the town didn''t happen¡ªor at least, not in the way they anticipated. For when Carlos was just inches away from Mike, Mike deftly grabbed his wrist and, with agility and technique, executed a judo move that knocked Carlos out the moment he hit the floor.


    "People like you have no place in this society," Mike declared, brushing off his hands as he received the applause and cheers of the crowd.


    "You knocked the wind out of him," Johnny said to Mike after glancing at Carlos''s prone body on the floor, giving him a thumbs-up in congratulations. "I expected nothing less from a black belt in judo," he concluded, removing his jacket to place it on the nearest chair and grabbing Carlos by the collar of his shirt. "I''ll dump him by the trash, let him sort himself out there."


    All eyes were on Mike, losing sight of the two individuals seated on the floor.


    "Come with me, there''s a first-aid kit in the lobby," Emily suggested to Andrew, fearful of being rejected.


    "There''s no need..."


    "Let me thank you in some way," the young woman interrupted, extending her hand.


    Reluctantly, Andrew accepted. And as Mike watched his companion walk out the door with Emily, Diana appeared at the same entrance, a sorrowful expression on her face as she sat at one of the tables in the room.


    Doubt and fear flooded Mike''s thoughts. He didn''t know whether to approach her or simply walk away. But one thing he was sure of was that this was an opportunity he couldn''t let slip by. So, with hesitant steps, he approached the table where Diana was sitting alone.


    "Forgive my boldness, but are you alright? You don''t look well," Mike asked, mustering all the courage he could, not forgetting to soften his voice.


    "Aren''t you Andrew''s date?" she replied.


    "Yes..." Mike nodded, sitting in the chair to the right of the young woman, feeling as if a dagger had been driven into the center of his ego.


    "People are so complicated," Diana murmured after a few seconds of silence that felt eternal to Mike, "sometimes I don''t understand why I have to accept everything that''s imposed on me."


    Meanwhile, in the hotel lobby, at one of the fountains in the corner of the vast entrance hall, Emily was tending to Andrew''s wounds.


    "There was no need for you to do that for me," Emily said, cleaning the cut on his lip with a cotton swab.


    After a year apart, it was the first time Emily had spoken to and been alone with Andrew. And as she feared, her heart still raced at his slightest presence, his slightest breath, his subtle yet deep voice.


    "If it had been someone else, I would have reacted the same way," Andrew expressed, grimacing each time the cotton touched his lower lip.


    "Andrew... do you still have feelings for me?"


    "How could I not, Emily?" Andrew retorted angrily, pulling away from her, resting his arms on his thighs. "You still think you''re the last bottle of water in the desert."


    "Since we broke up, I haven''t seen you with any other girl."


    "More like since you cheated on me," he corrected, a shadowed expression on his face, looking directly into her eyes. "But you''re wrong, the person I brought is my partner, and I''m very happy with her. I could even tell you she''s the best thing that¡¯s ever happened to me."


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Andrew ended the conversation by getting up from the edge of the fountain to leave, but Emily grabbed his wrist, stopping him in his tracks; he reacted by pulling his hand away.


    "We both know that girl isn''t your girlfriend. She must be some friend you brought to make me jealous," Emily yelled desperately as she watched Andrew walk away from her.


    After so much time, young Emily had a chance to fix things with him, and she wasn¡¯t going to let that chance slip away, so she started to chase after him.


    "Even though society imposes certain behaviors and customs, it''s up to us to choose whether to follow that path, even if it goes against established norms," Mike replied to Diana, finally managing to untangle the knot in his stomach, only for it to reform when he saw the sweet smile Diana gave him in return.


    "Thank you for trying to cheer me up. What''s your name?"


    "Mik...Micaela."


    For the first time in five years, he was able to have a conversation with the girl he liked, but the scene was not as he had imagined; it was much worse. He was dressed as a woman, and Diana thought he was his best friend''s date. Could the situation get any worse? He believed not... however, a familiar hand grabbed his wrist, pulling him from his seat to kiss him in front of everyone.


    The entire room fell silent, stunned by the sight before them.


    Johnny, witnessing the scene from just a few meters away, spat out all the champagne in his mouth; Emily, still pursuing Andrew, stood frozen, speechless; Diana, sitting beside Mike, though surprised, smiled sweetly; but Mike, above all Mike, was petrified. After a few seconds that felt like an eternity, he felt his childhood friend''s hand, his loyal companion, press his chest against his with passion.


    Andrew''s tongue moved inside Mike''s mouth like a worm inside a sweet apple. Their saliva mixed, creating an image not suitable for all audiences.


    Mike''s body remained there, but his soul had already left him, watching everything from a distance as if it were a macabre movie in which he was the protagonist, the actor paying for everyone else''s mistakes. He would have preferred, truly, to have died than to be the architect of this "bromance" scene in front of the woman who held his heart. In front of Diana, right in front of her...


    How would she see him now? How could he possibly explain this completely out-of-context situation? How could he ever look her in the eyes again?


    As Andrew slowly pulled his moist lips away from Mike''s immobilized "corpse," he firmly grasped his hand, turning to address the onlookers, focusing mainly on Emily, who remained frozen in place.


    "Now I¡¯m happy, Emily, and without a doubt, she''s the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with," Andrew shouted with all his might, his expression unreadable.


    But Mike, aware that Diana was still beside him, refused to look at her, and thought that if he ever had any intention of confessing his feelings, now, more than ever, he would never, ever be able to do it.


    ¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò


    Two days had passed since that incident, and poor Mike hadn¡¯t managed to get a wink of sleep all weekend. The bags hanging under his beautiful, delicate eyes were alarmingly pronounced. As he walked through the university hallway, his posture increasingly resembled that of a zombie, absent from everything around him.


    "Come here, my dear Mike," Oscar grabbed his arm, pulling him to a corner of the classroom where everyone was gathered. "I heard about the magnificent kiss you shared over the weekend.""You really went too far doing that in front of the girl Mike likes," Johnny admonished Andrew.


    "I''m sorry. I got caught up in Emily''s nonsense and lost my head," Andrew apologized, running a hand through his hair nervously, his expression a mix of shame and seriousness.


    "Well, I''d say you even enjoyed it," Johnny teased, playfully nudging Andrew with his elbow.


    "Stop talking nonsense," Andrew replied.


    "It doesn¡¯t matter," Mike added, his head down, eyes fixed on the floor. "I had zero chances with Diana before, and now even less, since I can''t show my face without her knowing I was the girl kissed at the party."


    He ended the conversation, leaving his friends behind as he walked out of the classroom, even more depressed than before.


    "Dude, you really went too far this time. Sometimes I think you have feelings for Mike with the way you act," Johnny playfully suggested to Andrew.


    "Of course I have feelings for him," Andrew responded, causing a deep silence to fall over everyone. "We¡¯ve known each other since we were in diapers; he¡¯s gotten me out of a lot of trouble throughout my life, and he¡¯s like a brother to me. A kiss on the mouth doesn¡¯t mean anything."


    He commented to the guys as he headed to his seat, hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable.


    "Cold," Oscar remarked.


    "I know," Johnny agreed, shivering as if from a chill.


    Mike wandered aimlessly through the gardens of Atlanta. He didn¡¯t know where he wanted to go, but he was aware that he longed to be alone, to escape the chatter of people and the laughter, though innocent, of his classmates. His heart felt heavy, his mind overwhelmed, and his body exhausted. He just wanted to disappear like mist, unseen, unjudged... but a sweet, familiar voice snapped him out of his daze.


    Peeking around the corner, he saw Diana, absorbed in her book, pacing back and forth. She looked as beautiful as ever, especially that day, as she wore a pair of magnificent glasses that made her look even more refined, a look he had never seen on her before.


    "Why is she reviewing algebra alone?" Mike wondered, hiding around the corner.


    That¡¯s when he noticed the soil falling near Diana''s feet. Following the trail, he quickly realized it was from a flowerpot falling from the second floor, heading straight for her.


    "Watch out!" Mike shouted, throwing himself at Diana to push her out of the flowerpot¡¯s path, which grazed his head before shattering on the ground. "Are you okay?"


    Diana heard a voice as she felt someone push her to the ground. Slowly and still aching from the impact, she opened her eyes to see Mike hovering over her, his face filled with concern.


    "Yes. Are you?" Diana replied with difficulty.


    "Yeah, I''m just a bit dizzy," he responded, touching his head as a trickle of blood began to stream down his forehead. "I¡­"


    "You''re bleeding!" Diana exclaimed, worried, jumping up to tend to Mike. She lifted his bangs with one hand, seeing the concerned expression on his face for the first time. "Micaela?" she asked, her voice filled with confusion and shock.

 CHAPTER 2: Why me? (1)

    <h3 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 2: Why me?


    PART 1


    After years of avoiding letting Diana see his face, and after everything that happened at the party, two days later, through a series of incidents, she finally discovered his face.


    Mike''s heart was racing, his hands and legs trembling, and his vision was becoming increasingly blurred. However, he wasn¡¯t sure if these sensations were due to the blow he¡¯d received or because the girl he¡¯d been in love with for five years had recognized him. The answer became clear seconds later when he lost consciousness and collapsed onto Diana.


    ¡°Diana¡­¡± Mike muttered, slowly opening his eyes and glimpsing an unrecognizable dark figure.


    ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to be her age, I¡¯m not her. For someone so small, she¡¯s got a lot of strength to carry a person like you,¡± the dark figure responded, moving away from the bed where Mike lay. ¡°She seemed quite worried about you. It¡¯s just a superficial injury, but you should go to the hospital for a more thorough check-up.¡±


    When Mike finally grasped the situation, he tried to sit up on the edge of the bed.


    It seemed that after he lost consciousness, Diana had carried him, alone, to the university¡¯s infirmary. And most importantly, to him, she had unfortunately seen his face¡ªthe face that had always made him feel so insecure.


    "She¡¯s seen my face. What will she think of me now? How do I explain this?" Mike thought as he sat on the bed.


    For a moment, it felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders, but he wouldn¡¯t let that negative feeling get the better of him. So, he decided that no matter how it might sound, he would tell her the whole truth after class.


    However, despite making decisions that could change our lives, it sometimes seems that fate is against us. When Mike arrived in class, Diana was already gone, and she didn¡¯t reappear for the rest of the day, ending the school day with the ringing of the university bell.


    ¡°They already told us about your heroics with Diana,¡± Johnny said, turning to Mike.


    ¡°Are you alright, man?¡± Andrew asked him.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Mike replied, dropping his head onto the table and covering it with his arms.


    ¡°With that move, you must have moved up a couple of spots on her list of suitors,¡± Oscar added, slipping in behind his friend.


    ¡°It was all for nothing because she saw my face. Who knows what she thinks of me now? I wanted to talk to her, but¡­¡± Mike responded, glancing at Diana¡¯s empty desk.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. The world isn¡¯t what it used to be. At most, she might think you¡¯re a guy who likes to cross-dress,¡± Oscar said, trying to calm Mike with a few pats on the back, though the situation had clearly overwhelmed him. ¡°Though after the party, she might even think you¡¯re gay, dating your best friend, and into cross-dressing.¡±


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Oscar added this without any malice, moving back and forth just before Johnny elbowed him, indicating that he wasn¡¯t helping.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry too much about it. If you explain it to her, I think she¡¯ll understand,¡± Johnny tried to console him, though with a mischievous smile he struggled to hide.


    From their seats, Emily and Anna approached the group.


    ¡°Diana told us you were in the infirmary. Are you feeling better?¡± Anna asked, her characteristic shyness showing whenever she was near the boy she liked.


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± Mike affirmed with a slightly forced smile, as he wasn¡¯t really in the mood to smile at all.


    ¡°Guys, this Wednesday, we¡¯re going to the arcade to spend the afternoon. Hope you can join us, and¡­¡± Emily started before turning to Andrew. ¡°¡­if you want to bring your supposed girlfriend, I¡¯d be more than happy.¡±


    She delivered this with a wicked smile and a superior attitude, waiting for Andrew¡¯s response, while Mike made frantic gestures, trying to keep his friend from falling into her trap.


    ¡°She and I would be delighted to go,¡± Andrew confirmed, playing along with the seductive redhead.


    ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll all have a great time together. Just to be clear, you two¡±¡ªpointing at Mike and Oscar¡ª¡°are also invited. That way, Diana and Anna won¡¯t be alone.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to make it. Something came up at the last minute,¡± Mike said, glaring at Andrew, who pretended not to notice.


    ¡°Well, after class, we¡¯ll head there directly if that works for you,¡± Emily confirmed, ignoring Mike¡¯s comment.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Johnny said with a smile.


    ¡°Of course?¡± Mike asked sarcastically, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Shut up¡­¡± Oscar muttered, covering Mike¡¯s mouth with his hand to stop him from saying more.


    ¡°Mike, right?¡± Emily asked, heading to her desk to grab some papers before returning with them. ¡°The professor gave me the assignment Diana needs to do. The problem is, I have a meeting with my dad today, and Anna has extra classes. And if I¡¯m not mistaken, Diana mentioned you live near her house.¡±


    ¡°Diana mentioned that?¡± Mike repeated, surprised.


    ¡°Yes. One day on her way home, she saw you entering your apartment¡ªor at least she thought it was you,¡± the redhead responded, placing the photocopies on Mike¡¯s desk.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know where she lives.¡±


    With frustration, Emily grabbed a pen from Mike¡¯s half-open pencil case and wrote, without permission, in one of his open notebooks.


    ¡°Here¡¯s her address. Well, we¡¯re off now,¡± Emily said, shooting a threatening look at Andrew before leaving with Anna.


    ¡°Bye, guys,¡± Anna said as she was dragged away by her stubborn companion.


    ¡°Now you have a chance to clear things up,¡± Johnny said excitedly.


    ¡°How? Do you think he can tell Emily¡¯s best friend that he dressed up to accompany Andrew to the party?¡± Oscar reproached, lowering his voice carefully so no one outside the group could hear.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem like the type to go spreading secrets around,¡± Johnny added.


    ¡°But even so¡­¡± Oscar persisted, worried.


    ¡°Mike, I know I¡¯m asking a lot¡­¡± Andrew approached his friend with a contrite expression, knowing what it meant for his companion to go along with his game¡ªor rather, his whims.


    ¡°You¡¯re forcing him to lie to the person he likes. Sorry, but I can¡¯t agree with you this time,¡± Johnny reprimanded Andrew while he kept his gaze locked with Mike¡¯s.


    ¡°I promise it won¡¯t be for long,¡± Andrew assured Mike as he saw him starting to give in.

 CHAPTER 2: Why me? (2)

    PART 2


    The rays of the sun marked the passage of time. The city shimmered with the familiar colors of sunset as Mike walked through a little-known neighborhood.


    With Emily¡¯s directions clutched in one hand and a strong sense of direction, the young man arrived at an old apartment block that looked as if it might collapse at any moment.


    Mike knew that Diana had managed to get into the university thanks to one of the few scholarships Atlanta awards every five years, but he was unaware of her family¡¯s economic situation.


    ¡°2B, 2B, 2B¡­¡± he repeated to himself as he climbed the stairs of the old building.


    When he reached the door indicated by his classmate¡¯s intricate map, he hesitated to knock, feeling that, like in the story of the three little pigs, a mere puff of air might cause the door to give way. Nevertheless, with careful movements, he knocked on the door, and after a few seconds, a pair of black eyes peeked out from the frame.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± the boy asked suspiciously, not fully opening the door.


    ¡°Good afternoon, I¡¯m a classmate of Diana¡¯s. I¡¯ve come to drop off her homework.¡±


    ¡°A classmate? How do I know you¡¯re telling the truth, especially since you¡¯re a man?¡± the boy questioned skeptically, still not revealing his full face.


    ¡°Look at my uniform. That should be enough.¡±


    ¡°And who¡¯s to say you didn¡¯t steal or copy my sister¡¯s school uniform to come here and do something depraved to her?¡±


    Despite the childishness of the boy, there was something sweet and very familiar about him. His unruly hair, those deep black eyes, and those defined features with subtle touches¡ªMike had seen them somewhere before... though that vivid imagination of his was a bit concerning.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re Diana¡¯s brother?¡± Mike asked with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you in if you give me your ID,¡± the boy said, extending an arm and indicating that Mike should place it in his hand.


    Mike wondered whether the universe had conspired to ensure that the most surreal things happened to him, or if it was simply a twist of fate. However, after a deep sigh, he pulled out his wallet and handed over his ID. Once the boy had it in his hands, he slammed the door right in Mike¡¯s face, only to open it fully a few minutes later, much to Mike¡¯s astonishment.


    ¡°You can come in,¡± the boy said, inviting him inside.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mike replied politely, stepping cautiously into the house.


    Once inside, he finally realized that this boy, no older than eight, was the spitting image of Diana¡ªonly in male form. Yet, something else caught his attention even more: the boy had a recent cut on the lower part of his lip.


    ¡°My name is Zedd. I¡¯m Diana¡¯s younger brother. I¡¯ve taken a photo of your ID just in case. If you try anything with my sweet sister, I¡¯ll go straight to the police,¡± Zedd informed him seriously as he returned the ID. ¡°She¡¯s cleaning the living room. Second door on the right.¡±


    As Mike walked through the apartment, he noticed the state of the house. At first glance, it was clear that it hadn¡¯t been renovated in years, with peeling paint in some corners and large cracks in others, indicating the wear and tear of the place. He didn¡¯t want to jump to conclusions based on what his eyes saw, but it seemed that Diana¡¯s family might fall into a lower-middle economic class.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    However, all those thoughts that raced through his mind like foam vanished in an instant when he reached the archway leading to the living room and saw, with his blue eyes, the most delightful scene imaginable¡­ seeing the girl he liked, dressed in simple shorts and a small top; wearing enormous headphones that doubled the size of her small head, mop in hand, cleaning the room to the rhythm of music that only she could hear.


    Sometimes she slid around with the mop, other times she sensually swayed her graceful curves, and other times she simply sang at the top of her lungs. And although it was the funniest and simplest performance his eyes had ever witnessed, the quickening of his heartbeat, along with the blush on his cheeks, perfectly revealed how he felt in that moment: simply elated.


    ¡°How long have you been there?¡± Diana asked, completely flushed, as her eyes widened in surprise at seeing Mike in the living room.


    ¡°Not¡­ long.¡± Although that was a complete lie. ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t mean to disturb you.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting any visitors.¡± After five minutes, she approached Mike, who was seated at the table, with two glasses of water in hand.


    ¡°I just came to drop off your homework and the handouts from the last few classes,¡± he informed her, clumsily pulling the sheets from his backpack.


    ¡°Usually, Emily or Anna brings them to me.¡±


    ¡°Emily had a meeting with her father, and Anna had extra classes. Since I live nearby, Emily asked me to do it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much. It¡¯s curious¡ªbesides them and Andrew, no one else from class knows where I live.¡±


    For a moment, Mike wondered how Andrew could know where Diana lived, but quickly concluded that it must have been during the time he was dating Emily.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Mike asked, concerned, as he sipped from the glass of water.


    ¡°Yes, why?¡±


    ¡°Since you missed the last few classes¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, that. The one who opened the door is my little brother, Zedd. We live with my mother in this run-down apartment. Despite having a frail constitution, my mother works day and night to pay for our education. So, if something happens, I take care of my brother until she gets home from work.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Mike replied, unsure of what else to say.


    A deep, awkward silence fell between them. He continued drinking from his glass awkwardly, while she looked everywhere but at the boy in front of her.


    ¡°I¡­¡± they both began at the same time.


    ¡°You go ahead,¡± Diana said, fidgeting in her chair.


    ¡°No, you first.¡±


    ¡°This morning I couldn¡¯t¡­ but I wanted to tell you that I¡¯m not going to tell Emily that you¡¯re a guy.¡±


    ¡°Diana, I¡­¡± Mike continued with some difficulty, unsure of where to begin. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to think badly of me.¡±


    ¡°Not at all!¡± she interrupted him. ¡°On the contrary, I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re hiding the fact that you¡¯re a guy from Emily¡­ although, now that I think about it, it¡¯s probably better she doesn¡¯t know. She wouldn¡¯t understand why Andrew would have turned gay after dating her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ well¡­¡±


    ¡°Mike¡­¡± she said his name after another long silence. ¡°You¡¯re the person who gets the best grades in class. I know it¡¯s very sudden to ask you this, since we¡¯ve barely spoken, but for that very reason, I¡¯d like to ask¡­ if you could tutor me in algebra and drawing? I¡¯m really bad at those subjects, and I don¡¯t want my average to drop. I¡¯d love to attend extra classes, but I can¡¯t afford those prices, and I don¡¯t want to add more burdens to my mother than she already has.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be happy to help. I can come over every afternoon if you¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a bother, especially not every afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Besides my judo classes and the occasional study session, I have plenty of free time.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much,¡± Diana said with a radiant smile that made Mike¡¯s heart literally skip a beat.


    Just then, a little rascal came darting into the living room, waving something around like it was a victory flag.


    ¡°I found it! Sis, I found the necklace!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Zedd! If I had lost it, I don¡¯t know what I would have done,¡± Diana said, lovingly stroking her brother¡¯s face.


    From the chain that Diana held and looked at with extreme delight, a teardrop-shaped pendant in a sky-blue hue hung. It seemed like an ornament meant to complement another piece or that it was missing a part, but it was truly beautiful. However, Mike couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the pendant seemed very familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before but couldn¡¯t quite remember where.

 CHAPTER 2: Why me? (3)

    PART 3


    Night was beginning to fall as Emily entered her father¡¯s office, located on the top floor of one of the "Imperial Leonor" buildings.


    "I''m here," the young woman announced as she walked through the door.


    "We agreed to meet an hour ago," her father reminded her, ending a phone conversation.


    "I had to get out of that ugly uniform."


    "You''re not in that prestigious university to show off your outfits but to become a person of value," Alfred retorted, rising from his leather chair and walking toward his daughter.


    "You don''t care about anything I do."


    "Don''t care? Do you think I''m unaware of the scandal one of your many boy toys caused? All I ask is that you don''t tarnish our family¡¯s good name. When you started dating Andrew, I had the faint hope that you were finally settling down," Alfred said, standing before his daughter with irritation, rubbing his hand over his face. "But your irresponsibility overpowered your common sense, causing you to lose the only decent guy who¡¯s ever been in your life."


    "It seems you only pay attention to me when I cause scandals. Maybe I should set the tabloids on fire with gossip about me just to remind you that, besides work, you also have a daughter."


    Emily was an attractive young woman. With her long legs, a slender yet curvaceous figure, deep black eyes, and dark hair tipped with blue, she easily caught the attention of men. However, the one attention she craved most¡ªthat of her father¡ªremained out of reach. After her parents separated, her father threw himself entirely into his work, unknowingly relegating his daughter to a distant third place in his life.


    "Life isn¡¯t all about you, Emily. You live so comfortably because of my work," Alfred responded, crossing his arms.


    "I wonder how people would react if the heir to the Leonor hotel chain, at just nineteen years old, got pregnant¡­ that kind of gossip would keep your attention on me for weeks," she said with a malicious smile, looking at her father, only to be met with a slap.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "Prepare my car," Alfred ordered after looking at his daughter with disappointment and pressing the intercom on his desk.


    Without another glance at her, Emily¡¯s father put on his jacket and began to walk toward the exit. But before leaving, he stopped right beside her.


    "You haven¡¯t matured at all¡ªwhat a disappointment," he said, continuing on his way, leaving Emily alone with tears welling up in her eyes, clutching the cheek that still burned from her father¡¯s slap.


    ¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò


    Meanwhile, Mike arrived home, and unlike most days, the light in Charles''s office was on.


    "Hey, Dad."


    "Hello, Mike. How was class?" Charles asked without lifting his eyes from the documents in his hands.


    "Nothing new."


    "Dinner¡¯s in the microwave," he informed, still not looking up at his son.


    "Thanks," Mike replied, closing the office door and heading to his room. He dropped his backpack on the floor and collapsed onto the bed.


    Mike wasn¡¯t entirely bothered by his father¡¯s attitude toward him. After his mother¡¯s death, Charles, much like Alfred, had thrown himself into his work. Despite his attempts to pay enough attention to his son, his efforts often missed the mark.


    "Things have only gotten more complicated," Mike thought as he stared at the ceiling, recalling the conversation with Diana. "Why does everything happen to me?"


    As his mind replayed his memories with Diana, his thoughts fixated on one specific image: the necklace that her ¡°creative¡± little brother had brought.


    "That shape¡­ I¡¯ve seen it somewhere before."


    ¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò


    The streetlights illuminated the corners of the vast city, casting a strong glow in the night. In Andrew''s luxurious apartment, all the lights were off except for those in the master bathroom and his bedroom.


    As was his routine most nights, Andrew was getting ready to go out. After finishing up in the walk-in closet, he stepped into his bedroom for the final touches. He paused in front of one of the dressers, carefully picking up an earring that lay beside an old photo of him as a child, standing next to a dark-skinned girl of the same age.


    Before fastening the red earring, shaped like a curved teardrop of jade, he gazed at it fondly, a sweet smile playing on his lips. With that, he grabbed the jacket draped over a chair and left his apartment, ready for another night out.

 CHAPTER 3: A Soup of Feelings (1)

    <h2 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 3: A Soup of Feelings</h2>


    PART 1


    ¡°Get out of our town, you black girl!¡± a boy, about nine years old, yelled at a young Diana of the same age, pulling her hair.


    ¡°We don''t want people like you here!¡± shouted the boy''s friend, who was also harassing Diana.


    ¡°My grandfather was born here; I have the same rights as you!¡± she retorted, trying to push him off.


    ¡°If you won''t listen, we''ll have to force you and your mother to leave,¡± he threatened, pulling her hair even harder.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± she screamed in pain, closing her eyes as the anguish suddenly disappeared.


    When she opened her eyes, she saw that the boy who had been pulling her hair was lying on the ground, clutching one side of his face with tears in his eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever lay a hand on her again,¡± a third boy, who had stepped between Diana and the bullies, warned them.


    When the boy who had been watching his friend bully Diana charged at her protector to punch him, the protector ducked, dodging the attack, and then delivered an upward kick to the bully¡¯s chin, sending him crashing to the ground.


    ¡°But what are you doing? Don¡¯t you know who he is? He¡¯s from the Lambard family. Do you want to get killed?¡± the boy grabbed his friend before he could go at him again. ¡°We¡¯d better get out of here.¡±


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Diana asked the boy who had saved her as he got up from the ground.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding from your lip! And that¡¯s not even from now!¡± the young girl shouted as she moved closer to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°No matter how good you are at fighting, it¡¯s not always the best solution.¡±


    ¡°What movie did you hear that in?¡±


    ¡°Movie? None, it¡¯s mine,¡± she responded, embarrassed that he had caught her. ¡°What I mean is, I don¡¯t like seeing you fight, and I¡¯d like you to promise me that unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary, you won¡¯t raise your fist.¡±


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that easy.¡±


    ¡°Promise me.¡± She held out her pinky finger, moving even closer to him.


    ¡°Alright.¡± After a deep sigh, avoiding Diana¡¯s gaze, her friend agreed to the promise. Suddenly, he felt her body press against his, wrapping him in a hug until they both fell to the ground.


    ¡°Finally, you¡¯re on vacation. I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡±


    ¡°And I missed you, Andrew.¡±


    When a repetitive sound and several flashes woke Diana from her deep sleep, she saw her brother with a camera in hand.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± the young girl with jet-black hair asked, opening one eye.


    ¡°You caught me.¡±


    ¡°Taking pictures of me while I¡¯m sleeping again?¡±


    ¡°Guilty. You¡¯re just so beautiful, sis.¡± Zedd approached her to show the photos he had taken. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you haven¡¯t become a model.¡±


    ¡°Little brother, besides beauty, you need height, which I lack.¡±


    ¡°There are not only runway models; you could also be a photographic model. One day, I¡¯ll become a model and be world-famous, and with what I earn, I¡¯ll buy you and mom everything you want.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s if you reach at least one meter eighty, though with mom¡¯s genetics¡­¡± She stopped mid-sentence when she saw her brother¡¯s tearful eyes. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding, I¡¯m just kidding. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll make it.¡±


    She ended up cheering up her brother when Diana¡¯s deep, dark eyes filled with tears. When Zedd saw her, he sadly understood the reason for her anguish.


    ¡°Have you dreamt about that guy again?¡±


    ¡°Yes. How do you know?¡± she asked, wiping her tears.


    ¡°Whenever you dream about him, you wake up sad.¡±


    ¡°The accident made me forget important things,¡± she replied after a long silence, staring into space. ¡°Every time I dream about him, it feels like my heart is hurting.¡±


    ¡°If we hadn¡¯t moved to the city after that, there might have been a chance that guy would recognize you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s been many years since then.¡±


    ¡°By the way, that guy from the other day. The one who looked like a ghost with his hair in his face.¡± Zedd gestured with his hands after sitting next to his sister on the bed. ¡°Wasn¡¯t he the guy you talked about so much?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was him.¡±


    ¡°Are you finally friends? Mom says that since we arrived, you¡¯ve never talked about guys until you met him. She thinks you like him, and honestly¡­ I think so too. Although I know you could find a better match because now that I know him, I don¡¯t know, sis¡­ he¡¯s a bit odd.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if I wanted something with him, I¡¯d never have a chance unless he was a guy.¡±


    ¡°A guy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a guy.¡±


    ¡°IS HE GAY?¡±


    ¡°Why are you shouting?¡± Diana nervously covered his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sis.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so upset?¡±


    ¡°For a guy you like at eighteen who¡¯s gay.¡±


    Diana looked at her little brother in silence with affection. She couldn¡¯t ask for a better companion and friend than him. Even though he was just a child, Zedd had had to mature quickly due to life''s circumstances. And thank God, they always had a great bond. Suddenly, a loud growl from the boy¡¯s stomach pulled her out of her thoughts.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    ¡°A little.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯s in the kitchen. Let¡¯s go.¡± The young girl got up, followed by her brother, bouncing towards the kitchen.

 CHAPTER 3: A Soup of Feelings (2)

    PART 2


    The sound of the bell marked the end of classes. Mike and Emily''s group was gathered in the hallway.


    "Shall we all head to the entrance? I''ve arranged to meet Adri¨¢n there," Emily suggested.


    "Another one to add to your list?" Andrew chided her without looking at her.


    "And if it were so, do you have a problem with that?" She turned to him with a provocative expression.


    "Not at all, you''re free to date whoever you want," he replied, looking directly into her eyes.


    "Well, guys, things are getting a bit heated," Johnny tried to calm the situation by stepping between the ex-couple.


    "True," Oscar agreed, grabbing Mike by the arm. "About what you said, it''s better if we all meet at the entrance. We have something to do."


    "Fine," Emily responded after a few seconds of silence, raising an eyebrow. However, as she and Anna began to walk away, Emily noticed that Diana wasn''t moving.


    "Aren''t you coming?" she asked.


    "I''ll see you in a bit. I need to grab some things from the teachers'' lounge," Diana replied with a forced smile.


    As the girls walked away, a sepulchral silence settled over the group when Diana, instead of heading where she had mentioned, turned to face the boys and stared at them.


    "Is something wrong?" Oscar asked without letting go of his friend.


    "Aren''t you going to dress Mike as a girl?" she asked, pointing at the person in question.


    "How much do you know?" Oscar countered with a mafioso expression.


    "You dress Mike as a girl so that Emily won''t know Andrew is dating a guy."


    "They¡¯re dating?" Johnny blurted out, covering his mouth before bursting into laughter along with Oscar, while Mike sighed in frustration and Andrew played dumb.


    "Yeah, true..." Andrew confirmed before pointing at her. "But why are you staying here?"


    "Do any of you know how to do a woman''s makeup?" she asked, squinting at each of them in turn without receiving any answer.


    Ten minutes later, in one of Atlanta''s three gym buildings, Mike was already dressed in the clothes Andrew'' cousin had lent him. However, unlike last time when she could help them out, this time she was working, so she had to write down all the instructions and guidelines to transform her friend into a woman. Fortunately, Diana was already aware, and by taking charge, they didn''t have to deal with such a tedious and complicated task.


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    "Now we just need to do your makeup," Diana informed Mike, who was sitting on the bench as she tied her hair up in a high ponytail due to the heat caused by her hair.


    Johnny swallowed hard as he watched her, unable to take his eyes off the woman in front of him.


    "There''s nothing better than a woman with long hair, her nape exposed by a high ponytail, with drops of sweat on her neck," he voiced his thoughts aloud, followed by Oscar and Andrew'' nods of agreement as they watched her for the same reason.


    The young woman began to approach Mike to paint his thin but red lips. The intoxicating scent emanating from Diana awakened all of the blonde boy''s senses. Having her so close, he couldn''t stop staring at her, thinking that even being so near, she looked just as, if not more, beautiful; that her lips, coated in a moisturizing balm, were full and temptingly kissable... Mike hadn''t realized that while these thoughts were wandering through his mind, his eyes had fixed on Diana''s mouth, and when she looked at him, Mike, trying not to get caught by Diana, their eyes met just inches from each other. Both instantly blushed and quickly looked away, searching for the first thing they could find in the room.


    "All done," Diana added, trying to break the awkwardness as she closed the mascara.


    "Honestly, it''s a shame you''re not a woman. You''d be all mine," Johnny said, his eyes scanning his friend''s entire body.


    "That''s disturbing," Andrew remarked, frowning at Johnny.


    "Don''t be so hard on him, it''s not his fault he''s more attractive as a woman than as a man," Oscar commented with a grin.


    "Stop teasing him!" Diana scolded them to make them be quiet.


    "We''re sorry, Diana," Johnny and Oscar apologized, trying to be polite.


    "There''s nothing wrong with being androgynous. At Carnival, you could dress up as whatever you like without needing much," Diana added innocently, without any malice, but Mike''s friends burst into laughter, even falling to the ground from laughing so hard.


    Fifteen minutes later, they all headed to the entrance where Anna and Emily were waiting with Adri¨¢n.


    "Where were you?" Emily asked Diana, irritated by the delay.


    "When I was leaving the teachers'' lounge, I saw the guys who told me they were going to find Micaela. So, I went with them."


    "Hello," Mike greeted the girls, pitching his voice as best he could.


    "Let''s hurry, we still have a long way to go," Emily responded, turning her face away from "the girl" she believed her ex was dating, giving her the cold shoulder.


    "But the arcade is just around the corner," Diana pointed out.


    "I''d rather go to the amusement park. They opened one this month in the town where you used to live," Emily told Diana excitedly, taking her hands.


    "In Gers?" Diana asked, thinking she hadn''t heard correctly.


    "Yes. I thought you''d like to go back after ten years," Emily replied with a smile.


    "Don''t change the plans to suit yourself," Andrew interjected, hands in his pockets, standing next to Mike.


    "Why are you getting upset? It''s only twenty minutes by car. Anyway, let''s go, guys," Emily concluded, starting to walk in front of Andrew, swaying her hips from side to side to get his attention.


    "Are you from Gers?" Andrew asked, looking ahead as Diana was about to start walking.


    "Yes, why?"


    "Did you move here ten years ago?"


    "Yes."


    "I see," Andrew finished, more serious than usual, and started walking, forcing Diana to follow behind him.

 CHAPTER 3: A Soup of Feelings (3)

    PART 3


    The whole group was gathered at the entrance of the amusement park. And although the lively atmosphere of the place was pleasant, the tension between them was palpable.


    "After so long, you''re finally back in your hometown," Emily mentioned to Diana, trying to cut through the tension. "Are you happy?"


    "Yes... although for me, it''s like I''ve never been here."


    "Why''s that?" Johnny asked, intrigued.


    "For no particular reason... Who wants some tiger nuts?" Diana started walking, playing dumb, while Andrew watched her with uncertainty.


    "Where should we go first?" Emily asked, opening the park map pamphlet.


    "To the haunted house!" Andrew, Oscar, Johnny, and Mike shouted excitedly.


    "Mmm... I know you''re obsessed with horror," Emily said, pointing to Andrew with a perfect eighty-euro manicure, "but what about you guys?"


    "Whenever we go to a fair, the first thing we do is go to the haunted house," Oscar informed her.


    "If they have one, of course. It''s become a tradition for us," Johnny added.


    "With the little time you''ve spent together," she said, pointing to Micaela, "you even do the nerdy stuff Andrew''s group does?"


    "What can we say, we''re made for each other, Emily," Andrew teased his ex-girlfriend, placing his hands on Mike''s shoulders, who tensed up immediately. "Got a problem with that?"


    "Not at all," she replied, hiding her disgust. "Well, if everyone agrees, let''s go to the haunted house."


    "The haunted house? Emily, you know I''m terrified of those things," Diana whispered close to her ear so no one else could hear as they walked.


    "Don''t be scared; it''s just people in costumes using lots of pyrotechnics and props. Besides, I can use the opportunity to make Andrew jealous."


    "¡­Why don''t you just let it go? He has a girlfriend."


    "People can say what they want, but I know this whole thing is a sham."


    "You never give up," Diana sighed deeply.


    "That''s something good I inherited from my father."


    Once the group entered the haunted house, the props, the eerie sounds, along with the occasional fire or well-placed light, lived up to the young people''s expectations.


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    Emily kept her word about making Andrew jealous, screaming in fear and clinging to her companion like a limpet. However, the loudest screams, which could have been heard two hundred meters away, were Diana''s, who, without realizing it, was gripping Andrew''s arms tightly.


    "I... I... I''m sorry," the trembling young woman apologized, letting go when she noticed her grip.


    "Don''t worry," he reassured her with a seriousness that was unusual for the notorious "gigolo."


    "Do you want to leave?" Mike asked Diana, noticing how her hands were trembling. "We can wait outside if you don''t like this kind of thing."


    As always, Mike was a sweetheart. That''s why Diana liked him. She had always watched him from a distance, seeing how selfless and kind he was to the people around him without expecting anything in return. Despite seeming like someone easy to socialize with, Diana always sensed that Mike felt uncomfortable around her, as if he didn''t want to be with her, let alone alone.


    With a slight smile, she confirmed that she wanted to leave. So Mike put his arm around her shoulders and began to walk with her. Mike Hunn hadn''t realized how close he was to the girl he liked, much less the contact they were having with each other. He just wanted to stop seeing her suffer and calm her down in any way he could.


    "We''ll wait for you at the food stand across the way," he called out from a distance to Andrew, who followed the pair, leaving behind his friends and mainly Emily, who watched him in despair.


    "Are you okay?" her companion asked Emily.


    "Yes. It''s nothing," she replied, letting go of his arm.


    While Emily might seem perfect on the outside, she felt deeply frustrated. It had been a while since she and Andrew had spoken, but the way he acted at the party that night made her hope that Andrew still harbored feelings for her. However, he wasn''t paying her the slightest attention. Worse yet, for some reason, the person she was still deeply in love with couldn''t take his eyes off her best friend when she wasn''t looking.


    The three of them¡ªMike, Andrew, and Diana¡ªsat at one of the tables by the food stand.


    "I didn''t know you were so easily scared," Mike said to Diana with a natural smile for the first time since he''d been with her.


    "Yes... well... I have to avoid getting too worked up," she replied, blushing.


    "Why?" Mike asked.


    "When I was little, I had an accident, and since then, I''ve had anxiety attacks."


    "Why didn''t you tell us? We could have done something else."


    "I didn''t want to be a bother," she answered Mike, still trembling while Andrew couldn''t stop watching Diana.


    Seeing her state, Mike stood up and went to the food stand to buy some cotton candy.


    "Here. This will help," he handed her the huge pink fluff, practically shoving it into her face.


    "Thanks..."


    "Is something wrong?"


    "It''s just that I don''t really like sweets..."


    That phrase, that very phrase, transported Andrew to a past he hadn''t forgotten but had been abruptly taken away from. The images of a sweet and calm little girl with wild hair who hated overly sweet foods and would make a face as if she had sucked on a lemon if she tasted something sugary.


    Almost without thinking, as if on autopilot, he let himself be guided by his instincts, heading to the stand to buy something savory. He approached Diana, and without saying anything, he placed a cod empanada in front of her.


    "Th...thank you. But what should I do with the cotton candy?"


    "We''ll eat it," Mike said, taking the cotton candy from her.


    "Mmmm, it''s delicious. It''s one of my favorites. Thank you so much, Andrew."


    "You''re welcome," he replied, his uncertainty growing.

 CHAPTER 3: A Soup of Feelings (4)

    PART 4


    The group reunited at the table after several minutes.


    "Was it fun?" Mike asked as he stood up.


    "Oh, definitely! Too bad you missed it," Oscar replied excitedly.


    "How long have you all known each other?" Anna asked, noticing the closeness between Andrew''s friends and Micaela. "You seem really tight."


    "I mean, I was talking to Andrew. It¡¯s a shame he missed it," Oscar corrected himself, scratching his face.


    "Yeah, yeah. Maybe next time," Andrew added, slapping his friend on the back with an exaggeratedly wide but forced smile.


    "Where should we go now?" Anna asked the group.


    "I have an idea," Emily raised her hand.


    Moments later, the whole group gathered in front of a booth where the goal was to knock down all the balls placed in two columns using a rifle. Despite multiple tries, both Emily and Anna, playing together, only managed to hit three of them, giving up after the third attempt.


    "They say that in the hands of wealthy women, a gun is useless," Johnny commented with a half-smile.


    "More like in the hands of women in general," Oscar reformulated, trying to sound knowledgeable.


    "Do you think you¡¯ll do much better than us?" Emily shot back, glaring at them.


    "Ha! Just watch and learn," Oscar said as he brushed past Emily, placing a patronizing hand on her shoulder as he headed for the rifle, Johnny following close behind.


    After several attempts, both Johnny and Oscar only managed to knock down half of the rows, much to their embarrassment. With their heads hanging low, they returned to their friends, who greeted them with jeers and playful taunts.


    "What was that about women? Care to repeat it, Agents 007?" Anna teased them with a mocking tone.


    "Leave them alone. One only knows how to use the weapon between his legs, and the other¡¯s eyesight is failing, though he compensates with rhetoric that leaves much to be desired in reality," Emily scoffed at them. "Although seriously, it¡¯s a shame. I really wanted that stuffed animal."


    "Do you like it that much?" Diana asked, looking at Emily, who nodded in response.


    "When I was little, my parents and I used to come here on weekends. My dad would play with me just to win a stuffed animal like that. We eventually got one, but I lost it..." Emily said, staring longingly at the giant bear.


    Diana knew Emily very well, and although she might appear to be a spoiled girl with little regard for others, she was really just a child starved for love.


    Especially when it came to her parents, it was a very sensitive topic for Emily. If she was so fixated on a simple object like that, even though she could get anything she wanted, Diana knew it must be very important to her friend.


    Carefully, so as not to be noticed, Diana reached into her pocket to check how much money she had.


    "I don¡¯t have much left. But just this once, it¡¯s okay," she whispered to herself before dashing over to the booth. "How many balls do I need to knock down to win that stuffed animal?"


    "Three columns, so that would be about twenty-four balls," the fairground attendant replied.


    "I¡¯ll take twenty-four shots, then," Diana said, placing the money on the counter.


    "You seem pretty confident," Oscar remarked, trying to provoke her.


    But Diana was already fully immersed, completely focused on her goal.


    "Don¡¯t distract me," she replied, not looking at them as she took off her jacket and tied up her hair.


    The aura Diana radiated was so intense you could almost touch the tension with your hand. Her friends were so intrigued that they couldn¡¯t utter a single word.


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    And as if it were being recorded in slow motion, her friends watched as Diana picked up a ball, loaded the rifle confidently, and fired straight at the target. Twenty-four shots, twenty-four hits. One after another, without hesitation, without flinching... It was as if Diana had been swapped out for someone else earlier in the day.


    When she finished, she untied her hair, put her jacket back on as if nothing had happened, and, after receiving the giant bear from the attendant, she walked over to Emily with a huge smile.


    "Here you go."


    "Thank you, Diana. You¡¯re the best friend I¡¯ve ever had," Emily said, throwing her arms around her friend as Anna, trying to hide her expression, watched them with jealousy.


    Meanwhile, the boys, who were lined up side by side, stood with their mouths agape.


    "Am I the only one who found that super hot?" Johnny asked, when all of them, even Mike disguised as Micaela, shook their heads in unison, denying it.


    "So, where to next?" Oscar asked the group, just as the sound of a carriage scraping against the rails reached their ears.


    They all turned simultaneously, and upon seeing the roller coaster, they knew exactly where they were heading. Each pair sat in a two-seater carriage; Emily with Andrew, Oscar with Johnny, Mike with Andrew, and finally, Anna with Diana.


    The ride began, and everyone enjoyed each twist and turn of the furious yet entertaining attraction. However, during one sharp curve, Diana¡¯s ankle collided with the edge of the poorly secured vehicle. The impact was so strong that the young woman didn¡¯t even realize it. At the same time, the necklace she always wore beneath her shirt slipped out due to the continuous, jerky movements, causing the knot holding it together to start unraveling.


    After the ride ended, as they walked through the park, Diana¡¯s necklace slipped down her body and fell to the ground without her noticing. Anna, who was walking behind her, picked it up, intending to return it, but when she saw Diana was already far ahead, she tucked it into her bag instead.


    "Want to shoot some hoops?" Oscar suggested as they wandered aimlessly.


    "I¡¯ve got a better idea!" Emily said, clapping her right fist into her palm and jumping forward excitedly. "This summer, I want to go to the Michi Islands. We could all go together."


    "Sounds good to me, but where¡¯s this coming from?" Johnny replied, scratching his head.


    "We could play some hoops. Whoever scores the lowest has to pay for everyone¡¯s trip¡ªthe tickets and the lodging," Emily clarified.


    "I can play, but I won¡¯t participate. I can¡¯t afford a ticket, let alone everyone else¡¯s," Diana said, her ankle slightly sore.


    "Don¡¯t worry about the money. If you lose, I¡¯ll be happy to pay for your ticket," Anna offered in a tone that tried to sound friendly.


    "It¡¯s not that..." Diana looked down.


    "Sorry, but since I¡¯m just a guest and won¡¯t be going on the trip... I could help Diana out," Mike offered, raising a hand.


    "You¡¯re so kind, Micaela," Andrew praised, wrapping an arm around his friend¡¯s waist.


    "If you want to keep your precious parts intact, don¡¯t push it this time..." Mike warned through gritted teeth, causing Andrew to let go immediately.


    Mike then noticed Diana was watching him. She¡¯d looked at him many times before, but this time it was different; her eyes were shining with an intensity, a feeling he didn¡¯t recognize. Despite this, he couldn¡¯t stop his cheeks from flushing, or the fluttering in his stomach.


    "Shall we, guys?" Mike shouted excitedly, turning his back to them to hide his state and began to bounce joyfully towards the arcade games.


    "Your girlfriend¡¯s a bit intense, don¡¯t you think?" Emily asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.


    "Yeah... well..." Andrew stammered, not knowing what to say.


    "What¡¯s up with him?" Johnny asked Oscar, referring to Mike.


    "I think having a double identity has scrambled his brains," Oscar whispered back, just as puzzled as everyone else.


    When they reached the basketball machines, each person took their place in front of one, except for Mike, who stood by Diana, and Andrew, who acted as the referee.


    "Everything comes down to numbers," Oscar said, adjusting his glasses and staring determinedly at the hoop.


    "This is child¡¯s play," Johnny said, rubbing his chin before cracking his knuckles.


    "I can¡¯t lose," Emily declared, stretching every part of her body and giving Mike a death glare.


    "I can¡¯t lose to Diana," Anna thought to herself, nodding firmly.


    "Why are you all taking this so seriously?" Andrew asked, looking at everyone in disbelief.


    "It¡¯s ironic, but everything I¡¯m good at in volleyball, I lose in basketball," Diana said to Mike, eyeing the balls locked in place.


    "Did you forget that I¡¯m one of the best at basketball?" Mike whispered in her ear.


    "Thanks for helping me," she replied, feeling a shiver run down her spine as Mike¡¯s lips subtly brushed against her earlobe.


    "No need to thank me."


    "Ready!" Andrew called out, raising his arm. "Insert your coins!"


    As they inserted their coins, the participants started shooting hoops, raising their scores bit by bit, racing against the clock. However, one person, no matter how hard she tried, couldn¡¯t stop missing every shot she took¡ªDiana.


    Mike couldn¡¯t believe someone could be this bad at basketball, correction, at an arcade basketball game where even a five-year-old could sink at least three baskets. Seeing how nervous she was getting, he knew he had to step in. And without realizing what he was doing, he moved closer to her, placing his hands on her hips. He slowly traced his slender fingers up the curve of her pelvis to her waist, pressing his torso against hers until their bodies were touching. Diana felt a warmth spread through her entire body as he whispered in her ear.


    "Relax your body and let me guide you."

 CHAPTER 3: A Soup of Feelings (5)

    PART 5


    ¡°Relax your body and let me guide you,¡± Mike whispered, placing his hands on hers after positioning her correctly. Together, they threw the basketball, which sailed smoothly into the hoop.


    With Mike so close, guiding her, Diana¡¯s tension eased, and every shot she took afterward, free of embarrassment, swished through the net effortlessly.


    ¡°When my dad finds out he has to pay for everyone¡¯s trip, he¡¯s going to kill me,¡± Oscar lamented, burying his face in his hands.


    ¡°So, it was all about numbers, huh?¡± Johnny teased with a sly grin.


    ¡°And about having some coordination,¡± Anna added.


    ¡°Or not having two left hands,¡± Emily chimed in, hands on her hips, laughing.


    ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought Micaela and Diana would get the highest scores?¡± Andrew remarked in surprise as the two high scorers exchanged a victorious high-five.


    ¡°Where to next?¡± Adrian asked the group, wrapping an arm around Emily¡¯s waist, making her uncomfortable in front of Andrew.


    ¡°To see the dolphins,¡± Emily responded, subtly pulling away from Adrian.


    ¡°Dolphins?¡± Andrew echoed.


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a kind of open pool where you can watch them,¡± Emily explained, her smile broadening, mirrored by the other women in the group, whose faces lit up at the description.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go see the dolphins, then,¡± Johnny announced, taking the lead.


    As they headed toward the pool, each person walked at their own pace; Emily, Diana, and Adrian led the way, followed by Anna, who, with an irritated expression, kept company with Oscar and Johnny as they chatted. Andrew and Mike brought up the rear.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re getting closer to her,¡± Andrew remarked, glancing at Diana.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve realized that all these years, I was only attracted to a superficial image of her,¡± Mike admitted after nodding. ¡°But now that I¡¯m starting to really know her¡­ I think what I feel is much deeper. Every little gesture, every small act, no matter how strange, I find captivating, and it makes my heart race like never before.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite the romantic,¡± Andrew said, ruffling Mike¡¯s hair playfully before letting go and falling silent for a moment, looking at him. ¡°Mike¡­ thanks for putting up with all my whims.¡±


    ¡°You have to put up with mine, too. That¡¯s what friends are for, right?¡±


    ¡°When the time comes, don¡¯t hesitate to confess. She seems like a fascinating girl.¡±


    As Mike listened to his friend¡¯s advice, he gazed at Diana from afar. He hadn¡¯t noticed how a smile crept onto his face every time he talked, thought, or was near her. Watching her, he realized she was limping slightly, but before he could move closer, they had already reached their destination.


    Fifteen minutes passed filled with laughter, curious comments about the dolphins, and a few jokes as they stood by the pool, watching those magnificent mammals that everyone loved for different reasons. The sun was beginning to set, and the park¡¯s closing time was approaching.


    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s a shame, but isn¡¯t it time we head out?¡± Oscar announced to the group.


    ¡°We could grab something to drink before leaving¡­¡± Diana suggested, absentmindedly reaching for the lump usually formed by the necklace she always wore under her clothes, but this time, it wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Where is it? My necklace? Where¡¯s my necklace?¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Diana,¡± Emily tried to soothe her friend.


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    ¡°You know that necklace is very important to me.¡±


    ¡°Is it this one?¡± Anna asked, smirking maliciously as she pulled the necklace from her bag. ¡°It fell off when we got off the roller coaster. I thought about giving it to you, but then I forgot.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it.¡±


    Diana¡¯s eyes widened with a huge smile, while Andrew¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of his head at the sight of the pendant. Just as Diana reached for it, Anna sneezed hard, letting go of the necklace, which dropped into the large pool.


    ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m so sorry, Diana,¡± Anna apologized, wearing an innocent expression on her sweet face.


    However, no one expected what happened next. In a matter of seconds, the ebony-skinned girl dove into the pool, determined to retrieve her necklace.


    After the accident she had as a child, the only object that allowed her to remember small fragments of her past was that ¡°teardrop.¡± Though she didn¡¯t know why, her heart would ache if she was away from it for too long. Her mother had told her that the necklace was a souvenir made of two parts, which she had given to a boy who visited Gers every summer. But the year he didn¡¯t return, Diana had her accident in the winter.


    For Diana, that necklace was like a talisman that kept her connected to her lost past. She couldn¡¯t imagine being without it, in any way.


    Diana swam down, reaching for the necklace, even as the pain in her ankle intensified rapidly. That¡¯s when she noticed her leg was bleeding, turning the clear water a deep scarlet.


    ¡°Why is she taking so long?¡± Emily asked, her voice trembling with concern.


    Mike, remembering that Diana had been limping, was about to dive in after her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t jump in, Mike,¡± Oscar said, grabbing his arm to stop him.


    ¡°I think her leg is hurt,¡± Mike responded, trying to free himself from his friend¡¯s grip.


    ¡°If you jump in, you¡¯ll blow your cover.¡±


    ¡°You guys are crazy. Let go of me,¡± Mike shouted desperately when a dark figure suddenly leaped into the pool in front of everyone.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get help,¡± Anna said, running off as she saw Andrew had dived in after Diana.


    Underwater, Diana struggled to keep swimming. The pain was worse than a sprain, and she was slowly losing consciousness. Amidst the nothingness, she couldn¡¯t stop thinking that she needed to reach the surface, that her family needed her¡­ when suddenly, through the light coming from above the water, she saw a familiar figure¡ªa boy from her past. As the figure came closer, it transformed into Andrew, who grabbed the thread of the necklace, pulled her towards him, and kissed her, passing some air into her lungs.


    Then he held her tightly against his muscular body and carried her to the surface. The group helped pull a dazed Diana out first, followed by Andrew.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Mike asked, stepping back to give Diana some space.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± she replied, coughing up some water.


    ¡°Thank goodness.¡± Emily knelt beside her, hugging her friend with tears in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t ever do something so dangerous again!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Diana apologized, accepting the hug, completely drenched.


    A moment later, Anna returned with park staff.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± a concerned employee asked. ¡°Please follow us. We¡¯ll take you to the staff area where you can dry off and get checked out.¡±


    As they began to walk, following Diana and Andrew, the staff stopped them.


    ¡°Sorry, but only they can go. You can wait for them at the entrance. Apologies,¡± the other worker said, gesturing apologetically as Mike watched Andrew and Diana walk away together.


    Minutes later, Andrew was in the staff waiting room, drying off, while Diana was being treated in the infirmary. The young woman couldn¡¯t stop thinking about how their lips had met underwater, and though it wasn¡¯t a full kiss, in some way, it was her first kiss.


    ¡°All done. You¡¯ve got a pretty deep cut, but luckily, you won¡¯t need stitches. Just a few days of rest. Sorry, but we don¡¯t have crutches to lend you,¡± the nurse informed her as he finished bandaging her ankle.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. My friends have a car nearby. I can hop on one leg,¡± she replied, climbing off the examination table.


    ¡°I really feel bad about what happened to you,¡± the nurse apologized again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it was really our fault,¡± she said, sticking out her tongue and scratching her head as she hopped out of the infirmary.


    As Diana wondered where the object she had endured so much for was, Andrew finished drying his hair. Leaning against the back of the table, his shirt was so soaked that it clung to his toned torso, and his hair continued to drip heavily despite his efforts with the towel.


    Suddenly, a memory flashed through his mind, and he froze, reaching into his pants pocket and pulling out Diana¡¯s necklace. With a mischievous smile, he unhooked the red pendant that always hung from his ear and slowly brought the two objects together. The ¡°teardrops¡± fit together perfectly, as if they had been made to be one.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to know you¡¯re okay,¡± he murmured to himself with a smile unlike any he had shown before.


    ¡°Andrew?¡±


    The young man holding the united necklace in the air heard a voice. When he looked up, he saw Diana, who had limped her way to him, gazing at him with curiosity.

 CHAPTER 4: Puzzle of Memories (1)

    <h2 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 4: Puzzle of Memories</h2>


    PART 1


    As if the noise in the room had been sucked away and everyone had vanished, the two young people stared at each other without breaking eye contact for even a millimeter. The moment was frozen in time and space.


    ¡°You... my necklace¡­ How did you manage to complete it?¡± Diana stammered, her eyes fixed on the chain hanging from her companion¡¯s hand.


    ¡°How is it possible that you don¡¯t remember me? I know we were just kids back then, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Andrew... I...¡± she tried to explain as she limped toward him.


    Though Andrew was only a few inches away, Diana¡¯s shock caused her to stumble. Seeing her fall, Andrew rushed to catch her, resulting in Diana¡¯s entire body ending up on top of him.


    They were still soaked and sticky from the water, able to feel each other¡¯s rapid heartbeat and labored breathing.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for explanations; the others are waiting for us,¡± Andrew said, kneeling on the ground and slipping his arms behind her back, indicating she should climb onto his back.


    Hesitant, Diana agreed to be carried piggyback by the young man. In an awkward silence, the two made their way to the entrance, where their worried friends were waiting.


    ¡°How are you?¡± Emily asked as soon as she saw them arrive.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a small bump,¡± Diana replied from her spot on Andrew¡¯s back. ¡°Andrew, you can put me down now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better if I carry you until we reach the car,¡± he insisted, not letting her go as he began to walk.


    Mike, observing everything from a distance, noticed the strange behavior of his companions, particularly how Diana blushed and tried to hide her face behind Andrew¡¯s back.


    ¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò


    The day had been exhausting, and night was falling. Andrew knew he was soaked from head to toe, and that if he lay down on his Italian leather sofa, he¡¯d end up having to call the dry cleaner to pick it up. But he was utterly drained. The only thing he craved more than a good shower was to lie down and relax his body. Without a second thought, he flopped onto the large gray sofa, gazing at the magnificent view of the city.


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    As he shifted slightly, he pulled Diana''s necklace from his pocket, still attached to his earring, and gazed at it tenderly.


    ¡°I should take a shower,¡± he muttered, realizing he smelled like dampness, before tucking the pendant back into his pocket.


    ¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò


    Mike arrived home to find, as usual, all the lights in the apartment were off. Who knew where his father was at that moment, but all Mike wanted was to get rid of the heavy makeup he had on and the uncomfortable clothes he was wearing.


    With background music playing and a tutorial video on, Mike was going through a routine he never thought he¡¯d be doing. As he carefully removed the makeup from his face, his thoughts kept drifting back to everything that had happened at the park. He was gradually growing closer to Diana, reflecting on Andrew¡¯s rescue and the strange behavior between his best friend and the girl he liked afterward. However, those thoughts began to fade, replaced by a more pressing concern¡ªwondering if Diana was okay.


    ¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò


    "I''m home!" Diana called out as she entered the house.


    "Sis!" Zedd shouted excitedly, running toward her, but his excitement quickly turned to concern when he saw the state she was in. "What happened to you?"


    "Just a silly accident."


    "A silly accident?" he echoed, his worry deepening as he pointed to her bandaged ankle and noticed how soaked she was. "Mom! Mom!"


    From the end of the hallway came the sound of hurried footsteps¡ªDiana and Zedd¡¯s mother. She was a woman whose past beauty was still evident despite the premature aging brought on by life''s hardships. Even with the wrinkles that marked her face, she remained a striking figure.


    Wearing a white apron with red polka dots, she placed one hand on her hip and pointed a spatula at Diana.


    "What happened to your ankle?"


    "I hurt it when I was on the roller coaster," Diana replied before starting to cough.


    "But you''re soaking wet, sweetheart," Dalia said with concern, stepping closer to place a hand on Diana''s forehead.


    "It''s a long story," Diana said, covering her mouth as she coughed again.


    "You''re burning up. Go take a nice, hot shower before you catch a cold," her mother instructed, guiding her daughter into the house while Zedd grabbed her shoes to hang them outside to dry.


    Steam filled the bathroom, fogging up the mirrors. The sound of water droplets hitting the floor was the only noise that filled the room. The ebony-skinned young woman stood under the hot stream, letting the water run over her body as memories of Andrew flooded her mind. A thousand questions surged within her, questions she longed to ask him about their past together. But the more she thought of Andrew, a sudden, sharp pain pierced through her head. The pain was so intense that it forced her to clutch her skull, curling up in agony on the shower floor as the water continued to pour down. Now, only the sound of droplets hitting the floor and Diana''s muffled whimpers of pain filled the room as she bit down on her fist to silence her cries.

 CHAPTER 4: Puzzle of Memories (2)

    PART 2


    Several days had passed, and Diana hadn¡¯t shown up to class. As the bell rang, signaling the end of the day, students hurriedly packed their notebooks, eager to head home.


    "Who can take Diana her assignments?" the teacher asked, holding a stack of photocopies.


    "I can do it," Mike volunteered as he slung his backpack over his shoulder.


    "Mike, one thing..." Andrew approached him just as Mike was saying goodbye to the teacher. "Could you give me Diana''s phone number?"


    "Why do you need it?" Mike asked, pulling out his phone and scrolling through his contact list.


    "Oh, it''s just that I''m a bit worried about her," Andrew replied.


    Mike handed over his phone so Andrew could jot down Diana''s number when Emily approached them.


    "Are you free this afternoon?" Emily asked Andrew hesitantly, keeping a noticeable distance and lacking the usual confidence she typically exuded.


    "For what?" he asked, handing Mike''s phone back to him.


    Emily was known for being straightforward, sometimes a bit spoiled, but always honest. She had gone to the Gers amusement park that day for a very special reason and because she was ready to face the truth.


    "I''d like to talk with you," she said, her expression pleading as Andrew looked at her, slightly concerned.


    ¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò


    Mike had meticulously memorized the way to Diana¡¯s house. Since their outing to the amusement park, he hadn¡¯t heard from her, except for a brief text exchange the day before where she mentioned that her ankle was healing, but she had caught a cold. Despite having been to her house before, his palms still sweat nervously each time he approached her door.


    "Oh, it''s the weirdo!" Zedd exclaimed as he opened the door.


    "Call me Mike," Mike corrected him, trying to keep his composure.


    "Are you here to see my sister? Come in, she¡¯s in the living room," Zedd motioned for him to enter.


    "Aren¡¯t you going to ask for my ID this time?"


    "I''ve got a photocopy stashed in my room," Zedd quipped, leading Mike inside.


    Following Zedd into the living room, Mike saw Diana lying on a worn-out sofa. Though most of her face was hidden behind a mask, what little he could see was pale and colorless. Her eyes were puffy and she looked exhausted, yet when she noticed Mike, her face brightened instantly.


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    "Sis, the weirdo''s here," Zedd announced.


    "How many times do I have to tell you not to call him that?" Diana scolded her brother.


    "I¡¯ll stop when I can see his face. As long as he hides behind that hair, he¡¯s a weirdo to me," Zedd retorted, bluntly pointing out the truth that stung Mike.


    Once Zedd left them alone, Mike and Diana sat across from each other at the table.


    "Do you feel up to starting our study session today? I can help with your assignments," Mike offered.


    "Yes, I¡¯m feeling better. I¡¯ve just been resting a bit more," Diana replied as she took the photocopies Mike handed her, watching as he laid out his notes on the table.


    "I hope I don¡¯t pass anything on to you."


    "I''m stronger than I look," Mike assured her, flipping open his book.


    Mike proved himself to be an excellent tutor, breaking down even the most complex formulas into simple equations. However, Diana found it hard to concentrate. No matter how much she tried to focus on what Mike was explaining, her attention kept drifting back to him¡ªhis delicate features partly hidden behind his long bangs and his porcelain-smooth skin.


    "You can solve the formula easily if you move this here..." Mike explained, but he paused when he noticed Diana staring at him. "Is something wrong?"


    "Doesn¡¯t it bother you?" she asked, pointing to his hair.


    "The bangs? Not really¡­"


    "It must get in your way. Let me help," she offered, standing up and gently pulling the hair tie from her own ponytail to gather up Mike¡¯s bangs. She tied them back with the same hair tie, creating a small ponytail on top of his head. "Much better."


    "Th-th-thanks," Mike stammered, blushing deeply.


    "You look really cute," Diana added, smiling warmly at him. "There¡¯s no need to be embarrassed in front of me. We¡¯re friends, right?"


    "Diana, I..." Mike began, the words he had been holding back for so long finally on the verge of being spoken.


    But just then, they heard muffled whispers from behind the wall that separated the hallway from the living room.


    "Come out, you two!" Diana called out, spotting her mother and Zedd hiding behind the wall. "Don¡¯t pretend you¡¯re just passing by!"


    "Honestly, Sis, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be so forward with boys," Zedd teased, stroking his chin, causing Diana to blush even more.


    "I entrust my daughter to you. She¡¯s a terrible cook and has a temper, but she¡¯s a good person," her mother, Dalia, said as she approached Mike, bowing slightly.


    "Stop teasing! Mike already has a boyfriend," Diana protested, her face turning an even deeper shade of red.


    "Such a shame. He¡¯s the first boy you¡¯ve brought home..."


    "That¡¯s how my sister is," Zedd chimed in.


    "What is wrong with you two?" Diana yelled, standing up and slamming her hands on the table in frustration.


    For Mike, these were precious moments. They reminded him of the lively family scenes he once had, which had vanished after his mother¡¯s death. Watching Diana¡¯s family, a mixture of envy and nostalgia welled up inside him.


    "Would you like to stay for dinner?" Dalia offered.


    "Me? No, thank you. I don¡¯t want to impose," Mike replied politely.


    "Not at all. My mother always cooks extra so that on nights when it¡¯s just me and my sister, she doesn¡¯t have to cook and accidentally poison me," Zedd joked, glancing at his sister.


    "Come here, little rascal! How dare you talk about me like that in front of my friends?" Diana grabbed Zedd, playfully ruffling his hair as he laughed.


    "It¡¯s true, though."


    "Are you staying?"


    "It would be an honor," Mike finally agreed, touched by the invitation.

 CHAPTER 4: Puzzle of Memories (3)

    PART 3


    Knowing that Mike was used to good food, Dalia prepared the best meal she could, filling his plate to the brim. Mike was stunned when she placed it in front of him.


    "Don¡¯t take that!" Zedd protested when his mother speared a piece of meat from his plate to give to Diana.


    "Your sister¡¯s sick, she needs to eat well," Dalia replied.


    "But I¡¯m growing!" Zedd argued, cutting the meat on his plate.


    "Zeeeedd," his mother warned.


    "Mamaaa," Zedd responded, focusing on his food.


    Mike missed these kinds of moments dearly. At home, it was just him and his father living in a massive apartment, making him feel like he lived alone. Watching Diana¡¯s family, a pang of longing filled him.


    Time flew by amidst their conversations, some lighthearted and others more serious, during which Mike learned uncomfortable truths about the girl he liked. He enjoyed himself so much that he lost track of time.


    "I¡¯m sorry," Diana said as she offered to walk Mike to the corner of her street.


    "For what?" Mike asked, genuinely curious.


    "My family¡¯s really loud, aren¡¯t they?"


    "Not at all," Mike shook his head as they stopped at the corner. "My mom died when I was eleven. After her death, I thought it would bring me closer to my dad, but it was the opposite. So now I¡¯m almost always alone. It¡¯s nice being around you all."


    "I¡¯m glad to hear that. Come by whenever you want, not just on study days. My mom would be happy to see me bringing more friends home besides Emily."


    Silence settled between them. Mike¡¯s eyes glistened, and if looks could pierce, Diana would have been completely perforated. The street was deserted, and their trust in each other was growing. It was the perfect moment for Mike to finally tell her the truth¡ªthat the thing with Andrew was a misunderstanding, that he wasn¡¯t dating him. He wanted to confess that he was just a guy who had been in love with a girl for five years and couldn¡¯t imagine being with anyone else but the woman standing before him.


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    Mike took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and stepped closer to her.


    "Diana, I¡­"


    But just as he was about to speak, a melody interrupted him, playing from Diana¡¯s phone.


    "One second," Diana said, holding up a finger as she saw the unfamiliar number on the screen and answered, thinking it might be important. "Andrew?!"


    Mike couldn¡¯t deny the sting in his heart as he heard Andrew¡¯ name. Seeing her so vividly respond to his call, especially this late, made jealousy begin to simmer inside him, no matter how hard he tried to suppress it.


    "Yes, I¡¯m better¡­ Yes, we can talk in class. Okay. Bye. Sorry, you were saying something?" Diana asked, hanging up the call and turning back to Mike.


    "Nothing, nothing," Mike waved his hands dismissively. "You should get home. I don¡¯t want you catching a cold."


    "Okay. Thanks for everything, Mike," Diana thanked him, raising an eyebrow slightly as she sensed he had been about to say something important.


    Mike waved goodbye, but before he could turn to leave, Diana suddenly jumped forward and wrapped him in a warm hug. For a moment, Mike froze, unsure of what to do, but then he quickly followed his heart, returning the embrace and resting his chin on her shoulder. And in her arms, Mike realized something¡ªno matter how things were or what state they were in, as long as he could stay by her side, nothing else mattered.


    ¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò


    It was a sunny day with a gentle spring breeze. The blossoming trees created a marvelous interseasonal landscape. Thousands of vividly colored petals danced to the rhythm of a joyful, sinuous melody.


    The park where Emily chose to meet Andrew was the place where their relationship had started. Andrew had brought her there to take her away from the pompous luxury she was accustomed to and to help her enjoy the simple things life has to offer.


    The place was located in the city center, yet it felt like another world. Surrounded by majestic spring trees and countless flowers, everything for miles was natural grass interspersed with limestone and dirt. In one of the corners where couples sought refuge, crossing a small stone bridge, there was a spot with benches in various colors placed strategically to give people privacy. The only sounds there were their own voices, the singing of the wind, and the chirping of birds in their nests.


    ¡°You seem happy. What¡¯s the reason?¡± Emily asked Andrew, holding an ice cream cone as they headed towards a bench.


    ¡°Nothing special,¡± he replied, sitting down next to her.


    ¡°Andrew¡­¡± Emily was trying to express herself, but she was so anxious that the words wouldn¡¯t come out, or at least not the right ones.


    ¡°Since when do you know?¡± he interrupted.

 CHAPTER 4: Puzzle of Memories (4)

    PART 4


    ¡°Since when do you know?¡± he interrupted.


    ¡°Know what?¡±


    ¡°About Diana,¡± he said, looking her straight in the eyes as the ice cream he was holding dripped onto the grass, while Emily tried to avoid his gaze by playing with her feet like a child. ¡°That¡¯s why we went to that park, right? You knew the whole story about my pendant. Diana is your best friend, and it¡¯s impossible you didn¡¯t know the truth about us.¡±


    ¡°After investigating, I learned the whole truth a few months before we broke up.¡±


    ¡°Everything you did to me was because you knew what happened?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Emily!¡±


    ¡°I was scared, okay?¡± Emily finally mustered the courage to look him in the eyes. ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d decide to break up with me once you found out Diana was that childhood friend¡­ your first love¡­¡±


    ¡°You could have ended the relationship instead of deceiving me.¡±


    The wind blew, the birds chirped, the two ice creams they were holding slowly melted, and between phrases, only the feeling of sadness lingered in their words.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t do it,¡± Emily finally managed to say, holding back the lump in her throat. ¡°I couldn¡¯t break up with the person I loved¡­¡±


    ¡°The most ironic thing¡­¡± Andrew added, breaking the silence again with a bitter smile, ¡°is that if you had told me the whole truth, I would still be with you because I loved you. No matter how deep my past was, that was only a part of it; back then, you were my present, Emily.¡±


    ¡°I know. I was an idiot. But¡­ if you still feel something for me, since I still care about you¡­ maybe¡­ we could¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too late for that.¡± He cut her off before she could finish.


    ¡°¡­Is it because of Diana?¡±


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    ¡°Yes and no. And even if it weren¡¯t because of her¡­ The decision you made for both of us was cowardly. You didn¡¯t trust my feelings for you,¡± Andrew said, placing his hand on Emily¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t hold a grudge, really. We can even be friends again. But don¡¯t have hopes of getting back together with me, as the doors are completely closed to you.¡±


    He told Emily just before standing up, kissing her on the forehead, and throwing the melted ice cream into the trash bin next to the bench.


    Those words were the dagger that tore apart her heart and her hopes. However, she needed, no, she had to clarify things with Andrew instead of continuing to harbor false illusions of getting back together with him. As long as she didn¡¯t resolve it, she would think that, at some point in her life, the boy she loved the most would return to her.


    But she acted as people expected¡ªshe was afraid; who wouldn¡¯t be? The problem was that she acted irresponsibly, damaging in the worst possible way someone she should have cared for as if they were a porcelain doll in her hands.


    In a way, Emily knew the answer Andrew would give her and tried to prepare herself; but nothing prepares you for reality. A reality much more painful than she had imagined.


    Completely devastated, with no strength left but to cry, she sat on the bench staring at the ground while the drops of cherry ice cream she was holding in her hands melted, staining her thighs.


    ¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò


    Days passed, and Diana had recovered. The first thing she wanted to do was to speak with Andrew face-to-face. Although Andrew had been messaging her every day since he got her number, they hadn''t yet discussed their past.


    ¡°Andrew, are you free?¡± Diana asked as she approached his group during recess.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go,¡± he replied, walking away with her while Mike''s gaze was fixed on them.


    ¡°Since when are these two such good friends?¡± Johnny said, confused.


    ¡°No idea. Do you know anything, Mike?¡± Oscar asked his friend, shaking his head.


    ¡°No,¡± Mike replied curtly, moving away from them.


    Once they found a quiet place with little foot traffic, Andrew returned his part of the necklace.


    ¡°Here you go.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, taking the pendant.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You want me to tell you what I know about these charms, don¡¯t you?¡± Andrew pointed to the tear-shaped charm hanging from Diana¡¯s necklace and earring.


    ¡°Charms?¡±


    ¡°When we were kids, your mother bought this necklace for you,¡± he began, sitting on a stone wall, with Diana sitting beside him. ¡°You bought it at a temple. Your mother didn¡¯t like these things, but you wanted it because you liked its shape. The monk told you that if you shared it with someone you cared about, both of you would be safe and destined to always find each other. So, you gave me one part and kept the other. I used to travel to the village every summer vacation to be with you. But one summer, you were gone, and the neighbors told me that you had an accident and moved to the city for treatment. Since then, I¡¯ve been searching for you, wondering how you were, but it seems you were right in front of me all along.¡±


    Andrew finished his story, looking at Diana, trying to decipher her thoughts.

 CHAPTER 4: Puzzle of Memories (5)

    PART 5


    ¡°I¡­ the accident made me lose my memory,¡± the young woman said, looking at the ground. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ I don¡¯t remember anything¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. The important thing is that I remember it for you.¡±


    ¡°So you liked me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. And I must say, a lot.¡± He joked with a mocking and seductive smile.


    ¡°I knew I wasn¡¯t seeing the flirtatious Andrew.¡± Diana complained, laughing, puffing out her lips, but quickly becoming serious again. ¡°And did I like you? No, never mind, you¡¯re gay. It¡¯s impossible¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Very much,¡± Andrew replied, making the girl look at him in surprise. ¡°I liked you a lot. You were the only girl who made me feel like a person and not an object created by and for my family.¡±


    ¡°Andrew, are you gay?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Diana!¡± A voice came from behind them just as he was about to answer. It was Emily with Anna.


    ¡°Where have you been? We were worried about you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I needed to talk to Andrew,¡± Diana said as she stood up while the girls approached them.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk another time,¡± Andrew whispered, and Diana nodded, moving away, but not before giving Emily a slight smile, which Emily returned.


    ¡°What did you want?¡± Diana asked.


    ¡°We have gym class, and if I remember correctly, I lent my tracksuit to a certain rascal who was missing for several weeks,¡± Emily said with a playful expression as she tackled her friend.


    ¡°It¡¯s true, I¡¯d forgotten.¡±


    ¡°Fool.¡± Emily lightly tapped Diana¡¯s head before grabbing her arm. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. It¡¯s our turn for volleyball.¡±


    Atlanta was a university known for leaving no stone unturned in its students'' education. Its philosophy, ¡°Orandum est ut sit mens s¨¡na in corpore s¨¡n¨­,¡± also known as ¡°Mens sana in corpore sano,¡± was one of the academy¡¯s foundations. In every program, one hour of physical education was mandatory. It was not just the mind that needed cultivation, but the body as well.


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    The class was divided into two: the women played volleyball on one side of the gym, while the men played basketball on the other side. In basketball, Andrew, Mike, and Johnny were in the same team against Oscar''s team.


    Mike was known throughout the faculty as the ¡°ace of the ball.¡± In fact, he had turned down a formal invitation to join one of the most recognized national teams. Even so, the young man¡¯s mind wasn¡¯t in the game; he was missing both assists and the simplest shots.


    ¡°Dude, what¡¯s wrong with you? That¡¯s the fifth pass you¡¯ve missed,¡± Andrew yelled as he passed by.


    ¡°Focus, Mike. Oscar¡¯s team is beating us, and that¡¯s a crime,¡± Johnny shook his teammate to wake him up.


    ¡°Sorry, guys,¡± Mike apologized, trying to concentrate on the game.


    The same was happening to Diana, who couldn¡¯t get Andrew¡¯s story out of her head during the volleyball game. This distraction allowed Anna to deliver a direct hit to the back of her neck.


    The dark-skinned girl felt a sharp pain on the side of her head, causing her legs to wobble and making her fall, catching the attention of the boys¡¯ group, especially Andrew and Mike.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Anna apologized innocently. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hit you. Sometimes I¡¯m terrible at sports¡­¡±


    ¡°You could be more careful,¡± Emily scolded, approaching her friend to help her up. ¡°Are you okay? That was quite a hit.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault for being distracted,¡± Diana tried to reassure her friend as she got up from the floor.


    ¡°Really? You don¡¯t look too good,¡± Emily said, worried, seeing how pale Diana was.


    ¡°Really¡­¡± Diana felt sharp pains on the sides of her head as she stood up.


    A sudden warmth spread throughout her body, and beads of sweat became prominent on her glowing skin. As she clutched her head in agony, countless images began to flash through her mind¡ªmemories rising from the depths and surfacing like a dance of fireworks.


    However, the impression was so intense that her body suddenly collapsed onto the floor. The last scenes her eyes saw, fading with exhaustion, were the silhouettes of Andrew, Mike, and Emily above her, speaking with worried expressions.


    She didn¡¯t know how many hours had passed, but Diana began to regain consciousness. She was lying on one of the infirmary beds, with Andrew sitting beside her, his brow furrowed.


    ¡°Did you bring me to the infirmary?¡± Diana asked as her eyes adjusted to the light.


    ¡°Well, more like Mike and I. He had to go clean up the gym. It took quite a while to get him to leave. Johnny and Oscar had to drag him away while he was literally clawing at the wall, complaining that he didn¡¯t want to leave until you woke up,¡± Andrew said, sitting in a chair with a half-smile.


    ¡°I see.¡± Diana replied, sitting up on the bed with difficulty, looking down, and remaining in complete silence.


    ¡°¡­Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you can tell me anything¡­¡±


    ¡°I remember now,¡± Diana interrupted him.


    ¡°Remember what?¡±


    ¡°I finally remember you¡­ and what I felt,¡± Diana said, blushing.


    However, Andrew¡¯s reaction was not what she had expected.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± he replied, completely impassive.


    Getting up and without saying goodbye, Andrew left through the door, leaving Diana with her words unspoken. Once he was at a reasonable distance from the infirmary entrance, the young man, troubled by his emotions, leaned against the wall, unable to lift his gaze from the floor.

 CHAPTER 5: The Storm Approaches (1)

    PART 1


    A private plane soared through the vivid, clear skies. The entire group of friends was excited about the trip that would relieve them from the stress of their recent exams.


    ¡°Finally vacation!¡± Emily exclaimed, raising her arms over her two-seat row.


    ¡°Look at how excited you are!¡± Anna said, sitting next to her friend.


    ¡°Of course. After exams, nothing beats a trip with all expenses paid,¡± Emily replied, recalling when Oscar had shared the good news.


    At that time, the noisy chatter of students signaled the end of the university¡¯s exam period¡ªa moment Oscar seized to gather everyone.


    ¡°We¡¯ve finished the exams. I¡¯m so young and I¡¯m going to have a heart attack,¡± Johnny said, overacting.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they were that hard,¡± Mike added, putting away his notes.


    ¡°Easy for the genius to say,¡± Johnny retorted, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°All you need to do is study a bit. The problem is you¡¯re lazy,¡± Andrew said, loosening the clip that held his hair.


    ¡°When you¡¯re the heir to a major corporation, it¡¯s hard to get motivated to study knowing your life is already set.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re lazy,¡± Emily corrected Johnny.


    ¡°I¡¯m not, it¡¯s just reality.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are,¡± Anna supported Emily. ¡°Look at Mike, his father is the CEO of one of the largest and most recognized cosmetics companies in the world¡ªricher than you, Oscar, and me, and yet he still studies.¡±


    ¡°Flowers for Mike!¡± Emily teased.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Anna shouted, completely blushing while Mike acted as if the situation didn¡¯t concern him.


    ¡°Still¡­ he¡¯s still a genius,¡± Johnny added, crossing his arms.


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    ¡°Well, Andrew and I are almost at his economic level, and we study,¡± Emily said.


    ¡°I tip my hat to you,¡± Johnny finally conceded, making a gesture with his hand.


    ¡°Let¡¯s change the subject,¡± Mike suggested, noticing Diana¡¯s discomfort as she stared at the floor. ¡°Why did you call us all here?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ you know I always keep my promises and despite all odds¡­¡± Oscar replied to Mike¡¯s question. ¡°I spoke to my father, and he agreed to let us use his private plane and cover our expenses in the Michi Islands, provided I got one of the top grades. In fact, he was surprised I managed to do it, as I usually don¡¯t ask him for anything¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just like Diana. As if you were poor,¡± Anna said, intending for Diana, seated behind them, to hear, with Emily showing disapproval at her comment.


    Meanwhile, Diana was visibly anxious. Her gestures and reactions indicated her unease. Her family couldn¡¯t afford recreational trips, so the idea of flying was particularly unsettling for her.


    Mike, sitting across the aisle, noticed Diana¡¯s slight trembling hands and decided to move closer to her.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Mike asked in a gentle tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little afraid of flying.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to keep you company until the plane lands?¡± Mike offered out of courtesy.


    Since the moment he got up to move towards her, his decision was made. He planned to keep her company for as long as she needed, even if it meant forever.


    With a sweet smile, Diana accepted Mike¡¯s offer as the plane began to shake abruptly, increasing her tension. Nervously, she gripped the armrest as if her life depended on it.


    ¡°We¡¯re passing through an area of turbulence. Please remain seated and fasten your seatbelts,¡± the pilot announced.


    Even with her eyes closed, trying to think of something else, each movement of the plane tightened a knot in her stomach. The tension began in her feet, spread through her chest, and culminated in her head, instilling an irrational fear of flying. Suddenly, Diana felt a comforting warmth enveloping her hand. Not too tight, not too loose¡ªjust perfectly reassuring. Diana opened her eyes to see Mike looking at her with a smile that seemed to say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here with you.¡±


    But why was Mike like this? Why was he always so kind? She adored his courtesy but couldn¡¯t, and wouldn¡¯t, accept it in any form. Her feelings for him, contrary to what her mind wanted, grew stronger every day. Each act of kindness from him only fueled an affection she would have to confront in the future if she wanted to move past her feelings. She liked a guy with whom she would never have a chance.


    ¡°Stop being so nice!¡± Diana shouted, pulling her hand away. ¡°I just want to say¡­ you don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡±


    She corrected her tone upon seeing Mike¡¯s surprised expression, then shifted her attention to the celestial landscape visible through the plane window.


    A somber silence fell between them until the pilot announced they could get up from their seats. Diana complied, rising and heading to the seat next to Andrew, who was distractedly looking out the window.


    ¡°Andrew¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Are you upset with me?¡± Diana asked, worried.


    ¡°No, why would I be?¡±


    ¡°Since the infirmary, you¡¯ve been distant.¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t know how to react.¡±

 CHAPTER 5: The Storm Approaches (2)

    PART 2


    It was true that Andrew didn¡¯t know how to react. Since Diana had disappeared, he had spent over five years searching for her; twice using his family¡¯s connections, despite his disdain for them. Yet, he wanted so much to find her that, in the end, he was used by his relatives. With the promise of finding her if he returned to his parents to take his rightful place, he spent a year under their control, hoping to see her again. But the truth was, they were not looking for her. Diana was just bait to get Andrew back. Three more years passed, during which he tried to locate her by his own means and connections, with no results.


    And the plain truth was, when he began dating Emily, the few times he was around Diana, he felt something familiar. A feeling he overlooked because he didn¡¯t want to face the disappointment if it turned out not to be her¡ªthe real one. But in the end¡­ she had always been by his side, just as the talisman had promised.


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked, doubtful.


    ¡°Really.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± Diana smiled.


    An expression that lightly tugged at Andrew¡¯s heart. ¡°Is it possible that after so many years, these forgotten feelings could resurface?¡± Andrew thought, turning his face away to look out the window. ¡°It¡¯s impossible,¡± he assured himself, or at least that¡¯s what he desperately wanted to believe.


    ¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò


    The trip had been long, but it was worth it when the girls entered the hotel suite where they would be staying. Diana, who was leaning over the balcony, gazed at the vast beach with its crystal-clear waters and the sky that was as blue as a magazine cover. She couldn¡¯t help but breathe in the salty sea air carried by the gentle breeze, while her friends prepared for a day of sand and sea.


    When Diana wanted to return to her friends, she started to feel a sharp pain in her head and had to hold onto the balcony railing to keep from falling.


    ¡°Ready for a day at the beach?¡± Emily asked, leaning out of the balcony.


    ¡°You go on ahead,¡± Diana said, turning toward them and struggling to hide her pain. ¡°I¡¯ll join you later.¡±


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Emily asked, noticing the beads of sweat on Diana¡¯s forehead. ¡°You don¡¯t look too good.¡±


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    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a headache. I¡¯m sure it will pass,¡± Diana assured her.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Anna said, taking Emily by the arm and dragging her out of the room. ¡°We¡¯ll see you there.¡±


    As Emily walked down the hotel hallway, she couldn¡¯t shake the image of her friend from her mind. She felt uneasy about leaving her alone like that. Then she heard a voice that pulled her from her thoughts.


    ¡°And Diana?¡± Andrew asked.


    ¡°She stayed in the room,¡± Anna answered, still holding onto Emily¡¯s arm. ¡°She said she¡¯d come later.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t look very good,¡± Emily added.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go check on her,¡± Andrew said, starting to walk away. Emily grabbed him by the arm.


    ¡°Here,¡± Emily said, handing him the room key card. ¡°Knock before you enter. I¡¯d rather not have you catch my best friend as God made her.¡±


    The term ¡°best friend¡± was one that had lost its charm for Anna ever since Diana came into their lives. Every time her dear friend used it to refer to Diana, who she felt had taken Emily away from her, it made her stomach turn.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with those two lately?¡± Anna asked, watching Andrew walk away with the card, her curiosity piqued.


    ¡°Nothing that concerns us,¡± Emily replied in a muffled tone.


    Emily had two limits: one was Andrew, the boundary she crossed when he broke her heart, and the other was Diana. These two crucial margins of her life had come together, though not in the way she had hoped. Despite this, Emily made the decision that having been a jerk once was enough and, this time, she wouldn¡¯t interfere. On the contrary, if she could help them in any way, she would be the first to volunteer. A painful but mature choice she would carry as punishment for her past actions.


    Andrew knocked on the door of the suite twice with no response. After trying a third time and getting the same result, he used the key card to enter the suite, which was calm and empty.


    ¡°Is it okay if I come in? It¡¯s me, Andrew,¡± he called as he carefully walked through the room and reached the balcony where he found Diana asleep on the porch swing, bathed in sunlight. She wore the long white Ibiza dress that Emily had insisted she put on, and the necklace was finally visible around her neck. Her tousled hair blew gently in the breeze, partially covering her face.


    Slowly, trying not to wake her, he approached. Hesitant, as if such a gesture could shatter everything that had happened in recent days and turn it into a mere illusion, he reached out to gently push the strands of hair from her face.


    ¡°It¡¯s only now that I realize it was you,¡± Andrew thought, biting his lip.


    ¡°How could I not notice sooner? Why did I give up so quickly?¡± he wondered, studying every detail as if the image before him could be captured in a photograph.


    His heart was beating faster and faster with each passing second, but the faster it beat, the more resentful he felt. His feelings could only be yearnings for the past, confusing the present with desire. It had to be that, surely, because if it was something else... he would be betraying someone truly important to him.


    ¡°Andrew?¡± Diana murmured, slowly opening her eyes.


    ¡°Emily told me you weren¡¯t feeling well,¡± he said, quickly stepping away from her.


    ¡°I just had a bit of a headache, but I¡¯m better now.¡±


    ¡°If you want to stay here¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she interrupted him, shaking her head as she started to get up from the chair. ¡°Let¡¯s go join the others before it¡¯s too late.¡±

 CHAPTER 5: The Storm Approaches (3)

    PART 3


    The whiteness of the sand contrasted with the crystal-clear sea. From the shore, you could see the gentle ripples of the water in motion. The area around the beach, filled with rocks, was surrounded by countless species of tropical plants, adding more color and life to the scene. The sea of the Michi Islands was considered the clearest in the world, making vacations there a luxury reserved for the wealthiest or the island¡¯s native inhabitants.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Andrew gone?¡± Oscar asked as he finished applying sunscreen.


    ¡°No idea,¡± Johnny replied, taking off his sunglasses.


    ¡°And Diana?¡± Mike asked as he emerged from the water and joined them. ¡°Is she okay?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll come later; she wasn¡¯t feeling well,¡± Emily answered, shifting to catch more sun.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go find her,¡± Mike said, starting to walk towards the hotel. But he stopped when he noticed that, just a few meters away, Diana was already approaching, accompanied by Andrew.


    For some reason, seeing this made Mike feel like he¡¯d been punched in the stomach. Annoyed, he headed back into the sea to distance himself from them.


    ¡°Look at the lovebirds!¡± Oscar shouted, only to receive an elbow from Johnny, who was aware of Mike¡¯s mood.


    ¡°I feel bad that my brother¡¯s all alone,¡± Diana said to Emily as they set up their things.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not every day you get to stay in a four-star hotel. Plus, your mom will enjoy it.¡±


    ¡°Even so, leaving him alone until my mom arrives seems a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, they¡¯ll be fine. A few days without you shadowing him will do wonders.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about him like that,¡± Diana complained as she took off her clothes, revealing a high-waisted bikini that her friend, once again, had forced her to wear.


    ¡°What do you want me to say? You know your little brother can be a bit of a pain.¡±


    ¡°Are you picking on me?¡± Diana asked as she applied sunscreen.


    ¡°I need to tan.¡±


    ¡°Did you put on sunscreen?¡±


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    ¡°Yes, Mom.¡±


    ¡°Remember, your skin is sensitive.¡±


    ¡°Not all of us are lucky enough to have ebony skin like you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather see you pale and with a red nose than tanned and looking like a slice of bacon,¡± Diana shouted as she walked away from Emily. ¡°I¡¯m going in the water.¡±


    Carefully, she entered the sea, which, despite being cold, alleviated the heat from the sun¡¯s rays. She approached Mike, who saw her from a distance, but when she tried to talk to him, he rudely ignored her.


    ¡°Mike, did you find that Puperita pupa shell you were so eager for?¡± Oscar asked, while Diana, not far away, listened to their conversation.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s strange. This part of the world should be full of that kind of shell.¡±


    ¡°Maybe give it a rest; today¡¯s not your day.¡±


    ¡°Seems that way¡­¡± Mike agreed, running a hand through his hair while glancing at Diana.


    ¡°Puperita pupa?¡± she repeated to herself.


    Diana sensed that Mike¡¯s behavior towards her might be due to how she had acted on the plane. She regretted it, because no matter how painful it was for her that Mike didn¡¯t like her, she had no right to treat him the way she did. So, Diana decided she would surprise her friend by finding several of those Puperita shells and making him a bracelet with them.


    She focused on searching for the shells, diving in and out of the water, while the gentle drops caressed her perfectly sculpted body. With her high ponytail and the shine from the oily sunscreen she had applied, every time she emerged, the guys couldn¡¯t help but admire the sight before them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why she covers up so much,¡± Johnny commented, blushing, as he entered the water minutes after Mike, watching Diana with a deep gaze.


    ¡°Under those loose clothes is a fantastic body,¡± Oscar added with a mischievous smile.


    ¡°What are you guys whispering about?¡± Mike asked irritably, cracking his knuckles behind them.


    ¡°Nothing, nothing,¡± Johnny and Oscar replied in unison as two strangers approached Diana.


    ¡°Are you alone?¡± one of them asked, circling her.


    ¡°Are you from around here?¡± his companion added, positioning himself in front of her. ¡°We can show you around the island.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Diana began to speak, but Mike put his arm around her shoulders, and Andrew stepped right in front of her.


    ¡°She¡¯s with us,¡± Andrew informed them.


    ¡°And no, she¡¯s not from here. But she already has company to show her around the island,¡± Mike added.


    ¡°A bit too much information, but not bad,¡± Andrew said, patting his friend on the back.


    ¡°Sorry, we didn¡¯t mean to bother you,¡± the two guys apologized as they walked away.


    ¡°Thanks for the help,¡± Diana said, turning to them. ¡°But I can handle myself.¡±


    ¡°No worries, next time we won¡¯t help,¡± Mike replied curtly as he walked away, heading back into the sea.


    Diana hadn¡¯t meant to offend Mike, but somehow, she had pushed him further away. She didn¡¯t want him to take her comment the wrong way, let alone upset him. But everything seemed to be falling apart with him. Lost in her thoughts, an inflatable ball suddenly hit her head.


    ¡°Hey, want to play?¡± Emily suggested to her friend, retrieving the ball after it bounced off Diana.


    For now, there was nothing she could do to fix things with Mike, and no matter how hard she tried to talk to him, he either ignored her or acted as if she didn¡¯t exist. What she needed most at that moment was a good game of volleyball with the girls. It might not get Mike off her mind, but it would at least keep her distracted.

 CHAPTER 5: The Storm Approaches (4)

    PART 4


    The volleyball game was exactly what she needed to clear her mind. Jumping, blocking, spiking, and diving into the water helped dull the pain she felt every time she thought of Mike. But then, Emily dove into the sea to make a save, only to surface with just her head visible.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Anna asked, approaching her.


    ¡°I lost it¡­¡± Emily whispered softly.


    ¡°What did you lose?¡±


    ¡°My top.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    ¡°What are you laughing at?¡±


    ¡°Emily, you need to stop wearing triangle bikinis,¡± Anna replied, laughing.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Diana asked, approaching them after noticing their strange behavior.


    ¡°I lost my top.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s find it,¡± Diana said, holding back a laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll just swim around, feeling the water flow, and let my breasts bump into a barnacle or two, right?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be the first, or the last,¡± Anna added, still laughing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go tell the guys to help us look for it.¡±


    ¡°Nooo,¡± Emily stopped Diana, embarrassed. ¡°How humiliating.¡±


    ¡°Fiiine. But it would be easier that way, before someone else finds it.¡± Diana stood in front of her to cover her.


    ¡°Did you drop something?¡± Andrew¡¯s voice came from behind the girls.


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Emily asked without turning around.


    ¡°Because I have it in my hand.¡± Andrew lifted his hand, holding the bikini top.


    ¡°Give it to Anna,¡± Emily requested, mortified.


    ¡°Since when are you shy around me?¡±


    ¡°Just give it to her,¡± she insisted, her voice so high-pitched that if there had been dogs around, they would have been startled.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Andrew said seriously, realizing that their relationship was clearly not what it used to be.


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    With a quick motion, he tossed it to Anna, who then helped Emily put it back on. While Diana watched the situation unfold, she noticed Andrew¡¯s serious expression and tried to lighten the mood by splashing water at him. When he turned towards the splash, he smiled and splashed back, starting a water fight between the two, much to the surprise of their friends.


    ¡°Seriously, I think I¡¯ve missed something. Since when do these two get along so well?¡± Johnny couldn¡¯t help but say aloud, confused by what he was seeing, as Mike grew increasingly irritated.


    ¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò


    The moon shone brightly over the hotel. Everyone had returned to their rooms. Oscar and Johnny were finishing up in the bathroom after a refreshing shower. Meanwhile, Mike and Andrew remained in the bedroom in complete silence.


    "Do you want to go for a walk?" Andrew asked his friend, sitting on the bed.


    "No," Mike replied, standing up without looking him in the eye.


    "You¡¯ve been really serious lately, not just with me but also with Diana," Andrew remarked as Mike turned his back on him.


    Seeing that Mike didn¡¯t respond, Andrew tried to speak again, placing a hand on his shoulder; but Mike spun around and landed a punch right to his face. Still dazed from the blow, Andrew regained his composure and launched himself at his friend, returning the punch.


    "What¡¯s going on?" Johnny asked, peeking out of the bathroom. "Oscar, help me!"


    He shouted desperately as he threw himself on top of Andrew to pull him away from Mike, just as Oscar came out to hold Mike back, who was ready for another round.


    "What the hell is wrong with you?!" Andrew shouted angrily.


    "You tell me!" Mike yelled back, still struggling against Oscar¡¯s grip. "I¡¯m out here acting like a fool in front of the only person I¡¯ve ever liked in my life, and what are you doing? What are you trying to do with her?!"


    "Mike! Listen to me!"


    "Listen to you?! Go to hell, Andrew!"


    "Mike!"


    "Let me go!"


    "Mike! Diana is my childhood friend!" Andrew finally shouted in anguish, surprising everyone.


    The confusion in the room was so intense that the anger dominating the atmosphere suddenly subsided, replaced by a stunned silence.


    "It¡¯s hard to believe, but¡­" Andrew continued as Johnny finally let him go, seeing that he had calmed down. "Diana is the girl I used to tell you all about. The only reason I never got serious with anyone else was because I only thought of her. Diana is the one who has the matching earring."


    "This sounds like a soap opera," Oscar added, not realizing the tension in the room.


    "All we¡¯re missing is popcorn," Johnny, who would normally scold Oscar for such comments, was so shocked that he went along with it.


    "You really kept that to yourself," Mike said, shaking off Oscar¡¯s hold with anger.


    "I only figured it out recently, Mike. You¡¯re my best friend, I had no bad intentions."


    "And that¡¯s why you couldn¡¯t tell her the truth, so you could have time to fix things with her?"


    "I know you¡¯re speaking out of anger and not thinking about what you¡¯re saying. You know perfectly well I¡¯d never do that. In fact, that¡¯s why I wanted to take a walk with you, to tell you everything and let you know that you can tell her the truth."


    "You know what? I don¡¯t need your permission to do that," Mike snapped, waving his arm in front of Andrew as he stormed out of the room.


    "You know how Mike gets when he¡¯s angry; all his sensibility and calmness goes out the window," Johnny said, grabbing Andrew¡¯s arm to stop him from following his friend. "Let him go and clear his head."


    "Honestly, I understand why he¡¯s usually so calm and composed¡­ because when Mike gets mad, he¡¯s a completely different person," Oscar added before the room fell into a tense, heavy silence.

 CHAPTER 5: The Storm Approaches (5)

    PART 5


    The girls had gathered at the entrance of the hotel after a long day at the beach.


    "I''m thirsty. I''m heading to the bar," Emily mentioned.


    "They say the saunas around here are the best," Anna said as she adjusted the bag where she kept everything she needed for a night at the sauna. "I want to see if it''s true."


    "And you? Are you coming with me?" Emily asked Diana.


    "No, I''d like to take a walk on the beach."


    "Be careful," the redhead warned her, recalling how she had seen Diana earlier that afternoon on the balcony.


    "Don''t worry, I''m not going far."


    "Alright. Be careful," Emily told them, saying goodbye. But halfway to the bar, she realized something important. "Wait¡­ where''s my wallet? I gave it to Anna to keep for me!"


    The path to the saunas wasn''t far from the hotel grounds. Following the signs through a small passage adorned with numerous flowers and blue benches, you would reach the destination. With her earphones in, Anna noticed a familiar figure from a distance.


    "Mike?" Anna called out, pulling out her earphones as she approached him. "You''re hurt!"


    She shouted, alarmed, rushing over to him and brushing the hair from his face when she saw his lip was bleeding.


    "Micaela?"


    "Uh¡­"


    "How is this possible? Are you gay, transgender, or something?"


    "No, no, no. It¡¯s just," Mike tried to explain, but he was too tired of having to clarify the situation. "It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. Yes, I¡¯m Micaela. I dressed as a girl to do Andrew a favor so he wouldn¡¯t have to go to Emily¡¯s birthday alone. But in the end, the favor went too far."


    "I get it," Anna nodded, pulling her hand away from his face as she realized she was still holding it. "Sometimes Emily can be very bossy, and Andrew too proud. I¡¯m sorry they dragged you into all their messes."


    "That doesn¡¯t matter to me anymore."


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    "But besides that, are you okay?" Anna asked, noticing the confused look on his face. "Your face¡­"


    "Don¡¯t worry about it."


    "Here," Anna said, pulling a hand towel out of her bag and handing it to him. "I know it¡¯s not much, but you can use it to clean up."


    "Thanks," he said, taking it and accidentally brushing his hand against hers, causing her to blush.


    "Mike¡­ I¡­ I want to tell you that¡­ I¡¯ve liked you since we were kids!"


    Emily, remembering that Anna had her wallet, had run after her. However, when she caught up, Anna was already with Mike. Hiding behind a tree, Emily watched, feeling proud that her friend had finally, after so many years, made her move.


    ¡°... I... thank you for your feelings... but I can¡¯t return them,¡± Mike said as gently as he could.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I... I like someone else.¡±


    ¡°Is it someone from our class?¡±


    ¡°Diana.¡±


    ¡°Diana?¡± Hearing that name, Anna¡¯s insides twisted. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mike.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t tell you this since Diana is my friend. But she doesn¡¯t like you. Not you, nor effeminate men,¡± Anna told the surprised young man.


    ¡°I won¡¯t know until she confesses, will I?¡± Mike responded, regaining his composure.


    ¡°I¡¯m not telling you this because you rejected me. Diana has been with us since she moved to the city, and oddly enough, whenever she sees an effeminate guy, she insults them,¡± Anna continued, seeing Mike¡¯s expression darken. ¡°She even once told us that she met a guy with an androgynous face who made her sick just by looking at him.¡±


    ¡°An androgynous guy?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Who was dating her childhood friend or something like that.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± With a soft, almost imperceptible whisper, Mike said as he got up from the bench, his eyes fixed on the ground and his bangs covering his face. ¡°Thanks for the towel.¡±


    Mike began to walk away without saying goodbye to Anna. With no particular direction, he followed the flower-lined path that led to the beach, while Anna watched him leave, head down, with a Machiavellian smile.


    ¡°Are you feeling good now that you¡¯ve lied to him?!¡± Emily yelled as she emerged from her hiding place.


    ¡°Emily?¡± Anna looked up, startled.


    ¡°Surprised to see me? You have my wallet in your bag.¡±


    ¡°Right...¡± Anna muttered, embarrassed at being caught.


    ¡°Why did you lie to him? And don¡¯t give me your innocent girl nonsense.¡±


    ¡°You know exactly why I lied to him. Because of that poor black girl who¡¯s always begging around us.¡±


    ¡°Black? Are you talking about Diana?¡± Emily asked again, her face showing disgust.


    ¡°Who else? ¡®I don¡¯t have money for this, I don¡¯t have money for that, it doesn¡¯t seem fair...¡¯¡±


    ¡°I knew you were envious of her, but not to this extent.¡±


    ¡°Envious? Me? Of that beggar?¡±


    ¡°She may be a beggar, but you¡¯re dying to be like her.¡±


    ¡°Never!¡± Anna shouted, her face contorted with rage. ¡°More than envy, I hate her. I don¡¯t like her class, nor her race. From the beginning, she should never have been accepted into our university just because of some grades. Besides intelligence, the board should take into account her background.¡±


    ¡°You disgust me.¡±

 CHAPTER 5: The Storm Approaches (6)

    PART 6


    ¡°You disgust me.¡±


    ¡°Since you met her, I¡¯ve ceased to exist for you! We were the only and best friends. There was no one else. But then she came along and pushed me aside. And now she wants to get the guy I like? Why should I let that happen?¡±


    ¡°Stop blaming others for your mistakes, Anna. You pushed me away,¡± Emily said angrily. ¡°You act like you¡¯re a good person with a sweet angelic smile, but you¡¯re rotten inside. Of the two times I tried to kill myself, what did I get from you? A pat on the back, some bags of drugs, and the promise that all my pain would disappear after a few wild nights. Diana changed me. She was the only friend who truly cared about me and my well-being, with no ulterior motives.¡±


    ¡°Do you think a poor girl like her is with you because of your last name?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    ¡°How naive you are.¡±


    ¡°I know Diana and she knows me. Unlike the ten years of friendship you and I shared, in just three years with her, I¡¯ve become a better person than I ever was with you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re blind.¡±


    ¡°Look, Anna, I have many friends: idiots, opportunists, fakes, liars, and all sorts of personalities. But there¡¯s only one type of friend I would never have... an envious racist with a classist morality.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°I thought you were smarter! Maybe now envy is clouding your judgment. I don¡¯t want or need friends or people like you in my life. Call your father or buy a ticket to go home because I don¡¯t want to see your face again. My wallet... you can keep it. Just like the money, I have no use for people like you.¡±


    With one last look of disapproval, Emily walked away firmly while Anna took out her friend¡¯s wallet and smashed it against the ground in anger.


    Meanwhile, by the rocky shore of the beach, Diana had decided to take advantage of the night¡¯s tranquility to search for shells that might match the colors of the bracelet she had chosen, especially a particular shell.


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    ¡°Puperita pupa, if I didn¡¯t find it in the sea, maybe there¡¯s one here,¡± she said to herself as she searched among the rock crevices with the flashlight on her phone. ¡°Where are you? Come on, come out... Got you! I found it!¡±


    The young woman was so excited to have found it that she tripped over a rock and fell face down on the ground.


    ¡°But if we meet again...¡± she heard a voice in the darkness as she picked up her phone.


    ¡°You¡¯re the pretty girl from the beach,¡± added another individual, who, when Diana shone the phone¡¯s light on them, realized they were the guys who had bothered her at the beach.


    ¡°Pretty, sure. Good-looking, depends on taste,¡± Diana said, getting up from the ground, brushing the dirt off her rear, and starting to walk. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have to meet a friend.¡±


    ¡°Stay with us for a while,¡± one of them said with a smile, grabbing her arm.


    ¡°Let go of me,¡± she said without losing her composure.


    ¡°You¡¯re a bit stuck-up, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Let go of me, now,¡± she said, looking him directly in the eyes without fear.


    ¡°Our friends are nearby, come with us and we¡¯ll introduce you,¡± the other guy said, approaching her.


    ¡°I said let me go!¡± Diana shouted as the one who was approaching her was thrown into the air.


    ¡°I thought it was clear that she was coming with us,¡± Mike said in an extremely dry tone, walking towards the guy holding Diana¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know who you¡¯re messing with.¡±


    ¡°I think I have a pretty good idea. They say there have been muggings in this part of the beach lately by two hooded individuals,¡± Mike informed them, surprising the two men.


    ¡°Get ready for the beating of your life.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t deny that a good fight would be nice,¡± Mike continued, cracking his knuckles, ¡°but I¡¯ll let the police handle you.¡±


    ¡°The police?¡±


    ¡°I called them five minutes ago. They should be on their way.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you! Get up!¡± Letting go of Diana, he ran to help his companion. ¡°We need to get out of here! The cops are coming!¡±


    As the two fled, Mike watched them go, his back turned to Diana, who still held the shell she had searched for so long to give to him.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked without looking at her.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll walk you back to the hotel.¡±


    Mike began to walk away without turning around, no matter how much she called his name. When she tried to reach him, grabbing his shirt, he roughly pushed her away, causing the shell to fly from her hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! ...After the trip, I don¡¯t want to hear anything more from you,¡± Mike said furiously, turning back around and leaving her speechless.


    ¡°Mike¡­¡±

 CHAPTER 6: The Beginning of the End (1)

    CHAPTER 6: The Beginning of the End


    PART 1


    Twenty-four hours had passed since the altercation with Anna. Mike remained distant from his friend Andrew and the girl he liked. There had been no news of Anna, and the vacation, which promised to be fun and stress-free, was turning into a mess of tension and unease.


    As night began to fall, Diana and Emily decided to go into the sauna before meeting up with the guys at the beach.


    "And Anna? I haven¡¯t seen her all day," Diana asked Emily.


    "She¡¯s gone back home, or at least I hope so."


    "She¡¯s left?"


    "Diana, let¡¯s forget about her from now on," Emily replied after a long sigh, as if it was hard for her to speak.


    "What happened?"


    "I don''t want to talk about her," Emily said firmly, slightly irritated, a tone that Diana noticed, and both fell into silence.


    "Mike¡¯s been distant with me¡­ ever since we came here, he¡¯s been different. I don¡¯t know what I did."


    "You like Mike, don¡¯t you?"


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    "What¡­?"


    "How do I know?" Emily interrupted, seeing her friend blush with a mischievous smile. "Diana, we¡¯ve been friends for more than two years, and you''re like a sister to me. I can tell when you''re feeling down, when you''re happy, when something¡¯s bothering you. And I know you''ve had a crush on him for months. I don¡¯t really get what you see in him. If he were at least attractive¡­ but he¡¯s got a girly face. No wonder he dressed up as ¡®Micaela¡¯ to fool me."


    "How do you know Mike is ¡®Micaela¡¯?" Diana asked, surprised.


    "A little bird told me. The real question is, how do you know?"


    "Well... one day¡­ he tripped¡­ and, well¡­" Diana nervously played with her hair, not quite sure what to say.


    "Forget it, just like you can¡¯t lie, you''re also horrible at explaining things. Why don¡¯t you tell him how you feel?"


    "Because he''s dating Andrew."


    "Who?"


    "Andrew."


    "Do you really believe that?" Emily burst out laughing at her friend¡¯s revelation, not quite sure if she was serious. "You¡¯re so naive, Diana. That guy could never be gay. He likes girls way too much."


    "But¡­"


    "But nothing," Emily cut her off. "I assure you, Mike and Andrew are just good friends. They could never be together. At most, they could drift apart because of you."


    "Because of me?"


    "Haven¡¯t you figured it out yet?"


    "Figured out what?"


    With a contented and motherly expression, Emily approached her friend, wrapping her arms around her in the warmest of hugs.


    "This is why I love you so much," she said lovingly before standing up and leaving the sauna. "Don¡¯t be silly, and just confess your feelings to Mike or Andrew. Who knows? You¡¯ve got options."


    As Diana watched her friend walk away, she couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Emily¡¯s words. To her, Mike was just too kind to people, and Andrew... Andrew was her childhood friend. At no point, or at least none that she had noticed, had he done anything to suggest he felt something more. Emily must be wrong, as she often was, seeing things where they didn¡¯t exist.

 CHAPTER 6: The Beginning of the End (2)

    PART 2


    Meanwhile, on the beach, the boys were sitting in the sand; Oscar and Johnny between Mike and Andrew, who hadn¡¯t spoken to each other.


    "Are you two going to keep this up for the rest of the trip?" Oscar asked, a little irritated.


    "I wasn¡¯t the one who started the fight," Andrew replied, staring off into the horizon.


    "Mike?" Johnny added, but got no response as Mike played with the sand. Then they heard Emily¡¯s voice behind them.


    "We¡¯ve brought fireworks! Who¡¯s up for it?"


    A few minutes later, Oscar and Johnny were enjoying the fireworks with Emily and Diana, while Andrew and Mike, who hadn¡¯t moved from their spot, watched their friends from a distance.


    "I don¡¯t intend to come between you and Diana. But if you keep treating her like this, I won¡¯t step aside. I¡¯ve only given you one chance; if you lose it or throw it away, as you¡¯re doing now, I won¡¯t hesitate to get between the two of you," Andrew said, still not looking at Mike.


    "Do whatever you want," Mike replied, staring at Diana.


    "I know you¡¯re only saying that because you¡¯re angry right now, but you¡¯ll regret it."


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    "I don¡¯t think so."


    "Alright. Then I have your permission to do as I please."


    Diana, who had been glancing at the two boys from the corner of her eye, pulled the bracelet she had made for Mike out of her pocket, one she hadn¡¯t been able to give him because he¡¯d been avoiding her. With what little courage she had left, she walked over to him, but once again, seeing her coming towards them, Mike got up from the sand and went over to join Oscar and Johnny.


    "Want to set off some fireworks with me?" After a deep sigh at Mike¡¯s reaction, Diana asked Andrew, who remained seated.


    Side by side, each holding a sparkler that lit them up in the darkness.


    "I¡¯m really happy I found you again, Andrew," Diana said, gazing at the lights.


    "Me too."


    "Andrew..."


    "Yeah?"


    "Are you really gay? Are you and Mike dating?"


    "No," Andrew answered, looking directly into her eyes, to her surprise. "It was just a whim of a rich kid who didn¡¯t know how to tell his ex that he was alone¡­"


    Several seconds of silence passed between them. Seconds in which Andrew tried, with all his might, to understand his own feelings. To understand the truth of what he felt for her. For the person sitting to his right who, after all the years that had passed, was still the same little girl he had once fallen in love with.


    "But this isn¡¯t a whim..." Andrew continued.


    "What isn¡¯t?" Diana asked, turning to look at him.


    As she turned towards him, Andrew slowly but steadily leaned in and kissed her lips, deeply and delicately.


    Oscar let out a muffled gasp when he saw them. Johnny, along with Emily, stared at their friends in surprise, and Mike... most of all Mike, kept his cool¡ªa calm that was well-rehearsed, if not for the fact that his fists were clenched in fury.

 CHAPTER 6: The Beginning of the End (3)

    PART 3


    Blue, green, pink, white, and a myriad of colorful houses adorned the streets of Tobello, one of the most internationally renowned markets of the Michi Islands. Stalls of food, decorations, souvenirs, flowers, and more lined the bustling, almost crowded street, filling it with vibrant hues and providing a pleasant feeling of warmth and closeness to the people.


    On every corner, you could hear merchants haggling with tourists to get the best price, or the laughter of children playing from one side to the other. It was the last day of the week-long trip, and the group couldn¡¯t leave without visiting ¡°The Tobello Blue Market.¡±


    Since that kiss, the tension among them had only grown, even though Emily, Oscar, and Johnny did their best to lighten the atmosphere. But no matter how hard they tried, Mike¡¯s coldness was much stronger.


    "Diana, that was a full-blown confession," Emily said, eyeing a dress at one of the stalls.


    "A confession?" Diana responded, looking at her friend with puffy eyes. "I haven¡¯t been able to sleep since then."


    "What are you going to do? Who will you choose?"


    "What are you talking about? Andrew is your ex."


    "By that logic, Andrew is your first love."


    "Yeah¡­ but I like Mike," Diana admitted, her voice catching in her throat.


    "Well, there¡¯s nothing more to say, then." Emily ended the conversation, putting the dress back and giving Diana a little push toward Mike. "Try talking to him."


    Thrown off balance, Diana stumbled into Mike, who caught her as soon as he realized what had happened. She blushed, feeling for the first time the toned chest of the blond boy under her hands. At some point, as they spent more time together, Diana had become increasingly aware of Mike¡¯s masculinity.


    "Sorry," she apologized, embarrassed, as he turned his back on her without saying a word, barely even looking at her, leaving Diana feeling sad.


    "Do you like it?" a vendor asked Emily with a smile as he saw her admiring a necklace on display.


    "Of course, I love it. Too bad I don¡¯t have any cash to buy it."


    "How much is it?" Andrew asked, taking out his wallet.


    "32 Calucas."


    "That wasn¡¯t necessary¡­" Emily said innocently as Andrew finished paying for the necklace.


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    "We¡¯re friends now, and I know you love necklaces," he said with a smile, opening the necklace to put it on her.


    "Thank you," Emily accepted the gesture with a smile unlike any she had shown before¡ªa smile of healing.


    Meanwhile, Diana was looking for a string to hang Mike¡¯s shell on. She noticed a chain of a royal blue so deep that it seemed to shine when touched by sunlight. As she reached for it, she bumped into Mike¡¯s hand, who had the same intention.


    "Did you want it?" he asked, pulling his hand back with a smile, only to receive her cold rejection in return.


    "Enough!" Diana shouted with all her might, preventing Mike from once again acting as if she didn¡¯t exist. She had endured enough.


    She knew she had behaved poorly with him on the plane, but she didn¡¯t deserve this treatment. She didn¡¯t know what was more painful¡ªhis kindness, knowing he didn¡¯t feel the same way, or his continuous disregard for her. Either way, his behavior was killing her inside.


    "What did I ever do to you?" she cried out in desperation when a flash interrupted them.


    "Would you like a group photo?" an island photographer asked them.


    "What?" Diana asked him to repeat, caught off guard by the question.


    "Would you like a group photo? It¡¯s only 5 Calucas."


    "No, tha¡ª" Mike began to respond curtly, but Oscar interrupted him, covering his mouth.


    "Of course! And make it six copies."


    After Oscar¡¯s pleading and fake tears, everyone reluctantly posed for the photo, trying to forget the bad blood that had formed between them. Six copies, one for each person. Diana looked at the picture, feeling deep joy in her heart.


    "You look so silly," Emily teased, seeing Diana¡¯s face.


    "I¡¯m just happy to have these moments with all of you."


    "You¡¯re such a sentimentalist."


    "Maybe¡­" Diana felt a hammering pain in her head and instinctively brought one hand to her forehead, curling up from the discomfort.


    "Are you okay? Another headache?" Emily quickly approached her friend, concerned.


    "No, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry," Diana replied, forcing a smile to reassure her.


    "Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re heading to the jet soon."


    Hours later, the group had returned to the private plane.


    "Come on, Andrew," Johnny, who was sitting next to him, pleaded. "Make up with Mike. You guys have never been angry at each other."


    "I don¡¯t have to give in. He¡¯s the one who got mad in the first place. If anyone needs to apologize here, it¡¯s him," Andrew replied, adjusting in his seat, stretching his legs, and closing his eyes, causing his companion to run his hands over his face in frustration.


    "Mike, apologize to Andrew," Oscar begged Mike, sitting at the other end of the plane. But Mike didn¡¯t respond, just stared out the window. "You have to fix things before it¡¯s too late."


    "Are you really okay? You¡¯ve been having more headaches than usual lately," Emily asked again, sitting next to Diana, who looked a bit pale.


    "Yes, really," Diana nodded, closing her eyes.


    It was true that if Mike had known what was coming, he would have stopped acting like a complete idiot.


    ¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò


    It was nighttime when the plane landed, earlier than expected. Diana was eager to see her mother and brother again to give them the gifts Emily and she had bought in the Michi Islands.


    "I¡¯m home!" Diana announced excitedly as she walked into the house, carrying several bags. "I¡¯ve got a couple of gifts for both of you!"


    But the warm welcome she had been expecting turned into a somber walk as her brother approached her, his face filled with sorrow.


    "Sis..."


    "What¡¯s wrong? Is Mom okay?" she asked, kneeling down to her brother, seeing their mother behind Zedd with the same expression.


    "Your latest test results..." Zedd couldn¡¯t finish the sentence, his face quickly filling with tears.

 CHAPTER 7: Goodbye, Diana (1)

    <h2 style="text-align: center">CHAPTER 7: Goodbye, Diana</h2>


    PART 1


    With heads down, gathered around the dining table, no one could speak. Sadness and discomfort were palpable. Somehow, Diana knew that something had been wrong in her head lately. The constant migraines and dizziness were getting worse, and her appetite wasn¡¯t the same, but she hadn¡¯t given it the importance it deserved.


    "Why has this happened?" she asked, staring at the floor.


    "Because of the accident," her mother, sitting to her right, replied.


    "And now what¡­ what happens?"


    "They¡¯ll have to operate on you," Dalia informed her, taking her hand. "I spoke with your brother, and the money we¡¯ve been saving for his studies will be used to pay for your operation and the trip."


    "But, Mom¡­"


    "No, sister!" Zedd interrupted, holding back tears. "Don¡¯t say anything. You could die if you don¡¯t get the surgery. How could I live knowing we had the money to help you and didn¡¯t use it for my studies instead?"


    "When is the trip?" Diana asked after exchanging a knowing smile with her brother, realizing he was doing his best to stay strong and not cry.


    "We¡¯re leaving in two days."


    "But I won¡¯t be able to say goodbye to my friends," she replied to her mother, surprised.


    "I¡¯m sorry, Diana."


    "It¡¯s okay, Mom," she reassured her after a long sigh, smiling. "Well then, we better get everything ready for the trip!"


    Her family was doing everything possible to take care of her and handle the situation in the best way, so Diana wasn¡¯t about to be the weak one. On the contrary, she needed to be the strongest, knowing it would only make things worse if they saw her down.


    However, the next morning, all the fear and anguish overwhelmed her, and she had no one to talk to. Tears streamed down her face like an open faucet, and no matter how much she cried, the pain didn¡¯t go away; in fact, it only grew. At that moment, strangely enough, she longed to confide in one person¡ªMike. But after four missed calls and a fifth that went to voicemail, she sadly realized that her friend didn¡¯t want to hear from her.


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    With swollen eyes and a face marred by insomnia, she dialed another number on her phone.


    "Hello, do you have time to meet now? Okay, see you in an hour." Hanging up the phone, her eyes filled with tears once again.


    ¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò?¡ò


    At the agreed time, Diana arrived at the caf¨¦ where she had arranged to meet Emily, the second person she wanted to talk to and the one who would never fail her, no matter the circumstances. Her irreplaceable best friend.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re leaving?¡± Emily asked, as Diana nodded. ¡°And you¡¯re not coming back?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. We¡¯ve spent all the savings we had. My mom found a good public school for my brother, so I think we¡¯ll be gone for a long time. Plus, it all depends on how the operation goes.¡±


    ¡°I can give you the money¡­¡±


    ¡°No, Emily. Not for this.¡± Diana interrupted, calmly raising her hand in a gesture of refusal. ¡°My family is making the effort, and¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Emily nodded, knowing she couldn¡¯t disrespect the effort Diana¡¯s family was making for her, even though she wanted to help with all her heart. ¡°Have you been able to say goodbye to the others?¡±


    ¡°By ¡®the others,¡¯ do you mean Mike? I¡¯ve called him several times, but he¡¯s not answering.¡±


    ¡°He must be busy. He told me he had to work with his dad on a project they¡¯re doing together.¡±


    ¡°You think so? He¡¯s been so distant since the trip.¡±


    Diana knew Emily was just making excuses for Mike¡¯s behavior and wasn¡¯t being truthful. Emily had a habit of tearing napkins into tiny pieces when she was nervous, exactly what she was doing at that moment.


    ¡°Come on, girl!¡± Emily shouted, glancing at her watch and slamming her hand on the table, drawing the attention of the other customers. ¡°Diana, promise me we won¡¯t lose touch.¡±


    ¡°That will never happen; we¡¯ll stay friends even after we¡¯re dead.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for being my friend, Diana.¡± Emily stood up and hugged her warmly and affectionately. ¡°Now¡­ I¡¯ve got to go. I forgot I had something to do. Can we meet this afternoon at the school gym at four?¡±


    ¡°I need to finish packing¡­¡±


    ¡°Pleeease, so I can say goodbye to you properly,¡± Emily begged, putting on her jacket.


    ¡°But the school gym is closed.¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re talking to?¡±


    ¡°Alright. At four, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be calling your mom every 20 minutes to check on how the operation¡¯s going.¡± Hugging her once more in a rush, Emily said goodbye to her friend and quickly darted out of the caf¨¦. ¡°I love you so much, Diana.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Emily.¡±


    Diana was surprised by her friend¡¯s behavior. She hadn¡¯t expected her to cry or get upset, but¡­ maybe Emily wanted to buy her something for when they saw each other later that afternoon, or maybe she was just in a hurry. What mattered was that they would see each other one more time before she left the country, and that comforted her.

 CHAPTER 7: Goodbye, Diana (2)

    PART 2


    Emily knocked on the door seven times in desperation. Only twenty minutes had passed since she had said goodbye to her friend. Tapping her foot and resting her hand on her hip, she anxiously waited for someone to answer.


    ¡°What do you want in such a hurry? You know I had plans, right? You can¡¯t just call me, tell me not to even think about leaving my house, and say you¡¯re coming over,¡± Andrew said as he opened the door, his silk shirt unbuttoned, revealing his bare chest, which made Emily¡¯s heart race.


    It was obvious he had just come out of the shower, his hair still wet, and his pants only half fastened. Even though the sight might have flustered her, Emily was determined to stick to her mission.


    ¡°I know Mike is Micaela. I know that idiot likes my best friend, and from the kiss you gave Diana on the beach, I assume you like her too¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Shhh.¡± She pressed her index finger to his lips, stopping him from explaining. ¡°I¡¯m talking now. The only friend who truly cares about me is, and has always been, Diana. So, no matter how much I still like you, I¡¯d never get in the way of you two. But I know Diana, and no matter how much it hurts, or how badly that jealous, useless, effeminate idiot of your friend treats her, she liked, likes, and will always like that fool Mike. So, tell him to stop acting like an idiot and start behaving like a man. He needs to be at the school gym at four this afternoon.¡±


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    Emily finished speaking and turned to leave, but as Andrew moved to close the door, she stepped back, preventing him from shutting it.


    ¡°And if he doesn¡¯t want to come, drag him there if you have to. He can¡¯t be that strong.¡± She shot him a suggestive glance, eyeing him up and down for a second before rushing out. ¡°And for heaven¡¯s sake, put something on!¡±


    Andrew quickly shut the door behind her, heading to the living room table to grab his phone.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering Diana¡¯s calls?¡± he asked as the phone rang for the third time.


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Mike responded from the other end.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be a genius to figure it out. I¡¯ve been your friend since we were in diapers, and I knew that after that kiss, you¡¯d be blinded by jealousy. I¡¯m the one who kissed her, so stop acting like an idiot.¡±


    ¡°Keep her. She¡¯s all yours.¡±


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s some piece of meat? Look, man, I gave you a chance, and I¡¯m giving you another one. Today at four o¡¯clock, go to the school gym. I promise I won¡¯t get in the way¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you said last time¡­¡±


    ¡°And like last time,¡± Andrew cut him off, ¡°if you mess up again and act like a jerk with Diana, I guarantee next time, I won¡¯t make things easy for you because I¡¯ll be fighting for her myself. Remember, today at four in the gym.¡±


    With that ultimatum, Andrew hung up before Mike could respond and threw his phone to the ground in frustration, smashing it into pieces.


    The anger coursed through him, as much as he wanted to get closer to Diana, he knew that if he respected his friend, that path was off-limits.

 CHAPTER 7: Goodbye, Diana (3)

    PART 3


    The sun was setting as Diana packed her belongings with her mother. Her whole life fit into a few boxes, but the most important things¡ªthe people¡ªwould be left behind. She was about to begin a new chapter, one where her friends, especially Mike, would no longer be part of her life.


    After months of trying to get closer to him, when she finally had, things got twisted, and now, not only would she not see him again, but she couldn¡¯t even say goodbye.


    "I''m going to fetch your brother," Dalia said, placing the last box in the entryway.


    "Okay," Diana replied, hearing the door close behind her mother.


    There was only half an hour left until four, when she was supposed to meet Emily. The forecast predicted heavy rain. After putting on a loose shirt and black jeans, she rushed out of the house, hoping to get to the campus before the rain started. They only had two umbrellas, one her mother had taken, and the other her brother.


    As it started to drizzle, Diana arrived at the gym''s entrance fifteen minutes early. Approaching the door, she noticed it was ajar, and the sound of a basketball bouncing echoed from inside. When she stepped in, she was met with the last person she expected to see.


    ¡°Mike?¡± she murmured, seeing him shoot hoops.


    Diana wasn¡¯t the only one surprised. Mike¡¯s expression was a picture of confusion. Unsure of how to act, he sat beside her on a bench in the gym, both of them silent until she decided to break it.


    "You know, when I was little, I had an accident. A car hit me, and I lost my memory. Recently, I remembered what I had forgotten, and it made me realize that in my whole life, I¡¯ve only ever liked two people: my childhood friend and a guy who, no matter how much I want to be with him, seems like our paths just don¡¯t align."


    ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡±


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    "...For no particular reason."


    In silence, Diana stood up and walked out of the gym, stopping under the overhang to watch the rain pour down. Mike followed her and stood beside her, both of them quiet again, staring at the raindrops falling from the cloudy sky.


    "It looks like it¡¯s raining harder," Diana mentioned, extending her hand to feel the water trickle across her skin. "They say when it rains in seasons that aren¡¯t winter or fall, it¡¯s because the sadness in Zeus¡¯s heart is so great that the earth weeps for him."


    What did it matter if she confessed her feelings? Nothing made sense if she had to say goodbye in the end. Wouldn''t it be better to leave things as they were? Wasn¡¯t it better for him to continue hating her so that she wouldn¡¯t have to suffer even more?


    ¡°Mike¡­¡± Mike looked into her eyes as she kept her gaze distant. ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t want us to be friends again. I¡¯d like to stop taking the classes you were giving me, and for us to each go our own way.¡±


    Without looking back, Diana ran into the heavy rain, desperate. She didn¡¯t want Mike to see her cry, but she also didn¡¯t expect him to stop her. No, it was better this way. That way, she wouldn¡¯t waver in her decisions... until she felt a strong hand grasp her forearm in the downpour.


    "Why?!" Mike asked, forcing her to look at him. "I know I¡¯ve been a jerk. I¡¯ve ignored you, but¡­ but I don¡¯t want to be away from you."


    "I don¡¯t like weak guys. I¡¯ve only used you for my benefit. I¡¯ve suffered every day being with you because I didn¡¯t want my grades to drop and lose my scholarship. So just leave me alone."


    With a harsh jerk, Diana pulled her arm free from Mike¡¯s grip. He stood there in shock, paralyzed by her words, feeling the rain like tiny daggers piercing his skin.


    Meanwhile, Diana, wandering aimlessly through the city, let her tears blend with the rain. As if each drop could erase her pain, she stopped and tilted her head to the sky, letting go. Her clothes were soaked, every inch drenched, but she didn¡¯t care as long as her thoughts would disappear, fade away, and never return.


    As Diana stood amidst the bustling crowd, her mind adrift, she suddenly heard a familiar voice call her name.


    ¡°Diana?¡±


    Lowering her head and slowly opening her eyes, she saw Andrew standing before her. Despite her desperate attempts to stop crying, her tears flowed freely once more. Seeing her in such distress, Andrew quickly approached, pulling her close and sheltering her under his umbrella. He embraced her tightly as she sobbed uncontrollably against his chest.

 CHAPTER 7: Goodbye, Diana (4)

    PART 4


    Half an hour later, after she had calmed down, Andrew managed to convince her to go to his apartment.


    ¡°Here, this might be too big, but it''s better than nothing,¡± he said, handing her a pair of his sweatpants. ¡°I left a towel on the couch. Change into this and get warm. I¡¯ll make you some tea and turn on the heat.¡±


    Diana sat on the couch, towel in hand, as Andrew returned with a tray holding two cups of tea and a playful smile.


    ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± she asked, noticing his grin.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied, setting the tray on the table. ¡°You just look so cute in oversized clothes.¡±


    Carefully making sure the tea wasn¡¯t too hot, Andrew placed the cup in her cold, trembling hands.


    ¡°Your hands are freezing, and your hair is still wet. Drink the tea while I dry your hair,¡± he said, pulling her gently toward the couch and sitting her down.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to¡­¡± Diana murmured, her face flushing as Andrew sat behind her, towel in hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to catch a cold,¡± he added, gently rubbing her hair with the towel. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    The room was quiet, the only sound being the rhythmic motion of the towel drying her hair. Andrew hesitated to ask what was on his mind, but he couldn¡¯t ignore the need to understand.


    "Things didn¡¯t go well with Mike, did they?" he asked quietly.


    Diana didn¡¯t answer with words. Instead, her tears answered for her, streaming down her face once more. Andrew felt a deep sense of helplessness, knowing that no matter how much he tried, he couldn¡¯t heal her broken heart. He continued drying her hair, letting her cry until she had no more tears left.


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    ¡°Thank you for everything, Andrew,¡± Diana said, setting her empty cup down on the tray minutes later.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always enjoyed helping pretty girls,¡± he teased, sitting a few inches away from her.


    ¡°Are you flirting with me?¡± she asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Who knows?¡± he chuckled as their eyes met.


    "You have a beautiful view," Diana commented, looking out at the large windows in the living room.


    ¡°I know,¡± Andrew replied, his gaze still fixed on her.


    A quiet, intense moment passed between them. Their eyes locked, and slowly, they began to lean closer, their lips just millimeters apart. But just as their lips were about to meet, Andrew stopped, gently placing his finger on her lips.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be a good person if I kissed you while you¡¯re feeling like this. Besides, we both know those lips don¡¯t want to kiss me,¡± Andrew said softly.


    Diana looked away, blushing at his words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be embarrassed. For now, I¡¯ll respect my friend, but if he messes things up with you again, I won¡¯t hesitate to win you over,¡± he said with a playful grin.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter now¡­ I¡¯m leaving the country first thing tomorrow morning,¡± Diana responded, her gaze shifting to the window. ¡°It¡¯s stopped raining. I should go. Thanks again, Andrew.¡±


    Moments later, at the door, Diana stood with a bittersweet smile.


    ¡°If I seem indifferent, it¡¯s not because I don¡¯t care that you¡¯re leaving. It¡¯s because I¡¯m sure that wherever you go, our lucky charm will bring us back together,¡± Andrew said, stepping closer to place a gentle kiss on her forehead.


    The gesture left Diana flustered and unsure of how to react. She awkwardly waved goodbye as she made her way to the elevator. Once she was out of sight, Andrew¡¯ warm expression hardened. He closed the door with purpose and immediately reached for his phone, dialing Mike''s number once again. Still no answer. Frustrated, he dialed another number.


    ¡°Hey, Johnny. Have you heard from Mike?¡±


    ¡°Not since the trip. Why?¡±


    ¡°No reason, just trying to find him. Let me know if you hear anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Oscar if he knows anything.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Andrew said, hanging up. He grabbed a jacket from the entryway and stormed out of the apartment. ¡°If you¡¯ve messed things up with Diana again, Mike, I swear I¡¯ll kill you with my own hands.¡±

 CHAPTER 7: Goodbye, Diana (5)

    PART 5


    ¡°Yes?¡± answered Mike¡¯s father as he picked up the intercom.


    ¡°It¡¯s Andrew. Is Mike home?¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t returned yet. Would you like to come up and wait for him?¡±


    ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯ll try calling his cell.¡±


    Andrew hung up, feeling powerless, unsure of what to do next. Johnny and Oscar had both texted him saying they hadn¡¯t heard from Mike either. As he made his way to his friend¡¯s house, he called Mike several times, but with no answer. He had visited every place he thought Mike might be, but it had all been a waste of time. Frustration built up inside him, and in a surge of anger, he punched the wall, causing blood to drip from his knuckles.


    ¡°Where the hell are you, Mike?¡±


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    The long-awaited day for Zedd had finally arrived. He eagerly loaded the suitcases into the taxi that was waiting outside the building.


    "With this, the last one. Come on, sis, it''s now or never," Zedd said excitedly.


    "You sure seem happy," Diana remarked as she came down the steps, adjusting her bag.


    "Of course I am! They¡¯re going to be able to operate on you, and once you¡¯re better, we¡¯ll come back, and I¡¯ll take care of you."


    "This kid has such an imagination."


    "You were just like that when you were little," their mother said from behind her.


    "Really?" Diana asked, surprised.


    "You were even worse."


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    "Come on, let''s go!" Zedd jumped into the taxi.


    "I''m coming," Diana replied with a playful salute, as if receiving orders from a captain, and followed her brother and mother into the car.


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    At the same time, at the entrance of the school¡­


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Mike asked Andrew coldly and with disdain, noticing all their classmates gathered nearby with Emily.


    ¡°Where were you yesterday? I looked for you everywhere,¡± Andrew shot back, grabbing Mike by the shoulder as he tried to walk past without stopping.


    ¡°I did what you wanted. I met with Diana,¡± Mike halted, though he didn¡¯t turn around, forced to stop by Andrew¡¯ grip, which wasn¡¯t visibly harsh but was firm.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Nothing I didn¡¯t already know. By the way, Diana is all yours.¡± Mike turned slightly with a twisted smile. ¡°If I had realized sooner what kind of person she was, I wouldn¡¯t have wasted my time.¡±


    Not even a second passed before Andrew, enraged by Mike¡¯s words, landed a solid punch that knocked him to the ground.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you, Mike? Since when are you so blind to what¡¯s right in front of you? I never thought your feelings were this cheap!¡±


    ¡°And what do you want me to do?!¡± Mike shouted, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, unable to look Andrew in the eye. ¡°I¡¯m dying inside from the rage, the jealousy, the pain! She doesn¡¯t want me! She doesn¡¯t like me! There¡¯s nothing I can do!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Emily suddenly shouted, stepping between the two. ¡°Diana likes you, Mike. She¡¯s liked you for a long time. Ever since the first time she saw you, you caught her attention.¡±


    ¡°Lies! She told me herself she didn¡¯t want anything to do with me, that she doesn¡¯t like effeminate guys, that¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mike! She said all of that because she¡¯s leaving!¡± Emily¡¯s voice cracked as tears began to stream down her face. ¡°She¡¯s sick! They found a blood clot in her brain, and she has to have surgery.¡±


    A heavy silence filled the air, thick with disbelief.


    ¡°She always talked to me about you,¡± Emily continued, her voice trembling. ¡°She thought you were charming. She liked seeing you blush over silly things, how kind you were to other people. She admired how attentive you were, how clumsy and strong you could be. She wanted to tell you her feelings a long time ago, but she¡¯s so shy¡­ she could never do it. Everything she said to you was probably to make the separation easier. But Mike, she really likes you.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I have to talk to her!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s probably on her way to the airport by now. Her flight was this morning,¡± Andrew informed him, handing Mike his bag, which was still lying on the ground.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t go after her,¡± Emily chimed in with a playful smile, hands on her hips, as she saw Mike already losing hope.


    ¡°But¡­ classes¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such a goofball! They¡¯re not going to fail you for missing the first classes of the term,¡± Emily sighed, amazed at Mike¡¯s hesitation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll cover for you,¡± Oscar said, placing a reassuring hand on Mike¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Guys¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes¡­ we¡¯re the best and all that,¡± Johnny interjected, pushing Mike forward. ¡°You can thank us later. You don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    ¡°My car¡¯s nearby. I¡¯ll drive us.¡± Andrew pulled the keys from his uniform pocket and signaled the plan.


    Without another word, the three of them took off running, leaving their friends behind. Emily and the others watched them go, exchanging a knowing glance filled with silent encouragement.

 CHAPTER 7: Goodbye, Diana (6)

    PART 6


    "Mom, do you have the tickets?" Diana asked her mother as she pulled the luggage out of the taxi.


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not that absent-minded," Dalia responded, finishing up with the cab driver.


    "That¡¯s what you say now, but last time we lost two years¡¯ worth of savings and a vacation to San Francisco because you forgot the tickets," her daughter complained as her mother stepped out of the car, rummaging through her enormous purse.


    "Where is it? Here, see? I have them." Dalia waved the plane tickets proudly in front of her.


    Diana felt more puzzled than relieved by her mother¡¯s reaction. She couldn¡¯t understand why something that should be a basic responsibility was cause for such joy and pride.


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    "Andrew, for being the eldest son of one of the big mafia bosses, you should be driving a bit faster!" Emily complained from the leather backseat of the Bugatti. "It¡¯s like you¡¯re tiptoeing around!"


    "At the legal speed limit," Andrew calmly replied as he drove towards the airport.


    "Come on! Come on!" Emily kept going, tapping impatiently on the side of the driver¡¯s seat, getting on Andrew¡¯ nerves, while Mike remained silent, his nerves clearly visible.


    Thanks to Andrew'' smooth driving, they reached the airport¡¯s departure zone in about fifteen minutes.


    "Get out! I¡¯ll go park," Andrew said as he opened the doors. "Good luck, Mike!"


    "Thanks, Andrew," Mike replied, sharing a knowing smile with his friend just before Andrew drove off, the engine roaring.


    After weeks of tension between them, that look said it all¡ªthe trust had returned. There was still a lot left to discuss, many things that needed apologies, especially on Mike¡¯s part, but the bond they always boasted about to others had finally come back.


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    "I know why you¡¯re so excited," Diana teased with a mischievous smile, watching her brother fidget in the waiting room chair. "It¡¯s your first time flying."


    "You think I¡¯d be excited over something like that?" Zedd responded, blushing because his sister had figured him out.


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    "Isn¡¯t it?" she asked, playing dumb.


    "Of course not," Zedd stuck out his tongue at her.


    "Suuuure," Diana ruffled his hair vigorously.


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    "What are you doing here?" Mike asked Emily, raising an eyebrow as they stood before the large screen displaying all the departing flights.


    "How do you plan on getting through security?" Emily replied with her usual swagger as she walked over to the counter. "I need a ticket for the next flight out to anywhere."


    She said to the clerk, who stared at her in disbelief.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Emily broke the silence, impatiently. "I know you fell in love with me at first sight, but come on, we¡¯re in a rush."


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    Flight departure Birds Airlines 2115 to Berion, passengers please board at gate A42, the announcement echoed in the waiting room where Diana and her family were waiting. With a small gesture, Diana signaled to her brother, who was watching the planes with her, that it was time to leave.


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    "There are too many people. I won¡¯t make it," Mike muttered aloud, seeing the huge crowd waiting to get through security.


    "That¡¯s why I got you a first-class ticket. You get to use the priority lane," Emily said, handing him the ticket and giving him a shove. "Go, run."


    "Thank you, Emily," he said, rushing through security and starting to sprint.


    As he hurried desperately toward the gate Emily had mentioned, Mike couldn''t stop thinking about everything that had happened¡ªabout his behavior and the depth of his feelings.


    "I¡¯ve been such a fool this whole time. Trying to get close to you like you were some kind of goddess. But in the end, you were just a person like me, full of fears and worries. If only I had listened to you back then, we wouldn¡¯t be in this situation. If I had just been honest with you all along, we could¡¯ve spent what little time we had left together. We never appreciate what¡¯s right in front of us, even when it''s handed to us on a silver platter. When I finally see you, I¡¯ll tell you the truth... that I¡¯ve loved you since the first time I saw you, when you bumped into me, lost in the size of the university. That time didn¡¯t exist for me, nor did classes, because just seeing you made the hours turn into minutes and the minutes into seconds. Your smile brightened my gray days and gave me the strength to keep going, one more day. I don¡¯t care if you leave, but I¡¯ll have told you the truth. I don¡¯t want my feelings to be left as if I never loved you... as if I never really cared. Please, let her still be here. Please, let her still be here. Please, let her still be here. Please..."


    He repeated to himself, sweat pouring down his face as he finally reached the indicated gate. A completely empty and closed room. Diana was already gone, and with her, all his chances. Like a dream, a sigh, or the blink of an eye¡ªeverything was gone.


    "Idiot! Idiot! I¡¯m such an idiot!" Mike cried to himself, collapsing onto the floor, overwhelmed with pain and tears.


    "All because of human stupidity. We don¡¯t realize what we have until we¡¯ve truly lost it."


    <h2> </h2>


    <h2 style="text-align: center">THE END</h2>