Rylan POV
"So… what happened today? You—Rylan—hugging and all?" Lena teased from the passenger seat.
"Shut up, Lena," I snapped, annoyance sharp in my voice.
She smirked. "What's with your mood? A little while ago you were hugging me, smiling — and now what changed?"
I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles went white and honked angrily at a taxi that cut in front of me. "Nothing happened. Can you just shut up? I'm dropping you home."
"Rylan," she pressed, voice softer now, "tell me. I've been your best friend since we were kids — I know when something's wrong. Share it with me. Maybe I can fix it."
I looked at her for a second, then back to the road. "Ah… forget it. Tell me — what are you doing this Saturday?"
She sighed dramatically and tossed the topic aside. "Fine. Saturday I have a date."
"Seriously? Again? Last time you dated a guy for two days, now a new one? How many days are you giving him this time?" I rolled my eyes.
She laughed. "I don't find my type of guy easily. If he treats me well, I'll give him a week. Or a moment. Who knows."
"You're unbelievable," I muttered, but she only smirked.
"Darling," she said, mock-serious, "we only get to love once in our lives. If we don't find love, at least find someone who cares and treats you well. That's what girls want."
"Right," I said dryly. "Maybe I should make a checklist for my future girlfriend."
She laughed. "Rylan, you'll never get a girlfriend. You're a playboy." Then she paused, a curious note in her voice. "But after your last trip… you've changed. You haven't even been on a date in a year. And you didn't tell me anything."
How could I tell her about Greece? About what happened there? About the part of me that didn't want to hurt or hate her? Anger kept my mouth shut. I exhaled and said, "Nothing. I'm just taking a break. Don't worry — I haven't changed." I forced a smirk.
She returned the smirk. "That's my Rylan."
I chuckled. "So, princess, we're here." I stopped the car in front of her mansion gate.
She peered out the window. "You're not coming?" she asked.
"Mmm… no. Get out now, or I'll pick you up and carry you to your room, princess,"
she laughed and said, So, servent go for it.
I rolled my eyes. "My highness," I snapped, "if you don't get out of my car right now, I'll kick your ass."
"okey chill — I'm going!" she, open the car door and leaning in the window, and said, "Bye, babe!"
"Bye, dumbo," I said, and she strode into the house, laughing behind her.
( I started the engine. The car purred beneath me — fast, responsive, exactly how I liked things. I loved speed: cars, racing, the clean rush of adrenaline. Before she came into my life, racing was everything).
Aira… she was different. She was like an angel that crashed into my carefully ordered world and left a mess I didn't know how to clean.
That's what she was.
(When I saw her for the first time, something inside me shifted — something I'd never felt for any other girl. It was a strange pull, a mix of love and care that hit me all at once.)
She was sitting on the beach, not joining her friends in the water because she didn't have a swimsuit. She just sat there, watching them, smiling softly. And I couldn't take my eyes off her.
Later, at the restaurant, she didn't like the food, but still smiled — trying not to make a fuss. That's when I liked her even more. The way she agreed to things so simply, so kindly, like she didn't want to trouble anyone.
And then at the amusement park — she loved the rides, laughed freely. That was the first time I saw her *real* smile. Perfect. Genuine.
( Yeah, I started following her after that. Wherever she went, I went — always with my friends so it wouldn't look weird. I even changed our hotel to be closer to hers. I didn't approach her; I didn't want her to think we were some creepy guys. But God had other plans).
We met in a club. Talked. And then… that one night stand.
"Fuck," I muttered, parking my car in front of my mansion.
( I was so lost in her memories I forgot I was supposed to go to my friend's house. Slamming my hand on the steering wheel, I leaned back and sighed.)
She's something else. She pulls me like a magnet — I'm the north, and she's the south.
Covering my face with both hands, I whispered to myself, "One day, she's going to be the death of me."
( With a sigh, I open the car door and walk into my house. I head straight upstairs, fast — I don't want to see Aira. If I do, I might say or do something I'll regret later.)
I open my room door, close it behind me, and lean against it.
"No more memories. No more thinking about her," I whisper to myself. "She said it herself—we both wanted to forget that one night stand."
My fists clench. *She ran away that morning.*
I shake my head. "Never again. I won't think about her."
( I walk over to the window and pull the curtain open, hoping some fresh air will clear my mind. But fate has its way of playing cruel games.)
Because there she is.
Aira.
( She's outside, laughing with her sister, Noah. They're playing some silly game — and that smile… that damn smile melts my anger in seconds. The same fist that was clenched a moment ago loosens, my frustration and rage dissolving like wax in heat.)
I stand there, watching her. The way she laughs. The way her eyes light up. The way she hugs her sister.
And then, a thought crosses my mind — *what if*?
What if we hadn't met like that?
What if, that morning, I'd woken up first — and hadn't let her run away?
What if she'd stayed?
Would she be mine now?
Would she be smiling like this, but in my arms instead?
My breath catches when Noah suddenly looks up — directly toward my window.
Shit. She saw me.
I quickly shut the curtain and step back, my heart thudding.
"God, no. Please, Noah, don't tell Aira. If she finds out I was watching them, what will she think? No, no, that can't happen."
I start pacing the room like a caged animal.
"What do I do now? Should I go downstairs and say hello to Noah? No—that's a bad idea. Or maybe just open the curtain again and say I was getting fresh air? No, that's even worse. Damn it, think, Rylan!"
I stop in my tracks, take a deep breath, and run my hand through my hair.
"Okay, just stay calm. If anyone asks, I'll say I wasn't looking at them — just… taking in the air. Yeah, that's it."
I glance at the bathroom door.
"Let's just take a shower. Cool off. Then dinner. That's a good plan."
With that, I push open the washroom door and step in, letting the sound of running water drown out the chaos in my head.
Aira's POV
"Noah, what happened? Why did you stop laughing?" I asked, noticing her sudden change of expression.
Noah looked up at me, her tone filled with disbelief and curiosity.
"I think I saw Rylan… in his room window."
"What?" I turned instantly toward his window, but the curtains were closed.
"Noah, he's not there," I said softly. "You're being delusional now."
But Noah shook her head, her tone firm and determined.
"No, Aira. I *saw* him. He was standing there—looking at us."
I sighed, trying to calm her down.
"No, Noah. He's not there. Maybe it was a maid, or someone else. He wouldn't be watching us like a creep, right?"
She thought for a moment, then sighed.
"Yeah… maybe I didn't see him properly."
I smiled and ruffled her hair gently.
"Noah, let's go inside. The sun's going down, and you still have homework to finish. You can tell me what you did at school today, okay?"
Her bright smile returned in an instant.
"Yeah, Aira! I'll show you what I drew today—come!"
( Just like that, we went inside. Noah talked endlessly about her first day at school, showing me her drawings, her stories, everything. I listened, smiling at her excitement.)
Later that night, as I lay in bed trying to sleep, Noah's words echoed in my mind.
*She saw Rylan watching us.*
Was he really?
( Maybe he was angry, seeing me happy like that. Playing with my sister in his own garden, laughing like nothing happened. Maybe he was standing there, clenching his jaw, cursing me under his breath.)
I know him. He doesn't like me anymore.
I turned to the side, forcing my eyes to close.
"Aira, stop thinking about someone who doesn't even like you," I whispered to myself.
And slowly, sleep pulled me under.
But even as my eyes closed, one thought lingered—
**Was Rylan watching me with hate… or with something else?**
But somewhere across the wall, under the same roof, Rylan was wide awake—thinking the exact same thing.
OR
What she didn't know was that Rylan hadn't closed his eyes either.