After dinner, watching him gulp down water, I wondered if I’d gone overboard. But then I reminded myself—this was payback for all the years he’d tormented me.
As I was lost in thought, Lin Zeyu suddenly hugged me from behind, his arms tight around my waist.
“Yiran, can I sleep with you tonight?” he mumbled, sounding like a big, sad puppy.
I pointed to the freshly made bed in the guest room. “No way.”
His eyes filled with tears, and he looked so pitiful that I couldn’t help but give in. “Fine, fine, you can sleep with me. Just stop crying.”
He beamed, wiping his tears away, and I couldn’t help but think that, when he wasn’t talking, he was actually really good-looking.
Lin Zeyu moved his pillow into my room. Lying in the dark, I thought back to our childhood. We’d once been close friends, but everything changed when I realized I liked boys.
I came out to my family in high school. My dad smoked on the balcony all night, and my mom spent hours reading up on how to support me. The next day, they told me that as long as I was happy, they didn’t care if I liked boys or girls.
I was lucky. Except for Lin Zeyu.
I’d had a crush on him for years. He was the school heartthrob, always looking out for me. But his parents were so kind to me, I couldn’t bring myself to confess. Instead, I started picking fights, cheering for rival teams, and doing everything I knew he hated. Before long, we were bitter rivals.
Now, lying next to him, I felt that old longing return. I wished I could go back and smack some sense into my past self. Deep down, I’d wanted to experience what it was like to date my first love, even if it was just pretend.
But this wasn’t torturing Lin Zeyu—it was torturing myself.
I couldn’t sleep, but he was out like a light. In the dim glow from the window, I watched him sleep. On impulse, I leaned over and kissed him softly, wanting to leave a mark, like a cat claiming its territory.
Suddenly, he pulled me closer, his arms tight around my waist. “Yiran, why aren’t you asleep?”
Embarrassed, I tried to pull away, but he tucked my head under his chin and kissed the top of my head. “Sleep, it’s late.”
My face burned, and I couldn’t tell if it was from his embrace or my own feelings.
The next morning, Lin Zeyu noticed my dark circles. “Did you sleep badly, Yiran?”
I gritted my teeth. How could I sleep with him clinging to me all night?
“Never mind, get up. Xu Minghao and the others are coming to see you today.”
He looked confused. “Xu Minghao?”
I explained, “He’s your best friend—the guy from the hospital. He and a few others are coming by.”
Lin Zeyu didn’t seem interested, but as he leaned in to nuzzle my neck, I pushed him away, laughing. “Stop it!”
His bright eyes held nothing but affection for me, and I couldn’t help but lean in for a kiss—only to be interrupted by a knock at the door.
Chapter 03
*
Comments
Post a Comment