❝ Meet me,
where the end begins,
in echoes,
where your world is me,
and
my world is you.❞

•••

C H A P T E R
XXI

↺

SOMETIMES WHEN I think of summer; I for once could always think of one man him. It was like he owned my soul, but wounded my heart. His doe eyes, and warm smile—his electric gaze, his unfair words. An old wine always at its best, bitter sweet, and very much intoxicating.

                 “Keep the change,” I murmured at the lone cashier of the convenience store, as smiling darkly at me he handed the bag plastic bag, containing beer cans along with few cigarettes and peppermint tea.

Sighing, I hurried out of the store only to be catched up with heat as with a hooded gaze I stared at my car, that had now a yellow note sticked to it. And with that, preferring rather not to read it I crumple the note and with only one last glance I threw it across the sidewalk, grimacing when from the back of my jeans my cellphone made a buzz.

“What is it Hailey?” I have asked, breathlessly and awfully annoyed, when the voice from the other made a sore sound, that instantly made the insides of my ears to burst.

“Do you remember Park Nora?”

Frowning, I struggled to insert the keys into my car when I heard her asks me the same question again but this time with a louder voice, groaning I mentally rolled my eyes before finally succeeding with inserting the keys, I pulled the car out of parking.

“I for once have not memorized the whole school's name,” I complained, sounding helpless.

“Oh, well she's kinda into Jungkook.”

At the mention of his name the muscles of my shoulder tightened, heat prickled through my entire body as glancing sorely at the road I bit my lips thinking what to reply.

     “And why are you telling me that?”

I rasped out, with my nostrils flaring with anger I gripped the steering wheel hard, and took the right turn.

“We have to do something about it, poor Jeon he's been dealing with her all week, even as foe we need to get Nora off his back and from what I've known he kinda have thing for you,” she spoke, muttering the last words low as I grinned painfully at the obvious.

My lips tucked,“Well, what do you suggest?” I asked and tilted my head to the side, smirking as the wheels slowly come to rest at the near driveway of my house.

“Play the bitch,” she answered through a dazzling laughter, as I rolled my eyes.

     “Listen to me, Hailey I'm not going to be anything, or be part of anything. Jeon...and I what should I say we have history and no matter how hard we try to mend things,” I gathered my remaining courage, pressing the phone against my ear I leaned back to whisper,“It only make matters worst.”

There was a pause, as I heard her sigh through the phone,“Good, we are not doing anything but you must come to the brunch today that is just within few hours, Dustin’s father had the whole neighborhood invited.”

“I don't know mother is not in town and Alex is coming home next week, I have to search for a perfect job,” I spoke breathless, countlessly speaking all the excuse only to deny my attendance.

“I do not wish to hear your excuses, and I've already made my mind you're coming”

“Fine but I'll bring my own car,” I spoke through clenched teeth, as I got out of the car.

Opening the trunk I pulled out the paper bags one by one, along with items I've not so long ago purchased from the convenience store.

Reaching at the porch of my doorstep I was greeted at the sight of a man wearing suite, with dark brown curls and piercing hazel eyes, with a steady gaze he stared down at me as I reached the steps, I sucked in a breath when I felt the man study my face with wile curiosity.

“Helen Micheals I would like to speak with her, I've been trying to reach her but she's not answering her phone,” he uttered as I stood in front of him, his face hard and rigged as rather than entering the house I choose to walk to the veranda and talk outside as keeping in mind the consequences of being alone in a house with a man I've just met.

“She’s on break from work and spending some time at her hometown,” I whispered as we seated ourselves, one across another.

“That’s unfortunate, I finally have all the information she asked me look into,” frowning the man spoke steadily, as my follow in the direction of the file that had placed on the table just now.

Information?

“And you are?”

Inching forward for a closer look I asked, as smiling faintly the man offered me his card.

“I am an agent, Hector Lee I was asked to look into someone,” he spoke briefly in a relatively calm tone, as wanting to know further I raised my brow.

“And by someone you mean?”

A quick glint of amusement highlighted his ires, as placing his thumb against the red jewel of his ring he silently toyed with it, as if to test my patience.

“Well, as a matter of fact my mother as I've said is not present at the moment but you may handle me this file—” clearing his throat he glanced upwards smirking as my hand clutches the other end of the file, while the rest of it was still within the man's grasp.

“Let go of the file, Aria children should stay out of adult’s work.”

He whispered, quiet but with a burning gaze as he took the file from my grasp and stood up taking me by my surprise.

“You know—my—name,” I have whispered out, almost as if to only myself as the man in front only grinned wider, nodding in nonchalant manner enough to have my veins boil with anger, and fear.

“I know many things, Aria.”

Murmuring he stood there, right beside me, as I stayed still without moving even an inch from my seat, the sound of his queer breathing created a frantic of a motion to my ears, as sighing between my hands I gave up and stood up, standing just few inches away from him. His pupils expanding, a wicked smile feathered his features as ever so slightly he tilted his face stopping just to meet my eyes, he stared at me quite close, though I would be a fool to say that I didn't know what he was doing but right all I wanted from this man was to get him angry.

“I do not understand what's wrong with handing me the file?”

I snapped rigidly, ragging with anger as his marvelled to bore another amused glint.

“If I hand you the file you may wish that I would've never handed it to you,” he glanced at me as I darted my eyes towards the ground.

“This just makes me want to know more what's in that file, but since you clearly have no intention of handing it to me. Then I have no reason to let you continue this task,” my voice raced through the veranda as stepped forth to walk him towards the door, only sensing his gaze upon me as we reached towards the gate, we stopped standing steps away from eachother, I turned fully to face him, as my hair danced along with the dangling breeze as I uttered the next words out,“Hecter Lee you're fired.”

His eyes darkened hearing my words, as I felt a little unsteady with the way he averted his gaze, probably better since I've just told him to stop working.

“The file is about your father. And you do realize I work for your mother not you,”his words formed a knot in my stomach as bitting my lips a little too hard I turned away, and stayed just like that until I heard the gate opening then close swiftly, as then I only turned to find the man gone.

Leaving with only a thought to hinder upon why was my mother searching up information for my father? Whatever the reason was I know, it was something grave something, she didn't want me to be part of, something that could rip our family apart.

My steps turned hastily towards my house, as the few minutes I groomed myself for the branch even though every bone in my begged to stay at home, to lock the doors. Any where but never to be confronted with my father.

•••

“Did you see how she's clinging to Jungkook?”

Hailey spoke from beside me shifting, as I brought the crystal clear glass near my lips drinking the sour lemonade with a hard and mouth filling gulp.

“Go dance with him," I urged leaning against her shoulder, as I scooped a spoonful of her dessert.

“You’re asking me to dance with Jungkook?” Hailey's head snapped towards my way as caught that surprised look over her features before she replaced them with revulsion and I grinned unable to hole back my amusement.

Nora placed her hand against Jungkook’s shoulder leaning, her neckline full to display as watched with a queer interest when bosoms feathered against him, while he struggled to sit still, his eyes focused on his drink as averting my gaze I chuckled bitterly.

I rose up, the long trail of my dress falling as I drove fingers through my hair nervously; something that I hated about brunches was that it was always full of people, faces that are hard forget, with their words that are hard to swallow; it was unacceptable to stay in such a place where it was too hard to breathe. Where every face was readable, yet still unknown. Where  every whisper, could pour every living emotion out of one soul’s.

They did know my mother, they knew all about. And they whispered all about my out private mishaps and gossip over it like vulturres, greedy.

As I walked past Jungkook I sensed his gaze upon me, following me until I was away walking up there towards the stairs, connected with the hallway.

My fingers traced the metallic gold railings as made my way towards one of the empty room, Dustin father was a mayor so he owned a very luxurious  mansion, and every wall of this lavish mansion reminded who much of bullshit my mother have endured to help him with this year campaign, and now everything was calm my mother was gone, and long forgotten.

Dustin's father nor his mother even bothered to ask me about how she was and where she was what a cruel world we live in.

A painful laugh erupted through my lungs, as I took off my heels staring right in through my reflection on the mirror I sighed, what was there?

Why did Hailey even asked me to come? I could see that no one even cared if I was even there or not.

My thoughts were interrupted, so sudden as the once close door was now pushed open, my muscles stiffened as the intruders footsteps echoed through the room causing my eyes to look upwards, my eyebrows raised my breath shuddered as my eyes met Nick’s.

“Nick—” before I could say anything further his hand covered my mouth as he pinned to the wall, beside the full-length mirror.

My body pounded with pain by the sudden contact against the hard wall; every fibre of my body trembled as I struggled within his grasp.

“I wanted to talk with you, that day I don't know what happened to me. But that was not me—shhh why are you crying,” tears fell through my eyes, as I flinch when he suddenly brought his hand to my face, causing more tears to fall through my eyes,“All I ask is to be mine, you know I wanted you. May be I wanted you even before I met Sumin,” a shiver went through my spine, as closed eyes and fought against under his arms.

This have happened before I have gotten free before, I could handle this even know but I don't know why my legs refused to move, why my own body disobeyed me it was like it was scared, for the first time in my life I was scared I felt vulnerable as he leaned his forehead against mine his nose brushing mine, while shudder into half breath and broken sobs.

I for once knew that Nick wasn't drunk this time, meaning it was hard for me to fool him but it also meant that what ever he said just now was may be even true, and if what he said was true then I had a choice, the only was to get free was give him what he wanted and so looked upwards and met his eyes smiling bitterly.

“I like you too, Nick and may be I want you too but,” though no matter disgusted I was to touch him I still brought my hand to his face and brushed my nose against how almost in seductive manner,“We can't be together—you have a girlfriend Sumin…” I trialed off as Nick’s eyes lighted with excitement, while pressed himself against me. He drove his mouth against my neck as I grabbed his hair roughly.

“Break up with your girlfriend,”I spoke this time looking right into his eyes, that widened for mere seconds before grinning he nodded and buried his face back against my neck.

So much for the sake of friendship, I thought as faking a moan I grabbed him by his face and made him look at me, his blonde hair pushed back, eyes green eyes filled with lust, intoxicating.

“If we both want eachother then why hurry, I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to do this where it's just—”I drawled with a hint of seduction as I drove my fingers through his hair bringing my lips near his ear I whispered,“us.”

He looked up at me, breathing harshly against my skin, he stayed like that for so minutes before he abruptly drew back, and suddenly it was I was able to breathe back tears streaming down my eyes, as clutching my dress I fell to my knees.

My skin ached with undeniable pain wherever his hands touched, as hugging my knees I cried even harder.

And that's when the bathroom's knob twisted, and the door was pushed opened causing the muscles around my back to tense as I straightened up, bothering not to turn around even when I sense the footsteps walking nearer to me.

It was now clear that someone was in the bathroom all along. Just the thought of knowing someone have overhead me, while disgusted myself while I asked like a slut, while— may be now I was one at least that's what that person thinks of me.

“How long?”

A sense of deprivation against myself dawn upon me as I recognize the voice, sitting up straight I turned to glance over my shoulder only to find Yoongi standing there with disturbed expression over his face.

“You must hate me now,” I murmured, my voice broke as I rose to my feet picking my heels from the floor. His face hardened, as I walked past him making my way towards the bed sitting at the edge I dropped off on of the heels as placed the second near my bare foot.

“Why do you not care for yourself?” Yoongi spoke with a sudden raise in voice as his legs brought him close to me,“He touched, and you let him why?” growling he knelt down in front of me and grabbed my foot by my ankle causing the heels in hand to fall.

“And you think I was pretending, may be I do want Nick—”his fingers laced around my naked foot stopped me from speaking further, as heart beat quickened as I let him venture my skin with his totures strokes.

“The next time you forget you're Aria Micheals then remember that I'm Min Yoongi and I won't let that bastard get his way with you,” saying that he placed my foot inside the silvery heel, while struggle hard to hold my tears.

Minutes of silence followed us, as I let him help me with the heels. My heart ached while he continued to let the silence in the room eat us alive, but then he proved me wrong by looking upwards and smiling at  me with such homely tenderness when he finally was done, my gaze dropped to my feet and then back to his and I did nothing but smile back in return.

“Sometimes in life we do things that are not for us but for those whom you love,” lowering my lashes I spoke, as he pressed his warm hand against my cheek.

“I know you're doing this for Sumin but—what about you?”

His question caused a burn through my heart, averting my gaze I held his, while the other was pressed over his hand that was placed against my cheek as leaned in,“At this point I'm not even scared of loosing another person from my life.”

Yoongi’s eyes arrested my own, and he smiled not because he understood my words, because he felt the pain behind my words.

TO BE CONTINUED

Author’s note:

I hope everyone are doing well. I missed writing this book so much, that I decided why not an update?

Out of schedule but whatever when am I  ever organised well with my updates?

No Jungkook and Aria have not died, they are still the leads so those ship her with Taehyung lol stop he's her best friend and Yoongi he's well complicated but she just feels like herself around him.

Stay precious as you are to me, and remember to smile ♥

Don't forget to vote, comment
and share : )

Thanks for reading<3

Love,
shafaq-Shapel♥