-The countdown starts.

Ten..Nine..

We are among the crowd, his arm resting on my shoulders. I see everyone..from old to young to little kids..chant the counting backwards.

Eight..Seven..

I bend my head backwards and look towards the clock tower. It's huge and grand. The fastest needle continues it's journey towards the top of the clock. I see lights everywhere. Glimmering and shining. I can feel his gaze on my face.

Six..Five..

The gold in my eyes reflects the lights back. A hint of smile touches my lips and deepens. I feel that a smile spreads on his face too when he watches me smile. The people around us are unaware of our private bubble. I feel the warmth of my hands in the pockets of my overcoat and try to ignore my cold little nose.

Four..Three..

My heartbeat picks up pace in anticipation. I hold my breath. My eyes shine with excitement. His gaze deepens. I can feel the grey in his eyes melting to silver.
I roll my hands into fists to kill the cold.

Two..One..

The sky lights up with fireworks. Tears come into my eyes with happiness. We both laugh. Everybody is hugging each other around us. We turn towards each other and hug each other passionately.

"Happy New Year!" I shout above the voices of the crowd and laugh again.

"You look beautiful. Happy New Year to you too." He plants his lips on my ear and whispers.

That's when I know..we both laughed, but for different reasons.-

I opened my eyes. Grey. The color of magic. I felt like I was in a haze. Dreamy and blur. I tried to focus my sight at a single point. My head reeled. I closed my eyes and moaned.

"It's okay. You're fine, Miss Claire."
His voice.

I opened my eyes again but closed them instantly as I couldn't focus them anywhere.

"Wh-where am I?" I groaned as a pain shot inside my head.

"In my room." He spoke deeply.

"WHAT!??" I sprung up with shock. I felt like someone attacked my head with a hammer. I held my head in both of my hands and moaned.

"Here, take this. You'll feel better." He handed me a painkiller, I suppose, with a glass of water. I immediately gulped it and lay back down.

"Oh mom..." I moaned. "MOM!" I sprang up once again but ignored the headache. "I need to talk to her!" I panicked.

"I've already looked after it. You ought to rest, Miss Claire." He stated while standing by the side of the bed, his arms crossed at his oh-so muscular chest.

"You called her??" I freaked out.

"No. I texted her from your cell phone. Anything else, Miss Claire?" He raised an eyebrow. I suddenly felt conscious and tried to get out of the bed.

"You don't have to." He placed a hand on my shoulder and spoke deeply. A jolt of electric shock went through me. I tried to ignore it.

"Where's Marrie?" I worried.

"Why do you ask that much questions, Miss Claire?" His grey eyes bore into mine.

"Fine. I need to go home." I rolled my eyes and got out of the sheet covering me. That's when I saw my bare legs below the knees. I pulled at my dress in embarrassment to lower it and avoided his eyes.

I felt him walk to a door inside the room. He vanished inside and after sometime, came out holding a pair of jeans and a navy blue shirt. His clothes.

"Here, have these. I'll see you downstairs in five minutes." He laid the clothes on the bed and avoiding visual contact with my body, he turned around and left.

Roxen Dale just gave me his clothes to wear!

I wanted to jump around and throw flowers but my headache stopped me. Besides, there were no flowers over there.

I held the shirt close to my nose and inhaled the Roxen scent that reeled my head. My heart did some somersaults and I didn't give a damn about what happened last night because I was having a perfect morning!

After five minutes, I was standing downstairs in his jeans which were folded at the ends and his loose shirt with folded arms. I had my dress in a paper bag that he gave me but I still wore the locket with the silver charm around my neck. Also, I was wearing my black stilettos as there was no other choice. My headache had lost its intensity so I thought the pain killer was working well. I looked here and there for him when I spotted Doris coming out of the kitchen. She had an apron around her waist. She smiled immediately as she saw me. I returned the smile.
"Up and about? Feeling better, dear one?" She asked me lovingly.

"Kind of.." I giggled awkwardly.

"Oh, I know, he's too reserved to open up." She winked.

"I know..." I went quiet for a moment. "Is there somethin' wrong with him?" I spoke lightly. I felt sorrow fill her eyes.

"Everything's perfectly fine, Miss Claire." He spoke from behind me. "Doris, we need to go, I'll see you at dinner." He smiled at Doris. My heart squeezed. He stood there for me to move first so I said goodbye to Doris, she hugged me and I went out the front door with him following me.

Once in the car, the ride back home was quiet. I didn't ask him anything. I had Marrie to answer all my questions. One thing, I was too indulged into the heavenly scent of his clothes to notice anything else and second, I was still a virgin and I had nothing more to worry about. He halted the car in front of my house.

"Would you like to come inside?" I asked him politely as I wanted to thank him for the clothes and stuff.

"I don't enter houses of strangers." He replied back rudely.

I wanted to cry suddenly. After all we have gone through, he calls me a stranger?? I hid my tears, gathered my calm and told him impassively that I would return his clothes after the weekend but he said that he didn't need them anyway. I wanted to slap him hard but I kept calm and walked to the front door. I hated him. I hated Roxen Dale for once and for all! Maybe the guy with the letters is meant for me. I should not waste my time on this heartless idiot. Finally, when I sat on the sofa in the lounge, only then I realized what I had done. The club, all the drinking and dancing and how in the world did I end up in his room? What about Marrie? And what did he say to mom?

I took out my cell phone and opened the sent messages.

I'm at Marrie's, mom. Dun worry. I'm okay. Gudnyt. Love ya. :)

I gaped. He made a smiley! But he won't smile at me! Idiot. I'll throw him out of my life now.

Then, I checked the inbox and read mom's reply.

Baby, enjoy tonyt. Stay safe. See ya tmrw eve. Sweet dreams. ;) Love u too. ♡

Suddenly, I felt so sad for cheating her like this. I planned to tell her the truth. She would freak out, I knew, but I couldn't just keep shadowing the truths. She trusted me so well.

I got up and boiled some rice with roasted chicken. It consumed a lot of time. Then I ate it and saved some for mom. Eating felt good but my heart felt so empty. I was wearing his clothes but it did no good. I wanted to cry in my pillow so I went to my room upstairs with my stuff. That's when I spotted an envelope on my bedside table. I picked it up instantly and opened it.

"Never ever attempt such a stupid act again. Dare you do this and you'll see what I'll do with you! Please, don't hurt yourself. I request you. For MISS CLAIRE, I LOVE YOU."

I sighed. It was time. Maybe I should meet this guy and forget everything about Roxen. So, I took out a sheet of paper and started writing.

"I don't know who you are, but I KNOW YOU. I have never seen you, but I SEE YOU. I know you have found me and I WANT TO FIND YOU TOO. As you discovered me, let me DISCOVER YOU. For I feel, that if there's any love between us then it's texture is as soft as the soft woolen fabric, Cashmere. I see the crayola taupe, the honey grey color blending into this cashmere. Let it be. Please. For I see, beyond the skyscrapers of Amsterdam, the way our horizons meet. I SEE. If you've hurt your knee while falling for me, then please, let me bandage it for you. If you love me, then please, I request you to meet me as soon as possible. For I want to LOVE YOU TOO."

I folded the sheet of paper and placed it on my bedside table. I laid down on the bed and hugged my pillow tight. And then I cried. I cried my heart out and hugged his shirt more tightly. After an hour or two of crying, I mentally told him goodbye forever and got up to change my clothes. I put his clothes in my cupboard and made some drafts for the report to divert my attention. I felt so dead. I ignored all the texts from Marrie and Max. The day went by. Night came. Mom arrived. We ate the dinner together. She asked me how was my stay at Marrie's. I wanted to tell her the truth but it was no use. Why hurt her for someone whom I won't ever care for again? So I lied and faked stories and smiles. I kissed and hugged her and told her that I loved her a lot. Then I wished her goodnight and came upstairs. That's when I spotted an envelope on my bedside table. The note that I had written was nowhere to be seen. I picked up the envelope and tore it open hurriedly. My heart picked up pace in anticipation. A smile spread across my face as I read the letter.

"Dinner at Royal Cuisine. Sharp at 7:00 pm tomorrow night. For MISS CLAIRE, I OWE YOU."