chapter 2 freshmen party

From then onwards, I made it my mission to run whenever I saw him. Just run, run, run. And every single time, without fail, he would smile at me. that smile “It wasn’t mocking, it was gentle even — and maybe that’s what scared me the most.” . This little game went on for a month , until the announcement came: the Freshmen Party.

Oh wait, I forgot to introduce myself properly.

 I’m not the kind of girl who turns heads when she walks into a room.  My skin isn’t the fairest, and while my hair is long, I’ve never thought it made me beautiful. Honestly, if there were ten people in a room, I’d probably be the one you wouldn’t notice.

That’s how I’ve always seen myself—ordinary, invisible, underconfident about my looks.

So when a guy this gorgeous, this unreal, keeps smiling at me… my brain doesn’t even allow me to think it’s genuine. It’s easier to believe he’s just making fun of me. That’s safer. Because the alternative—the thought of him actually noticing me in a way that matters—feels impossible. Dangerous, even.

So I don’t let myself imagine anything romantic, not even for a second with him .

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I wore a black bodycon dress that wasn’t too deep, just perfect—the kind I’d always wanted to wear. Three months ago, I would have never imagined putting it on. But in these past months, I had been working hard on myself. I had lost some weight and for the first time, when I looked into the mirror, I felt good.

I thought, Maybe I don’t look that bad.

Of course, I know losing weight doesn’t magically make someone beautiful. Beauty isn’t measured in numbers. But for me, it wasn’t about the weight—it was about the confidence I was slowly finding in myself. And that night, standing in front of the mirror, I felt it.

I entered the party with my roommate, Shally, and my best friend, Kenly. They went straight to the dance floor, pulling me along. “Come on, Yami, let’s dance!” they cheered.

But with my shy personality, I politely declined, shaking my head with a small smile. I stayed back, watching them lose themselves in the music.

And then he came.

 Mr. Gorgeous.

Looking devastatingly good in a black suit that made him stand out in the crowd. His steps slowed when he saw me. His eyes—those same eyes I’d once called gorgeous out loud—scanned me head to toe, lingering for just a second too long. My chest tightened.

Panic rising, I did what I always do around him—avoid. Without a thought, I slipped into the crowd, raising both my hands and swaying with the music, pretending I was vibing, pretending I was invisible.

But he followed.

I didn’t notice until I felt the warmth of his presence just behind me. Close enough that my heartbeat spiked. Close enough that I froze in the middle of the music.

He leaned down, his breath brushing my ear.

“Your zip,” he whispered.

My eyes went wide. My stomach dropped.

He placed his hand gently around my waist, steady but firm, and guided me out of the crowd. My pulse was racing so fast, I thought the whole room could hear it. He stopped in a quiet corner where the lights were dim, where no one else was around.

“Let me help,” he said softly.

I froze. My body was shivering, my face burning red. This was the first time I had ever felt something like this—like my breath wasn’t mine anymore. Honestly, I thought, I should buy myself an inhaler because whenever he’s around, I lose my breath.

His fingers brushed the back of my dress as he zipped it up slowly. I thought I would faint right there. And then, leaning closer, his lips almost grazing my ear, he whispered:

“You look gorgeous.”

Something in me snapped.

I spun around, pushing him back until his shoulders met the wall. One hand pressed against the wall beside him, I tilted my head up, locking my eyes with his.

“Yes,” I said, my voice steady, bold, a fire I didn’t know I had spilling out. “That’s me—the mall girl. I knew you remembered me. I misspoke that day—no, wait, I didn’t misspeak. You are gorgeous. Absolutely, breathtakingly gorgeous.”

His lips parted slightly, but no words came out. He just stared at me, eyes dark, unreadable.

And then, realizing what I’d just done, I quickly turned away. My steps were confident, but inside my mind was screaming: Oh no, oh no, oh no. I’ve lost it. I’ve gone completely insane! What was I even thinking?!

I had barely taken three steps before his voice cut through the music, low but clear.

“Stop avoiding me.”

I froze.

“Stop running away,” he said again, this time firmer.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***