I even developed a crush on my archenemy. After sleeping with him while tipsy, I overheard him say: "If we were going to be together, it would have happened a long time ago. Why wait until now?" I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness I didn't have to take responsibility. Later, when I was getting ready to find my next target. He stormed onto my college campus, looking furious. The corners of his eyes were red, staring at me like I was a heartbreaker. "Audrey, you dare try to hit it and quit it?!" 01 During high school, I had an online relationship for a while, and it was incredibly sweet. I looked forward to coming home from school every night just to chat with him. But before even a month had passed, my parents found out. My parents and my homeroom teacher took turns lecturing me. They said once I got into a good college, handsome guys would be as common as cabbage; I'd have my pick. They warned me not to lose the watermelon while picking up sesame seeds. I listened to them and obediently broke up. Then, pretending to be genuinely remorseful, I tearfully asked who had snitched on me. I wanted to "thank" the person who put me back on the right path. Sure enough, it was Liam Hayes. Our families lived across the hall from each other. We were practically childhood friends. But it seemed like our auras naturally clashed. The moment we were in the same room, we'd start arguing. I couldn't stand his careless, playboy attitude. He mocked me for having a fiery temper, calling me a tigress. After that incident, I cursed him out thoroughly. Then I unilaterally cut off all contact. Honestly, we both had pretty good grades. Our parents even hoped we'd get into the same university so we could look out for each other. After our SAT scores came out, I immediately changed my preferences and applied to a college on the opposite coast. Now, Liam and I were separated by the entire country, thousands of miles apart. Perfect. I began my college life carrying beautiful expectations. Turns out, after almost a year, I hadn't met many handsome guys. The ones who added me on social media were either weirdos or creeps. They'd chat for two minutes and then try to invite me out for the night. At first, I even tried looking up my old online boyfriend. Only to find out that the "soulmate" who used to chat with me until midnight had rapidly cycled through several girlfriends. Sigh. What I thought was a gourmet feast... Was actually just spoiled tofu with some rotten cabbage leaves. I really hadn't experienced anything good. They say the most beautiful romances happen during your teenage years. But why did I have zero suitors during my teenage years? Just endless homework and an archenemy with a seriously foul mouth. I was even nominated in the campus beauty pageant, for crying out loud. Does this make any sense? 02 The summer before my sophomore year, I went home. It was my first time back since starting college. Mr. and Mrs. Hayes across the hall were so happy they cooked a huge feast. Not gonna lie, it was all my favorite dishes. Mrs. Hayes even said Liam was at home, eagerly waiting for me to come over. I didn't believe it for a second. After high school graduation, I had blocked and muted him. He hadn't contacted me either. The adult world relies on unspoken rules. If you can't stand each other, you don't bother each other. But during holidays, bumping into each other was inevitable. That evening, after getting ready, I went over and knocked on their door. The moment it opened, a handsome face stunned me right where I stood. The handsome guy smiled: "You must be Audrey, right? I'm Liam's friend, Caleb Reed." I quickly snapped back to reality: "Hi, nice to meet you!" Looks like I'll have to unblock Liam after all. Just as I was reaching out to shake the handsome guy's hand... "Ahem—" A cough from the kitchen interrupted me. Out of habit, I shot an annoyed glance in that direction. But my gaze was firmly caught, unable to pull away. Liam was wearing a simple white T-shirt. At nearly 6'3", he even had to lower his head slightly as he walked out. The warm, orange light bathed the side of his face, making his features look even sharper and deeper. His long, curling eyelashes cast half-moon shadows under his eyes. He glanced over indifferently. My heart instantly felt like it had been zapped. Beneath the mask was an even more beautiful mask. Behind the handsome face was an even more handsome face. Mrs. Hayes walked out of the room and laughed. "What are you two doing standing in the doorway? Come eat!" "Coming!" I instantly squeezed past the stranger blocking me and hugged Mrs. Hayes. "Mrs. Hayes, I missed you so much!" "If you missed me, you should have come back for Christmas, you heartless girl." "Oh, come on, I was planning to take my mom to Florida for a trip. Don't worry, next time I'll take you and Mr. Hayes!" She was instantly coaxed into a glowing smile, hugging me affectionately. My eyes, however, unconsciously drifted towards Liam. He raised an eyebrow: "What are you looking at?" The familiar voice, the familiar punchable expression. Confirmed, he hasn't been swapped out by aliens. But was he this handsome before? 03 When I got home, I dug out all our old photos to compare. Hiss, it seems he really was remarkably good-looking even when we were kids. Taking off the school uniform elevated him more than just one level. How did I not notice this before? After all this time, the one who hits every spot on my aesthetic checklist is my archenemy. Does this make sense? Before going to sleep, I scrolled through tons of thirst-trap videos of handsome guys, trying to suppress my restless, lustful thoughts. As a result, in my dreams, Liam appeared wearing a black dress shirt, seducing me. I woke up with a dry mouth. I hurriedly sought advice from my college roommate, Chloe. On the video call, she laughed for a good while before sitting up straight. "Is it possible... you're attracted to him?" "Impossible!" I retorted without a second thought. Chloe looked at me as if she had seen through everything. "As expected, distance makes the heart grow fonder." I hung up on her with a deadpan expression. Liam was taking his friend Caleb out. My mom, harboring some unknown intentions, insisted I go along too. She said Caleb was a polite, well-behaved guy, and a top student. Most importantly, he lived nearby. She wanted me to make friends with him. I thought about it, it made sense, so I didn't refuse. But every time I tried to strike up a conversation with Caleb, Liam would interrupt. Blocking him, as if demanding my attention. The more I glared at him, the more smugly his lips curled up. Caleb watched us helplessly. He took a phone call midway through, and his eyes lit up. "A classmate is nearby and wants to come over, do you guys mind?" I smiled and said I didn't mind. Liam didn't say anything either. But he deliberately walked over to me and leaned in. His intentionally lowered voice pierced my eardrums, magnetic and slightly husky. "Audrey, try using that fake, sweet voice again." His warm breath brushed against my sensitive skin. Accompanied by a clean, subtle cologne, half my body instantly went weak. I pursed my lips, my gaze unconsciously darting away. Caleb noticed my flushed face. "Are you too hot?" I fanned myself with my hand. "Yeah, it's pretty hot." After a moment, Liam let out a sudden, soft chuckle. 04 The person who showed up was a very pretty and elegant girl, Mia Vance. As soon as she got out of the car, her first glance landed on Liam. I turned to look at Caleb. A faint blush crept onto his fair, clean face. Hiss, something's not quite right here. Mia suggested we do an escape room. Watching her and Liam's matching silhouettes. A subtle ripple stirred in my chest. Before I even realized it, the staff told us we had to split into two groups. Mia glanced at Liam, a hint of joy and anticipation vaguely showing. My chest tightened for a second. When I looked up, I met his deep gaze. Caleb offered to group up with me. But I could see his reluctance; he was just trying to play matchmaker for them. I suddenly felt a surge of anger. "I'm grouping with Audrey." Liam spoke flatly, stepping to my side. A flash of disappointment crossed Mia's eyes. She gave me a complex look, pressed her lips together, and stayed silent. While searching for clues in the dimly lit room, an NPC suddenly jumped out. I froze in terror. Liam grabbed my hand; his palm was warm and large. An indescribable sense of security. The accelerated heartbeat from being scared seemed to slowly change its meaning. After it was over, I hesitated for a while but finally asked him. "Why did you pick me?" Liam paused, looking down at me. "Aren't you afraid of ghosts?" I suddenly remembered back in third grade, I secretly watched a horror movie on DVD. It scared me so much I had nightmares for nights on end. The light in the hallway was broken, flickering on and off. I was crying, too scared to go upstairs. It was Liam who held my hand and led me up. From then on, he always walked home with me. I remembered Chloe's teasing words. "You're attracted to him." I hid the smile in my eyes. It seemed she was right. 05 Caleb created a group chat for the four of us. Mia sent a link. It was a house party event nearby. Pool, billiards, board games, all sorts of entertainment. Isn't this the perfect opportunity to deepen relationships? I narrowed my eyes. Two days later, the four of us became six. Chloe brought her boyfriend along to be my wingman. "Don't you worry, if anyone interrupts you two tonight, my name isn't Chloe!" I nodded in satisfaction. At the pool party, Mia wore a floral swimsuit that accentuated her slender, beautiful figure. She swam a lap, her movements graceful and eye-catching. Caleb stared at her, almost entranced. I casually slipped a pair of sunglasses onto Liam, who was lounging on a chair. He opened his eyes, tilted his head, and saw the wine glass in my hand. "Are you drunk?" I was about to speak. When Mia swam to the edge, propped herself up, and looked at me, smiling radiantly. But hiding an indescribable hostility. "Audrey, why aren't you coming in?" I put down the wine glass: "Right now." Then, stepping in front of Liam, I slowly untied my robe. Revealing the fiery bikini underneath. Liam instantly froze. His Adam's apple bobbed. The moment I turned around, he pulled the robe tight around me. His voice was hoarse: "Swimming while drunk, are you trying to drown?" Mia's smile faltered a bit. "What are you guys doing!" He looked over indifferently. "You guys go ahead, I'm taking her upstairs to rest." Mia's fingers curled. Just as she was about to say something, Chloe stopped her. With one look, her boyfriend also held back Caleb, who was about to come over. I took the opportunity to lean limply against Liam. I could clearly feel it. His body tensed for a second. 06 Back in the room, Liam poured me a glass of water. I took a sip and opened my tipsy eyes. "What did you give me... it's so hot..." He remained silent for a long time. "...Hot water." As he stood up, I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him down. "I don't believe you." Smelling his familiar scent. My body went even limper. I flipped over and pinned him down. Liam let out a muffled groan and shifted me up a bit. "Audrey, you're drunk." He mumbled something else. I impatiently interrupted. "Don't understand, just want to kiss." Liam stopped moving, covered his eyes with his arm, and sighed. "Do you know who I am?" "Yes." "Will you remember when you wake up tomorrow?" "Yes." "You—" So annoying, I kissed him. Soft lips, so nice to kiss. I clumsily tugged at his clothes and belt. Accidentally brushing against a certain spot. He let out a gasp, flipped over, and pinned my wrists. Dense kisses trailed downwards. The shimmering reflection of the pool from outside shone on the ceiling. Swaying in my hazy vision all night long. 07 The next day, I woke up with my body aching all over. Looking at the hickeys covering me, I was silent for a long while. I grabbed a sun shirt and zipped it up tight. Liam really was... good-looking and functional. As I was about to go downstairs, I heard Mia's voice. "Liam, are you... and Audrey together?" I stopped in my tracks, subconsciously holding my breath. The next second, I heard his teasing, laughing voice. "No." "If we were going to be together, it would have happened a long time ago. Why wait until now?" Mia seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "I see, I thought..." I didn't listen to the rest and headed straight back to my room. Liam really had thought it through. If we really had feelings for each other, we would have been together a long time ago. Last night was just a moment of madness! Ignoring the subtle heavy feeling in my chest. I let out a breath. It's fine, I'll just treat it as ordering a gigolo for a one-night stand. No need to take responsibility, that's great. So, I sent a quick message to Chloe and the others. Went home, packed my things, and headed back to campus. After the semester started, I ate and drank as usual. Acting like nothing ever happened. In the dining hall, Chloe couldn't hold it in and asked me: "Did you guys not have a good time that night?" "?" "Was he bad at it?" "??" "Or—" I slapped my hand over her mouth. "We're just simply incompatible!" Chloe gave me a puzzled look. I sighed internally, not wanting to lose face. I could only be stubborn: "Mainly because I met a better guy." "Liam? Hmph, what's so great about him?" A faint, cold scoff suddenly sounded from behind me. "Heh." "That night, you weren't saying that." A chill slowly crept up my spine. My neck stiffened as I mechanically turned my head. Wearing a black windbreaker, looking annoyed, he stood right there. Even the freezing atmosphere couldn't block the sheer beauty radiating from him. 08 In a secluded grove on campus. Liam approached me step by step with an irresistible presence. "Audrey, don't you think you owe me an explanation?" "Leaving without saying goodbye is one thing, but blocking me on everything? What, afraid I'll ask you for money?" I cleared my throat, raising my voice to cover my guilt. "That night was an accident anyway, and we're both adults. Don't tell me you expect me to take responsibility?" "Can't handle playing around, Liam?" He let out an angry laugh, grinding his teeth. "Audrey, you're really something." "Didn't learn anything else in college, just learned how to be a player, huh?" I almost blurted out: Who's the real player here! But seeing his suppressed anger, reason returned. We had always been like this. Fighting tooth and nail, neither willing to back down or admit defeat. Going our separate ways was the best outcome. I looked up at him, my eyes teasing. "Liam, you didn't fall for me, did you?" His expression froze. The air seemed to stand still. I didn't plan on waiting for his answer. "Sorry, I already have someone I like." "You're not even on the list." With that, I turned and walked away. Behind me, I seemed to hear a scoff laced with suppressed emotion. I quietly sped up my pace. After my evening class, Chloe sent me a photo. "Hey, your childhood friend hasn't left yet, his picture is all over the campus confession wall!" "Audrey, are you really not going to go see him?" In the photo, Liam was sitting on a bench next to a streetlight. A baseball cap shadowed his eyes, and under the dim, yellow light, he looked somewhat lonely and pitiful. Wait... him, pitiful?! I wanted to slap myself. Try being delusional about love again, see what happens.
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