Snow White In Distress | ᴛᴀᴇʜʏᴜɴɢ

18 | drinks & winks

1 8

DRINKS & WINKS

❝One last time, I need to be the one you take home.❞

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I WALKED IN timidly into the room as soon as I had opened the door with the spare key I had finally got. The room was silent. The sound of my heel clacking on the floor was loud. I quickly wondered where Julia was.

"You finally decided to grace us with your presence," Chen's voice boomed. I quickly turned, my head snapping in the direction of the voice.

"Chen," I gasped as I saw Chen seated on the sofa, waiting for me. His face was stern, and for a quick moment, his eyes glanced at me worriedly. My attention drifted towards Julia when she quickly coughed.

"Are you both not going to speak to me?" I questioned as I walked into the house. I stepped into the kitchen, grabbing myself a cup of water to drink.

"Maybe," Chen muttered. Shooting me a glare, he quickly turned away soon after.

"Come on, guys. I didn't even do anything," I justified and sat beside them. "On a brighter note, both of you had a great opportunity to spend some time with each other without me, to get along with each other and to be great friends."

Chen glared at me and Julia shot me a look too. She had an extreme sober expression and looked at me sternly. I got up quickly and rushed to Julia's side. I nudged at her once and then, twice and then constantly till she glared at me and mumbled, "Go away, Liv."

"After you tell me why you're mad at me?"

"You really want to know why I am mad at you?" Julia asked, looking at me as if I had asked a question that wasn't meant to be asked.

I nodded. Chen quickly caught hold of Julia's hand and my eyes widened. What was going on that I had absolutely no clue about?

"You won't get it," Julia muttered and scoffed. I persisted and kept nagging at her to explain herself till she lost it and yelled at me.

"Do you even care about yourself anymore? A bit? I'm tired of worrying sick about you, Liv. I'm literally unimaginably tired. I worry that Xavier must have done something worse to you, if you reach home late. So imagine what my worry would be if you never did come back home that same night?"

I looked at her, blinking blankly at her. Her outburst took me by a surprise and I definitely was not expecting that. Chen whispered at Julia to keep her calm but she seemed to have had a hard time finding her peace.

"I'm worried, Liv. I'm sincerely worried. I can't lose you. I just can't," Julia muttered over and over again, almost seeming like that was her worst nightmare.

Chen gave me a tight smiled and I looked at him for a split second, only to quickly glance back at Julia. Without any further word, I hugged her. She quickly stiffened under my grip. However, she hugged me back after a minute.

"I'm sorry for being the reason for your worries all the time," I mumbled into her shoulders.

Julia smiled shyly, "Ah, love, about who else could I worry about if not you?" In that moment, the arms squeezed a fraction tighter. Julia breathed more slowly, more calmly. My body melted into Julia's as every muscle lost its tension to the spring air. I squeezed back, not wanting the moment to end.

This was life, real life.

Chen smiled, his eyes turning into crescents instantly. He promptly told me, "Don't disappear on us, okay?"