When Spring First Came

🌸Chapter One🌸

"D-don't you love me anymore?" she sobbed, furiously wiping her tears with the sleeve of her sweater.

He held her face in between his hands and murmured, "You..."

Mei paused, before hitting the backspace key with much vigor. She sighed in frustration as a blank page stared right back at her. She was back at where she started.

The week before the end of their third year of high school had officially begun. Students were already given free time to do whatever they want or a chance to pass their outputs, which she already completed. People simply attended school to meet up with their friends or escape from home.

She on the other hand decided to write a book; one that didn't even have a first page.

Countless drafts and story arcs later, she was left with nothing but a white, blank page. Every sentence felt wrong, and the plot she had in mind either lost its appeal or it was too hard for her to translate on paper. She ran he fingers through her hair, messing it up. Everything about this book was nothing but wading in unsure waters, uncertain on where its path was going to go.

Though there was one sure thing about this book; and it was that it was going to be a romance novel. She wanted to write something sweet, wholesome, heart-fluttering and the total opposite of her life. But she didn't know where to begin; turns out, writing about love without having the experience, was much harder than she thought.

Everything came off as too cheesy, trying hard or a copycat of something that's already been done before. Watching all those diabetes-inducing dramas and books weren't enough. They were still fiction; someone else's story. She didn't know how real those emotions were.

She tried to write a couple more times, before finally giving up and browsing through her phone. She'll write when she finds the inspiration eventually. At least that's what she keeps telling herself.

Frustrated at the procrastinating cycle that she keeps getting herself into, she put her phone and looked up, to see her neighbor from his window across from hers.

It was Rui, her schoolmate.

Though they lived right next to each other, they barely knew each other. There was no childhood sweethearts or friends like those in dramas. Mei mostly stayed indoors and Rui had his own social circle. He probably doesn't even know that they're neighbors, she usually forgets she even had one.

His popularity had grown as they did too. He was handsome, an eye candy, masculine with soft undertones and a sophisticated style. His grades were high and he was also a runner. He was the perfect guy. Mei sighed as she stared at him. He must have his life put together, I'm envious.

This was the first time she's seen him outside of school. It was a surprise to see him at home. She thought he'd be at school, playing with the other boys or whatever popular people do. Curious, she continued to watch him, He didn't seem to notice her. Well, nobody did.

That was when he walked further into his room, and her eyes widened. He was checking himself in the mirror, wearing a black turtleneck crop top sweater and a....

A skirt. A pink gauzy skirt, that reached his ankles. Mei blinked.

Eh? So, the prince of the school was into these things?

Then he turned around and their eyes met. He stopped, dead cold in his tracks.

Both of them didn't move from their position as they continued to stare at each other, waiting for the other person's move. Then, slowly, Mei raised her phone up-

Ka-cha.

Rui blinked; his face morphed into that of anger.

"Hey-"