Part 1

‘Are you trying to mock me?!’

Somehow, I can still hear my boyfriend's question somewhere at the back of my head even though he had hung up the phone a while ago. I swear he was practically screaming at the phone, and it was all because of me.

I'm not one of the brightest crayons in the box. My academic scores are nothing when compared to my boyfriend's. Maybe this is the reason I keep on making foolish mistakes like I did today. He permitted me to go on a shopping spree with Jess, a friend from school, but it turned out that Jess was inviting her other friends as well. A girl and a boy, and I didn't bother telling my boyfriend about them whenever he called to check up on me. This is so wrong on so many levels, I know it. No wonder he became so angry when he finally found out.

He always makes it clear that he expects me not to cheat, lie or hide even the smallest thing from him, but yet again I did it. I did withhold the information which apparently is a sensitive matter for him. I should've never done that, but what could I do? I know it's already hard enough for him to let me leave his side even just for a few hours, and the last thing he needed was another threat to ignite his jealousy.

Now that he has found out, I can only feel regret hammering in my chest, it's suffocating and it's eating at me. All I wish for right now is to get to his house as fast as possible and see him. I need to hold his hands, hug him, and reassure him that I really love him, that I'm still his and his only.

"Ben, can you drive a little faster?" I clumsily ask the blonde-haired boy beside me who is currently holding the steering wheel. He doesn't give me a verbal answer, and merely frowns at me before he increases the speed of the vehicle.

"Louis, are you alright?" Jess questions with an obvious tone of worry. I don't need to see her face just to prove that she's worried. Of course, anyone would be worried if I went silent for a few minutes after a phone call and then abruptly asked to speed up a while later.

"Yes, I'm fine, Jess." I'm not lying, really. I feel alright. I just miss my boyfriend and I need to see him. "William wants me to arrive as soon as possible."

"You seem... scared of him," Ben tests a comment. He glances at me before pulling his attention back on the road.

"What? No," I'm baffled by his comment, "Why would I be scared? He is my boyfriend."

"Nothing, I just thought you want us to hurry because he might get angry if you're late." Ben adds.

"Late for what? We don't have any plans for today. I just miss him, that's all." I explain.

I don't understand how they could even think like that. Thinking that William is somewhat scary just from my simple request to speed up. Contrary to what they believe, I'm not scared of William, even when he is furious or in a foul mood. I love him too much. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

I barely remember having a life before I met him. It was like a hell hole. Being bullied and hurt every single day was so painful and humiliating. No one wanted to be around me, even for a school project, because they were afraid of being targeted as well. If not for William, I would have never experienced the luxury of hanging out with friends like today. Shopping together with Jess or simply having lunch with other friends at the school cafeteria.

William is my saviour. He had bravely stopped the bullying all by himself. I lost count of how many sadistic bullies he has beaten down. As if it's not enough, he even asked me to be his boyfriend, so that none of them would dare lay so much as a finger on me. My life has totally changed ever since.

I don't know what William sees in me. I really have nothing to be proud of, yet he wants me to be his. He is eager to have someone not-so-worthy like me by his side. I consider myself to be pretty lucky for a stupid, pitiful, skinny boy. Oh, he really hates it when I bad-mouth myself. He said I was just perfect. He always treats me like some treasure that needs to be kept secure. Like I'm special. And I kind of like the feeling of it, although William can be so overly jealous sometimes. But most of the time, he's so nice to me.

"You miss him, but does he miss you?" Jess asks lightly.

"What do you mean?" I look back at her in confusion as if the blonde girl just spoke in a foreign language. "What are trying to say?"

"Well, you know, I heard rumours," she starts reluctantly, "about William cheating on-"

"No. That's not true." I cut her off. It can't be true. Although William never says that he loves me, he always kisses me whenever I say I love him. And William hates cheaters, so he can't be a cheater himself.

"He was with Mikey the other day, and God knows what they were doing in the empty auditorium," Jess continues.

"No. Please stop, Jess." I can't hear any more of it. What's going on with her? I've been learning that she has feelings for William, but that doesn't mean she can do this to me. I love my boyfriend and I won't leave him.

"Okay, I'll stop now," Jess puts her hands up in surrender. "But you really have to find out the truth about him, Louis."

I don't give any response to that. I shift my body back to face the road before us and see the gray-painted castle-like mansion from afar. "We're close. Please drop me off by that gate."

"What? Is he living in that building?" Ben asks. "Why don't we just take you to the house? It seems still pretty far from the gate."

"No, it's alright," I declined his kindness. Jess has something to catch up at home, I don't want to slow them down. "William sends a guard to pick me up."

"A guard? Your boyfriend has guards?" The girl who sits beside Jess said. I don't remember her name. The green-eyed girl has been silent along the ride. "Just who is he?"

"A mere high school student, I guess," I state almost quietly while gathering my shopping bags in one hand. I get out of the car as it stops and wave them 'see you tomorrow'. Then I walk closer to a nearby security post. After doing the necessary confirmation, one of the guards guides me into a car and takes us to the main house.

I already left the habit of calling William when I arrive weeks ago. He said his boyfriend could enter this house at any time without permission, so I do. I head straight to the kitchen to look for something to drink.

As I get closer, I hear an indistinct chatter coming from the kitchen. I can distinguish William's voice, but whom is he talking with? As far as I know, William doesn't like talking with his maids. And the maids tend to avoid meeting with William as well. Probably because they think William is rude and constantly in a sour mood. Well, if only they know that their shallow judgment is one of the reasons why he dislikes them.

I entered the kitchen to find a breathtakingly gorgeous boy standing by the kitchen counter, eating a sandwich. He has a fair shoulder-length silvery blonde hair, cute face with a bright smile, healthy-looking skin, and a slim body. Not a thin one like mine. And I know that the boy is from our school. I think his name is Ivan or something.

William is standing nearby the kitchen doorway as if he is in the middle of walking out. I thought he said that he would be busy today, with his family business or maybe a school project. But what is Ivan doing here?

"William, is that... Ivan... from school? Why..." I'm too confused to even finish my question. It takes a lot of effort for me to keep my stance and not simply make a dash out of here. It's really hard to ignore Jess' words that are swimming through my head right now.

‘I heard rumours about William cheating.’

No, it's not true. It can't be happening. I don't realize I'm gripping the shopping bags too tight until I hurt my palm.

"Oh, yes, this is Ivan," I hear William answer in a nonchalant tone, "you know him?"

"No, he doesn't, William. He just knows my name," Ivan speaks before I get a chance to reply. "Hi, Louis. I'm enjoying a sandwich, you want some?" He offers a very sweet smile out of those thin lips of his.

Why are they like this? Why are they acting like they don't notice the big question mark above my head?

***