On the day Marlaux Kennedy gifted his new girlfriend an entire rose garden, it also happened to be my birthday. Everyone around me seemed certain that I'd cause a scene, waiting for me to make a fool of myself.

Late that night, I ignored the messages Marlaux sent me and instead focused on the warmth of the arms wrapped around me from behind.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Kelvis Gabriel, Marloux's famously aloof and hard-to-get roommate, propped himself up from the bed, his voice hoarse as he nuzzled my neck. "You haven't given me my goodnight kiss yet."

——

Earlier in the day, Marlaux had made a grand public confession, spending a fortune on a rose estate for Tiara because roses were her favourite. "Tiara, I want the whole world to know how much I love you," he declared as cheers erupted from the crowd.

But as everyone celebrated, their eyes slowly turned to me, standing alone in the corner. Their expressions varied—some filled with pity, others brimming with curiosity as if they were anticipating my next move.

After all, everyone knew I had loved Marlaux for nine years, from middle school through college. Someone even brought up my name in front of him, hoping to stir the pot.

But Marlaux just smirked and said, "Lashana Parker? She's so boring and stiff. I don't know why she acts like she's better than everyone else."

Smiling widely, he pulled Tiara closer, "You, on the other hand, are so much fun. If she has any self-respect, she won't bother me again."

His words sent ripples through the crowd, leaving people gasping.

"I bet two cents Lashana's gonna explode."

"Of course! She's been in love with him forever. She might even burn the rose garden down. There's going to be a show tonight!"

But instead of giving them the reaction they expected, I downed my drink, glanced at the jade bracelet Marlaux had once given me, and walked away silently.

Marlaux was right about one thing—I had my pride. He watched as I left, a brief flicker of surprise crossing his face before he turned back to Tiara, kissing her with reckless abandon.

Screams and fireworks echoed in the background as I hurried away, my tears betraying me. Just when I thought I couldn't hold it together anymore, a slender hand appeared in front of me, offering a tissue.

"Here, wipe your tears. You're crying like a little kitten," a soothing voice said.

I looked up, startled, to see Kelvis—Marlaux's roommate.

Though they lived together, the two were nothing alike. Marlaux was bold and extravagant, while Kelvis was distant and untouchable. They clashed often, and Marlaux never missed an opportunity to complain about him to me. So, seeing him now felt more than a little awkward.

I hurriedly wiped my tears as Kelvis gazed up at the moon. After a moment, he turned to me and casually asked, "Want to grab a drink?"

The bar was filled with the smooth rhythm of jazz. It wasn't the type of place I normally visit, but tonight was different. Normally, I stayed out of trouble, like Marlaux always said, but tonight, I ordered drink after drink, determined to drown my sorrows.

Kelvis tried to stop me at first, but eventually, I dragged him along with me. After some time, a waiter approached our table, carrying a small cake.

"…I didn't order this," I said, confused.

"I did," Kelvis replied, his tone calm.

I stared at him, surprised.

"Happy birthday, Lashana," he said with a faint smile.

At that moment, I was speechless. The person I'd barely known remembered my birthday, while the man I had loved for nearly a decade chose this day to humiliate me in front of everyone.

Until tonight, I had only ever seen Kelvis as distant and unreachable. But now, I realized he had a gentler side. Maybe it was because of the alcohol, but I leaned in and kissed him clumsily.

Kelvis trembled for a moment and frowned as if he wanted to say something.

"Don't push me away," I whispered.

He hesitated before placing his hand behind my head, deepening the kiss.

As I closed my eyes, memories of my time with Marlaux flashed through my mind. We have known each other since childhood. He was the golden boy, admired by everyone, while I was always the quiet, unremarkable one.

Even my love for him felt like an impossible dream.

When we were kids, he used to tease me relentlessly, but if anyone else tried to pick on me, he'd step in, standing protectively in front of me.

"Hey, don't even think about messing with her," he'd say, looking down at them with a smirk.

Maybe that's when a tiny seed was planted in my heart. Sometimes, I wonder if Marlaux ever felt anything for me, too.

But whether he did or didn't, it didn't matter anymore after tonight.

The next morning, when I woke up sober, regret hit me hard.

I actually slept with Kelvis—the guy at the top of every girl's hardest-to-get crush list? The realization sank in, and I silently cursed myself for what I'd done. Kelvis was still asleep beside me, shirtless and peaceful. I quickly dressed and slipped out, hoping to avoid any awkward encounters.

I managed to make it to class just in time, only to find myself seated right behind Marlaux and Tiara. The moment Tiara saw me, she clung to Marlaux's arm like she was showing off a prize.

"Baby, look who's here," she said.

Marlaux frowned, clearly irritated by my presence as if I were some kind of unwelcome distraction. "Lashana, seriously? You've followed me here, too?"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "We're halfway through the semester. Haven't you noticed I'm in this class?"

He leaned back in his chair and smirked. "Look, I know how you feel about me, but you can't force these things. It's pointless to waste your time."

His words made me want to groan, but before I could respond, he added, "You cried a lot yesterday, didn't you?" His eyes landed on my face, and I realized for the first time that my left eye was slightly swollen.

Marlaux's gaze sharpened as he noticed something else, and his expression changed. "Lashana... what's with the marks on your neck?"

Panic surged through me, and I instinctively covered my neck, feeling my face flush red with embarrassment.

Marlaux's eyes narrowed, and he began tapping his fingers on the desk, a sign he was growing impatient.

Just as I scrambled for an excuse, the classroom door swung open, and Kelvis walked in. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on me, and without hesitation, he headed straight in my direction.

I tried to make myself invisible, but the next thing I knew, Kelvis dropped his bag onto the desk next to mine with a loud thud.

Marlaux looked at him, surprised. "Kelvis, what are you doing? You don't even take this class."

Kelvis, unfazed, pulled out a book. "I've already completed my credits. I can sit in on any class I want."

"There are plenty of empty seats. Why sit next to her?"

"I want to," Kelvis replied flatly, then leaned closer to me and muttered under his breath, "You're just going to pretend you don't know me after what happened?"

I swallowed hard. "Let me explain—"

But he cut me off, his voice rising slightly, "I was a first-timer!"

"So was I!" I shot back.

Marlaux, who had been watching us with growing confusion, suddenly cleared his throat. "Wait… don't tell me you two…" He trailed off before scoffing.

"Lashana, seriously? It's just a mosquito bite, and you're using it to get my attention? You think I'd get jealous?"

"If you weren't still hung up on me, why are you still wearing the jade bracelet I gave you?" he added.

I hesitated for a moment, but then pulled the bracelet from my wrist and slid it toward him, watching as shock flickered across his face.

"Don't overthink it," I said, my voice steady. "I don't need your stuff."

Marlaux opened his mouth, probably ready to say something else, but Tiara tugged at him. Reluctantly, he turned away, though I noticed him glancing in our direction throughout the rest of the class.

To make it up to Kelvis, I promised I'd cheer him on at the upcoming soccer game. What I didn't expect was that Marlaux would be on the opposing team.

"Aren't you two roommates? Why aren't you on the same team?" I asked Kelvis as we arrived at the game.

"We're in different departments," he explained casually.

Before the game started, Marlaux's teammates noticed me in the stands and started whistling at him.

"Bro, your little shadow's here again," one of them teased.

"But seriously, man," his teammate continued, "this girl's been into you for years. Don't you feel anything for her?"

"I told you," Marlaux said dismissively, "she's boring."

Another guy chimed in, laughing, "Of course! Only someone like Tiara deserves a guy like you, bro."

But then his tone shifted, and he draped an arm around Marlaux's shoulders, grinning slyly. "But if you're not interested, why not pass her to me? She's a catch…"

Before he could finish, Marlaux shot him a cold, piercing glare, and the guy quickly backpedalled. "Just kidding, man! I wouldn't dare touch someone you've claimed."

I watched the exchange from the sidelines, clutching a bottle of cold water in my hands, when Tiara suddenly approached me, holding a bottle of her own.

She gave me a once-over, her eyes filled with disdain. "How can someone be as thick-skinned as you? Following us everywhere we go."

Her mocking tone was impossible to ignore. "Even if you gave Marlaux a hundred bottles of water, he wouldn't look at you twice."

I ignored her and walked toward the soccer field. Marlaux glanced down at me, probably ready to say something snide, but I brushed past him without a word.

His face was a mixture of confusion and disbelief as I handed the water to Kelvis instead.

"Here, this is for you," I said. After a brief pause, I added, "Drink up, boyfriend."

Kelvis blinked in surprise, but then a grin slowly spread across his face as he took the bottle and chugged it down.

Tiara was fuming, and Marlaux's eyes widened in shock.

I shot Marlaux a cold glance before linking arms with Kelvis. He leaned closer and whispered, "What did I do to deserve this?"

I smiled.

The match officially kicked off, and to my surprise, I found myself completely absorbed, even though I'd never been much of a sports fan. The score remained close, with both teams giving their all. But Kelvis, the star player of the blue team, was on fire. His football skills were mesmerizing, and he seemed to dominate the field with every play.

Bang! Another goal!

I jumped from my seat, cheering excitedly, completely caught up in the moment. Marlaux, however, glanced over; he was frowning. That split second of distraction gave Kelvis the perfect opportunity to score again.

As the blue team pulled ahead, Marlaux began making mistakes—small at first, but they quickly piled up. Frustration showed on his face, and it didn't help that Tiara, standing nearby, was visibly upset, biting her lip and stomping her foot in frustration as the score gap widened.

When halftime rolled around, Kelvis sat beside me, wiping sweat from his forehead and gulping down ice water.

"You were amazing out there," I said, still impressed by his performance.

He shrugged, trying to be modest. "Not bad."

"Not bad?" I laughed. "You're practically crushing Marlaux!"

Hearing that, Kelvis raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

Meanwhile, the red team huddled together, discussing strategies for the second half. But Marlaux seemed distracted, his mind elsewhere. He barely paid attention to his teammates, his focus slipped.

Suddenly, the stadium's big screen lit up, and the crowd let out a collective shriek of excitement. It was a university tradition—random audience members would be caught on camera. If two people of the same gender appeared, they'd hug. If they were of the opposite gender, the expectation was clear: they had to kiss. It was a lighthearted ritual that had sparked many new couples over the years.

I was watching the fun unfold, completely relaxed, when suddenly—*bam*—my face appeared on the big screen.

And right beside me? Kelvis.

The crowd erupted in cheers, chanting, "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Their voices grew louder and louder, making me feel incredibly self-conscious. I nervously tugged at my shirt, unsure of what to do.

Kelvis looked at me, his expression both amused and questioning as if waiting for my cue.

Whispers started spreading through the crowd. "Isn't that Marlaux's childhood friend? What's she doing with Kelvis?"

"I don't know, but they look kinda cute together."

"I've never seen Kelvis this close to any girl. I always thought he was too serious or maybe even gay!"

These murmurs didn't go unnoticed by Marlaux, who was standing with his teammates. His fists clenched tightly, and he glared at the big screen, his mood darkening with every passing second.

With the crowd cheering and the moment feeling strangely... right, I smiled shyly and gave Kelvis a small nod.

He leaned in, and just as our lips were about to meet, a soccer ball came flying out of nowhere! It shot into the stands, causing a wave of gasps and surprise. Luckily, no one was hit, but it definitely killed the moment.

Everyone turned to see who had kicked the ball, and there stood Marlaux, still in his throwing posture, a grim look plastered across his face. His jaw was clenched so tightly it looked like it might crack.