AFTER LECTURE
After her lecture, Snow pulled out her phone and texted Minnie, asking if she wanted to attend Charlotte's party.
Minnie declined, but asked who else Snow planned to invite. Snow mentioned Oliver, Violet, Leo, and William, and Minnie jokingly said she'd only go if William was attending.
Snow chuckled and continued texting, making plans for the party.
Later, she decided to take a break and drove to the beach, suspecting she'd find Oliver there.
As she arrived, she spotted him sitting alone, staring out at the ocean.
Snow walked over, her feet sinking into the sand. "I knew I'd find you here," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice.
Oliver turned, his expression unreadable. "What are you doing here?" he asked gruffly.
Snow smiled sweetly. "I did you a huge favor last night, and this is the thanks I get?"
Oliver's expression softened slightly. "Fine, thank you."
Snow's smile grew wider. "That's more like it."
"Where do I sit?" Snow queried looking around. "I didn't invite you here, so if you can't handle the sands, you can as well leave." Oliver spurted out his eyes fixed on the ocean waves.
She looked around, then sat down on the sand, her ankle bent at an awkward angle. Oliver raised an eyebrow.
"You're so rude," Snow said, laughing. "I can sit wherever I want."
Oliver shrugged. "I don't care."
Snow playfully rolled her eyes. "What's on your mind, Oliver? You've been acting weird lately."
Oliver's expression turned somber. "Having an argument with you every day isn't going to solve everything."
Snow snorted. "Of course it will. It'll make me happy but I didn't mean that."
Oliver looked away, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "I got heartbroken," he said quietly. "I know you won't be able to relate."
Snow completed his sentence, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Because you're very sure I've never been heartbroken in my life."
Oliver turned back to her, his eyes searching. "You said that yesterday." Snow told him.
Oliver nodded. "I did."
Oliver's gaze drifted back to the ocean. "It's painful. It hurts when someone you love wants to let go."
Snow's expression softened, and she offered some words of advice. Oliver raised an eyebrow, skeptical.
Snow gazed at Oliver with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Sometimes you just gotta let go, Oliver. Holding on too tight can be super painful."
Oliver raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "Easy for you to say, Snow. You've probably never had to deal with a situation like this before."
Snow's smile faltered for a moment, before she recovered. "True, but I've seen people go through tough times, and I can relate to how they felt. Besides, sometimes you just need to take a leap of faith and trust that everything will work out."
Oliver snorted. "You sound like a self-help book."
Snow chuckled. "Hey, those books have some good advice! But seriously, Oliver, you're not going to lose someone by letting go. You'll actually find yourself, and that's the best thing ever."
"If someone like you could actually give advice like that, I wouldn't believe it," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice and a smile pulled up at the corner of his lips.
Snow laughed. "Well, thank you for the vote of confidence."
Oliver smiled wryly. "Thanks for the advice, I guess."
Snow's eyes sparkled with mischief. "I don't accept thank yous on words alone. I want action."
Oliver raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"
Snow's grin grew wider. "How about you go to a party with me?"
Oliver's expression turned horrified. "No, no, no, no, no. Please, just one party? It's just a party and you owe me a favour from last night."
Snow's laughter echoed through the air as Oliver continued to protest.
•
•
AN HOUR LATER
Oliver checked his reflection in the mirror, adjusting his collar before heading out the door.
He was supposed to meet Snow at the building entrance, and he didn't want to keep her waiting.
As he walked out, Snow looked up at him with a bright smile. "Hey, you look great!" she said, eyeing his outfit.
Oliver chuckled. "Thanks. Where's William?" Snow asked, looking around.
Oliver shook his head. "He's not coming."
Snow raised an eyebrow and subtly raised her hand, sending a signal to Minnie, who was watching from her bedroom window.
Minnie's eyes lit up as she caught the signal, and she quickly sprang into action.
She started getting ready, putting on makeup and styling her hair. She aimed for a simple yet sexy look, and she was determined to achieve it.
Meanwhile, Snow turned to Oliver and said, "Shall we get going?"
Oliver nodded, and they both got into Snow's car. She started the engine and drove off towards the party, the night lights casting a colorful glow over the city.
As they drove to the party, Oliver turned to Snow and asked, "Aren't any of your other friends coming?"
Snow shrugged. "Minnie won't be coming as she said she has something important to do. Violet said she'd be there. I texted her the address, and she confirmed."
Oliver nodded thoughtfully. "Oh, yeah."
Snow smiled mischievously. "Speaking of Violet, she said she knows you from summer camp. You guys were friends, right?"
Oliver's expression turned introspective. "She said so."
Snow nodded, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Yeah, she said so."
Oliver's gaze drifted out the window, his voice barely above a whisper. "I guess some things are just not meant to be."
Snow pretended not to hear, her expression neutral. "What did you say?"
Oliver shook his head. "Nothing."
He's eyes locked onto the road, hid gaze piercing. "Well, if she said so, then that's what it is, I guess. Every line is being drawn now."
Snow's voice was laced with pretension, her words dripping with feigned innocence. "I don't understand."
Oliver raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "Never mind. Can we just drive?"
Snow nodded, her smile returning. "Okay."
The conversation shifted gears as Oliver asked, "How about Leo? Is he not coming?"
Snow's brow furrowed. "I'm not sure."
Oliver snorted. "You'd know better than anyone, wouldn't you? You're his girlfriend."
Snow's expression turned wry. "No, we broke up."
Oliver's eyes widened in surprise. "You just break up with people anyhow and feel comfortable with it?"
Snow shrugged, her voice nonchalant. "I don't see the need to harbor a relationship if it's not going to lead anywhere."
Oliver's gaze lingered on her, his expression thoughtful. "You're one girl cryptic girl, Snow. You're...un-understandable."
Snow's laughter echoed through the car, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
>>>BOY'S SUITE- 6:00 PM
Minnie's heart skipped a beat as she stood outside the door, her hand poised to knock.
She had been hoping against hope that William would answer, and she would magically fall into his arms, rekindling their romance.
She took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for the encounter, and knocked on the door.
But instead of William's chiseled features, Leo's surprised face greeted her.
He was busy typing away on his phone, and his eyes widened in surprise as he took in Minnie's presence.
"Minnie, what are you doing here?" Leo asked, his eyes still fixed on his phone. He sounded slightly distracted, and Minnie's heart sank. Where was William?
Minnie's smile faltered, and she whispered, "I thought...I thought he would be the one to open the door." She looked down, her eyes scanning the floor as she tried to compose herself.
Leo raised an eyebrow, his expression curious. "What do you want, Minnie?"
He pocketed his phone and leaned against the doorframe, his eyes locked onto hers.
Minnie hastily concocted an excuse, trying to sound nonchalant. "I was looking for William. I needed to ask him something." She shrugged, trying to appear casual.
Leo's expression softened, and he nodded. "He's in the shower. But you can come in and wait." He stepped aside, allowing Minnie to enter.
Minnie's heart skipped a beat as she stepped into the apartment. She had been hoping to catch William alone, but now she had to navigate Leo's presence as well.
She smiled brightly, trying to hide her disappointment. "Really? Thank you, Leo."
Leo nodded, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Yeah, no problem. But I need to run to the store real quick. I'll be back soon."
He grabbed his keys and headed out the door, leaving Minnie alone in the apartment.
As soon as Leo left, Minnie let out a sigh of relief and sat down on the couch, her eyes fixed on his door.
She could hear the sound of running water and William's humming.
Her heart skipped a beat as she waited for him to emerge. She smoothed out her dress, her hands shaking slightly as she anticipated their encounter.
As Minnie waited, she heard the sound of the bathroom door opening.
She turned her head, and her eyes widened as she took in William's partially dressed state.
He was wearing only his pants, his chiseled torso on full display as he struggled to put on his shirt.
Minnie's eyes were glued to his body, her mind racing with memories of their past encounter.
She felt a flutter in her chest as she thought, "Wow, that's the body that was on top of me that night."
William, oblivious to Minnie's gaze, continued to wrestle with his shirt. Minnie couldn't tear her eyes away, her imagination running wild with thoughts of what could have been.
Finally, William managed to get his shirt on, and he turned to face Minnie. But she was still lost in her reverie, staring blankly at him.
William's voice broke the spell, and Minnie blinked rapidly, trying to compose herself. "Minnie, what are you doing here?" William asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
Minnie's eyes darted around the room before settling on William's face. She tried to sound nonchalant, but her voice came out in a breathy whisper. "Ah, well, I was bored, and I decided to come and...help you out."
William raised an eyebrow. "Help me out? I didn't remember asking for help."
Minnie's words tumbled out in a rush. "Anybody can need help anytime, okay? You understand?" She nodded vigorously, trying to convince William of her sincerity.
William's expression softened, and he nodded. "Ah, okay. Do you need lunch? I'm making noodles."
Minnie's face lit up with a bright smile. "Great, nice! I wouldn't mind."
William nodded and headed to the kitchen, leaving Minnie alone in the living room.
As she watched him cook, her mind began to wander again. She felt a sense of domesticity wash over her, and she found herself thinking, "Ah, when will we get married?"
William's voice broke into her reverie. "Did you say something?"
Minnie's eyes snapped back to William's face, and she shook her head hastily. "No, nothing, nothing. Just...admiring your cooking skills."
William chuckled and continued cooking, oblivious to Minnie's inner turmoil.
*AT THE PARTY*
As they entered the party, Snow's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I'm going to have fun tonight!" she declared, her voice dripping with anticipation.
Oliver nodded, but his expression was more subdued. He found a seat and sat down, observing the partygoers with a mixture of curiosity and detachment.
His eyes drifted back to Snow, who was laughing and chatting with a group of people.
Snow had joined a game of beer pong, and she was determined to win.
She picked up a tiny tennis ball and threw it across the table, aiming for a cup at the other end.
The ball bounced off the rim, but Snow was undeterred. She tried again and again, sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing.
Each time she lost, Snow would pick up the cup of alcohol and down it in one gulp.
Oliver watched with growing concern as Snow drank more and more, her movements becoming less coordinated and her laughter more slurred.
Oliver tried to intervene, but Snow waved him off. "No, no, no, Oliver! Just one more round!" she slurred, her eyes shining with a mischievous glint.
Oliver hesitated, unsure whether to stop Snow or let her continue. But Snow was insistent, and eventually, Oliver relented, watching with a mixture of amusement and concern as Snow stumbled through another round of beer pong.
Just as Snow was wrapping up her game of beer pong, Violet walked into the party, scanning the room for familiar faces.
Her eyes landed on Oliver, and she made her way over to him. The two of them stood facing each other, locked in an awkward silence.
Oliver didn't know what to say, and Violet seemed equally tongue-tied. They stood there, staring at each other, until Snow finally intervened.
Snow sauntered over to the pair, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Hey, guys! How about we play a game of Crazy Things?" she suggested, her voice dripping with enthusiasm.
The partygoers around them cheered, eager to join in on the fun. Snow grinned, clearly pleased with herself. "Crazy One, let's begin!" she declared, striding over to Oliver.
Without warning, Snow stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss on Oliver's lips.
The partygoers erupted into cheers and applause, while Violet's eyes widened in shock.
Oliver's eyes went wide, his face frozen in surprise. He didn't kiss her back, but Snow didn't seem to mind.
She closed her eyes, lost in the moment, while Oliver stared at her, unsure of how to react.
Violet's voice cut through the din, her tone incredulous. "What the...?"
Violet managed to pull Snow from Oliver when she couldn't tolerate it any longer and then slapped her.