CHAPTER THREE;

Being Lame Again

The tress and street lights blured as the red Lamborghini drove faster on the road. Inside the expensive car floated a soft and melow melody of a 90's song, a complete opposite of it's ferocious speed and dashling color. 

The driver hums along the music whilst tapping his finger on the steering wheel. The guy is too relaxed while driving the car with a speed of almost 30 kilometers per hour. He was dressed with his thick and expensive leather jacket, sitting languidly on his seat like he doesn't even care about crashing and dying.

On the other seat sits a petite girl in her violet cocktail dress. On top of her dress is a thick black coat, trying to protect her delicste skin from having frostbite. 

The said girl was glaring at the driver through his reflection on the window she was leaning on. She was not bothered by the speed of the car at all. Her glare did not even falter when he increased his speed.

The man, upon noticing her murderous glares, showed a lazy and attractive smile on his ravishing red lips. Althea wants reach out and pull his lips to destroy that smile. What an infuriating smile it was!

"Althea, no matter how much you glare at me, I will not pull back and send you to your apartment. I mean, you've agreed to come."

Althea rolled her eyes and sat up straight. She watched the seemingly unending road ahead of them. No one knew she quit looking at him through the reflection because she was envious of his sinful lips.

'Darn,' she thought. 'His lips looks more appealing than mine, a girl. Not just that though, I noticed that his skin is much smoother than mine, that is, again, a girl. How though?! He do sports, how come his skin have that kind of texture? What skin care does he uses? What routine? Argh, the perks of having tons of money.'

Despite her rambling inside, she replied calmly. "You forced the responsibility to me." 

He shot her a sideway glance, the corners of his lips raising for a playful smirk. 

"You holds the decision though. You can agree, and you can also decline. I'm fine with either of the two, by the way. But, in the end, you choose to accept."

She surpassed the urge to send him flying with a kick for the fear for dear life, besides, Althea cannot refuse his words. She really did accepted and said yes. But-!!!

They were forcing me! 

Her shout resounded on her own ears. She refused to let her frustration out and just dismissed the topic with a 'hump!'

Tyler, fully aware of her forcing the topic down, chuckled. His low laugh drowned the music that was playing. Althea thought that he will pushed out a taunt, but, to her surprised, he remained silent. Hiding a smile on his pretty lips.

She thought that Tyler never backs down with anything and talks back with a taunt or teasing, but he just stayed silent and it looks like he was ignoring her completely.

'Well,' Althea once again started her inner monologue. 'Not that I really know this, uh, crush of mine.' She nearly laughed at what she referred to him. It was not a lie though. 

'Come to think of it, I transferred here on September. Then a week passed, that is when I met Tyler. Not met, 'met', since we really did not talked, just, just a sudden eye contact, accidentally, I tell you. Then I bagan observing him from afar. Then, November. Yes, it was November when he first talked to me.'

Althea mentally faced palmed just remembering that scene.

'After that super ass lame hitting, for some reason, I decided to avoid him, and after just a two months, here I am, sitting in his car.'

The two friends of Tyler did not gave her a breather after he said those words, making her easily lose her calm. She wanted to throw the groceries she bought towards them and ran for it, but she couldn't. If her mother got the wind of her wasting food, she needs to pepare and pack back home. Wasting money is a big no-no.

She of course, doesn't want to agree. But they told her that if she went, they will help her out by distracting Tyler so she can go home early. She only hesitated for a minute before gaving in.

Don't get her wrong. Not that she hates attending party, but this city is totally different from where she came from. And, of course, she knew no one here. Just some classmates, and some familiar faces, but they cannot be considered as friends. They are not close enough either. Just classmates or schoolmates relationship. A very formal one.

The old Althea doesn't like noisy places. As much as possible, she wants peace and quiet. She was often alone when she was in elementary. When she was already in the middle of the middle school, she was afraid of being left out, so, sometimes Althea attends parties created by her previous classmates in the past. 

Getting used to the loud music and stinky place with sweats is hard, it took her a lot of effort to not push the monkeys that are trying so hard to get close to her. But she gradually getting used to it and she sometimes enjoys parties and such.

So she sees attending parties as so-so. Not bad, but also not good.

And besides, she can't deal with two annoying monke- humans at once.  

Althea heard their conversation earlier.

'Come on Tyler, the girls won't come if you don't!'

She snorted in her mind once again. She already knew that Tyler is pretty popular around the campus, so maybe nearly half of the female population is after him. She also once heard that he likes party and girls. After hearing this, she unconsciously draw a line between them.

"We're here."

Tyler's voice pulled her wandering mind back in her head. Althea looked out from the window. Tyler's car entered a huge lawn. Even though in the dark, you can see expensive cars parked neatly on the other side. Tyler drove past them and found a free space to park his own.

His car stopped and he unbuckled his seatbelt then reached out to turn the music off. Althea did not wait for him, she went out of the red car and was welcomed by a very cold breeze of winter.

Althea was grateful that she wore a coat. 

Meters away from where the cars were parked stood a mansion that loud music is booming. She can hear the faint voices to the students partying wildly inside. 

Althea wants to go back home already. Her precious weekend is now ruined.

"There's no backing out you know." 

She heard Tyler's voice behind her back. She shrugged, now not really wanting to retort back.

"I know."

Tyler chuckled and shoot her a sideway glance. "Let's go." 

Tyler went ahead and she trailed quietly behind him. Althea looked at his wide back and unconsciously gulped.

'Such wide shoulders and arms. If he ever lose his mind and tries to crush me, I, with no doubt, will break into two.'

She shuddered at the thought and look up, only to meet Tyler's smiling eyes. Even in the lack of light, his eyes shone brightly. 

It was winter but his eyes are very warm. Comfortably warm. Like the spring after the winter. The feeling was also like finding a shelter amidst a raging blizzard. She felt her heart strings moved.

Heart strings-- what stupidity is that?!

Althea looked away. He chuckled and look back in front. He thought that it was a shame that she withdraws rather easily. But he was also oddly satisfied with her reaction.

Their were silence after that. Althea can hear their footsteps against the paved floor and the distant music. She looked at the mansion with a tired eyes.

"I wish there's many chairs there." She unconsciously mumbled.

Tyler did not stop walking but he laughing hardly at what she said. His whole body was shaking while he was basking in mirth. Althea's face, after realizing what foolishness she just mumbled, went pale then red from embarrassment and anger. 

"Who sits on a party?"

Althea wanted to kick him. "I'm sorry, but I do!"

Tyler laughed heartily before slowing down his pace until they were both walking side by side. His laughter stopped and he glanced at her briefly.

"Well, if there's no enough chairs, I will make it so there's any." Tyler spoked slowly, every words were spoken out languidly. "But you can sit on my lap if you want."

Althea stop dead on her tracks, while Tyler's laughing voice sounded in her ears as she glared at his back.