Illicit Attraction

Chapter One

"This pastel ball gown will look good on you, Adi. It'll compliment your skin and highlight your collar bone which I think is one of your best asset aside from your fair and healthy-looking complexion." Uiji suggested while feeling the soft fabric of the gown against her hand.

The gown caught my attention. It's my style. The one, I'd wear if I'll go in a formal party with my brother and Dad... or in the prom but I'll have it for our grand recital three weeks away from now. I'm going to perform Beethoven's symphony number five and I don't think the whole look will fit my performance.

I tore my eyes off the gown and search for something else in this boutique. "You don't like it?"

"I do. Just not the perfect one for the ocassion," I answered honestly. Uiji glance on it again. Soon enough, she's nodding her head: agreeing in my opinion.

My feet move on their own, following my wandering eyes. I was close to asking Uiji to leave and look for the particular design of gown that I have in my head when it shows up right before my eyes. A black satin a line ball gown pulls me closer to it like it has a magical magnet that works only for me.

Slowly, I bring up my hand to feel its material. "Excuse me?" the boutique attendant came to in a swift.

"Is this still available?" she moved her head softly. "Yes, Ms. Ymozhen."

"That one?" Uiji sounds surprise. Smiling from ear to ear. I nodded to give her a clearer answer. "Yes. I like it. It's simple but it looks mysterious," I answered. Uiji doesn't need to say anything for me to know that she find it not mesmerizing at all, like I did.

Her eyes scan the piece again. She has something to say about it yet she choose to keep it to herself and brush it off. She shrugs her shoulder. "Whatever floats your boat. You won't listen to me anyway. Let me just hope that you have the right accessory and hairstyle to make that boring gown a masterpiece." I wink at her. "Of course. You'll see. I'll be the prettiest on our recital," I said proudly. Uiji just laught at my boastful remark.

"Oh." Uiji pointed at something after we step out of the boutique. I quicky brought my eyes on it. Bitterness starts spreading all over my nerve as I saw the rustic signage of the milktea shop I didn't dare to visit again in the past two years.

Not that I don't like their menu anymore. I just can't stand it. It remind me of Damon and the fact that even after all these years. I can't still accept the truth that he's gone and he won't comeback. While I'm doing my best to achieve my dreams that I plan out together with him... he won't be able to cheer me anymore.

"Let's grab---"

"I don't like there. Let's get our drink somewhere else," I cut her off. It didn't take long for her to follow my lead.

"Strawberry raspberry smoothie and small box of white chocolate pistachio macaron." I closed the menu of the dessert bar where Uiji and I decided to have our snack instead of the milktea shop that she wants to drag me in earlier.

The waitress took both of our order and the menu before she gracefully walk to their counter.

"Seriously, Adi. You need to check out that milktea shop. They are literally everyone's favorite and go to beverage shop."

"I'm not like everyone. Keep it in your head that when I said I don't like something it means what it means. It's not a metaphorical phrase that says convince me." I didn't mean to become this sarcastic. I just want her to get my point and respect my preference.

"You can always grab anything from that shop all by yourself or with your other friends," I added.

Uiji pouted her lips and look down on her phone to keep herself occuppied as we waited for the ten minutes waiting time to be serve to be over and have our drinks and food serve.

When I decided to scroll on my ** and check my dms while still waiting for our food. A notification pop out.

Atasha Reissants messaged me. After her brother's death, though we weren't able to hangout as much as we do before. We still keep in touch.

❤ Atashy ❤

It's his second death anniversary tomorrow. Will you be able to visit him this time?

I press too many letters for different words that I can use to reply to her but in the end. I'm erasing them. I end up unable to give her a reply.

I don't know what to say. I don't want to visit his grave. I am not yet ready.

"Is everything okay?" Uiji asked worriedly. My face brightens up immediately. "U-huh. Everything is great."

"If you say so..." she said and sip on her blueberry smoothie.

"I really am," I said chuckling. I stave my eyes off her to simply check the area. Everything is quite the same, nothing really special until my eyes landed on the broad shoulder of a stranger standing potently in front of the counter, making his order.

My body move on their own to be closer to him. The next thing I know. I'm right behind his back and on the verge of losing my mind.

"Damon?" I whispered with my trembling voice.

The stranger's back move. He shifted his body to face me and when our eyes met. My senses came back to beat the s**t out of me.

His dark hooded is eyes are home to menacing emotion and his press together thin lips look like they've never been lifted to form a friendly smile.

"Hmm?" He murmured.

I gnawed my lip and look down a bit. "Sorry. I thought you're someone I know." Someone I badly miss.

He's snob. I realize it when he turned his back on me without saying a thing. Ignoring me as if I'm a plain, dry air.

He looks different from Damon but with his back view and the way he stands up. I'm sure even Atasha would thought that he's Damon... or maybe it's just me and my head.