Rebirth: Love me Again

[EVE]

I slapped my cheeks as I hurried out of the hot spring, feeling both flustered and annoyed.

As I stepped into the hallway, I finally noticed it: a huge, bold sign with "MEN'S SECTION" hanging high above the door.

Seriously, who put that sign so high up? It's like they only expect people over six feet tall to see it! I groaned, rubbing my temples.

"Ugh, this is all Cole's fault!" I muttered, still feeling the heat rise to my face—not from the hot spring, but from the memory of him standing there, stark naked, his cock dangling.

Well . . . not dangling but fully erect. I slapped myself again, hoping to get the memory out of my head.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Why couldn't he at least have a towel on or something? Wasn't it common sense not to swim naked in someone else's house?

My plan to soak and relax was completely ruined. There was no way I could go back to the hot spring now. Not with my nose bleeding and my head full of . . . well, very inappropriate thoughts.

I decided to head straight back to my room instead.

"Stupid Cole," I grumbled to myself, shuffling down the hallway like a scolded child. "Who does he think he is, just standing there like that? Does he have no shame?"

I felt my cheeks heat up again. "And who even bathes completely naked in a public hot spring? Couldn't he have worn some boxers or something?"

Deep down, I knew it was technically my fault for not checking the sign. But how was I supposed to know there were separate sections? It's not like they had flashing neon arrows pointing it out!

I pinched my nose again, trying to stop the bleeding. "Get it together, Eve," I whispered to myself. "No more embarrassing moments tonight, please."

With that, I marched back to my room, determined to bury this memory deep in my mind—and hopefully never, ever let it surface again.

Clearly, my brain and body were in total agreement right now—unfortunately. My mind kept replaying that infuriating image of Cole's . . .

ahem

, while my heart raced like crazy.

To make matters worse, a warm, persistent ache settled low in my abdomen, shooting straight to my core.

Of all the times to betray me, my body chose

now

. Just perfect.

Great. Just great.

"Seriously?!" I muttered, glaring down at myself. "I'm a grown woman, not some hormone-crazed teenager!"

I threw my hands up in exasperation. "Damn these stupid teenage hormones! I'm too old for this!"

"This is ridiculous," I grumbled, stomping my way back to my room. "I didn't sign up for a hot spring episode in my life. Where's the fast-forward button when you need it?"

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I stopped in my tracks when I noticed Daniel outside, standing alone in the garden by the large, frozen tree.

What's he doing out here?

Just as I was about to move on, I spotted Lily approaching him, wrapped in nothing but her robe. It looked like she had just come from the hot spring, probably having noticed Daniel from a distance.

Curiosity got the best of me, and my feet moved on their own, leading me to hide behind another tree to eavesdrop on their conversation.

This isn't gossiping; it's just

. . .

observing

, I rationalized to myself. After all, it's not my fault they chose such an open spot for this kind of encounter.

And who could resist a little peek at what might be a confession?

Under the vast, barren branches of the tree, Lily approached Daniel cautiously. Her cheeks were flushed, either from the hot spring or from nerves. Her expression was tender and lovestruck—like Daniel was the only thing she could see in the whole world.

In stark contrast, Daniel's face was emotionless. He looked almost . . . bored, as if he couldn't wait to get out of there.

"What do you want?" he asked flatly, his voice cool and detached.

Lily hesitated, nervously clutching the ends of her robe. Her eyes darted between Daniel's face and the ground, like she was gathering every bit of courage she had left.

Finally, she looked up and met his gaze.

"I like you, Daniel," she admitted in a quiet but firm voice. "I've always liked you. Since grade school, actually. We're about to graduate soon, go off to college, and we'll be headed in different directions . . . so I wanted to tell you how I feel before it's too late."

I could hardly believe my ears. It really was a confession.

Despite all her flaws and how she treated me, there was no denying that Lily was a beautiful girl with an impressive background. Many would consider her an ideal match in their social circles.

Yet here she was, vulnerable and open, laying her heart bare in front of Daniel.

Daniel's reply, however, was swift and brutally straightforward. "Sorry, I don't like you."

Lily's face crumpled. She paused, swallowing hard as her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "I . . . I thought as much," she whispered, her voice trembling. "But . . . can you at least give me a chance? Maybe if you got to know me better, you'd come to like me."

Daniel's expression didn't soften, not even a little. He remained stone-faced as he replied, "That will never happen."

His words hit her like a slap to the face. I could see her hands shaking, the tears she tried so hard to hold back finally spilling over.

Despite the pain clearly etched on her face, she managed a wobbly smile. "I see . . ."

Without another word, Daniel turned and walked away, leaving Lily standing there alone, her sobs quiet and pitiful under the cold, unforgiving sky.

I felt a pang in my chest, my hand instinctively lowering the phone I'd unconsciously raised to record.

Watching her crumble like that, I saw a glimpse of my old self in her. The raw vulnerability, the silent plea for just a sliver of hope. It made me remember how I used to wait for a smile, a word, any sign of affection that would never come.

As harsh as Daniel's rejection was, it was also kinder than giving her any false hope. Leading her on would have been far crueler in the long run, like dragging her through an endless winter with the promise of spring that would never come.

I took a deep breath, just about to turn away from the scene, when suddenly a hand clamped over my mouth from behind, silencing any chance of a scream.