Page 171 of My Ruthless Neighbor

“I-I…” Well, he was right. His unread messages are collecting dust in my phone.

He downs his drink and rests the glass on the bar counter. “Dance with me.”

“What?”

“Come on, Summer. You’ve just been caught ghosting me. Don’t I deserve one dance with you?” He pushes his lower lip out, making me laugh.

“You’re a dork,” I murmur as I take his offered hand.

“The most handsome dork.” He smirks and I shake my head, smiling. He leads me into the middle of the dance floor.

“Stay here.” He smiles at me and then goes to the DJ. The dance number which was playing is paused abruptly, earning groans of protest from the crowd. Then a slow song pours from the speakers

The crowd immediately scatters, reaching for their partners. Freddie saunters my way and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me in. I rest my palms on his shoulders and we sway to the slow rhythm.

“You look different today.” He says as he twirls me around. When I face him again, I ask, “Different how?”

“I don’t know, you seem less… colorful.”

I let out a shaky laugh. “What made you say that? I thought you liked my outfit.”

“I did. But other than the colors that you love to wear, your energetic aura is missing. You are awfully quiet.”

“I’m talking, aren’t I?” I cock a brow.

“Not like your usual self.”

I can’t help the painful way my chest constricts. Even Freddie can sense it.

Thank God, I didn’t see Archer tonight, he would’ve figured everything out in a heartbeat.

He would’ve figured out that I want more. More than sex. The realization was a hard pill to swallow.

I want Archer to want me too. I want him to love me. But he doesn’t do romance. He said so himself. He doesn’t date either. His priority is his work. And that’s that.

And no matter how many times I tell myself that my decision to stay away from him is for the best, it doesn’t make me feel any better.

Before him, I had this hollowness inside of me. When he came, it was like he was filling in the void in my chest. I felt complete. That’s probably ridiculous and corny, but I did.

Every day, I used to be happy to return to my home because I knew I’d see him. I thought of him asmyperson. My own custom-made human being. Who makes me happy by simply showing up every night.

The emptiness in me was being filled up by his presence. But before that hole could close, my bubble was burst by reality.

And now that I am letting him go, the hollowness inside me has grown into a gaping hole. A dark pit where nothing exists.

I can’t even fake happiness. The colors are missing from my outfit because I don’t feel like wearing them. Nothing feels good anymore.

“Earth to Summer?” Freddie waves a hand in front of my face, bringing me back to the present. I note that the slow song has ended and an upbeat song is playing. “Where’d you go?”

Before I could respond, Hannah is pushing to my side, making me go flush against Freddie. He steadies me with an arm around me.

“Smile!” Hannah says before clicking a selfie of the three of us.

She taps a few times on the phone with a sly smile then looks up. “Thanks.”

Why is she thanking me for a picture?

“Why are you smiling like that?”

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