Chapter 4

His friends instantly started cheering, demanding he open his phone’s camera roll.

Their eyes darted back and forth between the three of us, waiting for drama.

Jack looked hesitant. The guy next to him sighed in disappointment.

"His camera roll is obviously going to be full of photos of his mate. What's the fun in that? We should check his Snapchat history! That's where the real tea is!"

Another friend teased, "Why didn't you say that earlier? Next round, next round!"

Jack's face flushed from the teasing. He shot a quick, nervous glance at Violet.

Then he pulled out his phone to unlock it.

Maybe the lighting in the VIP room was too dim, because Face ID failed several times.

Seeing that the phone was about to lock him out, he had no choice but to manually type in his passcode under everyone's watchful eyes.

When he entered the six digits, Violet's eyes flickered.

Amused chuckles erupted from the side.

"Wait, that passcode looks familiar. Whose birthday is that again? Violet's?"

Jack cleared his throat.

"I don't know. I got used to using it, so I forgot to change it."

Impatient, his friend snatched the phone right out of his hand.

The next second, Jack's camera roll was displayed for everyone to see.

Disappointment washed over his friends' faces.

There were no pictures of me. No pack documents. None of the gossip they were hoping for.

There were only countless photos of violet flowers.

Spanning five years, there were nearly two thousand photos.

Jack and Violet locked eyes. The air between them was thick with a silent, intimate understanding.

It felt as if his friends and I were completely shut out, existing in a completely different dimension.

My heart sank straight to the bottom of my chest, the heavy thuds echoing in my ears.

Soon, his friend groaned, "What is wrong with you? Why do you have so many photos of violets? Trying to become a botanist?"

"I think it's a beautiful hobby. Much better than playing video games all day," Violet said with a sweet, tender smile.

It seemed like out of everyone in this crowded room, she was the only one who truly understood Jack.

And just like that, the first round ended.

But in the second round, Jack lost again.

This time, the dare was to kiss a girl in the room.

The dare was proposed by the very friend who had been trying to set Jack and Violet up all night.

There were only two women in the room: me and Violet.

The cheering and chanting grew louder and louder.

Jack glared at his friend for a long moment, jaw clenched.

Then, he mumbled, "I'm wasted. I'm going home."

He downed a shot, stood up, and walked out of the room.

Seeing that the show was over, his friends started leaving too.

The three of us walked out of the bar together to call an Uber.

Suddenly, a car sped past the curb.

Without a second thought, Jack reached out and pulled Violet into his arms to shield her.

I was clipped by the side mirror of the speeding car, losing my balance and crashing hard onto the asphalt.

My palms scraped against the rough road, the sharp gravel digging deep into my skin.

But that physical pain was nothing compared to the agony ripping through my chest.

I gritted my teeth and pushed myself up, brushing the dirt off my palms.

It was my last night here. I refused to show him any vulnerability.

Jack looked at me, his eyes filled with guilt.

He stepped forward to help me up, starting to apologize, but I shook my head and forced a calm smile.

"It's fine. I just lost my footing. Don't worry about me."

"She just got back today and probably isn't familiar with this area. You should take her home. I can manage on my own."