"OMG!" Sweety shrieked, clutching her chest.
Vicky had crept up behind her to scare her, but her scream startled him instead. He winced and rubbed his ears. "Swear to God, can you keep your voice down?"
"Now I get it," Sweety replied, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"What? your voice?" Vicky said, raising an eyebrow sarcastically.
"No... Mr. Handsome mentioned a prince love story. That means..." Sweety leaned closer, searching Vicky's face.
"Means what?" Vicky frowned, completely lost.
"Means... it's their story!" Sweety grinned, bouncing on her toes.
"Wait. What story?" Vicky asked, confusion deepening.
"Hoo... You weren't there, right? Are you embarrassed because of that dance?" Sweety teased, her voice dripping with playful sarcasm.
Vicky glared at her, cheeks flushing. "It's all because of you. You told me to dance with her."
"Small correction. Not me... everyone did," she said proudly, folding her arms.
Vicky sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. "So... what's next?"
"Let's dig in," she replied, already moving.
"Is there any treasure here?" he asked dumbly, glancing around.
She smacked his head lightly. "Not that kind of digging, you fool. I meant let's dig into their story and find out more about them."
He rubbed his head. "I don't know how I'm going to handle this dumb girl," she muttered under her breath.
"Don't worry, I'm not that dumb. It's just your words that confuse me," he shot back.
Sweety glared at him. "Come on, let's ask Sara about it."
"About what?" he asked, brows knitted.
Sweety pressed her palm to her temple. "You sit here. I'll go ask her what happened in their past. Okay?" She forced a fake smile.
"No. No, I'm coming," he said immediately, standing up.
Sweety looked at him, sighed in defeat. "Fine. Okay, come."
_
David sat alone on a wooden bench, staring at the stars. "Sara, I'll love you no matter what. I'll clear the air between us," he whispered, closing his eyes.
_
Sara sat alone in her tent, remembering David's words. "He loves me. That's why he's here... But do I believe him? No way. It's over now. We can't be together," she told herself, shaking her head.
"Sara... why didn't you tell me about your past with Handsome?" Sweety asked, her voice steady but gentle.
Sara froze for a second, then met her gaze. "What are you talking about, Sweety? What do you mean?" she asked, voice tightening.
"Mr. Handsome told me everything. So there's no need to hide. Tell me," Sweety pressed.
"What?" Sara and Vicky both exclaimed.
'How could he tell her? No, David... how could you do this to me?' Sara thought, panic rising.
Sweety shot Vicky a sharp look, signaling him to stay quiet. "Look, I know Sara. This is between you two. Why not give him another chance? It's not his fault, right? Everything happened because of his father," Sweety said, trying to calm her.
Sara glared at her, anxiety flickering in her eyes.
'Drama queen. Good at acting... not bad,' Vicky thought, watching Sweety.
"Okay, peace. Calm down," Sweety said, squeezing Sara's hand. "I don't trust him completely either. I want to hear the story from both side. So tell me... what really happened?"
Tears filled Sara's eyes. She pulled Sweety into a hug and cried. Sweety held her tightly, rubbing her back.
"Calm down, I'm here. Don't cry... I won't force you. If you're uncomfortable, you don't have to tell me," she whispered.
Just as Sweety was about to speak again, Sara started slowly. "It all started three years ago..."
_Flashback
"Mia, wait! I'm coming. Don't leave me here, I don't know this place," Sara called out, eyes darting around nervously.
Sara was 20, wearing a floral dress with a denim jacket. Light makeup highlighted her warm brown eyes, making them glow. She'd come with friends to 'Black Moon Lounge' in Ilford—a pub Emily and Mia knew well, but Sara had never been to.
"Oho, come on, babe. We know it's your first time here. We're celebrating your birthday, and we lied to your dad so you could actually enjoy it. Otherwise you'd be home like always," Mia said. Then, softer, "It's your 20th birthday. We're not missing this."
"Yeah, Sara. You never come out with us. See this place... wow, it's amazing! And who knows, you might even find your soulmate here. You deserve some freedom," Emily added, gesturing around the pub.
"I know you lied to my dad. And honestly... it was worth it," Sara admitted, impressed by the energy of the place.
"Okay girls, showtime! Let's have some fun," Mia cheered, dragging Sara toward the bar.
_Other side
"Woo, man, this place is crazy. What do you think, Leo?" Ethan asked, looking around.
"It's worth the trip. The city, the air, the vibe... everything's entertaining except him," Leo replied, pointing at a guy sitting near the counter, focused on building a card tower.
He was completely absorbed, ignoring everyone around him.
"Look at his attitude. Four girls tried talking to him and he didn't even glance up. I'm so jealous. His family... CEO father, designer mom, his sister..." Ethan said, his eyes bright when he talks about his sister.
"Come on, dude. She's your friend's sister. Don't even think about it, or say goodbye to your family," Leo mocked.
Ethan paled. "Don't say anything about this. If he finds out..." he said.
_
"Hey handsome, are you single? Want some company?" a girl asked, leaning on the counter.
David didn't respond. She tried again, but he stayed silent. Annoyed, she walked away.
His focus never left the cards. Olive green shirt, black jeans, sharp jawline, small beard... he looked effortlessly attractive.
"Come on, man. That's the fifth girl. You can't ignore everyone like this. Poor girl," Ethan sighed. He waved his arms in frustration and knocked the card tower down.
David looked up, eyes flashing with anger. "Are you done? Shall we leave?"
"Okay, calm down. We're here to enjoy the trip. We can build the tower later. Just chill," Ethan said.
David cleaned his ear with his pinky, pretending not to hear. Ethan sighed. "Fine. Twenty more minutes, then we leave."
David was getting irritated.
"Come on, cut the cake, Sara! Happy 20th to my favorite single lady!" Emily and Mia screamed.
David glanced over, but his eyes locked on Sara. A small paper crown sat on her head, making her look oddly adorable. Her smile, her expression... his heart skipped a beat. He pressed a hand to his chest, trying to calm himself.
'Why is my heart racing? Is something wrong with me?' he thought, frowning.
"Thank you, guys. Love you," Sara said, hugging her friends.
Later. "Okay, I'll share the cake with others," Mia said, picking up the tray.
"Oh, my boyfriend's calling. I'll be back," Emily said, stepping away.
Left alone, Sara felt awkward. She walked to the counter to order something, but hesitated. She didn't know what to pick.
'What should I order? Why do I suddenly want to go home? Both of them left me alone,' she thought, looking around uneasily.
David noticed her discomfort.
"Hey, looks like it's your birthday today. Happy birthday. I'm David," he said, offering a small smile.
"Thank you, Sara" Sara replied softly, giving a polite smile.
David smiled back. "What can I get you, ma'am?" the waiter asked.
Sara stayed quiet.
"Yeah, two fresh mint mojitos," David ordered.
Sara looked at him, surprised. "First time here?" he asked.
She nodded. "Actually, I'm bored. I don't get why people like this place," she said honestly.
"Right. I'm bored too. I want to leave ASAP," David replied.
The waiter served their drinks and left.
Sara relaxed a little. "You too? I thought you'd think I'm weird. I also want to leave," she said. Then, curious, "Wait... where do you live in Ilford?"
"Canary Wharf. I'm here on a trip with friends," he said.
"So you're new here?" she asked.
David nodded, sipping his drink.
"Ok, where all did you go? Any places you visited?" she asked.
"Not really. Just hanging around," he said.
"What?" Sara looked disappointed. "It's such a nice city. Why not explore properly?"
"Because I don't have a good guide," he paused. "Will you show me around?"Sara froze, then a small smile appeared. "Sure, why not? I wanted to get out anyway. Why don't you join me?"
David smiled and agreed.