Natalia looked at Butler Samson as he offered the handkerchief. She took it and wiped her tears.

"Thank you." She took the cocktail drink and finished it. She left and went to the VIP room that has been reserved for her. She sat there and locked it. She removed her shoes and pulled her feet up, folding her knees and hugged them.

​​

She sniffled and looked at the chessboard on the table. She remembered that he promised to bet on their next game. But it seemed like it won't ever happen. She wiped her cheeks. It's good that she's wearing waterproof makeup, so she won't look a mess. She put her feet down and put her shoes on. She faced the mirror and took the lipstick from her purse. She fixed her eyeshadow and then her hair.

She went back to the dance floor and everyone was laughing. She stopped and looked at how Rhys wrapped his arms possessively to Camila. Kale is doing the same as they laugh and whisper at each other. There's also Zendaya and Timothy. Then, Noah and Bea. Everyone got somebody, almost everyone. She imagined back then when Ashton promised to play with her and they would dance and fool around. But now, it seemed like Ashton brought someone into the club.

She wanted to break down at that moment. But Ashton is laughing and smiling with Pamela as he introduces her to everyone. He's like a family and introducing a girlfriend is good. At that time, she wanted to run back to the VIP room but she walked around to the bar counter and asked for a shot.

"I'm sober." She told the barman. The barman nodded. She stayed there and listened to Pamela and Ashton laugh and tell the boys about dinner.

<><><><>

Aria and Asher are in the corner checking their surroundings through their mini-laptops. She might've glanced at Natalia many times. None of them tell Ashton that he had a promise to Natalia. Now, while Ashton is busy talking with Pamela and others while drinking the juice, Natalia is on the bar counter drowning herself in alcohol. Aria closed her laptop and she smacked Asher's back head.

"Ow!" He complained.

"We are in the bar. Let's join the party." She said.

"Good that you mentioned."

Asher put his laptop on his backpack. Then, he left it from their seat. It's only them on the second floor. Aria approached Natalia on the counter and asked for a beer.

"Stop sulking and tell him," Aria mumbled to her. Natalia looked at her. Her eyes are red from crying and although she kept it behind her make-up, she can't deny that she cried a bucket of tears to Ashton.

"Tell him what?" Natalia asked. "That he promised me sex?" She asked.

"You never been this miserable toward a guy?"

Natalia stopped and she brought the martini glass to her lips.

"You always have something toward Ashton. The two of you do but the other one and then the other one is holding back to keep their rationality. In love, you don't need to be rational to prove everything. You just go with your emotions and fucked, go along with love and that's it!" Aria swigs the cold beer to her lips and finished half of it.

"I can't ever do that." Natalia looked at Ashton and Pamela. Ashton caught her, he's smiling and he waved at her. She only nodded and looked back at her drink. "What I can do is to f-ck myself whenever I feel it."

"That means you won't be getting any boyfriend anymore?" Aria asked.

"I don't think I can. Maybe until someone makes me fall in love again." She shrugged.

"The two of you just stopped the charade a few days ago and now, this happened." Aria sighed. "Very depressing indeed. I don't like whatever is happening. It's frustrating and heartbreaking."

"That's why you don't like romance?" Natalia asked.

"Romance is sh!t. The only thing to do is to get on with each other and be done with it. There's no need for complications." She grumbled and finished the bottle of beer in one swig. She asked for another.

"It's more complicated than you thought."

"Everyone makes it complicated," Aria said. She asked for fruits and the barman took it from the fridge. "Eat. You shouldn't drink a lot. Your stomach won't make it."

"So, what?" Natalia asked. "It's not like I'll live forever. I already feel dead, Aria."

"Stop being dramatic, would you?"

Natalia chuckled.

"Thank you."

"You are welcome."

Aria couldn't stop her from going down to the noisy club and dancing there. She and Asher followed her. Asher started fooling around already. She danced with a few girls and a few guys but the few who hold her waist have been pushed away by her. So, she danced solo in the middle and didn't care about everyone around.

Aria pulled out her phone and called Ashton to escort Natalia home. However, Jaxon is the one who arrived.

"Ashton is escorting Pamela back home." He said. Aria rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Well, I think Ashton is into Pamela now."

"Oh, shut up and get her!" She demanded.

"Yes, ma'am."

Jaxon pulled Natalia and she danced in front of him. However, Jaxon pulled her up and carried her like a bride. Natalia wrapped her arms around his nape. Aria pulled Asher from the girl and dragged her upstairs as Jaxon took Natalia upstairs to the sofa.

Natalia suddenly breaks into tears. Jaxon didn't pull out and he let her cry in his shoulder as long as she could.

Ashton is about to leave but seeing Natalia crying for the first time suddenly breaks his heart. They are in the corner on the sofa and although the music is loud, seeing her cry makes him feel like he also heard her crying.

Aria approached him and punched him in his arm which hurts. He never thought that the geek or nerd girl that stays sitting also knows how to punch.

"What did I do?" He asked.

"I am just venting my anger on you!" Aria said aloud and went to her table to get her bag.

Asher looked at him and shrugged as he followed his sister.

"I'll escort you back home." Ashton put a hand at her back as he escorted her downstairs.

"I think she's heartbroken. Does she have a boyfriend?" Pamela asked.

"Who?"

"The doctor."

"Natalia has a boyfriend back in Pasadena." He said and thought about it. He is puzzled for a while. There are a lot of things missing.

"Then, how was that?"

"I wasn't sure." He said. He drove her back to her house. He removed his seatbelt, hopped out of the car, walked around, and opened the car door for her. She smiled and stepped out of the car. Then, she hugged him. He looked down at her.

"Thank you. It's a wonderful night." She said.

"You are welcome, Miss Rodriguez."

"I told you to call me, Pamela." She tiptoed, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him. He expected this to happen so he kissed back, passionate as she gave.

"Do you want to go inside?" She asked after she pulled out.

"No. It's late."

"Well, I~~I just want to show you my room."

Ashton chuckled.

"Darling, if you mean but sex. We can't do that until the doctor says."

She creased her brows.

"I can't do it until my doctor tells me so. I still need a few days to recover from what happened."

"You heal so fast…"

"Never mention it again." He bent down and kissed her lips. "I'll call you tomorrow."

Pamela flushed and she went to her house full of security.

Ashton drove away and he went back to the club. Natalia is already sleeping. He sighed and approached her.

"What happened to her?" Ashton asked.

"She's drunk and tired," Jaxon said. "I'm glad that she didn't puke. Tomorrow, she might. We got a drill. I have to escort the twins back to their house. Can you take her to her unit?"

"Okay," Ashton nodded.

"How did the night go with Pamela?"

"Well, we kissed and she invited me to her room. But we got the drill." Ashton winked. Jaxon stopped and looked at Aria's daggering eyes toward Ashton. Ashton rubbed his arm like he felt some goosebump.

Ashton scooped Natalia from the seat to his arms. Suddenly, she felt weightless than before. He used to carry her like this every time that she's drunk. She wrapped her arms around him and shoved her face to his neck.

Ashton froze for a while. Her perfume that smells like peach and wood suddenly makes him flash memory of her while they are playing chess and she gets drunk and she has to carry him again in his back. It's mixed with alcohol and it seemed like she drank something hard this time.

It takes only fifteen minutes when they reach her unit. He brings her to bed and she snuggles on the pillow. He pulled the duvet and covered it for her. She seemed to be awake and she hugged the pillows and cried. Ashton froze and stood there watching her cry. It's the first time that he saw her cry like this.