"So, do you have a girlfriend? Yes or no?" Elizabeth's question cut through the quiet, her voice firm but laced with curiosity, her eyes locking onto mine with a piercing intensity. She leaned closer, her naked shoulder brushing mine, her gaze searching my face as the movie played softly in the background.
I froze, my mouth opening, my heart pounding as Aeri's face flashed in my mind—her smile, her warmth, the sting of her rejection.
"Umm… ye—no!" I fumbled, my voice shaky, my cheeks flushing as I tried to recover. "I don't have anyone at present." I forced a tight-lipped nod.
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, her smirk growing, her eyes glinting with mischief as she sipped from a glass of red wine on the armrest, the liquid catching the dim light. "You sure?" she asked, her voice teasing.
"Yep!" I said, nodding again, my lips pressed tight, trying to sound convincing despite the knot in my stomach.
