"Wow… you look amazing," Alex said, his voice low with awe. He hadn't expected to be stunned—but Rachel, dressed in a flowing purple dress, had managed just that. The color brought out the quiet strength in her eyes, and though her makeup was minimal, it framed her features with a soft, natural touch. It was obvious she wasn't used to dressing up like this, but it didn't matter—her beauty was undeniable.
Rachel shifted slightly, caught off guard by the compliment. "Y-you look amazing as well," she said, her voice just as hesitant.
Alex's freshly cut hair and tailored suit gave him a clean, sharp look that was hard to ignore. The change was almost shocking. It was true what they said—a good haircut could take someone from average to unforgettable. And tonight, Alex didn't just look good. He looked confident.
"Thank you," Alex said with a charming smile before walking over and opening the car door for Rachel.
She gave a soft "Thanks" in return and stepped inside, settling into the passenger seat. Alex followed, sliding into the driver's seat, and started the engine with an easy rhythm. The car rolled smoothly out of the driveway, carrying them off toward their long-awaited date.
But just seconds after they disappeared down the road, another engine rumbled to life.
A second car pulled away from the curb, trailing quietly behind Alex's vehicle. Inside were two young men in the front seats, their faces tense. In the back sat a girl, her face streaked with tears, hands clenched tightly in her lap. Her eyes stayed locked on the disappearing car ahead, on Alex, as sorrow and pain clashed behind her quiet sobs
"Sarah, you alright?" asked Luke, the young man sitting in the passenger seat. He glanced back with concern at the girl behind him—Sarah, Alex's ex.
Even after their breakup, she and Luke had remained close friends. The physical part of their relationship had ended, though not entirely by choice. There were still lingering feelings, but Sarah had been more focused on winning Alex back than anything else.
So when Luke spotted Alex with Diana, saw them together, laughing, walking into her house like they belonged there, he had followed, needing to confirm the worst. And now, here they were, watching Alex leave on a date… but not with Diana. With someone else.
Sarah couldn't hold it in. The tears came freely now. It hurt, seeing how easily Alex had moved on. It stung deeper knowing he seemed to be dating not just someone else, but possibly two girls at the same time, with both girls knowing it.
It sucked to see your ex with someone better than you. It sucked even more to see them thriving—genuinely happy while you were stuck watching from the sidelines. That pain was something both Luke and David understood all too well.
Watching Alex live a life they could only dream of stirred something bitter inside them. He had success, a sugar mommy, love… and now, they wanted to take it all away. Why else would they be following him tonight? Deep down, they didn't just want to ruin Alex's life—they wanted to take it for themselves.
They trailed Alex to a local bowling alley, where they parked discreetly and began preparing their disguises. Nothing too flashy—just enough to avoid being recognized. Luke and David slipped on fake mustaches, surprisingly realistic ones. All three pulled on wigs and hoodies to mask their appearance and blend in with the crowd.
They waited a few minutes before entering the building, not wanting to draw suspicion. Once inside, they rented a lane and casually began bowling, keeping a careful eye on Alex and Rachel, who were several lanes down, laughing and enjoying themselves.
From their position, they could clearly see the way Rachel smiled at Alex, the way she leaned in when she spoke, and how relaxed Alex looked, completely at ease.
"They call me the king of bowling," Alex said with a cocky grin, holding the ball in one hand like it weighed nothing. "Don't feel too bad when I start getting strike after strike."
There was a light in his eyes, playful and full of life—something that only made the watchers grit their teeth in silence.
"Oh? I didn't take you for the show-off type," Rachel said with a faint, teasing smile.
Alex chuckled, then stepped forward and launched the ball with far more confidence than skill, only for it to veer sharply into the gutter, missing every pin. His face froze mid-expression, stunned into silence.
From behind, he heard the soft sound of Rachel's laughter. He turned around and found her seated, her posture calm and unreadable, though her lips twitched with quiet amusement.
"Cough… maybe I shouldn't talk big when it's my first time," Alex said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.
Rachel gave him a speechless look, somewhere between disbelief and amusement. Determined to recover, Alex grabbed another ball, took a deep breath, and rolled it again—only to watch helplessly as it drifted off course and into the gutter once more.
"I've gone bowling before. I wouldn't say I'm a pro, but I do think maybe you shouldn't be throwing the ball the way you are," Rachel said, her eyes gleaming with a playful confidence. She clearly wanted to show off a little.
Alex sat down, watching her carefully as she approached the lane. Her movements were smooth, and with practiced ease, she sent the ball gliding down the lane. It rolled straight into the center, crashing through the pins with a satisfying strike.
"Amazing!" Alex cheered, his grin wide with genuine amazement.
Rachel smiled softly at the praise. A small part of her had worried she might bruise his ego, but Alex didn't seem like the type to be threatened by someone else's skills.
Sarah ignored the world around her, her gaze locked on the scene before her, eyes filled with envy. Rachel had her man… her Alex.
But as she watched him bowl, her expression softened. A faint smile tugged at her lips at how terrible he was. He was really bad, and it made her want to walk over and teach him. But she couldn't. She had made a mistake, which wasn't big enough to shatter their bond. Surely, what they had was stronger than that.
So, she watched. Her eyes turned sharp whenever Rachel moved or smiled, every flicker of joy on her face tightening Sarah's jaw.
Yet, when Alex stood to bowl, her expression softened again. He was getting absolutely destroyed. Rachel was playing a near-perfect game, while Alex hadn't managed to knock down more than 1 pin.
It annoyed her, no, it infuriated her. How dare Rachel humiliate her man like that and not even hold back? And worse, how dare she look that good in front of him? How dare she make Alex's eyes light up like that… that awe should've been for her.
"Here, let me show you how it's done," Rachel said, unable to stand by and watch Alex fumble his throws for the 5th time in a row.
She stepped forward, picking up a bowling ball with ease. "Hold it like this," she instructed, raising the ball to chest level and angling her arms just right. Her tone was calm, almost teacher-like, but there was a flicker of amusement in her eyes.
Alex nodded, gripping his ball and trying to copy her stance. He glanced between her and his own hands, adjusting as best he could.
"No, not like that." Rachel set her bowling ball aside and moved in closer, guiding Alex to lower his stance slightly—he was too tall to release the ball properly from where he stood.
She gently took his hand, adjusting the grip on the ball, then shifted his arm position. "This is how it's done…" she began, but her voice trailed off.
She paused, realizing Alex wasn't listening. He was staring at her quietly and intently. There was something in his gaze that pulled her in, something unfamiliar but magnetic. It wasn't lust or admiration. It was deeper, quieter, like the calm before a storm.
Her thoughts vanished. Her body responded before she could stop it. Everything else faded, leaving only that look… and the pull between them.
Slowly, their lips inched closer, tentative, uncertain—and then met in a quiet, breathless kiss. It was their first, soft and unpolished, filled with awkward grace and unspoken meaning. For both Alex and Rachel, it was the beginning of something new.
But far beyond Earth, someone, or something, wasn't pleased. In the cold silence of space, a violet ring streaked toward Earth, cutting through the void with terrifying speed. The moment Alex and Rachel kissed, their pace intensified. It was no longer simply traveling—it was pulled by emotion too potent to ignore.
As the violet ring blazed through the stars, two orange rings surged after it, chasing in its wake. Their light was greed and desire, drawn to what they sensed from afar. Together, the rings cut across galaxies in the blink of an eye, their destination clear: Earth.
"…" David stared at Rachel with simmering hatred.
His eyes weren't just on her—they were on the life she now shared with Alex, a life that gnawed at David's insides. He had read stories like this before—the ones where the protagonist, abandoned and betrayed, stumbles into a miraculous chance that turns everything around. Stories where the underdog rises and leaves behind those who scorned him. And now, he was watching Alex live that story.
David hated it. He hated Alex for it. How dare he? Alex had never cared for stories like that. He never sought revenge or redemption arcs. So why was he living one? Why did he get to be the one who rose above?
Why was Alex living a life David had always wanted for himself? Smart. Physically gifted. Skilled in everything and, infuriatingly, devastatingly handsome.
It wasn't fair. Why did someone like Alex get everything, while he had nothing? Why did it have to be him?
Why? Why did he get to have not just one, but two stunning women at his side—both easily 10s in every category? One was a drop-dead gorgeous goth girl, the other a beauty who looked as if she belonged on the cover of a magazine, even without makeup.
Why did he get to be the one with a sugar momma who spoiled him? Why did he get to have someone new who looked at him like he was the only man alive?
Why did Alex get the life he had always dreamed of? Why did Alex have what should've belonged to him?
Luke felt the same frustration, though his resentment ran in a different current. He hated how effortlessly superior Alex seemed in every way. Sleeping with Sarah had never been about love—it was about grasping for some edge, some shallow victory over Alex.
But even that hadn't been enough. Alex was smarter. Stronger. More composed. More confident. And to make matters worse, he was annoyingly handsome.
They could lie to themselves all they wanted, but deep down, they both knew the truth.
"So… does this mean you're my boyfriend?" Rachel asked softly, her voice unsure. Not knowing what to do with her hands, she simply held onto Alex's, her grip light but hesitant.
Alex looked at her with a warm, reassuring smile. "I would be truly honored to have the privilege of being called your boyfriend," he said with a playful bow
Rachel's eyes softened at his words, and a shy smile slowly spread across her face. Her fingers tightened around his just a little, as if grounding herself in this new, unexpected moment.
"The honor, truly, would be mine. Nothing would please me more than to walk forward with you, as yours," Rachel said with a playful bow, her tone teasing but sincere.
Alex's smile widened, unable to contain the joy rising in his chest. Before he could stop himself, he leaned in and gave Rachel a quick, affectionate kiss on the lips.
Her eyes widened in surprise, and she immediately shot him a glare—not out of anger, but mock outrage. He was too tall for her to return the gesture without effort, and that unfair height difference made it feel like bullying.