You're My Joy

Everyone had arrived. There were four male and female guests each. After a round of introductions, a popular singer named Shane Brown suggested we play truth or dare.

When it was my turn, I picked truth. Rita immediately leaned forward and looked at me. "You're so pretty, Riley. I bet you must've dated many guys in the past. How many ex-boyfriends do you have?"

I could sense everyone's eyes on me. Even Peyton straightened up, making the atmosphere a little tense. I couldn't understand this, but I still answered honestly. "N-None."

Shane was so surprised that his voice went up an octave. "Not even one? You must have quite high standards."

I smiled politely. I had a crush on someone who was so outstanding, after all.

When it was Peyton's turn, he was asked whether he had feelings for anyone. His gaze suddenly warmed, and his tone softened. "Yes, I do. She's right here, too."

His words set everyone abuzz. Rita was the only other celebrity present who'd interacted with him in the past. Who else could he be talking about?

Her face turned red as everyone watched. She cleared her throat and said, "Oh, stop being so loud, you guys."

I looked at her and Peyton—they made a good match. I blinked away the tears that threatened to form in my eyes. I didn't expect Peyton to be so proactive now when he'd always been the strong and silent type in school.

I felt like something was eating away at my heart, seemingly mocking me for being so pathetic. I could only sit by and watch as the person I liked fell for someone else.

Before becoming deskmates with Peyton, I'd always been the invisible person in the group. I always had thick, black-framed glasses on, and my school uniform never fit me well. My long hair was always tied in boring plaits.

That was why none of the other female students had considered me a threat when Peyton chose to sit beside me in class. They knew there was no way a swan like him would be interested in an ugly duckling like me.

To me, Peyton was so outstanding and gentle that he was like an addictive drug. His presence almost smothered me.

I could still remember the day he'd helped me chase away some hooligans who wanted to bully me. There were so many of them, and they'd been nasty. Yet Peyton had still helped me despite us barely speaking to each other in the week since we'd become deskmates.

He was regal and graceful yet also brave and righteous. That moment when I'd met his gaze as he'd pulled me up from the ground was what kept me so stubbornly in love with him.

That was why I'd been in such disbelief upon learning that he'd taken his life in my past life. I couldn't accept that someone as outstanding as him had died in such a lonely manner and for such a suffocating reason.

That was also why it didn't matter to me if people thought I was a scheming bitch with a hidden agenda. I also didn't mind if he got the wrong idea of me. All I wanted was for him to be happy.

…

Monica called me that night. "It's clear that Peyton and Rita are going to end up together, so don't you dare fantasize about being with him. Their fans will rip you to shreds!"

I felt downtrodden and lied through my teeth. "I'm not interested in him that way."

Besides, he already had someone he liked, and she didn't like me.

When I woke up the following morning, I blearily wandered to the kitchen to get breakfast. To my surprise, I saw Peyton there. He was cooking bacon and eggs.

He wore an apron, which only served to show off his excellent figure. He even looked good as he sprinkled salt and pepper on the eggs.

My eyes lit up when I smelled the eggs. "Good morning, Mr. Grant!"

Peyton turned to look at me. His gaze had been unfathomable, but it cleared up and brightened when he saw me. "Morning."

My ears almost melted at his deep baritone. I quickly tried to keep the conversation going to hide my embarrassment. "Uh, are you cooking bacon and eggs?"

I couldn't help thinking I was a fool for stating the obvious as soon as the words were out of my mouth. I sounded even more like I was trying to hit on him now.

To my surprise, he asked, "Do you want to join me? I've made enough for two."

This set the live stream's viewers abuzz again.

"Oh, come on. She has to know that Rita loves bacon for breakfast, right? Peyton has obviously made it for Rita!"

"He was just being polite, yet she's acting like she doesn't understand him. She's disgusting!"

"Peyton is too kind—he can't just ignore her, can he? Rita's going to lose her bacon!"

"Hurry up, Rita! A little vixen is trying to take your breakfast away!"

I was about to take Peyton up on his offer when a voice rang out behind me.