CHAPTER 24: I Like Being with You 

  "I want you."  

  My mind exploded as if struck by lightning.  

  Lucas seemed completely overtaken by the alcohol, his lips crashing onto mine in a frenzied kiss. The strong scent of alcohol filled my mouth, suffocating me.  

  "Lucas, stop!" I stammered, my voice trembling with anxiety.  

  But in this situation, I dared not yell or scream. If someone came to investigate, the embarrassment would fall entirely on me.  

  Inside the quiet tent, his ragged breath brushed against my ears, making me even weaker, my resistance faltering.  

  Finally, he collapsed next to me, fast asleep. Yet, even in his drunken stupor, he kept pulling me into his arms, his face nuzzling into the nape of my neck.  

  And then, he murmured softly, almost unintelligibly, "Happy birthday."  

  The heat coursing through my body instantly turned icy cold, drenching me in a chill from head to toe.  

  It wasn't my birthday. Those words weren't meant for me.