Saving the Villain

Cosette excused herself from the room to breathe some fresh night air. Her injury wasn't that painful, unlike Sarah's. So, her steps were uncomfortable but weren't painful. She had bumped into a few girls that were right beside their room and talked to them for a bit before she went to the pool.

No one was in the pool. Everyone was either tired from the trip, while those who didn't come were resting or just doing whatever the hell they could do.

Cosette sat down on one of the lounge chairs, reclining comfortably. She gazed at the night sky, feeling the night breeze, listening to the silent rustle of the trees surrounding the vacation home.

'I promised not to think about the novel and live my life as it is,' she mumbled to herself. 'But... I guess it's inevitable and impossible to disregard it completely.'

Not that Cosette was or wasn't noticing Maxen and his action toward her. It was just that she hoped she could just take everything as they were without interrupting her thoughts with what was already pre-written.

'Because at the end of the day... I like Max.' She sighed.

Cosette already had a huge crush on Maxen and the real Cosette from the very beginning. She was a fan and was in tears after meeting Maxen for the first time. Some might not understand her, because Maxen was an antagonist. But he was her favorite.

To be liked back by Maxen was like a dream come true. But then again, Cosette felt like she was driven to the corner. She couldn't help but sometimes consider what if she would woke up from this world? What would happen to Maxen? Would the real Cosette return?

Maxen would be heartbroken if that happened because the real Cosette was far different from the current one.

"I've been impulsive, aren't I, author?" came out a whisper while staring at the night sky full of stars. "I should be talking to God, but here I was, talking to rottenpieceofmilk."

Cosette let out another sigh as she recalled the author's pen name. It was ridiculous, but having the knowledge of being in a novel would never leave her mind. This may sound blasphemous, but there was no God in this world — even though there were beautiful temples and religions in this world.

"God's name in here is rottenpieceofmilk."

"Are you an atheist?" Cosette flinched when a voice came from her side. She turned her head in the voice direction and her brows elevated.

'Asher?' she blinked twice, seeing him approach and sit on the lounge chair beside her.

"Rottenpieceofmilk?" he repeated, cocking his head to the side. "That's God's name?"

She pursed her lips into a thin line and looked away. "Please pretend you didn't hear that."

"Hear, what?" he chuckled and leaned back while she glanced at him. "If it's a secret, then I don't remember anything."

"I'm not talking about God, but the author of this world," she murmured.

"Isn't that the same?" Asher arched a brow and set his indifferent eye on her.

"It's not."

Asher rocked his head and set his eyes on the same sky she was staring at. "That's right." He blinked slowly, holding the book on top of him.

"If you're saying the author of our lives, then it's different, indeed," he added, setting his eyes back to her when he felt his gaze. "Do you believe in fate?"

"No."

He smiled. "Me too."

"Then, what do you believe in?" she blurted out, rather surprised at herself for feeling comfortable casually talking to him.

"I believe in facts." He smacked his lips. "How about you? What do you believe in?"

Cosette went silent for a moment, peeling her eyes from him and back to the sky. What does she believe in? She knew she didn't believe in fate because if fate was real, then she wouldn't be in this world. After all, she was someone who knew everyone's fate and now she was changing Maxen's fate.

Sounds contradictory, but this story was already full of contraction to begin with, anyway.

"I believe in... I don't know." She shrugged and let out a faint sigh. "I'm still trying to figure that out."

Asher studied her side profile in silence. It seemed like she was lost at the moment; the reason he approached her. Although it was purely a coincidence that he went there to read a book. But what wasn't a coincidence was this conversation because he approached her even when he has already seen her all alone here.

"About earlier..." his brows rose when Cosette suddenly froze, making him chuckle shortly. From what he heard and what he imagined, she would be someone with more sophistication, who wouldn't let others read her emotion. But the more he interact with her from the time in the Academy until now, Cosette was definitely someone who wore her heart on her sleeve.

"Hehe... please forget about that." Cosette awkwardly chuckled as she faced him.

"Why?"

She huffed silently. "If you are in my situation and I saw you about to get kissed by someone, will you like it if I bring it up?"

"Depends." He shrugged while he frowned. "After all, I can't let things like that happen in our territory. I don't want to take responsibility if a miracle happens on the Quinn's grounds."

"A miracle?"

"Getting pregnant."

Her eyes instantly went wide at his remarks. Meanwhile, he chuckled at her funny reaction from her.

"You look ugly," he remarked. "Close your mouth."

"Hey, aren't you thinking too far ahead?" she inquired, ignoring his insult since she had confidence in her face.

"I'm not. I'm simply stating plausible scenarios if no one was supervising," he argued calmly. "You're young and curious. If what I'm saying is impossible to happen, then there wouldn't be a problem about the growing teenage pregnancies."

Cosette opened her mouth but ended up shutting them closed. "But it's not like that will happen."

"How are you sure?" Asher slowly sat up and flung his legs out of the lounge chair. He rested his book on his thigh, his arm over it.

"In the heat of the moment, do you think a simple kiss will lead to studying?" He cocked his head to the side, holding her gaze. "No. An innocent kiss will slowly turn into a mature kiss, and you will feel your body temperature rising. That heat will slowly take over you until you cannot think straight, which will lead to another stage."

"Before you realize it, you're both lying somewhere naked. Exploring each other's body, letting go of the little innocence you were holding, and stepping into a game so addicting to resist," he continued in an incredibly low tone. "You will tell yourself this is wrong, or this is too early, but you'll feel too weak to say 'no' because your body needs it."

His eyelids dropped, but he maintained his composure. "Should I go on and list down what will happen?"

Cosette didn't answer. She couldn't. All she could do was return his gaze in silence, biting her inner lip, wondering how could he detail what she felt when Maxen kissed her. Cosette was initially shocked, but she felt so intoxicated at the euphoria crawling under her skin.

"You're too young and still too curious about many things, especially in this area, Miss Blac. I don't blame you for being curious. It's human nature," Asher spoke after an entire minute of silence. "But be mindful. People tend to make mistakes in their youth. Some mistakes can be buried, but others... will scar you for life."

"What... makes you think kissing Max is a mistake that will scar me for life?" she blurted out under her breath, biting her tongue as soon as she realized what she had just said. Her question caused his brow to arch, but before he could speak, she continued.

"I know you are trying to lecture me about something important, but I can't help but feel that you are lecturing me because of the other person involve." Cosette took advantage of this borrowed courage and pointed out what she had noticed. "Why, Asher?"

Asher held his breath for a moment. He reviewed his words and was certain he didn't leave a trace of his intention. But alas, she still noticed it.

He looked at her and smiled. "You found me. It's because I don't like him," he confessed since she already found him out.

"But I was sincerely concerned for your well-being," he added.

"Why?"

"Because... it'll be a shame if you commit an impulsive decision when it could've been prevented." He shrugged. "But suit yourself. Do what you want to do and forget what I said. After all, I simply said what I said because you're my brother's friend."

Asher smacked his lips before he held his book and pushed himself up. "Anyway, I'll be on my way and leave you alone. Have a great night, Miss Blac."

With that being said, Asher marched away without an intention to look back at her. But just as he took three steps away, he stopped and looked back. As soon as he did, he saw her fling her legs out of the lounge chair and sat on the edge. Her hands were on either side of her, eyes up at him.

"I appreciate your concern, Young Master Quinn. However, Maxen doesn't need you or this world to like him. He only needs one person, and that spot is already occupied." Unlike her usually smiley countenance, her eyes were solemn and her tone was distant. "I may be impulsive, but he is never my impulsive decision and will never be just an impulsive decision I could've prevented. I will do what I did and make the same decisions all over again if I must."

"I hope that put your heart at ease." Cosette then flashed him a smile. "Enjoy your night."