Seeing Ken's thin lips curved up, Novie's heart jerked, she turned to Malvin.

"I am sorry, but maybe you can take Mila instead" she pointed at Mila, the girl was shocked.

"Hey! I am going with Brent!" she complained and looked at Brent but the man shook his head.

"I have a reputation of dating a beautiful woman. My friends will laugh at me if they see me with a mushroom" Novie laughed by his words.

Her shoulder was shaking while her hand pointed at Mila, "Ha ha.. Mushroom"

"Stop laughing, you're a mushroom too," Brent said, Novie's lips frost and glared at him.

"I will leave now" bid his goodbye after handing the flower to Novie.

Novie sighed and accepted it, then she gave it to her mother and went to the kitchen.

She sat on the chair, her knees are trembling and she doesn't know why. She saw the sadness in Malvin's eyes after rejecting him but she also saw the anger in Ken's face.

(Oh Gosh!, it's so hard to be beautiful) she brushed a hand on her face and sighed.

"Hey! I am leaving" Novie turned and saw Mila standing, "Are you all right?" Mila asked and caressed her back.

She looked at her, "Mila, why am I so pretty?" she spoke in a sad tone.

The girl flattened her expression and hit her head, "Stop dreaming and walk me home" Novie pouted while massaging her head and got up.

--

Novie and Mila left the house, when they closed the door they saw Ken and Brent standing in the front porch.

Brent walked to their direction and grabbed Mila's wrist, "I'll bring this mushroom back to the forest. Walk him home" Then the two disappear. Novie parted her lips with shock, Brent never once offered to bring Mila.

Then she turned to Ken, his face was serious.

"Do... do you need me to walk you back to your house?" she said while pointing at Ander's house, the distance is too short, even a turtle will not have a hard time reaching it.

Ken nodded and ask her to lead the way.

They were walking side by side, Ken had his hand jammed in his front pocket while she plays with her finger, no one spoke and the coldness of the air shiver her skins.

They walked under the moonlight, there are stars in the sky even though it's been raining the whole day.

Finally, they reached the door, Ken opened the door and entered the house.

She cleared her throat and prepare herself to say goodbye.

"Goo-" before she can finish her sentence, Ken took her wrist and pulled her body closer. He pushed her body against the door and lowered his face to reach her.

She closed her eyes when she thought he was going to kiss her, but there was no kiss, though she can still feel his breath.

Slowly, she opens her eyes and saw his pupils; they were sparkling like the stars in the sky.

She swallowed hard.

"Ken" she whispered his name.

"I will not kiss you without your permission" she heard his canorous voice and every word he uttered glued in her mind

She wants to respond but her tongue frost.

"So, Can I?" he asked her. Novie blinked and shook her head slowly.

When she saw the disappointment in his eyes, she regretted refusing it.

But Ken moves his face closer, when their lips almost brush her lips parted to speak "You... You said you will not kiss me" she stuttered.

Ken smirked and narrowed his eyes, and his smile made her heart tug, (Oh no! This can't be good) she blurted inside.

The man parted his lips and whispers in a hoarse voice.

"I lied"

Novie's eyes shut by itself after she felt his soft lips, Ken encircled her hand around his neck and pulled her closer.

His lips brush her lips lightly and every move he made sent shivers through her nerves, her hands tug his hair as their kiss deepened. His lips tasted candied and sweet as before, and she kisses him back long and in soft movement.

She doesn't know whether they were kissing for 10 seconds of 10 hours but she can feel that he's been longing for her lips as much as her.

The kiss wasn't that long, it's not like the kiss they shared before but Novie can feel the difference, how Ken brushes his lips against her, like her lips are diamond that needs extra care, even the way his hand caressed her back, the hotness of his hands is making her senses disappear.

Her mind was so deep with his embrace when suddenly, Ken pulled himself away. Then his finger teasingly touched her lips while his eyes stared at her with compassion.

"Can you stay here?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

Novie cleared her throat and blinked, she remembers her parents and she also need to wake up early for her job.

"My parents might get suspicious if I stay here and I... I need to wake up early tomorrow" she bites her lips and lowered her eyes to his chest after saying that, she could not meet his blazing eye.

Ken lifted her chin to look at her when their eyes collided, a teasing smile was on his lips.

"Then leave before I throw you to my bed" hearing those words, her eyes widened, she immediately ran outside without looking back.