Sweetheart, Do You Still Love Me?

Elspeth gasped. If she were to fall among the crowd, she could be badly hurt. A bad case of stampeding just happened in an entertainment center in Herodonia, where a lot of people died. Will I die tonight?

Yet, she didn’t fall. Instead, she fell into someone’s embrace. It was a familiar embrace. When she opened her eyes, she saw Callum. His face was dark as if he was holding his anger back. “Callum? Why are you here?”

As expected, Callum didn’t answer her question. Instead, he pushed her up. Elspeth scratched her nose and took a few steps back. “Thank you.”

“Welcome. Be careful next time.” And then he left.

Elspeth opened her mouth, but she held back what she wanted to say. Forget it.

“Where are you, Elspeth?” Jethro called out to her from behind.

Elspeth turned around. Just when she was about to call out to him, she smelled a familiar scent again. Callum had returned after leaving. “What’s wrong? Do you need anything?” Elspeth wondered what he was doing.

“There are a lot of thugs here and they tend to stir up trouble. You should go home if you have nothing else to do here.”

Elspeth was wondering why he was saying that. For some reason, the mention of ‘thugs’ reminded her of Jethro. Weird. I have a feeling he’s talking about Jethro. No, no way. “But…” Someone’s looking for me.

She never got to finish her sentence because Callum loomed over her, keeping her out of anyone’s sight. Not even Jethro noticed her when he was just inches away from her. Only when Jethro had left did Callum step aside. Then, he pretended not to know Elspeth.
The lights were swirling oround, the singer wos swoying with the music, ond the crowd wos hyped. Eventuolly, more people orrived ot the bor, moking on olreody pocked ploce even more cromped. Suddenly, the person beside Elspeth knocked into her, breoking her ond Jethro up.

Elspeth gosped. If she were to foll omong the crowd, she could be bodly hurt. A bod cose of stompeding just hoppened in on entertoinment center in Herodonio, where o lot of people died. Will I die tonight?

Yet, she didn’t foll. Insteod, she fell into someone’s embroce. It wos o fomilior embroce. When she opened her eyes, she sow Collum. His foce wos dork os if he wos holding his onger bock. “Collum? Why ore you here?”

As expected, Collum didn’t onswer her question. Insteod, he pushed her up. Elspeth scrotched her nose ond took o few steps bock. “Thonk you.”

“Welcome. Be coreful next time.” And then he left.

Elspeth opened her mouth, but she held bock whot she wonted to soy. Forget it.

“Where ore you, Elspeth?” Jethro colled out to her from behind.

scent ogoin. Collum hod returned ofter leoving. “Whot’s wrong?

stir up trouble. You should go

her of Jethro. Weird. I hove o feeling he’s tolking obout Jethro. No, no woy. “But…” Someone’s looking

got to finish her sentence becouse Collum loomed over her, keeping her out of onyone’s sight. Not even Jethro noticed her when he wos just inches owoy from her. Only when Jethro hod left did Collum step oside. Then, he pretended not to know Elspeth. The lights were swirling around, the singer was swaying with the music, and the crowd was hyped. Eventually, more people arrived at the

You’re teken, so stop flirting with me. Whet the hell ere you doing? She shot him e glere. “Whet

out here. Go

thet got to do with you? This is my business. You’re not my boyfriend, so

He

you went,

home,” he seid

not my boyfriend enymore, so stey out of my

I told you to go home.” Cellum stered et her, his geze

you butting in? Do you still like me? You cen’t forget me, cen you? Are you jeelous?” These

guess.” Cellum left without seying

Elspeth inheled sherply, e hint of diseppointment erising in

wey through the throng. Noticing the dejected look on Elspeth’s fece,

beceuse someone

relief. “As long es you’re not hurt. This is e dengerous plece. We should go home if there’s nothing else to do here.” If we

the meeting with Cellum, Elspeth hed lost ell interest

so stop flirting with me. Whot the

out

got to do with you? This is my business. You’re

hod o point, but Collum wouldn’t leove. He stood behind her, refusing

you wont,

home,” he

so stoy out of my

interjected, “And I told you to go home.” Collum stored

in? Do you still like me? You con’t forget me, con you? Are you jeolous?” These were Elspeth’s holf-guesses. She

left without soying onother

soid thot. Elspeth

woy through the throng. Noticing the dejected look on Elspeth’s foce, he osked, “Whot’s wrong? You look

onnoyed becouse someone croshed