Elysia''s heart was racing, pounding against her chest as Keaton spoke again,
"I''ve been his wingman since we were kids, nobody knows him better than I do. You might question his temper, but never doubt his love for you. He''s head over heels for you, Elysia. If I''m lying, you can have my sistere and p me!"
Keaton, fearless as he was, had only one fear - his sister!
Anyone who knew him knew that.
After hanging up, Elysia stared nkly at her phone.
Truth be told, these past few days had been anything but joyful for her. Ever since she realized her feelings for him, especially after Keith entered the picture...
It was either arguments or cold wars between them.
Three days of silent treatment, and she hadn''t slept a wink, walking around like a zombie, heart aching and on the verge of tears at the drop of a hat. She was utterly drained.
Today, he had finally shown up, only to find Keith unexpectedly helping with a plumbing issue, sparking jealousy and anger once again.
They hadn''t even had a proper conversation before things escted to this point.
She was unhappy, and he was undoubtedly even more so.
Keaton was right; they couldn''t keep getting upset over others!
After much hesitation, Elysia typed out a message to Tarquin, "I want to have a serious talk with you, about us."
Before sending, she deleted it and rephrased it,
"I want to have a serious talk, about us."
She changed ''you and me'' to ''us''.
At that moment, Tarquin was braving the icy waters of the Antic, going for a winter swim.
He had drunk more than his fair share tonight, feeling particrly down. Leaving the bar, he found sce at the beachside.
Alone, with the sea breeze as his onlypanion, he thought of Elysia.
And with thoughts of her, came the inevitable thoughts of Keith.
Keith''s taunting pictures, his derisiveughter, his provocative words...
The more he thought about it, the more irritated he became. So, he crushed his cigarette and leaped into the sea.
In January, Jindale City was bitterly cold, and the sea was freezing, paralyzing him as he plunged in, immobilizing his limbs.
He didn''t struggle, didn''t react, just let the sea engulf him.
He never understood why people called love a poison, addictive and inescapable, until now!
Since realizing his feelings for Elysia were different from any he''d had for other women, he had lost all control.
He was at the mercy of these emotions, step by step, from the initial spark toplete surrender.
His feelings for Elysia were intense, his heart aze, yet he treaded lightly, fearing he might scare her away.
Unable to fully express his love, he felt suppressed. Keith''s arrival only amplified this feeling to its peak!
So he was sad, heartbroken, furious, and anxious!
Now, all these emotions had morphed into fear!
He believed Elysia didn''t like Keith; if she did, there''d be no reason for her to lie to him.
But Keith''s words tonight filled him with dread...
Elysia opening up to Keith meant she didn''t see him as a stranger!
It at least suggested the possibility she might grow to like him!
What if today''s indifference turned into tomorrow''s affection?
Overwhelmed by a sense of crisis, he struggled for breath!
Just when the sea was about to im him, he started moving his limbs, breaking the surface for air before diving back into the depths.
In the pitch-ck night, he swam alone in the sea, venting all the pent-up negative emotions within him!
He was genuinely, deeply in love with her, longing toy his feelings bare, to let her know how much she meant to him, yet always fearing he might push her away!
He was giving her time, hoping with each day she''d grow fonder of him, waiting for the right moment to confess his feelings!
But Keith''s sudden appearance had thrown a wrench in his ns!
Keith came prepared, and Tarquin feared that before he had a chance to confess, Elysia might already be swept off her feet by Keith!