Later that evening, Audrey's silvery-grey Porsche glided towards the opulent mansion where her coursemate's 21st birthday party was in full swing. Vibrant bikinis and swim trunks painted the poolside with laughter. Amidst the carefree revelry, Audrey felt oddly out of place in her dressy casual attire. She wore a navy turtleneck top, with navy trousers and suede pumps. She styled the look with a camel coat, gold and blue button earrings, and a navy top-handle bag, all from a luxury brand.
She glanced around and noticed that not everyone indulged in the aquatic activities. Some guests, still in their finery, mingled on the patio, their conversations punctuated by light giggles. A few boyfriends flirted, sipped drinks, and shared bites with their partners – some even joined the poolside merriment.
The attendees exuded an aura of affluence, their lives seemingly untouched by hardship. Audrey, unmoved by the urge to slip into a swimsuit, opted for a drink, observing the poolside spectacle.
A young man, his physique sculpted in blue and black swimming trunks, approached her with a smile. 'Don't you want to join the fun?' he asked.
Audrey turned to him, returning the smile. 'I didn't come here to swim,' she replied. She admired his well-toned physique and took note of his meticulous grooming, but she felt no romantic interest towards him, just pure admiration. Despite his perfect six-pack, stunning skin tone, and long, straight legs, he failed to evoke any special feelings within her. However, when it came to Daniel, she felt a deep connection and wouldn't hesitate to accept an invitation to swim with him.
'Well, I'll leave you to it then,' the young man said, diving back into the pool.
Audrey lazily observed her friends, their shrieks of excitement echoing as they swam in the pool. Even though lots of rich and good-looking guys were trying to get her attention, Audrey couldn't stop thinking about Daniel, the superhero who had saved her from a fall yesterday. He wasn't there, yet her imagination vividly conjured him: pulling her close to prevent a fall, their laughter mingling as they swam side by side, even a stolen kiss underwater. Compared to these men, who seemed cool but rather boring, Daniel was something different. He captivated her. They had only met once, but she felt a strong connection with him—something special that had nothing to do with money or how fancy he dressed. Even though his clothes weren't expensive, she thought he was the most handsome man in the world. As a smile tugged at her lips, she pictured his eyes—like soft peach blossoms whispering secrets with the breeze, just like the charming heroes in her favourite Asian movies.
Shaking her head vigorously, Audrey muttered to herself, 'Audrey, what are you doing?' She tried to shake off the wild images that filled her mind. Just then, two young and attractive men approached her after their swim, water droplets still clinging to their bodies. They motioned for Audrey to hand them the towels on the seat next to her. She passed the towels to them.
'Thanks, Audrey,' the one with the white towel said with a smile, drying himself off. He then asked a passing waitress to bring him a glass of wine. The other man with the blue towel followed a slim girl and left the area.
As Audrey was about to stand up from her seat, a young woman in a red dress with wavy red hair strode towards them in high heels, her manicured hand catching attention. It was the birthday girl, Kimberly.
'Audrey, this is my boyfriend, Raymond,' Kimberly introduced.
'I've seen him before at our school. You introduced him to me, and he still remembers my name,' Audrey said with a smile.
'Why didn't you bring your boyfriend along?' Kimberly enquired.
'Well, I didn't want to bother him,' Audrey responded, feeling a bit self-conscious about her lack of a boyfriend. Fearing Kimberly's laughter, she found herself compelled to fabricate the truth. Shifting gears, she put on a smile and changed the subject, 'Oh, by the way, happy birthday, Kimberly!'
'Thank you,' Kimberly replied, then turned to her boyfriend and kissed his lips.
Not wanting to witness the couple flirting, Audrey handed Kimberly her birthday gift and decided to head home.