Unable to sleep all night because of the incident with Dylan, I purposely woke up early to cook before Mrs. Emily woke up. Usually, when I’m up, the food is already served. Because of embarrassment with Mrs. Emily, I cooked this morning. Looking at the ingredients in the fridge, I made fish and chips.
“Good morning, Bella. And you’ve already cooked? Wow!”
 Me, who was placing the food on the dining table, collided with Mrs. Emily, who had just entered the kitchen. I grinned at Mrs. Emily.
“Do you need any help?”
“No need, Mom. Everything’s done,” I replied while looking towards the stairs. It seemed like Dylan hadn’t come down yet. Usually, Dylan is the first one to attack the dining table. Still not awake, maybe. Perhaps Dylan also couldn’t sleep like me? I whiffed my head. I didn’t want to mess my mind, especially about Dylan. 
“Bella?” I jerked. I stuttered as I looked at Mrs. Emily, who was staring at me as if expecting something. Oh, no! Did Mrs. Emily say something to me?
“Daydreaming?” Mrs. Emily shook her head.
“Err... What did you say earlier?” I grinned.
“Dylan. Can you wake him up? He’s taking his time waking up today. Probably he stayed up late. Wake him up, can you?”
I was stunned. Me? Wake Dylan up? Haha. Is Mrs. Emily joking? Just trying to create a novel scene–the heroine enters the hero's room when he just came out of the bathroom or something? How cliché!
"Err... No need, Mom. Let's eat first. Dylan can eat later. Besides, he must be very sleepy. Let him sleep longer. He'll wake up later." I tried my best to avoid it. I'm still embarrassed about last night. Mrs. Emily is intentionally trying to kill me, isn't she?
"No, you have to. Dylan, he can't eat late. He might get gastritis. Bella, please wake him up. Just knock on his door. He'll surely wake up." I could only bite my lip when Mrs. Emily insisted. What to do, you can't argue with an old woman. My spirits weakened. Then I remembered Brian. If I'm not mistaken, his room is also upstairs. If I wake him up first, it shouldn't be that awkward, right? I can ask Brian to wake up Dylan, too.
"Err... Let me wake up Brian first, Mom?"
"Oh, if I'm not mistaken, after dinner yesterday, Brian told me he was going to a friend's house. Probably staying over there. He'll be back later." Going to a friend's house? Maybe Mrs. Emily doesn't know that Brian came back home late last night. After what happened, maybe Brian went out again? Or... is he in the room upstairs?
"Bella, daydreaming again? Go wake up Dylan upstairs." I grinned and walked upstairs. I went to Brian's room first, as I planned earlier. Hopefully, he's in his room. I felt like my hand would swell as I knocked on his door. Whether he's dead asleep or there's no one in the room. I sighed in frustration. Plans ruined. Reluctantly, I walked to Dylan's room. My heart screamed to go downstairs, but my feet didn't stop stepping there.
I just hoped he would wake up right away when I knocked on the door. And hopefully, my hands wouldn't act rashly to open his door or something. If he didn't respond, I would go downstairs immediately. I reminded myself. I began knocking. No response. I knocked a second time. Same. Okay, this is the last one. I knocked loudly, and at that moment, Dylan's door swung open, hitting his forehead directly.
"Ouch!" Dylan groaned in pain, touching his reddened forehead. I grinned, feigning innocence. Dylan's face, wrinkled in pain, looked like he had been stabbed.
"Is it really painful? Your fault anyway. You should have just opened the door when I knocked. It's not my fault you're hurt like this." I blamed Dylan instead. Dylan made a dissatisfied face.
"How could you! We’re not even married yet, and you're already playing rough like this. It hurts, you know!" Dylan pouted. I was shocked by his words. The heat on my face rose, and my heart beat faster. I strengthened my resolve. I wouldn't let Dylan know. In this desperate situation, I leveraged my acting skills. Nonchalantly, I cupped my ear and leaned in close to him.
"I think I misheard that. What did you say? Are you probably daydreaming in broad daylight? Who would want to marry you?" I laughed, intentionally teasing Dylan. As our eyes met, his serious expression caused my confidence and acting skills to waver. As silence took over, the awkwardness became palpable. My mind raced for an escape plan. I couldn't bear to stay in this awkward situation.
"You... Don't take it so seriously. I was just joking. If you..." Before I could finish my sentence, Dylan pulled me close. His hands encircled my waist, and my hands instinctively pressed against his chest. Our eyes locked, and my heart melted. My heart screamed to run away, but ‌my tongue betrayed me. Dylan gazed deeply into my eyes, then lowered his gaze to my nose and lips.
"Dylan, you..."
"Do you know I like you?" Dylan cut in, glancing briefly at my lips before locking eyes with me again. I nodded quickly, hoping he would release me soon. I felt like I was getting a fever from the intense heat on my face.
"I don't want you to look or get close to other guys. Especially Brian..." Dylan spoke, not as a request, but more like an order. I couldn't say no. I nodded in agreement, relieved when Dylan finally released his embrace. My heart felt like it might burst, and my face was probably as red as an apple. I didn't care if it turned purple. With bated breath, I lifted my head and was met with Dylan's beautiful smile.
"Why is your face so red? Fever?" Dylan spoke again. I flinched, unaware that I had been staring at Dylan's smile for a while. I bit my lip.
"Uh, I..." I didn't know why I was flustered. As if it's so difficult to say no. Dylan chuckled softly. He gently ruffled my hair while passing by, leaving me standing there like a statue, feeling as if I had just received an electric shock.