Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

I pinched Bella's waist, and she laughed, dodging to the side.

My eyes locked on Ethan. He was in a white tracksuit, one foot on a mountain bike, looking effortlessly cool. He tilted his head and smiled at me. That smile was almost unfairly good-looking.

Later, I found out the activity Bella mentioned was cycling. Embarrassed, I whispered, "I can't ride a bike."All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

Oliver laughed, "No worries, Ethan can give you a ride. He even added a back seat today. But it's better if you sit in the front; he can ride and..."

"Shut up," Ethan laughed, cutting him off.

Oliver's bike also had a back seat, and he offered Bella a ride. But Bella wanted to rent her own bike. Unfortunately, all the bikes were rented out because of the nice weather. "Ride with me; it's fate!" Oliver said smugly. Bella had no choice but to ride with him.

I sat behind Ethan, gripping the rack under my seat, tense to keep my balance.

"Are you seated properly?" Ethan asked.

I nodded, then quickly said, "Yes," realizing he couldn't see me.

Before I finished speaking, the bike lurched forward, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around his waist. I thought I heard Ethan laugh.

The thin summer fabric let me feel his abs moving. My face stayed hot, but I didn't dare let go.

At first, Ethan rode easily, but as we left the city and started climbing hills, he slowed down.

Feeling uneasy, I wished I could turn into a butterfly. "Am I too heavy? Should I get off and walk?"

"It's fine. Carrying you is no challenge," Ethan reassured me.

"Hurry up, you're as slow as a snail. Look, Ethan is way better than you," Bella's voice called out. I turned to see Oliver struggling far behind.

Oliver retorted, "I'm slow because I'm carrying you. If you think you can do better, go ahead!"

"Fine, I will." Bella jumped off and pulled Oliver off the bike.

Oliver had been joking, but Bella took it seriously. She coolly mounted the bike and pedaled away.

"Hey, I haven't gotten on yet," Oliver shouted.

Bella looked back and shouted, "You can walk, wimp."

Oliver's expression was priceless, and I couldn't help but laugh.

Embarrassed, Oliver gritted his teeth and pointed at Bella. "Just you wait." He started running after her.

Seeing Oliver catching up, Bella pedaled faster. She had strong legs from martial arts, making cycling easy. Oliver tried to catch up but eventually stood in the middle of the road, gasping for air. "See, I told you you're incompetent," Bella mocked.

As Ethan and I passed by, I looked at Oliver sympathetically and said, "Take your time."

I genuinely meant to comfort him, but Ethan laughed, and I guessed my words sounded different to Oliver.

Oliver pointed at Ethan, "You traitor, what are you laughing at?"

Out of spite, Oliver started running again.

After the hill, we reached a flat road, and Ethan asked if I wanted to learn to ride a bike.

Seeing Bella ride so freely made me envious, but I was scared.

"Don't worry, I'll hold on to you," he said.

I wobbled at first, but after a while, I gained confidence. Bella, resting ahead, clapped for me. "Emmy, not bad. You learned quickly."

I turned back and realized Ethan had let go long ago. I panicked, and the bike tipped to one side.

Ethan's arm caught me just in time. He smiled, "This proves you can ride; you're just scared."

I was timid, but I got back on the bike to challenge myself.

Later, I got better. Though my skills were still poor, I could barely ride a mountain bike. Sweating all over, I felt my negative emotions release with the sweat.

We stopped at the top of the mountain where there was a viewing platform. I leaned against the railing, feeling refreshed in the cool breeze. "Turns out exercise really can make people happy."

Oliver, panting heavily and sitting to the side, laughed sarcastically. "It's never too late to find out. You can exercise anywhere-home, bed, sofa, coffee table, balcony-wherever."

The other guys laughed. Ethan, leaning against the railing and lighting a cigarette, also smiled.

I quickly caught on to Oliver's meaning, and my face blushed.

"Oliver, don't tease Emmie just because she's nice," Bella warned, pointing at him.

Oliver laughed like a rogue, "Alright, then I'll tease you."

Bella's eyes narrowed, and she beckoned him with her finger. "Come at me if you dare."

I thought we were just out for a fun day and would head back, but they planned to camp here. They even brought food and tents.

For 26 years, I had been a rule-follower and never tried camping. It sounded exciting.

I always thought Ethan was a clean freak because his white shirts always looked brand new. But now, he wasn't so particular. Happy with his buddies, he sat cross-legged on the grass, eating, drinking, and chatting freely. I envied their carefree lifestyle.

Bella could hold her liquor and was straightforward. When she decided to drink, she did so without hesitation. When they tried to get me to drink, I firmly refused. Ethan had once said I acted like a fool when drunk, so I thought it best to stay sober. Seeing my determination, they didn't push me further.

I counted the tents and the number of people. Two people per tent seemed just right. I naturally assumed I would share a tent with Bella, but slightly tipsy Oliver said, "The tents are ours, so we make the rules."

I suddenly had a bad feeling. Oliver grinned mischievously, his eyes darting between Bella and me. "Those who rode together during the day should share a tent at night. Do you dare?"

I thought Bella wouldn't agree. Anyone who tried to take advantage of her usually ended up with a punch. But then I heard her say, "Why wouldn't I dare? It's just sharing a tent. If you try anything funny, I'll break your dick, believe me?" Oliver didn't seem threatened at all and laughed nonchalantly. "What counts as funny? A little touching and kiss, that doesn't count, right?"

These guys could talk dirty so effortlessly. Bella, of course, wouldn't back down, glaring at Oliver challengingly. "Go ahead. My fists don't aim, and I might practice boxing in my sleep. Watch out, I might use you as a target." They kept bantering back and forth, while Ethan remained unusually quiet. He lay on the grass with one leg bent, one hand under his head, and the other holding a can of beer, staring quietly at the night sky, lost in thought. After a while, they started playing cards, and Oliver pulled Ethan up to join their game. They weren't gambling for money, just for drinks.

Ethan seemed a bit distracted and kept losing. He had already drunk quite a bit earlier, and now he was downing one can after another. Empty cans piled up beside him, and more kept being tossed on top.

I was quite bored and didn't enjoy watching them play cards. Sitting to the side, I kept yawning. Suddenly, Ethan turned to me and said, "If you're tired, go to sleep."

Oliver glanced at me and laughed. "Can't sleep without Ethan?"

Everyone burst into laughter. Blushing, I turned and crawled into the tent.

I didn't know how long I lay there before I started feeling sleepy. Laughter, noise, and cursing occasionally drifted in. I thought they might play through the night.

I didn't know when I fell asleep, but I was vaguely aware of some movement and smelled a strong scent of alcohol. Opening my eyes, I saw the small lamp at the top of the tent still on, with a few bugs flying around it.

Turning my head, I saw Ethan lying beside me, his arm over his eyes, his chest rising and falling evenly, indicating he was asleep. But the blanket was all on my side, and he wasn't covered at all.

It was still quite cool at the top of the mountain, and Ethan would definitely catch a cold if he slept like that. I got up and pulled the blanket over him. Just as I was about to withdraw my hand, he suddenly grabbed it, staring at me intently.

His gaze made me nervous, and I tried to pull my hand back, but he held on tighter. Suddenly, he flipped over, pinning me beneath him.

My heart skipped a beat. "What are you doing?"

Ethan's gaze was intense, and his husky voice was maddeningly seductive. "I want to be with you!"