Changed Again and Again

Amy did not seem discouraged by Maria's response. Instead, she continued enthusiastically, "It's that 'Curious George.' That's what you used to call him."

"Anyway, he still can't forget the time he spent with you at summer camp. So I thought maybe we could..."

Before Amy could finish, Maria decisively spat out a single word: "NO."

Amy looked helpless and a little anxious. "Maria, you don't even know what I was going to say."

Maria turned her head away and replied coldly, "You'd better not say anything."

Just then, with the intervention of Maria's father, Dan, the gathering finally broke up on bad terms, leaving only the somewhat ghastly white light in the dining room.

Late at night, Maria sat alone on the bathroom counter. The silence around her was so complete that she could hear only her slightly hurried breathing. Her slender fingers unconsciously rubbed together, making a faint sound that seemed especially clear in the stillness of the night.

Just as her consciousness began to blur and she was about to slip into a certain state, the Maria in the mirror suddenly turned her head without warning and stared straight at the real Maria. Her gaze was cold and sharp, as if it could pierce the soul.

Maria's heart clenched in fright, as though it had skipped a beat. She instantly sobered up and, without time to think, turned and hurriedly fled that terrifying place.

After running to her bedroom and collapsing onto the bed, she gasped for breath, trying to calm her wildly pounding heart.

After a long while, Maria began to wonder whether something had gone wrong with her mind and she had imagined it all.

So, with unease in her heart, she slowly returned to the bathroom counter.

She cautiously looked toward the mirror. The "herself" inside still had no expression and made no movement. Maria took a deep breath and consoled herself. "You're not real. This must be my imagination, right?"

At that moment, the "Maria" in the mirror moved her lips slightly, and a low, eerie voice emerged. "Then why can you see me? Because I'm right here."

Maria shuddered at the sudden response, but she still forced herself to ask, "Who are you?"

"Don't you recognize me?" The voice in the mirror carried a faint, almost imperceptible resentment.

Maria shook her head firmly. "I don't know you."

"I've always been here. Wherever you are, I am too. When you think you're seeing yourself, you're actually seeing me."

The voice in the mirror became increasingly ethereal, as though it came from another world.

Maria's voice trembled slightly. "You... what do you want from me?"

"I can take away your sadness. I know who you like and who you hate. I can help you."

A strange glint flashed through the eyes of the "Maria" in the mirror.

Maria was full of doubts. "Why do you want to help me?"

"Look at me. What do you see?" The voice in the mirror was full of temptation.

Maria gazed at the mirror, her voice unconsciously softening. "I see what I look like."

"What do you look like?"

"I... you're beautiful." Maria's voice carried a trace of hesitation.

"Not that we're beautiful." A soft laugh came from the mirror, then Maria's voice spoke again. "Do you have a name?"

"My name is Alan," the "Maria" in the mirror said seductively.

It's been so long / That I haven't seen your face... / I wanna make up right now, na na / I wanna make up right now, na na...

On the dance floor, heavy metal music pounded against everyone's hearts like war drums. Laser lights flashed wildly, and the air was thick with the mingled scent of hormones and alcohol.

In a booth in the corner, Frank shouted at Edward at the top of his lungs, "Hey! Edward! You're a celebrity now! The thing where you took down that serial killer yesterday is all over the school!"

Holding his glass, Edward's lips curled slightly as he muttered, "Basic stuff. Don't praise me too much."

Beside him, Jennifer's eyes were sultry as her whole body nearly pressed against his. Her breath was fragrant as she whispered, "You're a true hero. I can barely stop myself from eating you alive."

As she spoke, she stuck out her tongue and lightly licked her lips. The implication in her eyes could not have been clearer.

Edward's lips curled upward. He gave a playful lift of his brows, then turned to Frank and Nitty with a hint of apology. "Sorry, you two, but we may have to excuse ourselves first." With that, he took Jennifer's hand, passed through the crowd, and disappeared at the far end of the dance floor.

Frank watched Edward and Jennifer leave, then turned to Nitty and shrugged helplessly. Yet his gentle smile remained. "Well, looks like it's just the two of us now."

As he spoke, he put on the air of a gentleman and elegantly extended his hand. "May I have the honor of inviting you to dance?"

Nitty nodded slightly, a perfectly timed smile curling at her lips. She generously placed her hand in Frank's and answered softly, "Of course."

Frank gently took Nitty's hand and led her slowly toward the dance floor.

The people around them remained immersed in music and revelry, completely unaware of the brief exchange and departure from that small table.

Inside the hotel room, warm yellow light painted everything with an ambiguous hue.

Jennifer wore only an oversized men's shirt, revealing and concealing glimpses of her body. Her long legs swayed in the air, enough to make anyone dizzy.

She sauntered over to Edward with a catlike stride, her gaze burning and her lips curved in a seductive smile. Then she slowly bent down and climbed directly onto his lap.

She looped her arms around Edward's neck, warm breath brushing his ear. Her voice was so coy it seemed to drip with sweetness. "It's my first time. What are you waiting for?"

Edward felt all the blood in his body rush to his head. He wrapped an arm around Jennifer's waist, his voice slightly hoarse. "You little temptress, behold my Mighty Heavenly Dragon!"

He suddenly swept Jennifer up in his arms.

First, the lamp on the bedside table crashed to the floor with a bang. Then pillows and blankets flew through the air in messy arcs.

No one knew how long that "fierce battle" lasted. By the end, Jennifer lay sprawled on the bed like a puddle of mush, too lazy to move even a finger. Only her chest still heaved violently.

Looking at Edward beside her, refreshed and even energetic enough to do push-ups, she weakly cursed at him.

"Spare... me..."

At the bathroom counter in Maria's home on the other side of the city, Alan in the mirror revealed a satisfied, eerie smile.

"Soon, we'll have him, Maria."

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