EPISODE 4: SECRET ACCOMPLICE

-- Travis' call at the hospital --

"Why did you do that?"

"I didn't have a choice. What about you? Why did you do that? You knew that she has an asthma! Did you want to see her suffering again?!"

Each word he heard urged him to shout but he just can't stop blaming himself.

He held back his anger, and answered.

"I...I didn't know that she was calling me! I didn't even know that she was running after me! Did you really think that I wanted to see her suffering, having a hard time?!"

"We need to be careful from now on. She's not dumb and any time,she might find out about our plan."

Reality had dragged him out of his imaginations and made him felt nervous.

"What if--"

"We won't fail. I won't let that happen. We just need to follow the plan and your imagination would soon turn into reality. Just don't mess it up. After all, you're the only one in trouble. I've got nothing to lose here."

"Of course you have. We both have." he answered with assurance.

"Don't you think you're putting her life in danger? Also, don't set my real name on your contacts. Change it to secret accomplice."

The secret accomplice hung up the phone after telling Travis all the important things he need to know.

As everything that the secret accomplice told him stamps on his mind, he couldn't think straight. He could only think of Adelaine.

"Adelaine's waiting for me inside. I should go back now," he told himself.

But just as he was about to turn around, everything that had happened in the past suddenly run in his mind.

He suddenly felt dizzy and could only see the windows. He looked up in the blue sky and sees the sun shining bright. With the cold wind blowing his hair, he inhaled deeply and calmed himself.

"Right, I'm just putting her life in danger. I should stop here. This is wrong." he told himself and walked out of the hospital.

He could finally see the exit and run off.

All of a sudden, he couldn't move. He was just standing like a frozen one.

"Travis! Why--"

"I forgot to tell you. Please...look after Adi for me." he said, trying to avoid an eye contact with her.

"What--"

He didn't listen to Cassidy. Not even looking back, he was continuously running away.

- continuation of episode 3 -

With the silence of their surroundings, the wind they feel through their skin, the leaves of trees falling down, Adelaine can feel her heart beats fast. Her heart wasn't prepared to feel such sincerity of a guy.

"Trial boyfriend, my foot." she couldn't think of anything and answered him randomly.

He suddenly gave her a smirk and a glance. "You want to give it a try, don't you?"

Holding her breath, she clenched her hands into fists and gathered all her strength. With her eyes tightly closed, she step forward with her small steps. Away from each other with one step, she tiptoed and brought her face closer to his face.

Not even prepared, their lips locked.

Travis couldn't think of anything. His eyes widen and raised his eyebrows. Holding tightly on the edges of his coat, he hold his breath. He could only see Adelaine's forehead and could only feel her soft lips.

He wanted her to stop, yet he couldn't do anything but gave in to temptation and had to let her be the first one to stop.

With all honesty, he started liking it. His heart beats faster when she laid her hands on his shoulders. He didn't think of resisting and run his hands in Adelaine's waist.

With the beautiful weather, they enjoyed their moment, until they heard a voice.

"The heck are you guys doing?!"

The two pushed each other away and suddenly felt uncomfortable. With their weird faces, they looked up and down, here and there.

"Hello? Is being mute a side effect of kissing someone?!" Cassidy shouted out of shock while walking towards them.

The two couldn't say a word and were trying to avoid eye contacts.

Adelaine pretended to fix her hair as Travis keeps tapping his phone.

With her disgusted face, Cassidy went to Travis and peeked on his phone.

She scoffed with her eyebrows colliding and looked at him.

"You're phone's not even turned on. You must have lost your mind after you tasted her lips? So tell me, what's the flavor of her lip balm?" she asked him with a voice trying to tease him.

After leaving him in silence, she went to Adelaine.

She suddenly grabbed her hair and messed it up.

Adelaine turned around just as soon as she felt the pain. "Ouch! What--"

"Oh, shut up, Adi. What's with that scene?!"

Adelaine tried to avoid eye contact with her and rubbed her hands on her pants.

The two were silent, facing each other with their weird expressions. Their faces can't be drawn.

"Hey."

The two turned their faces to Travis after hearing his deep voice.

They could see his serious face as he stares at them.

"You can't call her by her nickname."

"And just so you know, that was our first kiss as a couple. A sweet and cute couple."

Hearing those words made them raised their one eyebrow and crossed their arms.

Unlike Adelaine who was shocked and confused, Cassidy was twirling her hair and smirked.

Travis was screaming internally even before he said those words. He couldn't think of any other way to save the both of them from the awkward and uncomfortable situation. He wasn't prepared neither for that kiss nor for this unfortunate happening.

On the other hand, Adelaine didn't let her nervous beat her. With all her braveness, she go with the flow that Travis had started.

Her hair sways as she turned around and face Cassidy. Looking so brave, she told her.

"Right. We're in a relationship now. Isn't it normal for couples to kiss? What are you so mad about? Do you want me to kiss you? Or-- wait-- do you want him to kiss you!?"

Cassidy was in shock after hearing those words. After all, she didn't knew that her friend could be so brave to stand for a guy.

Travis was just a stranger to her. He was just a lunatic to her at the first place. Who would have thought that Adelaine would claim herself as the girlfriend of the guy that she was so afraid of.

Cassidy smiled and hugged her friend tightly.

"You're so brave!" she said with a big smile on her face.

'"But don't you dare come to me crying a bucket of tears just because of this guy." her smile fades away and told her with a serious tone of voice.

Travis was happily running on his way to the girls. Just as he was about to join them, the two had suddenly let go of each other.

Breathing in and out in a silly way, they teased him while standing like a coward in front of them.

The two were laughing but he was wearing a blank face. Not making it obvious, he was so happy seeing them laugh. At the same time, he was so happy that their plan worked.

______________________

-- a few hours ago --

Travis haven't eaten for almost a week. He didn't even get enough sleep after Adelaine was brought to the hospital. He has so many in mind that he didn't even care for himself.

After thinking of his worries for almost a week, he decided to call the secret accomplice.

"What is it now?! I have so many problems too! Stop calling me when--"

"I have an idea." He cut the secret accomplice off and get to the point.

"What is it?"

"I won't make this plan long. I'll jump to our second to the last step."

"Be specific!"

"I'll make sure to make her as my girlfriend." looking like a desperate one, he answered with his deep voice.

"How? You just brought her to the hospital and ghosted her for almost a week! How will you do that?"

He suddenly smiled, looking like a villain.

"It's not hard. She was drawn to me easily. The first step was done so fast and effortless. So, I'm pretty sure this one's going to be easy," he said.

"Right. Just don't make any mistake. I'll take care of the rest."

After informing the secret accomplice of his idea, he dressed himself into a nice wear.

Looking himself in the mirror, he gained confidence. His muscular body with his fit, black pants, plain-white shirt, black coat and sunglasses were enough to drive any woman crazy.

After dressing up, he was off to the school where Adelaine goes.

Arriving too early, he had to wait outside until the ring bells for lunch time.

He couldn't enter the school and started to get tired of waiting under the heat.

As he started to lose his energy, the bell alarmed him.

He could hear the noise of the students- excited to eat lunch with their friends. He could see the students coming out of the school to grab lunch with their friends.

With the jealousy he felt, he barely smile. Just as what Adelaine said, he had no friends ever since he was a kid. In the past, he was famous at their school with a name "stupid".

Until now, he can't think of a reason why everyone hates him. He feels like he is more dirtier and scarier than a virus because everyone avoids him. Everyone's running away from him as if he's a monster.

Until he started to get tired of putting up with their attitudes, he decided to avoid the populace for good and stop going to school. To him, school was a trial of hell.

With the pain of past on his chest, he courageously entered the campus.

Not even looking around, he continuously look straight and kept walking.

He checked every room- looking for Adelaine.

But he can't see a shadow of her. He saw a group of girls walking by, and approached them.

Trying his best to ask them in a polite way, "Hey, do you know...Adelaine Reyes?" he clenched his hands into fists.

The girls stopped, and looked at him. As he was waiting for their response, he was confused when the girls smiled at him.

The girls giggled. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"N-no...but I'm here to ask her if she can be my girlfriend."

The girls scoffed and rolled their eyes.

Suddenly, one of them run her hands into his chest.

"You're too good for her, though. Just so you know, she's an outcast here."

Not prepared of what he heard, he suddenly felt bad for her.

Who knew that he would met a girl who's experiencing at her present the same thing as his past.

Without any word, he run as fast as he can and looked for her everywhere. It's almost half an hour, but he still can't find her. Until he was lost, he found himself in a silent hallway. The windows and doors of the rooms are closed and not even a single student can't be seen.

He walked straight ahead and suddenly, he was drawn to a beautiful and perfect figure heading his way.

As it came closer, he could recognize a familiar face. It was Adelaine!

Indeed, every sweet moments at school happens in the hallway.

He saw her holding a food tray and an idea came to his mind. Thinking of his idea, it makes him smile and giggles.

Helding back his happiness, he stretched his fingers as his shoulder raise and reached his ears.

As soon as he saw her looking down, he immediately get into character and intentionally bumped her.

________________________

After everything that had happened in the hallway, Travis stepped out of the campus as soon as the lunch time ended.

Now that they're officially a couple, he decided to wait for her outside the campus. Sitting on his shining BMW motorcycle under the sun, he took off his coat as he could feel the heat on his body.

It was too hot that he was covered in sweat. His shirt was too wet that his muscles were already visible on his shirt.

Despite the heat, he was still out there waiting for her.

He can't even believe that he are got Adelaine ad her girlfriend. He was in cloud nine and everything seems unreal to him. Until his phone rang. And just like that, his happiness and pretty smile fade away. He answered the call after seeing the contact name.

"What is it?"

"You're smiling. Happy much? This is just the beginning. Don't get swayed of sweet moments like that. I. Am. Watching. You."

"Why would you watch me?! I can handle this! I'll call you if something had gone wrong. But currently, we're doing a great job. Everything's going the way it was planned."

"Are you sure you want to do this? What if she finds out and feel disgusted about who you really are?"

"I won't let that happen. Just don't give her any details about me."

"She'll soon remember everything, Travis. What will you do if that day comes?"

"We'll repeat everything from the start until I make her mine,then."