STRANGE MESSAGE

Once she reached the surface, Tegan patted her back while she took deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself down. He floated on the water still holding Janet tightly as she grabbed him as her life depended on it.

Her face was buried in his shoulders as she continuously murmured the statement, "Please don't let go".

Tegan took this as a chance, he knew she would escape if he placed her on the land. The only way he could finally explain all he felt was to explain it to her without having her run away from him.

He held her tight still floating above the water; to him, it was a hug but to her, he was the only thing keeping her alive. She buried her face in his broad shoulder trying to push off the fact that she was in a lake and her legs were not on the ground.

"Please, don't let go," she said one more time sounding like a fearful whisper.

"Calm down, I won't," he said in a deep, soothing tone to calm her down.

His husky voice went miles in calming her panicking heart.

"I'm going to clear all our misunderstandings now," he said still keeping as calm as possible so as not to give her a panic attack.

Janet was too scared to even think, she loved the lake but had a fear of going into deep waters; which was justified since she couldn't swim. She couldn't forget how she almost drowned on a beach when she was a teenager.

She held him tight listening to his so-called explanation; what other option did she have?

"I know I'm at fault for falling for Radney's seduction but…." He paused halfway after realizing he had no reasonable explanation.

All he wanted was for her to give him another chance. He had seen the wristwatch she bought as a gift and he fixed the broken face. Ever since he had been wearing it everywhere he went.

He thought everything through, he was being selfish all along. Trapping her in one of her biggest fears just to force her to listen to him; even when he had no reasonable explanation, was a very selfish act.

He swam over to the bank, holding her like a precious gem, and lead her to the shallow waters. She was already shivering and sneezing as she had been in the water long enough for cold air to penetrate her body.

"I'm sorry," he said to her shivering figure.

Janet's eyes were enough to shut him up. She looked so disgusted and at the same time filled with despair. She couldn't stand his presence, she turned to walk away when as usual, he held her wrist gently; the action that had started the whole episode.

"Tegan Fox, this would be the last time I would tell you to leave me alo...." She snarled before she was distracted.

Her eyes traced to the wristwatch on his arms, she recognized it too well. Her heart melted for a second as she felt a tiny burst of happiness. It looked like it cast a spell on her as she stared at it like a moth to light.

Tegan noticed her unusual pause and traced her eyes to his wrist. His eyes traced up to her neck and he saw the emerald necklace still hanging gracefully around her neck. A smile crept up his lips as he felt a burst of happiness; this made him know that she still had something for him no matter how much she denied it.

She noticed his smile and tucked the pendant into her dress when she found out the reason. She violently yanked her wrist from his hands and sped walked away from him.

"I know you still love me!" he screamed with happiness.

Janet heard this and turned towards him with a glare sharp enough to pierce into his soul but surprisingly he felt happier and more hopeful.

She wanted to return the pendant but felt a bit of heartache as she didn't want to let go of it.

After much thinking, she decided not to.

**********

Ashely sat in the art room; a place she stays to forget her problems. She was sketching a random design that was inspired by her emotions. For some days, she had been feeling overwhelmed by the current situation.

Suddenly, there was a jingling sound from her phone; it was a smartphone that had been given to her by Cole almost a month ago. She opened it to see one message from an unknown number.

She clicked on it to see a strange note

"She's been lying all along, to you, to Hendrix, to ALL OF YOU! Do you want proof? I have proof, meet me in Webvel Suite, room 1000 by 5 this evening."

She knew it was anything but a prank. She had a strong feeling that it was going to prove that Aria may have been lying. She wasn't just going to let it off, she was going for it.

She checked the time to see it was 4.30, she had just 30mins more. She jumped off the chair and dressed up not forgetting to grab a scarf and a pair of dark shades to hide her face. When she was all done, she dashed out the door.