As a friend

"why is he getting upset, it's just pizza," Anne said to Richie immediately after Carl left

"Just forget about that idiot, he's just jealous of our friendship and who knows he's pretending to be upset," Richie said nonchalantly.

"Richie, I'm starting to feel you're the one bullying your elder brother and it's not the other way around," Anne said with a straight face.

"Moi?" he pointed to himself. "This little angel is the one getting tortured by Carl," Richie said, feigning a cute face that made Anne burst into laughter.

"Nah! I doubt it," She said amid her laugh.

"Your brother is a really nice person and the least I want is for him to get upset with me."

"Why is that?" Richie asked.

"Cause he's my friend... Look, the only reason I didn't get him pizza was that I was out of flour and I'm not going to the grocery store till Monday," Anne explained.

"Okay, Carl is probably on the balcony, you can go and explain yourself to that crybaby before he runs out of breath," Richie said still eating his pizza and Anne chuckled softly.

…

If it were a normal day, Anne would've probably left Carl's house without having to explain herself to Carl. After all, it's her pizza and she has the right to give whoever she felt like.

Anne left Richie's room to the balcony to look for Carl. This time, it wasn't difficult to locate where the balcony because it was easier to find, unlike the other rooms.

Carl was resting his arms on the balcony looking down at the entire city which looked very small to his eyes, thanks to how high his balcony was.

He was deep in thought thinking about Anne, wondering if he was the least person in her life. He was also feeling like he was invisible to her, despite seeking her attention all the time. Carl wasn't just feeling that way because Anne didn't get him a pizza, it was because Anne has told him to give up on her and move on so he thought that she was doing everything on purpose just to push him away.

"Am I that unimportant to her? Or she doesn't care about me at all" Carl said to himself.

"Carl, I do care about you," Anne said to Carl. She has been staring at Carl's back view and listening to what he was saying to himself without his knowledge.

Anne meant exactly what she said to Carl. She felt like a bad friend for not getting Carl a pizza. She thought he wouldn't mind but she has no idea that Carl cared less if she had gotten him pizza or not. He just wanted her attention and he didn't want to feel left out.

Meanwhile, Carl couldn't believe what he just heard. He knew for a fact that it was Anne's voice which was unbelievable. Maybe he was daydreaming.

He slowly turned around and confirmed that it was Anne, standing behind him.

"Anne!? How… how long have you been standing there?" Carl stuttered in amazement.

"long enough," Anne said and Carl concluded that she has heard all that he was saying to himself.

He wasn't embarrassed about it because Anne didn't make him feel awkward. She walked closer to him at the edge of the balcony and exhaled softly.

"Is the party over between you and your bestie?" Carl asked her with raised brows.

"You want me to go back? Aren't you happy I'm here?" Anne folded her arms.

Carl chuckled. "I'm more than happy"

"Carl, I want you to know that you're not unimportant to me. As a matter of fact, you've created a big impact on my life... Whenever I'm around you, I feel so safe and I know that everything is going to be fine with me. I don't know how you do it but being close to you reduces my anxiety. I care about you a lot and I'm truly happy you're a part of my life" Anne said everything that was on her mind.

She wasn't saying those things to cheer Carl up rather, she wanted him to know that she really cared about him and that Carl shouldn't doubt her as a friend.

Hearing those sweet words from Anne made Carl feel so special inside of him. He had a big smile on his face, staring at Anne's eyes like he was lost in them. He couldn't stop smiling, he was genuinely happy. He felt his heart leap for joy and all his sadness was over in a flash.

"Do you really mean that? Do you really care about me?" Carl asked excitedly and Anne nodded.

"Yes… as a friend," she said in a low tone.

Carl swallowed hard. Those last words from Anne stung him. He was too excited and he was starting to feel a connection between him and Anne and now he's back to the sad reality. There are just friends, nothing more.

'what was I thinking?' Carl thought.

He tried as much as possible not to show the disappointment on his face but Anne saw it clearly in his eyes. She only said that because she didn't want to give Carl any false hopes. The last thing Anne wants right now is a romantic relationship which is why she is trying her best not to give Carl any mixed signals. She wants to be plain and straightforward with him.

However, Carl wants to be more than friends with Anne. He wants to have a sticky relationship with her.

Carl sighed.

"Are you okay?" Anne asked him, giving him a searching look. She had the idea that he was feeling sad all of a sudden which was true.

"I am" Carl lied, trying his best to give a positive smile when he was obviously heartbroken.

"Look, I know you're not and it's making me feel bad. I can tell you're faking a smile and I'm starting to feel like I'm causing you pain for not saying yes to you..."

"...No! I don't want you to feel that way at all" Carl interrupted Anne.

"Please don't feel like you owe me something or feel sorry for me. The last thing I want is for you to date me out of pity" He said and he placed his both hands around her jawline staring intently into her silver orbs.

"I'm not trying to guilt trip you into doing something you don't want. Right now, your happiness is all that matters and I don't mind being your friend as long as I'm this close to you" Carl said and Anne smiled.

However, the warm touch of Carl's hand on her jawline made her heart flutter. Her body wanted Carl's hand to explore more than just her jawline because of how soothing it was. She has no idea when all these started. Whenever Carl touches her, it sends flames through her body. She wanted more but the next thing, Carl withdrew his hands.

"So, why didn't you get me my own box of pizza?" Carl asked Anne with a straight face, crossing his arms.

Meanwhile, at the waterfall***

Dexter and Treasure were sitting down on a bench at the lake shore, chilling. Their eyes were glued to the white, frothy cascade of water falling from the cliff into the plunge pool. Trees and plants were clinging to the cliff and overhanging the pool. The atmosphere was calm and the fresh air was soothing. The waterfall garden was the definition of nature at its peak.

"Man! I've never felt so alive and relaxed since I got my job. Breathing this fresh air and relishing nature is such a therapy" Dexter said stretching his arms.

Treasure chuckled. "Is being a detective that hard?"

"Of course, sometimes I..." Dexter paused and gave Treasure a confused look

"...wait, how did you know I'm a detective? I don't think I've told you that"

"Uh... I... I'm just good at guessing" She said.

Treasure only found out that Dexter was a detective from one of the texts she received from her stalker.

"Oh, I've always known you're very smart and you're smart enough to use this place as your spot for relaxing," Dexter said leaning his back on the bench with both his hands at the back of his head.

"I usually come here whenever I'm overthinking or stressed. Gazing at the waterfall and listening to the bubbling of the waters lifts my soul and it makes me forget all my worries... " Treasure said, smiling.

"How about you Dexter? Tell me what makes you forget your worries or keeps you in a good mood"

Dexter sat down erectly facing Treasure "Promise me you won't laugh if I tell you this," he said to her and she nodded her head sincerely.

"I'm a gourmand, I mean I EAT ALOT. Anything edible enough for this tummy keeps me in a good mood." He said pointing to his stomach with a funky face.

"Well, that's cool if food makes you happy," Treasure said covering her mouth with her palm, trying as much as possible not to laugh.

"You can laugh you don't have to hide it," Dexter said.

"It's not my fault, it's how you said it like you'll literally eat anything," Treasure said amid her laughter.

"Anything edible enough. I don't go about eating crocodiles and snakes..." he said and Treasure burst into excessive laughter.

Unbeknownst to them as they were having a good time laughing their hearts out, Treasure's stalker was watching them from the bushes focusing more on Dexter who seem to be smiling and removing something from Treasure's hair.

Moments later, Dexter and Treasure left the waterfall and continued their talk while walking on the street to the subway.

"...Bye Dexter, I enjoyed spending time with you and I hope to see you again some other time," Treasure said to Dexter while waiting at the subway.

She has become very free with Dexter and he's currently the only friend she has right now.

"I enjoyed spending time with you too..." Dexter smiled. "Wait, I don't have your phone number can I please have it?"

"Okay, sure," Treasure said and they both exchanged numbers.

Dexter mentally marveled when he saw Treasure's new phone, he knew it was an expensive one. He smiled, waving her bye as she got into the subway train and she waved him back with a smile on her face.

"She's so cute," Dexter said to himself, smiling until the subway train had gone far.

He was walking alone in the streets and he saw a strange-looking man in front of him, staring at him with anger and with a clenched fist like he was ready for a fight.

"What's with this guy?" Dexter whispered trying as much as possible to avoid eye contact with the strange-looking man.

The strange man was actually Treasure's stalker who had been watching Dexter and Treasure at the waterfall and also at the subway.

He was wearing a black sweatshirt, black jeans, and a black cap. He was well built but he so looked dirty and wretched. His appearance looked like that of a thug no one should dare mess with.

Dexter felt a little disturbed when he saw the man standing directly opposite him, just a few feet away. He knew the strange man was up to no good and he strongly felt like avoiding him so he followed a narrow road by his right to completely ignore the weird guy.

It was a shortcut to his house but Anne has warned him not to take that shortcut because that was where she almost got raped by hoodlums and thanks to Carl who saved her.

Dexter didn't mind, he just wanted to avoid the strange-looking man because he thought he'd be a criminal who wants to steal his money.

It was a lonely and quiet road and Dexter was walking with his hands in his pockets, humming a song. To his surprise, he saw the strange man again, standing in front of him from a distance.

Dexter stood still, he was perplexed. The only explanation was that the strange man had followed another shortcut to catch up with him because there was no way he'll appear in front of Dexter just like that.

"What the fuck!" Dexter cursed silently.

"Why is this dude following me?" he said to himself.

He had no idea that he was in serious trouble to have met Treasure's stalker.