"Ruel?"

Adalyn and Ruel pulled apart from each other and turned their heads to see someone looking at them. Upon seeing them, Ruel's eyes began to widen.

"Olivia?" He said, not able to take in who is front of him.

Adalyn saw a beautiful girl standing in front of them, who just so happens to have the name of Olivia.

Ruel got up and walked up to Olivia but didn't do anything. He kept his distance from her.

"What are doing here?" He asked.

"I came back for you." She said.

"For me?" He asked, completely taken aback by surprise.

"Mhmm." She hummed as she moved closer to him. Ruel backed up.

"Why won't you let me get closer to you?" Olivia asked.

Ruel didn't say anything; he only kept on backing up.

Adalyn, on the other hand, was watching everything unfold. There was an indescribable feeling in the pit of her stomach. She didn't do or say anything, she just watched.

Ruel was backing up, but he suddenly banged into something. He turned around to see that it was a tree. "Oh no." He mentally cursed. "Olivia," he began, "why are you here? This late at night?"

"I told you," she began, "I came back for you. I knew you were in London from social media, and I want to get back with you. I just came from the airport, and was on my way to my hotel, but I came across this park. It looked very beautiful so I came here to chill. And I saw you here," she shifted her gaze to Adalyn, "with her."

"Wait, you want to get back with me?" He confirmed.

"Mhmm." She hummed again.

"After all you did to me? You left me without any explanation. I loved you, I gave you my heart, but you tore it apart. You gave up on us as if it meant nothing. You were my first girlfriend Olivia and you left me in a mess." He began, with his voice raised high.

"Ruel please liste-" Olivia began but Ruel cut her off.

"No Olivia! You were my first love, and it felt as if our love was forever. But you left me, just like that. I went through depression. My condition was extremely worse. I tried contacting you, trying to meet you or just hear your voice, but you never reached me back. Now, when I'm finally over you, you come back and say that you want to get back with me?!" He spat.

"Ruel, calm down and give me a chan-"

"No okay? And don't you have a boyfriend? Go back to him and don't ever come back to me!" He shouted. Luckily there was no one to listen them.

"I broke up with him." Olivia said timidly and so inaudibly that Ruel wasn't able to here her.

"What did you say?" He asked.

"I said I broke up with him!" She raised her voice.

"Why?" Ruel asked with a soft expression.

"I caught him cheating on me." Olivia said as she broke into sobs. She dropped on the ground with her face in her hands and was sobbing and shaking. Ruel contemplated to help her or not, but he still dropped on the ground with her.

"Hey listen," he said softly, but didn't touch her in any sort of way, "don't cry about him. He didn't deserve you." Ruel took a deep breathe before talking. "We can't get back together Olivia." Upon this Olivia looked up.

"What?"

"I'm sorry but I'm over you now. If we did date now, it won't work. I'm sorry."

"But, give it a chance Ruel." She pleaded.

"I did. Last year. And I've learnt you aren't the one for me. The times we spent together were beautiful, but it won't be the same now." Ruel said.

"Okay, I get it."

"We can be friends Olivia."

"Well something is better is better than nothing." She chuckled while wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"Olivia, why did you leave me?" Ruel asked softly.

She took a deep breathe before saying anything.

"I knew that after the tour will be over, we both will go our separate ways and our relationship will end due to being long distanced." She explained.

"But, aren't you the one who says 'give it a chance'?"

"Yeah, but I got a call. My mum died Ruel. She got pneumonia over my internship and she even died, it was," she let out a sigh, tears making way down her face again, "it was hard. Me and my dad couldn't figure anything out. It all seemed so-"

"Dark. As if nothing will make sense, right?" Adalyn popped into the conversation. Olivia looked up at her as if she was a savior. Adalyn sat down with her. Now Ruel and Adalyn were sitting on either side of Olivia.

"Yes, exactly. It felt as if it is the end of the world." She said. "How do you know about this?"

"My dad died due to cancer when I was eight. I know exactly how it feels to lose someone that close."

"I'm sorry dear."

"Oh please don't. It's not your fault."

"Will it get better?"

Adalyn nodded. "Yes it will. It will take time, but it will. You'll learn to get along without your mum. I began to see both my dad and mum in one person, you'll see the same very soon."

"Thanks." She smiled. "I'm Olivia." She let out her hand for Adalyn to shake.

Adalyn shook her hand. "I'm Adalyn."

"Wait, are you the intern?" She asked.

"Yes."

"That picture was breathtaking! Your photography is amazing." She complimented.

"Thanks Olivia." Adalyn smiled.

"I better get going to my hotel. It was nice meeting the both of you." Olivia said as she got up from her position. "And may I say, you both look terrific together." She winked. At this, Ruel and Adalyn began blushing. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." She said before walking out.

After Olivia left, an awkward silence settled between Ruel and Adalyn. Adalyn decided to be the bold one.

"You like me?" She asked as his head shot up.

"Yes I do." He said, moving closer to her. "Do you like me?"

She moved closer to him. Their faces were millimeters apart. "Yes I do. You listened to me that day. I feel something that I've never felt in my life when I'm around you." She whispered. They both inched forward, and their eyes shut close as their lips met for the second time. This time it was sweet and full of passion.

He kissed her softly, holding her face in his hands.

She kissed back softly, her hands in his hair.

After a few seconds of utter pure bliss, Adalyn pulled back, almost immediately.

"What?" Ruel asked scaredly, as if he did something wrong.

"We aren't allowed to be friends so that you and me won't fall for each other! But that's exactly what happened!" Adalyn said while rubbing her forehead with her forefingers, completely stressed out and regretting kissing him back.

"Adalyn no, I want you and I don't care what they say." Ruel reasoned with her. She got up from her position and began walking away from him.

"Sorry Ruel, but this can't happen." Adalyn said as she made her way out of the park with him calling out her from behind. She didn't listen. She ran. She ran back to the hotel. And, at the worst time, it began to rain. The droplets fell onto her skin, sending chills. On any other day, she would have significantly enjoyed this, but not today. Not now. No. The raindrops managed to drown out the hot tears trickling down her cheeks. Strands of hair fell out from her braid and began to stick all around her face; blocking her vision. But she didn't stop to push those away, no. She only ran. Ran as if her life depended on it. Ran as if running away will make her get rid of the problem she got herselves in. She stopped at a place and began shouting, but the rain managed to drown out her sounds:

"I only met him."

"How did this even happen?"

"This can't happen at all, no."

"I fell hard and fast."

There Ruel saw the one girl who made her feel indescribable feelings run away from him. He called her out, but she didn't listen. She ran and ran. He wanted to follow her. But his feet didn't move at all. They were glued there. He backed up against the same tree Olivia backed him up too. He slid against it and sat down. He hunched up his legs and hid his face in it. Tears started spilling out. Out of nowhere, it began to rain. The droplets fell on him. They were icy cold. He got up and began shouting, but the rain managed to drown out his sounds:

"I only met her."

How did this even happen?"

"This is Olivia all over again."

"I fell hard and fast, again."

_____________________________

Day III of the internship; October 14:

Adalyn slowly pulled herself out of the bed and made her way to the washroom with her clothes. She freshened up and wore her chosen clothes. She came out to see Coco sitting on the edge of the bed, looking up at her.

"Where were you last night?" She asked, looking up at Adalyn. Adalyn's eyes widened at the question.

"I wasn't able to sleep, so I went out to the hotel's garden. The sky was beautiful, so I sat on bench and looked up at the sky. That's all." Adalyn made up the story as she went along. No one can know what happened between her and Ruel. It wasn't completely a lie, but it wasn't completely the truth either.

"Oh, are you alright?" Coco asked.

"Oh yes, sometimes I have sleep deprived nights. It isn't anything new. Don't worry." Adalyn smiled as guilt gnawed her alive. She hated lying.

"Oh, okay. You can always talk to me." Coco smiled as she got up from her position.

"Thanks Coco." Adalyn smiled.

"I'm going down to the restaurant for breakfast. Do you want me to wait for you or you'll come yourself?"

"Oh you can go. I have to brush my hair yet, so I'll come myself."

"Okay." Coco said as she walked out of the room.

Adalyn walked up to the small dressing area in the room. She looked up at her reflection and all the events of last night washed over. First kiss, then Olivia, then another kiss and then running away. Last night she quickly came back to the hotel and changed her clothes and lied on the bed.

Adalyn shook her head, shaking the flashback out. She brushed her hair and made her way down to the restaurant.

As Adalyn walked up to the table, one person was missing.

Ruel.

"Good morning dear Addie." Michelle greeted.

"Hey, good morning." She greeted back.

"Come sit." Michelle smiled while patting on the empty seat besides her. Adalyn walked up to the chair and sat down.

"Where's Ruel?" She asked.

"Oh he must have been tired last night, he's still sleeping." Kate said. She and Ruel shared a room.

"Oh." Adalyn said.

"Toast?" Michelle asked, pointing at the platter. Adalyn shook her head.

"Waffles?" Adalyn shook her head again.

"Oh wait, I know you love pancakes. There you go." Michelle said while picking up the pancakes' platter and picking one to put on Adalyn's plate. But she refused.

"Are you alright dear?" Kate asked worriedly.

"Yes, I'm fine, I'm just not hungry." She said.

"Okay, but whenever you need anything, just ask us, okay?" Kate said.

"Of course." Adalyn smiled. Suddenly Adalyn felt the light being blocked by something. More specifically someone. More specifically a 6'5 someone.

"Good morning Ruel." Michelle greeted. He only nodded and sat down opposite to Adalyn.

"Ruel you alright?" Michelle asked.

"Yes I'm fine."

"What will you like to eat?"

"I'm not hungry."

Kate and Michelle exchanged worried glances.

"First Adalyn now Ruel. I'm worried." Michelle whispered in Kate's ear.

"Me too. I hope it isn't anything too serious." Kate whispered back.

"Yeah." Michelle replied.

After a few minutes, Adalyn decided to eat half a toast. She looked around the table to find the platter.  Her eyes finally found the platter; it was next to Ruel. She tried reaching for it, but her arms didn't reach that far away. She realized soon that she needs to ask for it.

"R-ruel?" She called out timidly.

"Hmm?" He hummed, in a same timid manner.

Adalyn wasn't able to speak anything, she simply pointed to the platter. He understood the message and picked it up to hand it to her. As Adalyn moved her hand forward to hold the platter, her hand touched Ruel's hand. Both of them shot up their heads, and they made eye contact. Adalyn quickly dropped their eye contact and took the platter from his hand, taking what she desired and keeping it back on the table.

There, Coco saw everything unfold. Her intelligent brain quickly connected all the dots and she figured out that something is up between the both of them, but what, she had no idea.

_______________________________
Author's note
I love Coco so much. Adalyn and Coco's relationship is beautiful, don't you think? What do you think will happen next?

Please vote and comment :)

And Happy 18th Birthday to our dear Ruel!
Ps: wasn't he 15, like yesterday?!

With love through health and sickness
Keziah