​💔The Vally's Secret Flame
​The air was sharp and cold on the Vally side, thick with the smell of pine and the acrid sting of smoke. It was supposed to be the perfect New Year's trip for the students of Brighton Wisdom Business School, but now, chaos reigned.
​🔥 The Fire and the Fury
​A single tent, tucked close to the cliffs, was an inferno. Everyone was screaming, a high-pitched sound of pure terror that cut through the night. Jake's eyes were wide with sheer horror.
​Then, through the blinding, hungry flames, he burst out.
​Felix stumbled forward, his leather jacket half-melted, one shoulder smoking. Cradled in his arms, half-conscious, was Gabriella. She looked impossibly small against the raging fire behind them.
​Han, rushed forward in massive relief. Felix hurried, using a thick, damp emergency blanket to smother the patches of fire flickering on his clothes. He then rushed to the nearby makeshift bench where the school nurse was setting up.
​But Han wasn't the only one who moved. Jake, usually so cool and composed, His eyes were pissed—not angry, but deeply, dangerously enraged. He snatched Gabriella from Felix's arms and carried her the final few steps to the bench with a possessiveness that was unnerving.
​The nurse immediately started checking Gabriella, her movements quick and professional. Han hovered, panic written across his face.
​Felix, however, didn't move past the bench. He just stood there, watching.
​Before he could take another step closer, Raina materialized in front of him. Her eyes were fierce, burning brighter than the dying embers of the tent.
​"Did you need to risk yourself to rescue her?" she demanded, her voice an outraged whisper.
​Felix was momentarily shocked. He had never seen her truly angry before.
​Raina scoffed, a sound of bitter contempt, and turned away.
​"Not her. Whoever was in there, I would do so," Felix said, his face dead serious, his voice cutting through the noise.
​Raina walked away quickly. As she passed a jagged tree stump, her purse snagged and hit the wood. Suddenly, a single, delicate silver chain fell to the ground. She grabbed it abruptly, her fingers closing tightly around it like a precious, secret thing.
​Just a little ways away, Gabriella's half-opened eyes, glazed with pain and the smoke, noticed it. The glint of silver caught her attention. Then, slowly, her gaze drifted to Felix.
​He looked at her, and the dangerous edge in his eyes softened, replaced by a tenderness that was almost painful to see. Their eyes locked. A shared, unreadable moment hung between them.
​"Are you alright, Gabby?"
​Finally, her eyes noticed Jake. He was crouched by her side, his expression full of exhaustion and caring eyes. Gabriella gave a slight, weak nod.
​🌙 An Impossible Whisper
​In a hotel room, not far enough from the valley chaos to feel sterile and cold, Ronnie rushed into the nursing room.
​Lara was lying still.
​The nurse smiled faintly when she saw him. "Your boyfriend came."
​Lara opened her eyes slowly. "Boyfriend?" she whispered, the word hollow.
​"Did she wake up?" Ronnie asked, frantic.
​The nurse nodded. "She got conscious a couple of hours ago. Where did you go?"
​Lara turned and sat up, her eyes utterly devoid of emotion as she looked at Ronnie.
​Ronnie rushed to her bed and hugged her tightly. He was shaking. Lara remained perfectly still, not returning the hug.
​When he finally pulled back, he cursed her cheek—a light, protective touch. "I was afraid a lot," he confessed.
​"I'm okay. Don't worry," Lara replied flatly. She then said, "I need water."
​"The water purifier is outside," the nurse said, handing Ronnie the empty bottle. "Go."
​Ronnie rushed out.
​As soon as the door clicked, Lara reached for her phone. She opened it using her face lock. She went straight to the gallery, and there, she scrolled through selfies and photos with Ronnie. Photos of them laughing, hiking, kissing. She suddenly widened her eyes in horror and dropped the phone.
​"Impossible," she whispered, her voice cracking. A single, fat drop of water—a tear—escaped her eye.
Jealousy 🔥
​The next day, the New Year trip was over. Three luxury tourist buses were lined up on the Vally side, ready to take the students of Brighton back to the city.
​Gabriella was walking to the bus, looking completely recovered. She wore a short, fashionable skirt and a fitted top. It was a killer outfit, and as she walked, some outsiders—campers and staff—were staring at her legs.
​Jake appeared beside her, like a protective shadow. He saw the stares, and his jaw tightened. Suddenly, he moved in front of her.
​Gabriella was confused. "What is it?"
​"Can't wear something long?" Jake asked, a little pissed.
​"What's wrong with this?" she challenged.
​Without a word, he took off his jacket and covered it over her skirt. The sudden covering, the weight of the jacket, made her realize the stares. She understood but was still a little angry. She reached up to remove the jacket.
​Jake grabbed her hand tightly. "Not."
​As she looked up, she saw Lara. A surge of relief washed over Gabriella, and she rushed toward her friend.
​Jake, confused, looked at Lara. It was almost time for departure, so he quickly grabbed Gabriella's luggage and brought it onto the bus, then walked to join the others.
​Gabriella reached Lara and grabbed her hand. Lara didn't react, only smiled slightly.
​"How are you feeling? No dizziness, right?" Gabriella asked.
​Lara nodded.
​Ronnie came up behind Lara, his voice annoyingly sharp. "Why are you here?"
​"I'm her friend before she was your lover," Gabriella shot back, a little angry.
​"Friend? Because of your carelessness, she was almost in a dangerous situation. Gladly, nothing happened," Ronnie sneered.
​Then, for the first time, Lara spoke to Ronnie with a coldness that silenced him. "She is right, Ronnie. She is my friend. Don't talk like that again."
​Ronnie was shocked. He mumbled a quick, "Whatever," and walked away.
​"Sorry, Lara. It all happened in a blink of a second," Gabriella said sincerely.
​Lara smiled lightly. "It's not your fault. I'm the one who brought you there to take a picture."
​Gabriella smiled back, a genuine warmth spreading through her.
​🔑 The Golden Secret
​Gabriella entered the bus and sat next to Jake. He was scrolling through his phone.
​"Oh, you came," he said without looking up.
​Gabriella didn't reply. She threw his jacket onto his lap.
​He looked up, a playful smile on his face. "Are you pissed?"
​"Yes. So what?" she said, not turning to him.
​Jake smiled widely. "You are so cute when you get pissed."
​Gabriella turned to face him, her face suddenly devoid of emotion. She turned away to look out the window.
​"Wait. I have to talk a call," Jake said, standing up. He started to walk out of the bus.
​"Do you have a secret girlfriend other than me? Why are you going outside to make a call? You can talk here." Gabriella asked mockingly.
​Jake smirked. "Are you jealous, my girl?"
​"Who—" Before she could finish, he bent down and kissed her lips. She widened her eyes, stunned.
​He smiled after the kiss and winked. "Is this proof enough I'm still into you?"
​Gabriella's cheeks blushed.
​As Jake walked outside, Gabriella shook her head. Then, she remembered something. She took a silver bracelet from her purse. It had a half-moon symbol, and it was only half a bracelet. Why is this still with Raina? she thought, looking at the chain.
​Just as she saw Jake coming back, she quickly placed it back in her purse.
​Jake sat beside her, asking mockingly, "Are you hiding something from me?"
​"Nothing," she said, hiding her purse behind her back.
​Jake's eyes narrowed slightly, catching a flash of silver. "Where is your phone?"
​"Why do you need mine? Don't you have yours?"
​"Actually, my phone's charge ran out. So..."
​She handed it to him. He immediately started to take selfies with her.
​"What are you doing?" Gabriella asked, annoyed.
​"Can't I take a selfie with my girlfriend?" he smiled.
​Gabriella raised one eyebrow. "You…"
​He leaned in close. "Because you are beautiful." He started snapping photos. She couldn't help but smile a little.
​He showed her the photos. "Look. You have to save this photo as your wallpaper."
​She smiled mockingly. "I won't." She tried to snatch the phone back.
​"Wait. I want this. Let me send this pic to my phone." He started sharing the photos to his number.
​Suddenly, a girl called Gabriella's name. Gabriella stood up and walked away to talk.
​Jake, left alone with her phone, was looking at the other good photos. He scrolled quickly through the gallery and then froze. He saw a photo of a young Gabriella and another person: Kevin, Raina's ex-boyfriend.
​Jake's eyes widened in horror.
​When Gabriella started walking back, Jake quickly changed the gallery to the normal screen and handed her phone back.
​"Did you send it?" she asked.
​He nodded. He was thinking. He remembered old, fuzzy memories: Gabriella hugging him from behind, crying, "I lost my best friend, Kevin," while she was drunk and mistook him for someone else.
​So... that's why... Gabriella targeted Raina... He looked at Gabriella.
​"What happened?" she asked casually, smiling.
​"Nothing," he said, turning away.
​He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and took out his golden, unique lighter to light one.
​"No smoking inside the bus," Gabriella said.
​She turned to him, and her eyes locked on the lighter. It was stunning—ornate, distinctive, and golden. She froze.
​Is that the same lighter Ajax found in the Auditorium burning place?
​That means... Jake, she thinks.
​"Oh," he said in a normal, low voice, removing the cigarette from his lips.
​Gabriella suddenly turned, her eyes locked onto his, her face dead serious, full of raw emotion.
​"Did you hiding anything from me?"
​Jake's eyes locked onto hers. He thought: You are the one hiding... from the beginning.
​He whispered: "What about you?"
​Their eyes were locked, intense and unyielding. The easy facade of their love shattered, leaving only the sharp, dangerous realization: They were both hiding profound, terrible secrets from each other, all behind the mask of their love.
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To be Continued...
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