Saturday, January 16, 2010 | 6:21 PM |

Chapter 11

Photograph

Hebe’s POVI woke up the next morning, not remembering what happened last night. I remembered going out with Jiro and talking to him for a while, but I didn’t remember anything else.
I heard someone knock on the door. I quickly closed my eyes.
“Hebe?” I heard a voice call. The door opened.
I opened my eyes slightly and saw Aaron walk in. He stood there and stared at me for a few seconds. With his eyes fixed on me, I could feel my cheeks blush.
“Hebe! Are you okay?” Aaron put his hand on my forehead. “You’re really hot. Your cheeks are all red.”
I opened my eyes, the red in my cheeks deepening.
“I’m okay.” I looked up at Aaron, our eyes meeting.
Aaron quickly looked away. Why was he avoiding my gaze?
“You were pretty drunk last night.”
“Really?” I tried to think back to last night, but I couldn’t. “I don’t remember anything that happened last night.”
Aaron looked at me seriously and asked, “Really?”
“Yeah.”
He looked away. “Well, rest well. I’ll give you the day off.” He flashed me a smile before standing up.
“Wait.” I gripped his hands. “Don’t go.”
He laughed. “You’re not DYING, Hebe.” He turned back.
“I know.” I stared into his eyes. “I just want you here with me.”
He stopped laughing.
“I… I have things to do.” He quickly walked out of the room.
… Is he really avoiding me? What did I do?
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Jiro’s POV
I sat at the breakfast table, talking to Wu Chun and Calvin. Aaron came down and sat with us.
“How’s Hebe?” I asked.
“She’s fine.” Aaron answered, looking quite blanked-out.
Wu Chun and Calvin threw puzzled looks at us. “What’s with Hebe?” Calvin asked.
“Someone got her drunk on a date last night.” Aaron shot a grudging look at me.
“Hey, not my fault.” I quickly said.
“What? Date with Hebe? I thought you liked—” Wu Chun started, but when Calvin shot a look at him, he quickly changed his sentence. “I thought you liked… girls with longer hair?”
“… I guess.” I looked at them. Did they know that I like Selina? How did they find out anyway?
Aaron was looking very worried and uneasy.
I smiled. I knew that he would react this way. Aaron wasn’t the kind to show his feelings willingly. He needed some motivation. “Hebe’s a really nice girl. I think I’ll ask her out some other time.”
Aaron looked up at me, looking shocked.
“Good morning!” Selina came down, Ella close behind her. Seeing Selina smile made me want to smile even more.
“Morning.” Said Wu Chun, smiling at Ella. Ella smiled back. That’s weird. Seems like some things happened while I was on the date with Hebe.
“… Where’s Hebe?” Ella asked.
“Drunk.” Muttered Aaron angrily.
“What?”
“Drank too much wine last night. She’s still sleeping.” Calvin said, smiling.
“Oh.”
---
“Mail for you.” Wu Chun said, passing me an envelope.
“Thanks.” I quickly opened the envelope. The envelope contained a few photos. I quickly flipped through them, my eyes wide with horror. The pictures were of Hebe and me. They were taken last night.
There was a photo of me holding Hebe tightly in my arms, another of Hebe with her lips on mine and another of me on lying on top of Hebe. Looking at these photos, I felt my temper rising. Who would do this? What did they want? I quickly stuffed the photos back into the envelope.
“Jiro, are you okay?” Calvin asked, his mouth half full with his breakfast.
“I’m okay.” I captured a glimpse of a look of concern on Selina’s face. Not having time to think about this, I rushed upstairs and into Hebe’s room.
“Hebe, are you awake?” I asked gently.
“Uhmm…” Hebe yawned.
“I’m sorry but I need to show you something.” Jiro said, worried.
“What?” Hebe looked at me.
I passed her the photos. I could see the shock hit her features.
“Wha—what is this?” She screamed. “What? I never— what?”
“You were drunk!”
“I…”
“It was all a mistake. Just forget everything that happened last night.”
“You pervert!” She slapped me. “How could you?”
Ow. That hurt a lot. “No, Hebe. You were drunk and acting all crazy. You couldn’t stand up straight so I held you. Then for some reason you leant over and… kissed me.” Her eyes widened. “Really!” I said.
“Then how do you explain this?” She showed me the picture of me lying on the floor, on top of her.
“You lost your balance, pulled my t-shirt and fell backwards.” I explained patiently.
“Oh.” She blushed. “Sorry.”
I sighed. “It’s okay.”
“But who would want to take these pictures?”
“They probably want to blackmail me or something. I’ll have to give them money or the pictures will probably end up on the front page of the newspapers.” I said, clenching my fists.
“WHAT?! You have to stop them.” Hebe said, looking scared.
“I will. Don’t worry.” I walked out the door.
“Jiro?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t let Selina and Ella see any of the pictures. They will kill you.”
I laughed. “Don’t worry. I won’t.”
Now, I had to find out who sent these photos and stop them before they do something horrible.
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Aaron’s POV
I walked by the corridor heading to my room. I decided to check in on Hebe and see if she was awake.
I stopped outside her door. I could hear voices coming from inside.
“You were drunk!” I heard Jiro’s voice.
“I…” I heard Hebe’s shaky voice.
“It was all a mistake. Just forget everything that happened last night.” Jiro said.
… Last night? What happened last night?
I felt the heat rising within me. I quickly walked away, not wanting to think anymore.
I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me.
I leant against the wall, feeling weak all of a sudden. Hebe and Jiro wouldn’t… Would they? I punched the door, hoping that no one would hear.
I lay down on my bed, my head full of wild thoughts. Half of me wanted to trust that Jiro and Hebe would never do that, but the other half of me kept thinking of what I heard. And I didn’t know which side to listen to.
---
Sometimes, you just have to listen to your heart.
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Another chapter! :D Just for the coming new year!
Sorry for such a sad-ish chapter for the new year… but I promise for a happy chapter soon.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
May all your New Year resolutions be fulfilled.
2010. :o
<3 you all,
~colourful-rainsdrops~

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