Ashnah was beside Melanie's bed. Since the demon who have infected her belongs to the higher tier, the effect to her physical body is also not good. She passed out after their encounter. If they have finished any later, she could have been dead medically due to sudden reasons such as heart attack and the likes in the human's dimension. It was a relief that they managed to stop the demon in time. She was still in comma. The doctors did not find any faults in her physical health. They have still not found the reason why she's not waking up.
The cause of course is known to Ashnah.
"Ash," called Uncle Arnold who have brought the clothes she have instructed him to bring. She told him to bring her clothes instead that was in the training camp instead of informing anyone who have known Melanie.
Ashnah saw it during her fight with her demons. Melanie's ex live in partner who was the father of her kids was an abusive one. He's crazily obsessive and is only waiting for the perfect time and reason to get hold again of her friend. Ashnah wouldn't let that happen. Though the kids were treated fairly, it's different when he's with her behind closed doors.
He had Melanie at her early teens--sixteen to be exact. He was her professor. Some called it whirlwind romance but he was married when he got her and still he is. He promised Melanie that he'll annulled his marriage with his wife and choose her and their kids but, it only brought her misery. He abused her physically, verbally, and he even pointed a gun to her head. She saw them when Melanie's emotions were going berserk. She didn't know how she could endure his behavior for fifteen years.
And at the end of Melanie's flashbacks, she saw her son's message saying that his ex is going to Sugbu City to find her and get back with her while he's on a scheduled business conference. That triggered her anxiety attack, and thus that might be how the demon got hold of her.
'That pedophile, I won't let him near Melanie!'
However, they cannot hide her condition forever. If she won't wake up, her family will begin to worry and will search for her. He'll make it an excuse to take hold again of her friend. Ashnah cannot let that happen. 'I need to find a way to avoid them being in one room!'
It's not up to her but she had seen it through Melanie's memories. She will do everything she can to help her avoid that bastard. Ashnah's jaw tightened as her anger get ahead of her. Uncle Arnold was just setting down Melanie's things when an idea popped up in her mind which could resolve their problem.
"Uncle, do you have a wife?" she started.
"No."
"How about a girlfriend?"
"Used to but none right now." His forehead is beginning to crease as he's starting to get suspicious of Ashnah's questions. "I'm not liking these series of questions."
"I'm starting to hate how smart you can get."
"I have been for the ninety percent of my life."
"Where did the ten percent go?"
"None of your business. Now, stop being smart with me and just spit out your crazy idea. Don't keep me in suspense."
"Before you say this is crazy, let me tell you one thing. You'll be saving both mine and Melanie's asses if you're going to agree to it. I'll take responsibility for my friend here," she tapped towards Melanie's direction, not wanting to tap it directly cause she might disturb her rest.
"What, did you get her pregnant or something?"
"Uncle! `Seem's you forgot that I don't have a winnie," she threw one of the apples towards him.
He chuckled lightly. "You're already almost thirty and you can't mutter the 'P' word correctly."
"Stop it!" She said getting embarrass of his cowboy jokes.
"Okay, so what's the plan and what is this for?" he asked, getting serious.
She heaved a sigh, hoping big time that he'll agree. She'll be hitting two birds with one stone if fate permits it. "Pretend to be Melanie's lover."
"What?! No." He said with finality.
'Stubborn, old man. I'm trying to give you a brighter future!' "Look, uncle. You're just going to pretend. We need to help out Melanie. She's in danger right now. Can you let her get back with that jerk who screwed her life before? Shame on you."
His face turned serious. "Lass, why do you care much of your friend's life? This is her life, her choice, and decision to make."
She also returned his gaze with anger, not directed to him but but rather to her friend's situation. "You, don't get it, uncle. Whenever I used my given gift, it's not just about comforting them. I felt what their sufferings as they went through those situations and felt their emotions as if they are mine from the start." She sighed to relieve her anger but her chest still felt heavy afterwards. "Reaching out to them is not just saving them. I felt like I'm saving myself from those situations rather than them."
Uncle Arnold sighed and scratched his temple. "I'll agree to your plan but I'll set the terms."
Ashnah's face brighten. She threw herself to uncle Arnold in a tight hug. "I owe you one. Thank you, uncle."
***
Ashnah went back to the organization. As a requirement and part of their agreement with Uncle Arnold, she needs to continue her training without any delay. In an hour, Uncle Arnold was able to revise her plotted schedule along with the trainors that she's going to be training with for the next following days. Ashnah was too exhausted that as soon as she touched the bed, she just blacked out.
She didn't take note how long it was but her senses were awakened by the extreme coldness. She opened her eyes and found herself shivering in the middle of nothingness. She realized she's within a nightmare. 'What's with this now?' She tried to will herself to wake up once, twice, thrice, but it is not working. Ashnah finally gave up after numerous trials and decided to just fight off the big boss of that nightmare.
Not knowing where to go, she let her feet take her wherever they felt like going. It wasn't that long when she finally hit something at her front. She touched its surfaced. It was hard, cold, smooth and flat plain--something akin to an invisible glass. She knocked it and it made a slight clincked. "Really like a glass. Is this the end of this journey?" She waited but nothing came. "Now what?"
She heard someone snickered.
She turned around. However, she's not able to see anyone due to the darkness. "Anyone there?" She walked back howbeit was halted by another glass-seemed wall. "Wait, I just passed here a while ago." She went to her right then her left. Same thing happened. She was trapped within.
"What's going on?"
"Ah, when are you going to stop?" asked a voice too familiar to her yet she couldn't put a name to. A woman's silhouette was beginning to form at the other side of the glass.
"What do you mean stop? Who are you?" Ashnah said, confused in what she's spouting about.
"Stop it," she hissed.
"Like I said, what do you mean stop?"
"Pretending still that you're enjoying everything that has happened to you. You're forced to be here in the first place and here they are commanding you on what you're going to do every now and then. You aren't a fool!"
"Who are you to say that?" Ashnah was beginning to get annoyed by the stranger.
She sneered. "Enjoy it while it last--your hypocrisy."
Ashanh felt her heart started to thump rapidly. Whether in agitation, agitation or anxiousness, she couldn't put a finger to it yet. All that she knew is that she hated how the woman hidden behind the darkness mocked her. "You talk like you know me."
"Oh, but I do. Oh, yes, I do," she chuckled with menace. "You turned away and just forget. You thought you moved on and never remembered. Hypocrite." The silhouette of the woman from the other side of the glass moved nearer towards her. She leaned on the glass till her eyes were almost visible. Ashnah's eyes were able to adjust to the darkness at that very moment. Despite the ambiguous sight, she was able to determine the anger and spite in the eyes of the woman. "And just then, you'll run away again."
Ashnah felt a hard pound on her chest at her rambled words. She wasn't given time to sort her feelings. The glasses surrounding her suddenly broke and she was finally brought to wake. She found herself grasping for air and sweating coldly from her sleep. 'Just what was that?'
***
Melanie blinked once, twice. The first thing that welcome her view is the white ceiling. She roamed her eyes around and found a familiar built sitting sternly on the sofa that looked smaller than it actually is because of the man's built.
"`You awake?" the man asked. The man opened his eyes and his intense silver eyes just gazed at her. Instead of averting her eyes, she seemed mesmerized by it and continued to stare at them.
"Yeah, I guess I am," she said unknowingly.
He stood up, towering over her.
'Wow, he's really tall.' She couldn't stop herself from complimenting him in her thoughts. He leaned towards her and tugged the blanket up her shoulders.
Melanie felt herself stiffen, both because of her trauma from her previous experience with her ex and fascination of this beautiful man.
"Ashnah should be here and tell you what she had planned out but I guess I need to explain it to you in her stead," he said.
Her brows raised in question. "Ashnah planned out something? For...?" She said trying to grasp the situation. Just then, questions begin to pop in her mind one by one. 'How again am I here? What happened? What was Ashnah laying the plans for? What is the plan that he is talking about?'
He paused for quite long, trying to choose the right words to convince her. Then he started to explain Ashnah's plan. "I heard it from Ashnah that you're having issues with your ex. She said you had... talked it out with her. Ashnah offered a plan to let both of us be lovers--I mean in pretense, while you're still having issues with your ex."
Melanie was dumbstrucked. 'Ashnah...would do that? And why would this big man be caught up in my mess?'
Her phone rang. She stiffened when her ex's name appeared on the screen.
"Would you like me to answer that?"
Her eyes flew to him, trying to grasp what she needs to say but failing miserably. He observed her closely. Seeing how shaken she is, he decided to reach out to the phone and disconnected the call. The phone rang again. And same name appeared on the screen.
His eyes were asking her if she could answer the call. He picked up the phone again. When her fearful eyes met his, he decided to take the matters himself.
"Hi, who's this?" he answered sharply.
He saw her held her breath as she's anxious for their conversation to be finished.
"Who are you?" answered the man on the other line.
"I'm Melanie's lover. Who's this?"
The man laughed with contempt. "Stop kidding me. I am the father of our children. Hand the phone to Melanie." He commanded.
Rage flashed on Arnold's eyes, not certain why this man irk him more than anyone did. "She's asleep right now."
"Stop kidding yourself. Hand the phone to that bitch! I know she's in there beside you. Stop pretending to be her lover. I know she doesn't have one."
"Did you have her tailed?" It was his turn to laugh ferociously.
Melanie felt herself shudder upon thinking how she's not aware that her ex is still keeping track of her. The freedom that she was enjoying now seemed like a dream she was trying to live in.
"You should change your men. They didn't observe closely. How come they missed how we met?" He turned to Melanie and mouthed, 'Moan.'
Melanie's attention was stolen by Arnold's soft touch on her eyes. Melanie's eyes popped out in surprise, "What?"
He put the phone in speaker mode. He leaned closer to her ears and whispered, "Help me act here."
Melanie frozed up, conscious of how close they are.
He bit her ear and a groan escaped her throat. Her palm clasped her mouth in surprise, her thoughts about her ex have now been thrown out of the window.
He distanced himself from her, watching her face blushed. He sucked in air harshly to calm his nerves. Realizing it is not enough, Arnold stood up and tried to focus his attention back to the phone, leavinng the Melanie breathless alone. He was whispering something to the phone that is too low for Melanie to hear. But according to how his ears are turning red, she guessed that he might be faking moans and sweetnothings to taunt her ex.
'What just happened?' Melanie was still lost on her thoughts. Her heart was beating furiously against the walls of her chest. 'Calm down, girl. You're past your teenage years.' She steadied her breaths but still failed ot calm her heart.
Melanie's ex on the other line cut off the call. Instead of being relieved, Arnold felt more tense than ever. Their eyes met again awkwardly.
He raised the phone in his hand. "He...uh...He cut off."
"I see," she responded.
He cleared his throat. "I think I need to go, pay the bills."
"Okay," she nodded.
He gestured his goodbye and went out of the door.
Melanie was left alone in the room, with her face flushed as she reminisce what just happened. She was about to scream quietly when the door suddenly opened. She sprung in attention.
"Hey," It was Arnold.
"You forgot something?"
"Yeah, I did," he scratched his nape and smiled sheepishly. He raised her phone that was still on his hand. "I forgot to give this back." He handed it to her carefully then reached something from the side table. "And I forgot this."
"Oh," was the only thing that she can came up when she saw it was his wallet. She held her laughter as he scrambled his way out.
"I'll leave you here at the moment."
Only when the door closed did she let her gleeful laugh out. 'I better say my thaks to Ashnah.'