"For how long will you be long?" Pete asked and Naomi tilted her head at him.
"Why? Will you miss me?" She asked teasingly.
"Yes." He answered immediately which Naomi wasn't expecting. "I will miss our funny encounters more though."
"Hmm! By the way, your blazer is still in the dryer." She said.
"I already took it out." He said and she nodded.
"Lend me your hand." She requested and he stretched his hand towards her. "Please don't decline, but could you rub my tummy for me? It'll make me feel better." She said raising her shirt a little.
Seeing her smooth belly, Pete was definitely hesitant and suddenly nervous.
"Are you sure?" He asked and she nodded. So he took up his courage and put his hand on her bare tummy, rubbing it slowly. "How's that?"
"Cool. Your hand is cool." She answered with her eyes closed.
Pete didn't feel comfortable about this. He felt like he shouldn't be the one doing this but at the same time didn't want anybody else to do it.
"Wouldn't it be better if your boyfriend did it?" He asked and just as he did, Travis entered and saw this. He got mad thinking Pete was trying to take advantage of Naomi.
"You snake!" He grabbed onto Pete's collar harshly. "How dare you!?"
"Travis, stop!" Naomi bellowed.
"He was trying to take advantage of you!" Travis accused.
"No, he wasn't. I asked him to do it." She said.
"What?" He looked at her confused.
"I asked him to rub my tummy because it was comfortable that way. You wasted so much time, what was I supposed to do?" Naomi sat up frowning at him. "Let go of his collar!" Naomi demanded and he did just that. "Why did you get angry all of a sudden?"
"I don't know! I don't like the fact of that guy taking advantage of you so...I overreacted."
"I understand." Naomi smiled. She didn't look so much in pain anymore. "Where's the soup? I don't think I can put up this positive energy for much longer." She said and he rushed to open the flask.
"I think I'll be going now. I have classes." Pete said adjusting his ruffled shirt. Travis didn't take heed to him and Naomi didn't seem to listen either. So seeing he was not needed anymore, he quietly headed for the door.
Naomi looked past Travis to see Pete leaving with his usual indifferent expression. She turned to Travis.
"That wasn't very nice of you. You really hurt his feelings with such an absurd accusation." He said but Travis simply shook his head.
"That guy doesn't have feelings to be hurt. He's just cold to everyone. He talks to only Matthew and almost everyone fears him. He's a lone wolf."
"Don't say that!" Naomi hit his arm. "Everyone has feelings." She claimed. 'He may look cold on the outside and seem to be a lone wolf but I believe that he's just a lost puppy.' She thought. "By the way, Travis, when is the sport's competition?" She inquired.
"Two days after the girls contest, why?" He asked.
"Nothing peculiar. I just heard about it." She said and picked up her phone. "I think I'm going to pass out any moment from now. I better call Adrian." She picked up her phone from the bed.
"Adrian?" Travis asked with a raised eyebrow.
"My driver." She said and placed the phone over her ear. "Hi, I know its been a long time... No problem at all...Okay, only a little... That's awful!... Well you see, this is that time of the month when I need to lock myself in my room...I said I'm fine... It's surprising, isn't it? I thought I would've passed out by now... Okay, get them ready before coming... By 2pm, that's fine... Okay bye!" With that, she cut the call.
"So, for how long will you be gone?" Travis asked holding her hand, which she saw as weird but didn't withdraw her hand either.
His hands were no longer sweaty, she guessed he washed and dried them before coming back.
"Maybe the day of the contest or the day before that but I will surely not miss the girls contest."
"I will miss you." He kissed her hand and Naomi saw the spark in his eyes. That meant only one thing.
"Travis, are you falling for me?" She asked which shocked him. He was rendered speechless and she took back her hand. "God, Travis, what are you thinking?"
She looked disappointed but in actuality, she was worried for him.
"I advise you not to, okay? I don't want to break your heart with false expectations so let's keep this as best friends and keep this fake relationship going. Or if it's affecting your thinking and confusing your emotions, we could just end the pretence right now, how about that?"