"Alex... Alex!" Mia called out into the night. Her voice was swallowed by the darkness. No reply came. The only sound now was the steady approach of footsteps, their rhythm steady and deliberate, drawing nearer. The wind had fallen completely silent, the usual rustling of the leaves now absent. All Mia could hear were those footsteps.
She pressed herself against the trunk of a tree, her breath shallow, just in time to bump into James. He looked down at her, his face a mix of concern and confusion.
He was about to speak, but Mia quickly covered his mouth, pointing in the direction from which the footsteps were coming. James's eyes flicked to where she indicated. Shadows moved, but the faces were unclear. He nodded toward her, signaling that they should retreat. But Mia refused, her eyes fixed on the approaching danger.
James's attention shifted as a strong hand suddenly grabbed Mia's wrist, pulling her into the darkness. She fought, struggling to free herself, but the hand was unyielding, lifting her off the ground. Her hair whipped across her face as the wind picked up, stinging her eyes, but she kept fighting in silence.
James followed behind, shaking his head with a resigned smile, though his eyes were sharp, constantly scanning their surroundings to ensure they weren't being followed. They reached the riverbank, and Mia was set down roughly. She immediately stood and slapped the man hard across the face. His head jerked to the side from the force, but before he could react, Mia raised her other hand to strike again.
However, her hand was stopped mid-air by a firm grip. Nicky had appeared beside her.
"Mia," he said quietly, his voice calm but firm.
"Don't you dare say anything!" Mia snapped, furious. "What took you so long? It seems you like making people wait... Alex!"
Her anger burned like a fire—fierce, uncontrollable—like a stove that threatened to burn through everything, though its purpose was supposed to be to cook, not destroy.
Nicky stood there, looking between Mia and Alex, who seemed so different, yet strangely close. He had to admit, they looked like a couple, though neither had admitted it. He wondered if, when all of this was over, they could be together the way they truly wanted to be. Their love was shown, but never felt. It was strange—why didn't they feel it? He shook his head, turning away.
Suddenly, he noticed two watchmen at the edge of the clearing. Alex stepped forward, leaving Nicky, James, and Mia in stunned silence.
"What's he doing? Is he mad?" Mia whispered, her grip on Nicky tightening. The trees seemed to sense what was coming, the leaves rustling as if preparing for something.
Alex moved with precision, reaching the two watchmen without being detected. He quickly incapacitated one, knocking him out cold without the other noticing.
Mia stepped closer, watching intently. What caught her attention was the way Alex moved—the precision, the skill in his attacks, the fighting style—it was all so familiar. But where had she seen it before? The question burned in her mind like a wound she couldn't heal. She wanted to shout it to the world, to demand an answer, but now wasn't the right time. When will it be?
Alex's eyes never left her as he fought. He kicked last watchmen in the neck, but the man recovered, delivering a hard punch to Alex's cheek—the same cheek Mia had slapped earlier.
Mia cursed under her breath, frustration flooding her. Why? Why had Alex let the man hit him? He had seen it, and yet, he didn't dodge. Why?
Without thinking, Mia ran forward, using a rock to propel herself into the air. She struck the remaining watchman with a knee to the gut, followed by a quick kick and a left hook. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Her breathing was steady, but her gaze was icy. "Never let anyone hurt or touch you. Got it?" she said, her voice low, dangerous.
The silence between them seemed to grow heavy, so thick that even the bats in the trees seemed to retreat. A wave of confusion hit Mia. Why did I say that? He's no one to me... so why do I feel this way?
They stood there for a moment, their eyes locked. But just as the tension reached its peak, Jake broke the silence.
"Are you okay?" he asked, stepping up to Mia's side.
Mia nodded, her gaze still fixed on Alex, who had moved to join James and Nicky by a tree. Her thoughts were a whirlwind, but she managed to force herself to nod in agreement with Jake's plan.
"We'll take it from here," Mia said, her voice quieter than before. She cast a final glance at Alex, her mind racing with too many thoughts to sort through.
Jake saw the way her gaze lingered on Alex, and he gave a soft sigh. He understood more than she realized, but he wasn't going to push her to speak. Instead, he walked toward Alex, James, and Nicky, who were now gathered, acting as though they were hiding something. Jake handed them some papers, though it was clear he already knew more than they were willing to admit.
Jake stood motionless, his eyes fixed on Mia as she walked ahead, her pace steady yet laced with a sense of purpose. He had seen the love in her eyes. The way she looked at Alex—it tore him apart inside. The rawness of it felt like a dagger to his chest. But Jake didn't react. He couldn't. There was no space in this fragile moment to let his emotions spill over. He only followed.
I also love you, he thought, the words so heavy in his chest that they felt suffocating. But then, Wait... Alex. What are you thinking? Do you like Mia the way I like her? The question echoed relentlessly in his mind, gnawing at him, refusing to let go.
As he reached the end of the footpath, the weight of it all seemed too much to bear. His chest grew heavier, the emotions rising inside him like a storm trapped beneath his ribs. He clutched it with his right hand, trying to steady himself, but the ache was constant. His heart thudded painfully with every step.
"Jake?" James's voice broke through the haze of his thoughts. Jake blinked, realizing that James had noticed his silence, the tension in his posture.
James ran up to him, concern etched on his face. "Are you okay?"
Jake nodded, though the smile he forced onto his face felt like a mask. It was a fool's grin, one that didn't reach his eyes. Inside, he was falling apart, piece by piece. He had known, deep down, that he would always be a step behind Alex. He was a shadow in their love story, a silent witness to a relationship that wasn't his to claim.
He forced his shoulders to relax and took a deep breath, trying to push the emotions back where they belonged—hidden beneath a wall of silence. "Yeah," he said, the word hollow in his throat. "I'm fine."
James didn't seem convinced, but he didn't press further. He just stood beside Jake for a moment, meanwhile Alex watching Mia in the distance. The path stretched ahead of them, dark and winding, as the night closed in. The trees on either side were cloaked in deep shadows, the leaves a mixture of black and brown, their colors blending into the night as though the forest itself were holding its breath. The air grew colder, and the wind whispered through the branches, carrying with it the chill of the coming storm.
Jake's gaze followed Mia's figure, her silhouette barely visible in the gathering dusk. He thought of everything that had passed between them—the moments, the near touches, the unspoken words. And yet, all of it seemed so distant now. Mia had made her choice, and that choice wasn't him.
But that was fine, right? He had always known this was how it would be.
The heaviness in his chest remained, a constant reminder that he would always be second in her eyes. His heart was still in pieces, shattered by the realization that Mia's love was something he would never hold.
As the wind picked up, Jake stared into the darkening trees, the cool air biting at his skin. The night was only just beginning, and the journey ahead was full of uncertainty. But for Jake, it had become painfully clear. He was walking this path not as someone with hope, but as someone who was desperately trying to ignore the truth.
He wasn't the one Mia was fighting for.
What was Jake hiding? Did he know the truth about Mia's feelings for Alex, and how would he react if he did? James watched Jake intently, sensing something was off—he was quieter than ever. What was on those EYES that had the power to shift everything?
The tension between Mia and Alex was thick, but the real danger was still lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. Mia could feel it: the battle was far from over.