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They really left me huh?

Well, I hope my sacrifice was worth it.

Please make a move Ricky!

Otherwise I'm doing all this for nothing!

I'd rather you punch me in the face than you being alone forever.

My genius plan was to bring the jealous beast out of my best friend and to be honest, that in itself was a gamble, I could've been killed before anything even happened!

Luring him into a low sense of security back at the house was a good call.

He recognized me as no threat and let me get close to Julie and I made him feel insecure with my very outgoing personality, as he's not really the talkative and 'fun' type, I'm sure seeing the woman he likes getting overly friendly with a guy will make him think he's losing.

And I know for a fact...

Derick hates losing.

As I was still deep in my thoughts I hadn't noticed a slope in front of me and the the next thing I know I topple over and fall all the way down.

I tried to get up but felt a horrible pain in ankle I looked at it and it was not only bruised but it seems I scratched it somehow causing it to bleed.

I reached into my pocket to call the others, at first I felt nothing but I still continued to dig deeper in the pocket, and still, nothing.

Okay, it's time to panic, I started patting my body hoping I just put it somewhere else but it still wasn't there.

God? Is this your way of punishing me for not listening to Julie when she told me to make sure I had everything?

Because if it is...

I'm sorry!

I heard footsteps behind me and I quickly turned around to call whoever it is over.

Please let it not be a serial killer!

Please let it not be a serial killer!

"Hey! I need some help!"

"Excuse me? sir? Are you okay?" A voice asked.

We retraced our steps and even passed where we were, but unfortunately, Issac was nowhere to be seen.

We finally reached a checkpoint, hoping Issac was waiting for us there.

And of course he wasn't there either.

"Derick, I'm starting to panic"

"Why? He's a grown man, he'll be fine, he may be irresponsible sometimes but he can be very mature in serious situations"

He's right, I need to put a little faith in Issac, he's okay and he's taking care of himself.

I felt my stomach growl and I remembered I'm hungry.

"Are you hungry?" I asked pretending to be considerate.

"I am and so are you"

Damn, so perceptive.

"There's a picnic table over there but if I eat I know for a fact I'll feel extremely guilty leaving Issac out"

"I won't, he brought this upon himself" Derick said nonchalantly.

"What do you think happened to him?"

"He probably just got lost"

"Put just a little bit of emotion in those words, do you think something happened to him?"

"Probably, I've never seen such a clumsy man, putting Issac aside, I'm starving"

I chuckled at his indifference, I may be uncaring sometimes but if something happened to Kate, I would actually freak out.

I started unpacking our lunch boxes and setting things up, I saw the extra paper plate that was meant for Issac and was again hit with a pang of guilt.

I was still taking things out of the bag when I felt a wave of dizziness hit me, I blinked a few times then put my hand on the table to steady myself.

"Julie? You alright?"

"I'm fine, I just need to sit down for a second, my feet are just tired"

When we had sat down to start eating, I grabbed whatever I wanted and put it on my plate but when I started chewing I just didn't have an appetite anymore.

"I'm gonna go talk to the ranger, I'm starting to feel restless" I finally said, standing up.

"If that's what'll make you sleep at night"

I sighed out of frustration.

"What the heck is your problem?! You're acting like a teenager that was forced to come out of their room!"

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"Do you wanna know what's my problem? I had a date planned with you! I wanted to spend my time to get to know you! And this person you call my friend ruined that! I'm more frustrated than you right now Julie!"

"You're such a-"

My retort was cut by the phone ringing.

Derick sighed then pulled out his phone.

"Hello?" He asked, bored.

"What?!" He suddenly shouted startling me.

"We're on our way and tell him that he's better off dead!"

"Derick..." I glared at him for shouting at a random stranger.

"Sorry, he's at the hospital, apparently he sprained his ankle pretty bad"

"I don't know if I should worry or say that I thought something like this might have happened" I sighed.

"Face it, we all saw it coming"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When we had lost all the progress we had made on this trip, we reached our destination and climbed out of the car.

We got to the reception desk and Derick started talking while I momentarily zoned out, looking around.

I looked at the people in the hospital they were either families, people on their own or nurses running about, all in all it was pretty empty.

Again that same annoying feeling of dizziness hit and this time instead of blinking it away, I closed my eyes entirely.

"Julie!" Derick shouted startling me for the second time today causing me to open my eyes.

"Huh? Sorry, I zoned, what were you saying?"

"Issac's in room 23, you alright? You look a bit pale" He furrowed his brows concerned.

"I'm fine, let's go" I smiled assuringly.

He looks cute when he's worried.

I chuckled to myself.

We rode the elevator and started looking for room 23.

When we found it, it was one room before the back of the hall and in front of the janitors closet.

How oddly placed.

I knocked on the door and opened it revealing Issac on the hospital bed, holding hands with a nurse and flirting.

"I'm a very happy man to have such a beautiful nurse accommodate me, I fell down a slopy area and hurt myself a true angel is taking care of me"

"What the hell are you doing?!" I yelled, feeling anger start to boil up inside me.

"I've been worried about you all day and this is what I see?! You're lucky I haven't decapitated you yet! I wish I can kill you and sell your organs!"

And the guy just blinked at me.

"I can't take anymore with you men! I'm going home! Curse both of you!"

And just like that, I left.

When I reached the elevator I felt dizzy again but still shrugged it off and continued walking.

I was standing in front of the two glass entry doors when I remembered I neither have the car keys nor know where we are.

Just great.

"Well, that's not how I thought my first 'friends visiting me at the hospital' would go" I said bitterly, staring at the door.

"It's your fault for flirting with the nurse instead thinking about how worried she was, but at least you're okay" Derick sighed.

"I know right! I really thought I was going to die!"

"You really are dramatic, so tell me, my oh so dear friend, why were you trying to provoke me this entire trip?" He crossed his arms and gave me his signature 'I am Derick Reid, fear me!' face.

"Because you're slow as f*ck! I mean seriously! For a big playboy you sure are a slug!"

"Did you consider the fact that maybe I wanted to take things slow?"

"No, not with your personality"

He raised a brow and sighed again.

"At least you tried your best, it's the thought that counts right? Thanks"

I smiled.

"Anything for you buddy, Julie really is amazing you know, it'll be a miracle if I can score someone like that, not only does she stand up to you but she also cares about you, speaking of Julie, any progress?"

Before he could answer there was a knock on the door.

And when the person came in I smiled.

"Hi Letty"

"Who?" Derick turned to see a black haired girl.

"Derick, this is Scarlett, my savior"

"Hello" Scarlet said shyly.

How cute!

Derick waved back with a weird look on his face.

"Letty, this is Derick, my bestie"

"Are you this close to this girl that you're giving her a nickname?" He glared at me.

"Oh, no Mr. Reid, I asked him to call me that himself" she chuckled nervously waving both her hands.

"How old are you exactly? Because if you're underage I'll report him to the police immediately"

What kind of a person do you think I am?!

"I'm twenty, sir" she replied uncomfortably.

"And how do you know me?"

"I interned in your company for a summer"

"I think I'd remember you by your accent if you worked for me"

"She was working in the branch back in England, funny coincidence, you sent me there to check up on the company the exact time she was interning" I answered before her noticing her feeling even more intimidated.

"And how exactly do you remember her?" He asked me quizzically.

"I think I'd remember a pretty face and an ear full of earrings"

She blushed putting a lock of hair behind a very piercing filled ear.

"Anyway I'm sorry for disturbing you, I'll be leaving now, I just wanted to check up on you before I go"

When she left Derick went straight to the question.

"You slept with her didn't you?"

"Yup"

"She likes you, what do you think?"

"Too innocent for my type, now back to the matter we were talking about before we were interrupted, what happened between you and Ms. Juliana Downs?"

He looked down probably contemplating wether he should tell me or not because he knows I'll tease him if something happened.

"We kissed"

"That's an improvement at least, I'm thankful my sacrifice wasn't for nothing, did you eat the very delicious looking lunch she had packed?"

He looked surprised I didn't say more about it but now's not the time to tease him, I'll use it some other time though.

"Thanks to someone we didn't, Julie couldn't eat because she was worried"

"What about you? Hmm? Did you also feel worried?"

"I was just fine, I could've finished the meal on my own if Julie hadn't dragged me away"

For some reason I'm not convinced by this story...

"So you guys didn't eat?"

"No"

His eyes suddenly widened as though he is hit with the freezing bucket of water that is called realization.

"What did you forget?" I asked, afraid.

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