“Stand back!” Hebe exclaimed and hit her head on the hard wooden surface she was hiding in. She was shivering as she stood up from her seat and got her mobile phone from on top of the office desk she was hiding on. “I’ll call the police,” She flipped her mobile phone open, and then furiously punched out 911.

“NO!” The man who was right across from her shouted, trying his very best as he gripped on his chest. “If you do that, I’d probably be arrested.”

Her eyes shot out wide, she cupped and slowly went up towards him—shaking frivolously. “Why not?” She grabbed the gun that he was holding onto a little while ago and got it away from his reach and pointed it at him. “If you protest any further, I’m going to shoot this to you.” She was scared, she really was scared. She didn’t know how to use a gun nor did she ever plan about of using one. It’s the way her parents were killed and there’s no way she’d be able to shoot him, because of nervousness and the hidden phobia of guns, wars, crimes and murder.

“Look…” He paused and tried to explain, blood gushing out from his mouth. “I didn’t do anything wrong.” His eyes were rolling as if they were ready to shut close and he’ll collapse anytime soon. “I’ll explain everything to you once you bring me to the nearest hospital,” With that, he fainted and she panicked even more, not knowing what to do.

Taking note what he just said, he punched out the numbers to the nearest hospital that Ella and she just a few weeks ago had a check-up on.

She was in no way comfortable about the whole situation. What if the suspect is this guy? She asked herself. Who really is he? And what might he be doing here? But right now, those didn’t matter. She knew she had to save this guy’s life and surrender her fear towards everything. She has to, even for a while, step out of her comfort zone and live in reality.

!@#$%^&*

Ella door belled a couple more times, knowing that it was no way soon that he’d open the door to his house. She was ready to leave, knowing that he might just change his mind and refuse to see her, but she knew that it was impossible, so she had to endure and wait for a few more minutes until he opens up.

On the other hand, he leaned on the front door, hesitating and thinking twice whether he should open the door up for her to enter. He didn’t know why he was hesitating, he didn’t know why he feels so much guilt right now, but all he wanted really is to be able to see her again and take her in his arms once again.

He inhaled and exhaled a couple more times and fixed his messed up shirt and quietly swung the door open, revealing a petite figure and a short-cropped hair woman—Ella. They stared at each other’s eyes even before anyone could speak, “Ch—,“ “Ell—,“ They both uttered out at the same time.

“You speak first,” Once again, their words contradicted each other, leaving them quiet for a couple minutes or so until he offered that she go inside first before it gets colder and even before she gets sick.

He held her hand and ushered her to this sofa, completely not knowing why his heart was urging him to do so. Ella was of course shocked by his actions, although she simply just went with the flow.

She sat right beside him and waited for him to speak once again, but she didn’t wait any longer for she did the honors of doing so.

“Erm…” She paused and looked at him, on their intertwined hands and back to his face yet again.

He looked back with a warm look on his face. He didn’t look too much troubled nor did he look too happy. He was just him, nothing more or less than that.

She heaved out a heavy sigh and then finally had the urge of speaking up yet again, “Chun, I feel so awkward.” She withdrew her hands from his reach and sat up straight, looking at him.

“Do you want me to shake it all off?” He chuckled and ran a hand through her silky black, short-cropped hair before nearing the gap between their lips.

“What if I say that I don’t want it?” Ella asked, pushing him off a little farther away from her gently. She was pertaining to the kiss that he was about to initiate, but he didn’t look too bothered and continued on his own way without taking note of what she just said.

Just a few more millimeters apart, “The least you could do is to respond.”

She only nodded her head, closed her eyes and waited as he neared his lips to hers. There might just be something that’s telling them that after this moment of affection, they would perchance settle with the way they used to be before. Ella knew this had to have consequences on her side, but she didn’t care much. She was willing to give him a chance, anyway and perhaps, love him back at the same time just like how she feels loved by him right at the moment.

While to him, Charlene’s wake didn’t matter anymore. It might seem rude, but people might just think that he’s so bothered about his wife’s death and have been going crazy a little too much that's why he wasn't able to attend.

!@#$%^&*

On the other hand, a man walked further towards the woman who he rejected just last week. He held the edge of her wheelchair and then gripped on it tightly as he turned her to face him. There was a smile on her pretty face, he noticed and smiled as well.

“It seems too good to be true,” She began. “I didn’t know…” She paused, trying to think of what to say next. “I never thought that Ella’s just the right person that I’d need to be able to accompany me and support me all throughout this life of mine.”

“You sound so dramatic,” Anthony gave out a comment and pinched Selina’s cheeks as he let out a small laugh.

“That’s because you won’t tell me what you really feel,” Selina reiterated and focused her gaze on his empty-looking face.

He looked serious, although he didn’t seem bothered. “I was planning to be the one to tell you and for you and Ella to be able to settle differences even before I do so.”

“All I can say is that you think of things too much,” She smiled. “That’s what I like about you, Anthony. You’re unlike all the man I’ve met and been in a relationship with. You’re very feministic, yes. Almost like that of a girl’s, but you’re different…” She paused. “So very different.”

“Thank you for the compliments, Ms. Ren.” He formally thanked her and bowed, while laughing. “Now I think is the time that we’d have to settle things, though.”

“Would saying ‘I love you’ settle it all?” Selina asked.

“Maybe,” He thought for a moment, bent down a little and took her in his arms for a hug and whispered, “There might just be no words for me to be able to express how much I love you.”

She hit him playfully for the very dramatic, yet playful speech.

Then and there it happened. The two have finally settled their differences and realized how much love means. The other, although a boy, might be more feminine on the inside, but it didn’t matter. Just so long as they feel the same way. He wasn’t gay and there’s not doubt about that.

One couple down, one or two more to go.

!@#$%^&*

The next chapter would be more of CE or just plainly all CE. :D