JEOPARDY: Love in War

4. One Last Favor

Kayla was woken up by the persistent knocks on her door.

She pried her eyes open and reached for her phone from under the pillow.

7.30 am.

She had overslept. A lot.

She jumped off the bed, rushed to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, took a quick bath, dressed up, and opened the door.

"What's going on?" She asked the moment she met Alex's face.

"I was worried about you." His eyes roamed over her face as he spoke. "You didn't eat the whole of yesterday and didn't show up for the morning training today."

Oh, yeah. It was Saturday.

"I was asleep."

"For 18 hours?"

Apparently.

"I'm fine," she answered before she tried to get inside and lock the door.

Alex shot his hand out and grabbed the door, keeping it open. "You're coming with me. You and I are going to grab some breakfast, then we'll join the rest of the epsilons and train."

"No, thank you. I will come out later. On my own."

"I'm not asking. That's an order." His voice was firm and so were his eyes. He held her gaze and kept daring her to defy his order. He was her superior after all.

'Go with him. He's trying to help you.' Verina, Team Alex's number one fan, urged.

Just to be difficult, she saluted and mustered up a mock, "Yes, sir," before she joined Alex in the hallway.

She was about to lock her door and follow Alex when she heard her phone vibrate from her bedpost.

"What was that?" Alex turned and peeked into her room.

Kayla blocked his view as fast as she could before slamming the door just as fast. "Nothing."

"It doesn't sound like nothing. It sounds like a phone." His eyes narrowed, but she could smell his suspicion and frustration louder than his words.

Kayla let the door go and glared at him with her hands folded on her chest. "And if it is... how is that your business?"

"It's not my business if a phone vibrates in your room. It's however suspicious when you hide it and try to play it off."

Kayla sighed. "It's just a text. I will read it later. Let's go."

Alex folded his arms and widened his stance. "If someone texted you this early on a Saturday, it must be important. You should read it. I can wait."

Kayla wanted to read it too. But she was equally anxious about who it was from and what it said. Plus, the effect the text would have on her.

"Go on." Alex inclined his head towards her room.

Kayla nodded and rushed into her room, making sure to close the door behind her before she reached for her phone.

She was stupid for hoping it was Ivan. But she couldn't help it. She wanted it all to be a bad dream or the biggest misunderstanding in the world.

She hoped that the text was both an apology and an explanation for what had happened.

'There's nothing to explain. He's just another leech we need to gut. Period!'

Kayla ignored Verina and opened the text.

Ryan: Hey

Ryan: Can we meet?