Loving Raph Is Red (TMNT) ✔

9: Unrequited

Raphael carefully stood at the ledge of the apartment at Alice's side of the window. He saw a ray of light coming from inside. Slowly, he peeked and saw Alice in her sleepwear walking towards the bedroom. She reached for the switch to turn it off before entering her bedroom.

He wanted to jump to her bedroom veranda. But he knew that would cross the line to stalkerish. So he stopped himself. But then, he heard a click next to him. Alice opened the door and was about to walk outside. Instantly, Raphael hid himself before she could go out and stand outside. He moved just enough to see a bit of her. Raphael felt butterflies in his stomach.

He saw the way the moonlight shone over her face. "So pretty." He thought to himself. 

Alice exhaled deeply as she held onto the railings. She looked up, then bent down, supporting herself as she looked down. She was getting some air, it appeared.

Raphael, then, had his eyes accidentally glance at her behind. Instantly, he felt something. A sensation he could not avoid. He felt himself pulse down there. He realized he was biting his lip. Then, the turtle shook his head to wake himself up and focus. He looked away.

Alice stood there for a minute, just looking up and around.

Raphael realized that she had been staying inside her apartment instead of going up the rooftop. She's been avoiding the turtle, and that was obvious. Raph felt hurt.

But he did not know that she was slightly confused and scared about how she felt. Alice thought it was ridiculous to feel certain feelings for a creature. She would always sneer at the guys she dated, but how crazy it was for her to feel things after meeting an anthropomorphic turtle! She wanted to keep talking to him. She really did. But she was scared of the things she would do. What if the turtle refused? She would humiliate herself again.

She remembered the call she received from Angela, her sister. She asked how the date went and all she said was that she was done. She said she was done dating. It was time she gave it up and just let fate intervene.

Angela sighed and agreed to let it go. She was happy, but deep inside, Alice was hoping for something else. Not another blind date, but something else.

That was when she realized she could not stop thinking about the turtle.

She would sleep and dream about him. She would recite his name out of nowhere: while she was in the shower, while she was working, or even while she was lying on the bed in the middle of the night.

She felt bad for not turning up at the rooftop. She wondered what the turtle must be thinking. She felt guilty. But then again, she did not trust herself. She forced herself to stay inside, hoping the turtle would appear at her window knocking. She laughed at the thought. Alice even imagined the turtle would knock on her door and ask where she's been. Earlier, she looked at the window and thought that maybe...just maybe...if she hung at the veranda for a little bit, the turtle would see her there.

But she stood there alone...or so she thought.

Alice sighed then left the veranda and went back inside. 

Raphael realized he hasn't breathed when she turned around and walked back inside. He felt his heart beat loud. He was hurt. He wanted her so much.

But he knew it was time to leave.