R I D I N [zhong chenle] ✓

T W E N T Y - F I V E

Xiu Ying looked around, one last hope in her eyes before she finally gave up. Shoulders slumped, she propped her face with her palm as she looked at the board lazily while spinning a pen.

She was sad, she felt sad because the one person she wanted to see the most wasn't here. Who is she thinking? Of course, it's Chenle.

Poor Chenle had too much of a rough night so he avoided school today, but Xiu Ying doesn't know that. Extremely bitter, she let her mind wander. For the past few days, all she could think about was her feelings. She didn't even bother with extra classes, which left Mrs. Kim furious but she could care less.

Not meeting up with Devil Rider last night might've made her mood even worse, but Xiu Ying was so overwhelmed with her thoughts that she didn't want to meet anyone at all. Plus, her hickey was still healing. She didn't want to meet him the day exactly after that whole hot session, would feel too awkward. Anyways, it was less noticeable now but makeup was still added on to cover it.

Thoughts completely messed up, Xiu Ying let out a tiny whine before slamming her face onto her desk hoping to sleep the endless thinking away.

~~~

No sight of Chenle anyway, and Xiu Ying felt horrible. Once again she decided to not meet up with Rider just because she didn't feel like causing crimes. Getting her phone ready, she called a number.

"Rosie?", a deep and rough voice answered. Xiu Ying blushed at the tone, feeling a bit skippy.

"Hey, Puddin' ", she giggled. "How are you baby?"

"I'm good but I don't get why you're calling me when we're meeting anyways"

"Yeah...about that", she bit her lip. "I'm not coming tonight either"

There was silence between them, and she thought he had hung up. Bringing the phone away from her ear, a sudden voice came from the other line and she pressed it against her ear again.

"What did you say?"

"Are you avoiding me?"

"What, of course not!"

"Then why can't you meet me tonight? "

"Just, because..."

"Because?", Xiu Ying hated the fact she could already see him arching an eyebrow, not amused and wanting to get straight to the point.

"Because!", Xiu Ying let out a sigh. "What are we?"

"What?"

"You and me. Devil Rider and Bloodrose. Puddin' and Rosie. What are we two?"

"...We're accomplices, of course"

"That's it? Are you telling me that's it?"

"What do you want to hear the-"

"Last thing I recall, accomplices don't suddenly start caring about the other. They don't come close in contact with them, and they don't just suddenly give each other hickeys!", Xiu Ying groaned in frustration. She heard shuffling in the background but didn't bother because she was too worked up.

"That one grinding moment? I admit I did that for fun. But ever since the time you comforted me, I don't know it just feels weird here", Hearing no reply made her more agitated.

"And I'm probably crazy, out of my mind! Because I feel different and funny whenever I'm around you but I also feel the same with this other boy and it's just so confusing. We don't know each other well, we literally see each other with masks and don't know each other's real names but I still feel like I've known you for so long and that I see myself with you, always"

"And...and, well...", Xiu Ying fiddled with the hem of her blanket as she thought of what else to say. The opposite line was so silent that she doesn't know whether she should continue or not.

"Rosie...", a voice called out.

Except it wasn't from the phone.

[Until the end, I throw myself reloading]