Episode 2
Freya woke up with a single goal in mind—she needed a job.
She had spent the morning searching, walking through the streets, knocking on doors, and asking shop owners if they were hiring. Each rejection stung, but she refused to let it discourage her. She didn’t have the luxury to be picky. She needed to work—anything to bring home even the smallest income.
By noon, luck finally smiled upon her.
A small family-owned diner at the edge of town had put up a handwritten sign: HELP WANTED. It wasn’t much, just a position as a dishwasher, but it was something.
The manager, a kind elderly woman named Mrs. Delaney, had taken one look at her desperate expression and hired her on the spot. The pay was meager, the hours long, and the work exhausting, but Freya didn't care. As long as it put food on the table, that was all that mattered.
She spent the entire day scrubbing plates, enduring the heat of the kitchen, and listening to the chatter of customers from the dining area. Her hands ached, her back hurt, and exhaustion weighed heavily on her shoulders.
But as she stepped out of the diner that evening, her heart felt just a little lighter.
It wasn’t much, but at least she wouldn’t go home empty-handed.
The streets were dimly lit, the cool night air brushing against Freya’s skin as she walked home. In her hands, she carried a plastic bag filled with fresh vegetables—her first purchase with the money she had earned today. It wasn’t a feast, but it was enough to make a proper meal for her family.
Her legs ached from standing all day, and her eyelids felt heavy, but the thought of her mother and little brother waiting for her at home kept her moving.
As she turned a corner, she let out a small sigh.
Freya
(thinking): At least today wasn’t a total loss… Maybe tomorrow, I can ask Mrs. Delaney if she needs help with something else. Maybe she’ll—
A sudden voice boomed from behind her, shattering the silence.
Freya let out a sharp gasp, nearly dropping her groceries as her heart leaped into her throat. She spun around, fists clenched, ready to swing at whoever had just scared the life out of her.
Laughter erupted in response.
She recognized that laugh immediately.
Freya
“Gosh! Rex, are you trying to give me a heart attack?!” *she snapped, pressing a hand to her chest as if it would slow her pounding heart.*
Standing before her, grinning like a fool, was Rex.
He had always been a part of her life—her childhood friend, her protector, the boy who had always been just a little too overbearing for her liking. Tall and broad-shouldered, with dark tousled hair and sharp eyes that always carried a hint of mischief, he looked as smug as ever.
Rex
“Did I scare you that bad?” *he smirked, his hands casually shoved into his pockets.*
Freya rolled her eyes, still trying to recover from the shock.
Freya
"Of course, you idiot! Don’t do that again!" *She scolded him, though a small smile tugged at her lips.*
Rex
*Rex chuckled.* "Alright, alright… my bad."
His gaze dropped to the heavy bag in her hands, and without a word, he reached out to take it.
Freya quickly pulled it back, shaking her head.
Freya
"You don’t have to, Rex. I can manage."
Rex
"It’s fine, Freya. I’ll walk you home." *His voice softened, no longer teasing.* "You shouldn’t be walking alone this late. It’s not safe."
For a moment, she hesitated.
Freya
(thinking): Why does he always do this?
Rex had always been there—checking up on her, making sure she was safe, stepping in whenever she needed help, even when she never asked for it. She should’ve been used to it by now, but sometimes, she wondered why he went out of his way for her.
Still, she was too tired to argue. With a small sigh, she let him take the bag from her hands, watching as he carried it with ease.
They walked side by side in comfortable silence, the only sounds coming from the occasional chirping of crickets and the distant hum of cars passing through town.
Freya
"You always do this, you know?"
Rex
*Rex looked down at her, raising an eyebrow.* "Do what?"
Freya
"Act like my personal bodyguard."
A small smile played on his lips, but instead of his usual teasing remark, his voice was softer when he spoke.
Rex
"Well… someone has to look after you."
The moment he spotted Freya walking alone at night, he couldn’t help himself.
He had been on his way home when he saw her—shoulders slumped, exhaustion written all over her face, carrying that grocery bag like it weighed a hundred pounds.
He knew Freya was stubborn. She never asked for help, never admitted when she was struggling. But he could see it, clear as day.
So, like always, he stepped in.
Scaring her had been a childish impulse, but the way she shrieked and turned on him with wide eyes was worth it. She was adorable when she was mad.
But beneath the teasing, beneath the laughter, there was something deeper—something he never had the courage to say out loud.
Rex
(thinking): Freya… if only you knew.
For years, he had watched over her. As kids and now as teenagers
She had no idea how many times he had wanted to tell her. How many times he had almost said those three words, only to swallow them back.
Rex
(thinking): I love you, Freya.
But she had never looked at him that way. To her, he was just Rex—her best friend, the boy who annoyed her, the one who always had her back.
And if staying by her side as a friend was the only way he could be close to her, then so be it.
He looked down at her, watching as she walked beside him, completely unaware of the war raging inside him.
She had no idea how much he wanted every moment like this to last forever.
Freya stole a glance at Rex, wondering—not for the first time—why he was always like this.
Protective. Attentive. Always there.
She knew he was just being Rex, but sometimes, she couldn’t shake the thought:
Freya
(thinking): Why does he care so much?
He had always been there, from childhood until now, watching over her like it was second nature. But why? Was it just habit? Loyalty?
Or was there something more?
Freya shook the thought away, focusing instead on the warmth of the night air and the comforting presence beside her.
For now, she wouldn’t question it.
For now, she would just be grateful.
And so, they walked on—side by side, two hearts beating in silent understanding, neither realizing how much the other wished for something more.
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