User blog:Corbierr/Classified~ Chapter 2/Chapter 3





Chapter 2-



Meanwhile, Nina woke up to see familiar gray walls and was greeted by a nearly stark silence that had once been frightening, but was now to be expected.



How long has it been since she had been abducted from her home? Months, probably. She lost count of the days, not that there was much going on anyways. Only a few important events had happened, and the first of those was the most emotionally draining.



The day she woke up following the first, and so far only, meeting with the strange man in the strange office, she found herself in another weird room with an elderly lady who gave her some paper and a pen.



“You are going to write your boyfriend a letter,” the lady told her. “to explain your absence from that little boarding school of yours this year.”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“What if I just tell him I was kidnapped?” Nina asked, once again feeling rebellious. But she was more cautious that time; she kept one eye on the door behind her and made sure to remain seated as well as tried her best to remain relatively calm.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Our boss is going to read everything you write and if he sees any sort of message, hidden or otherwise, that tells anyone of your situation, you will rewrite it. You will write it until you get it correct.” She replied, in a tone of voice that told Nina that she had as much emotional investment in this process as one would have when buying a new carton of eggs. For this strange organization, things like this must have been completely routine. “Oh, and one last thing, Chosen One. Tell your Osirian he’s no longer needed. We don’t want any pesky protectors getting in the way of our mission, do we?”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Nina wished she had put up a fight or came up with something clever and sneaky to get into the letter. That didn’t happen, despite her numerous attempts. In the end, she was forced to lie to Fabian, and break up with him right there in the letter. She also had to claim the Osirian wasn’t meant to be with the Chosen One, despite the clear logic failure in that statement. Either way, that version of the letter was the one that made it through.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">A little while later was the only day she had been allowed out of the building since she had arrived there. She had been drugged again and woke up in a car on the way to the airport, where she had been forced to say goodbye to Eddie as if she had been the one talking to him on email for days. Nina also gave up her locket. She knew that if she kept it any longer, her captors would find a way to use it against her. It was another painful task...not that she had time to feel bad about it, as she was knocked out right after Eddie had boarded the plane to England, and she was taken back to her cell. All she remembered from that day was being in public for the first time in a while...and giving up the last thing that she had to an Osirian who was no longer able to protect her.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Most of the other days were a blur, as life had become monotonous and lonely. She woke up, ate the blissfully small portions of the awful food she was given -if she didn’t eat it, she was just force-fed instead, something she learned pretty early on- and spent much of her time in her cell. Everything moved at a strange pace; the days were slow, but when she lost track of the clock, it was hard not to feel like the calendar itself was passing by rapidly. Every few days- once a week, possibly, though she could never be sure of that- she went to see some people who checked her health. Physical, mainly. Nobody seemed to concerned with her mental state, but why would they? She wasn’t a person to them. She was merely the Chosen One.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Nobody had yet told her of why she was here or what she was meant to do. Once in a while she’d hear whispers down the hall and catch a bit of a conversation, but in the next minute the voices would fade and she’d be alone in the silence again, with only her thoughts to keep her company again. A few times Nina did her some interesting tidbits, however. Mentions of Egypt kept popping up, and she heard the name “Khair” at some point. She wasn’t sure who it was referring to, but she decided to attach the name to the strange man she assumed was the leader of this organization. She also heard them mention Robert Frobisher-Smythe at some point, but her chance to listen in on that one conversation had been especially short, so all she could do was imagine what it could possibly have been referring to.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">In an effort to keep from going crazy, she’d often just sit there and remind herself of things. It would always have to begin with “My name is Nina Martin…”, or else she was afraid she’d just think her name was “Chosen One.”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Today she was given watery eggs and burnt toast. It was disgusting, but she choked it down as best she could and saved her lone glass of water for later. Afterwards, Nina just paced back and forth in the tiny room, talking to herself like she did every day.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“My name is Nina Martin. I am sixteen years old. No, wait, seventeen. I am seventeen years old. I was raised by my Gran. During highschool, I went to Amun Academy in England. I stayed at Anubis House. All my best friends are there. Fabian...I loved Fabian.”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">She heard footsteps in the hall and stopped by the cell door, hoping to get to listen in on another conversation. But they disappeared almost immediately. Nina went back what she was doing.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I was the leader of Sibuna. Sibuna is Anubis backwards. I had friends with me. Fabian, Amber, Patricia, and Alfie… Eddie was my Osirian. My protector…”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">But he can’t protect you now, <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">A voice in her head replied. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">You’re alone now, Chosen One.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chosen One. She was sick of hearing those words. Sometimes she just wanted to scream, “That’s not my name!” By this point, however, she knew better. She had to wonder to herself, though. Did these people even know her name? They must have, if they were watching her for her entire life. Then again, if they really did want to take the humanity part out of the occasion, maybe they did think that’s all her name was.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">She continued to pace.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“My name is Nina Martin…”

<p style="text-align:center;">'''

Corbierr (talk)

'''

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:19px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Chapter 3-

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Patricia paid little attention to the movie that afternoon. It was just a standard horror film, and as someone who has not only watched many of them in her lifetime,  but has also <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">lived through <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> slightly similar events, she found it hard to be invested in the same story recycled once again. Then again, after almost seeing Eddie die in front of her eyes a week ago, it was hard to be frightened by anything. Instead, she found her boyfriend himself to be more interesting. Around the time the masked killer was ready to catch their own victim, she <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">also <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> caught something- Eddie staring off into space. The movie must have been boring him, too.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">She threw popcorn at his head to get his attention. When he jumped a little, she couldn’t help but smile while she whispered, “Hey, welcome back to Earth,”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Sorry, sorry.” Eddie was acting like she just pulled him out of sleep, rather than a day dream. “I’ve got something on my mind, that’s all.”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Like what?” Patricia couldn’t help but question him right away; it was an old impulse of hers.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">He frowned. “It’s, uh, hard to explain right now, but…” Eddie tried to say more but was interrupted when the person behind him gave him an annoyed shush. Lowering his voice and leaning closer to her, he said, “I’ll tell you later, okay?” A moment later, he saw the popcorn bag in her lap and took it. “I’m stealing this.”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Just shrugging, she returned her attention to the movie screen, where the hero was finally getting the bright idea to stay in a group rather than run off alone. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Only took them about an hour to figure that one out… <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> It was hard not to think of Sibuna, and how they were always in a group on <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> every <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> mission, even if that “group” was actually just a duo. She spent the rest of the movie thinking of her friends and the mysteries. It was more interesting, even if she knew how the story ended…

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">As soon as the movie was over, Patricia confronted Eddie. “Okay, so what’s going on?”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Her boyfriend sighed and pulled out his phone. While searching for something, he said, “So dad had a visitor today,”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“So what?”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“He was applying or whatever to take Victor’s place at Anubis House.”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Oh. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">She could see how that might be important, but just if she was willing to make up more conspiracy theories. “So? He’s not Rufus or someone, is he?” Patricia meant that as a joke, but it was hard to catch the humor.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Well, no. But he does have this, uh, interesting briefcase.” Eddie held out his phone, and she took it from him.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“The Eye of Horus… I don’t suppose you can still use Nina’s locket without your superpowers, can you?”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">He sighed and took the phone back, studying the picture. “No… I showed the picture to Fabian earlier and he told me to ask what you think about it. So? Do you think we have another mystery to solve, Yacker?”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Patricia rolled her eyes and started walking towards her boyfriend’s new car. “Isn’t there always?”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I wouldn’t know,” Eddie answered, pulling out the keys to unlock the doors. “Aren’t I still technically a newbie?”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">She smirked and settled down in the car.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“What more could there be, though? It’s not like all Frobisher did was come up with puzzles for people like us to solve, is it?” He turned on the engine and they started to drive away.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Patricia rolled her eyes and started looking through his CD collection to find one to listen to, while saying, “It’s not like it has to have been his doing, you know.” She held up a Sick Puppies album and he nodded.

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">While she set up the music, Eddie replied, “I know, I know… Hey, skip to the next song, I like that one better.”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“No way, weasel, I like this one.” He rolled his eyes at her quick refusal, but said nothing. She was a bit disappointed, but continued the other conversation. “Anyways, is there such a problem with having another mystery? I kind of like it.”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">He gave her a side glance, then returned his focus to the road. “You do?”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Patricia shrugged. “It at least lets me do something other than just being an ordinary, boring student.”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Yacker, I don’t think you will <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">ever <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> be an ordinary student. Or boring, for that matter.”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Aww, thanks.” She laughed, giving him a playful nudge. “So is this it? Are we doing another mystery?”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Eddie shrugged. He seemed hesitant when he answered, but replied, “I guess it’s your choice, that’s what Fabian and I agreed, anyways.” He reached over to play with the radio, but Patricia slapped his hand away in defiance. “Oww, Yacker, it’s <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">my <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">car you know!”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“You’re playing that card now? You must <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">really <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> be desperate.”

<p style="text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Just make your choice!”

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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">With a small grin on her face, she gave him the team salute and said, “Better say Sibuna, Sweety Jr.”

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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Sibuna,” her boyfriend sighed,clearly not even trying to fake some enthusiasm. But then his borderline frown turned into an excited smile. “...Oh, hey, turn up the music, this next one is my favorite.”

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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">For once she decided to do as he said, and cranked it up. Patricia would just never tell him the reason she did it was that it was <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">her <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> favorite song, too. They rode off to the restaurant, listening to the blasting metal music the entire way. It was loud, but it was fun.

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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Finally, a date night she actually enjoyed.

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