Last Hope

Charles was seated on the sofa in their living room on Saturday afternoon, his arms clutching a cushion. He was going through his Instagram feed when Jonas' post appeared on his newsfeed; he mistakenly touched Jonas' profile rather than liking his post. As a result, Jonas' Instagram story appears on his screen.

When Jonas' Instagram story finished playing on his screen, Charles was startled for a time. He quickly tapped Jonas' profile again so his story will show up, but this time he pressed the screen, so that Jonas' story could remained on his screen for as long as he desired.

"Who's that?" Charleston, Charles older brother, asked. Charles immediately turned his head to behind him and his eyes widen when he saw his brother looking at his screen too. He immediately turned off his phone and put it inside his pocket.

"Nothing." Charles answered and watched his brother walk and sit on the sofa in front of him.

"There is just one woman with whom you are now involved. Would it be considered a sin if I assumed you was staring at Gabriella's photo?" Charleston asked while smirking.

Charles puts his head down and tried to hide the smile that's threatening to appear on his lips. "Is your girlfriend for real?" Charleston asked again when he notices how his younger brother reacts on his previous question. Charles raised his head up and stared at his older brother, trying to figure out what's the most appropriate answer to his question.

Charles can neither admit that they are contractual lovers nor real lovers, he doesn't want to admit their bond was created by a gibberish deal but at the same time he doesn't have enough rights to consider the both of them as a real lovers. But he sometimes feels like they are and the feelings between them are mutual or are they just so good at pretending that even him get scammed?

"Bro, how did you convince Aaliyah to become your girlfriend?" Charles suddenly asked. Charleston look up at their ceiling as if he was reminiscing their past.

"I was in the same department as Aaliyah, and when I discovered I liked her, I tried my hardest to be the greatest gentleman in her eyes, and after we got closer, I confessed. That's when I knew our feelings were mutual, so we decided to go for it, and we've been together for eight years and counting." Charleston answered with a smile on his lips, as if those memories were the only core memory of his that, when replayed, changed his mood to a different level. "Why'd you ask?" Charleston added, showing confusion on his face.

"Oh! A friend asked me for an advice, so I figured I'd ask you, who have been in a relationship for much too long," Charles said, which Charleston knew was a lie.

"Really? What kind of advice your friend asked for?" Charleston asked while smirking.

"Well, uhm..." Charles began, adjusting his position on the sofa. "He told me he liked a girl and that instead of pursuing her, he made a deal with her to pretend to be each other's girlfriend. So he asked me what he should do if that woman already has someone on her heart," Charles said, while Charleston listened intently and tried not to chuckle at his brother's attempt to convey his own sentiments via the lens of someone else.

"Is the person she likes aware of her feelings for him?" Charleston asked.

"Yeah, everyone knows she likes him." Charles answered still looking at his brother seriously while on the other hand, Charleston's still trying to restraint himself to laugh by coughing.

"Then why is she still not breaking the deal with your friend?" Charleston asked after coughing multiple times.

"Why not, that's what they agreed on. To help her get close to the guy she likes? " Charles asked confused

"Ugh, isn't it going to be even more difficult for her to get close to him?" Charleston responded, and in less than a minute, the entire living room had fallen silent. Charleston scowled at his younger brother, his look becoming serious as he observed his younger brother's solemn expression. Charles merely glanced at the floor as he processed what his elder brother had said.

"What should he do now?" Charles asked after a considerable period of contemplation.

"Confess? Of course, you should have told the person about your feelings before pursuing them; but, telling someone how you feel by the way you act toward them is insufficient; similarly, telling them your feelings using simply your words is insufficient. I'm sure you've heard the expression 'actions speak louder than words', however that is no longer true. You should keep your actions and words in check. To minimize confusion, actions must be followed by words, and actions should never oppose your words. After confessing his feelings, he must next prove how he feels to this person via his actions, which should never contradict his words." Charleston's lengthy response, he turned his gaze to his wrist watch and then look back to his brother with a reassuring smile. "I have to go; I still have some meetings to attend. I wish your friend a good luck" Charleston added and stands up from his place on the sofa and pat Charles on the shoulder, to which Charles simply nodded.

When Charles was alone in their living room, he began to reflect on what his older brother had just said. He was still sitting on the sofa, gripping a pillow, but his mind was roaming around, trying to figure out what he should do based on what his brother had told him.

Sometime have passed and Charles was still pondering on her brother's words. He was stuck between following her brother's words and just going with the flow of the connection between him and Gabriella.

Charles decided to get up from the sofa and wash his body since his brain was starting to hurt from all of his pondering. He exited his bathroom topless, with his towel wrapped around his waist and another towel hanging around his neck as he used the end of it to dry his hair.

While still drying, he was looking at his reflection in the mirror inside his room when his phone suddenly vibrated. He walked over to the table where his phone was and got it from there. He checked it and found a text message from a teammate asking him to a play game.

He accepted his invitation quickly and dressed in his black adidas originals superstar tracksuit. He grabbed his keys and badminton bag, which contained his rackets and a shuttlecock, and walked to their garage to start his motorcycle. He then drove straight to the location of their games.

When he got at the place, everyone was already there, so they began their game right away. As Charles swung his badminton rackets, his mind began to wander, which caused him to lose concentration on the game. When his teammates noticed he wasn't doing well, they urged him to take a break first, but Charles refused, and the game continued with Charles not fully focused.

"I'll head home." After three games, Charles told his teammates. His comrades remained silent and only nodded in accord. Charles slipped his badminton racquet into his backpack and then into his shoulder. We walk towards his motorcycle as he plays with his fingers on the keys.

Charles immediately drove his motorcycle to their home and when he arrive he quickly run to his room and slum his body to his bed. He took his phone out from his pocket and tapped Gabriella's I.D on his contact list.

He just stared at it for too long, trying to decide whether to text her or wait until weekdays to talk to her in person. In the end, he couldn't decide and simply placed his phone on his bedside table. He struggled to sleep while the same thought ran through his mind.

The next morning, Sunday, Charles was working out when his brother suddenly interrupted him.

"How's your friend's confession?" Charleston jokingly asked. Charles just looks at him while lifting dumbbells.

"I'm not sure, we haven't talked yet." Charles answered.

"That's not fun. I've been expecting what would happen next to them and anticipating what he would ask for help on next; if he hasn't confessed yet, perhaps others will be ahead of him." Charleston said and walks away. After three steps, he looked back at his brother to check his expression, and when nothing had changed, he shrugged his shoulder and continued walking away.

When Charleston had totally left, Charles placed the dumbbells down and checked to see whether his brother had really left. When he didn't see him, he grabbed his phone and quickly composed a text message for Gabriella, which he sent without hesitation due to nervousness. And as soon as he sent the text message, he picked up his dumbbell and resumed his workout as if nothing had happened.

After his training, Charles showered and dressed casually in black shorts and a white patterned t-shirt. He then takes his dog for a stroll around their neighborhood, contemplating if he done the right thing or the stupidest and most corny things in his life.

He returned to their house with his dog after a few rounds around their neighborhood. He immediately returned to his room and checked his phone to see whether Gabriella had responded to his message. Gabriella, on the other hand, did not respond to him.

He decided to sleep since he had nothing else to do. He slept too long as he was exhausted and awoke as the night neared. He pulled his phone from his bedside table to see whether Gabriella had responded, but he had not gotten a response.

He casually looks through his Instagram account because Gabriella hasn't responded yet. After a moment, a Jonas post appeared on his feed, and his heart began to race as he checked every photo Jonas had uploaded. He couldn't take his eyes off Jonas' message or scroll it up; it was only interrupted when a notification appeared in the upper corner of his screen.

It was Gabriella's text message. When he saw Gabriella's name, he immediately opened it.

'Sure, let's talk tomorrow. I also have something to say to you.' only after reading Gabriella's text message did he convinced himself that he had done the right thing.

He didn't reply on her text message again. He got up from his bed, walk out of his room and walk towards their kitchen to eat his dinner. He was zoning out as he put every spoon of his meal on his mouth. He continued doing the same thing until he finishes his food.

He returned to his room and continued sleeping as soon as he was finished.

Charles awoke early the next morning. Before having a bath and eating his breakfast, he completed some workouts. When he was finished, he took his key and duffel bag and walked over to their garage to get his motorcycle.

He drove it to their campus, parked it outside, and stood next to it while waiting for Gabriella. He felt confident to wait for her on campus since he knew she wouldn't be there that early. A black SUV pulls up in front of their campus after a few minutes. Its door swung open, and Gabriella appeared.

"Ella." Charles immediately approached Gabriella when the SUV disappeared. Gabriella was taken aback when she saw Charles waiting for her, but her mood quickly changed and she smiled apologetically.

"Uhm I-I have to attend an early meeting right now, can we just talk later?" Gabriella asked while her eyes were trying to avoid meeting Charles eyes. As a response, Charles just nodded his head. Gabriella then passes by him, and Charles couldn't help but gaze at her as she walks away as quickly as she can.

Since he didn't have the chance to talk to her, he parked his car in the parking lot and walked over to their gym to begin training for their upcoming game against the other district.

As noon approached, Charles attempted to find Gabriella but was unable to do so, as if she was seeking to avoid seeing him on purpose. This went on till the afternoon. When Charles was certain Gabriella had finished all of her classes, he chose to wait outside their room for her.

Her pals are finally out from their rooms one by one after a few minutes of waiting. Olivia was the first to see him, and she shot him a lethal stare, which he returned with a smile. And when Vanessa saw him, she gasped as if she had seen a ghost making eye contact with her, but then her expression changed and a huge smile came on her lips as she turned around and called Gabriella's name.

Gabriella emerges from their room, puzzled, carrying her stuff. Vanessa pointed her fingers in the direction of Charles, and when she saw him standing there, her puzzled expression changed to shock, just like it had when she first saw him in the morning. Vanessa had already pushed her towards Charles, so she didn't get the chance to avoid him this time.

Gabriella's friend walks away immediately not giving Gabriella the chance to follow them so she was left with no choice but to stay and talk to Charles.

"Can we talk now?" Charles asked. Gabriella just nodded while her eyes was focused somewhere else. Gabriella simply follows Charles as he walks towards the garden. When they arrived at the garden, Charles turned to face Gabriella, and she almost collided with him as she walked continuously.

"Ella, do you remember the girl I've told you when I first asked to pretend as my girlfriend?" Charles suddenly asked.

"That girl who have been following you around? Of course, I remember her!" Gabriella answered with a bit of ranged in her voice as she remember what was the reason that girl has been following Charles around.

"Yeah, actually she stopped following me around since I told her I already have a girlfriend." Charles added. Gabriella couldn't determine how she felt; part of her was relieved that no one was bugging Charles anymore, but another part of her was upset because she knew that if this girl had stopped pestering Charles, their deal would have to cease as well.

"And?" Gabriella asked trying to hide her thoughts on the back of her head.

"So, I think we should end the deal between us." Charles said which put Gabriella on a huge turmoil. She witnessed her final hope crumble in before of her eyes, and she felt as if her heart was being ripped apart and she couldn't say anything at all to stop it.

She had no choice but to remain there and watch as her final hope disappeared.