Secretly Yours || FreenBecky [Completed]

Chapter 23

Freen found herself caught in the grip of Becky's intertwining fingers. If she left, she knew Becky would wake up and question her whereabouts. Going out alone wasn't an option, as Becky insisted on accompanying her.

Suddenly, rain poured again, prompting Freen to close the windows. Surprisingly, Becky let her go. In the kitchen, Freen decided to cook porridge and prepare Becky's medicine. Upon her return, she discovered Becky in tears, murmuring anxiously.

"No, please. Don't leave," Becky cried. "Please, don't."

Freen rushed to her side, waking her from the nightmare. Becky looked at her with sad eyes, avoiding direct eye contact. Freen sensed that the dream involved someone else—possibly the girl Richie mentioned, the one Becky never talked about. The one who left her heartbroken.

"Bec," Freen called gently, placing the porridge on the bedside table. "Are you okay?"

"I'm feeling better now. Thank you," Becky smiled and closed her eyes once more. Freen knew she was hiding something, but she chose not to pry. What haunted Becky in her dreams?

"I'll step out for a while. Maybe the dean will cancel the punishment, considering there's a thunderstorm coming. He won't just leave us here, right?" Freen inquired.

Becky nodded, hugging herself. She wasn't in the mood. As Freen stepped outside, she encountered Richie, waiting with an umbrella.

Freen closed the door and joined Richie, heading toward the lake near the cabin. She wondered if he was here for Becky or had something to discuss. How did he even know about this cabin?

"What are you doing here? Your sister has a fever. She needs to go home," Freen stated.

"Dad agreed to take her back to London, but on one condition—she never returns here," Richie revealed, sighing. "After this punishment, our parents will fetch her. I don't know how to stop them. I even said that Becky changed her mind, even though she didn't."

"She has changed her mind. She will stay," Freen assured. "I won't let Becky go away like that, Richie. She's enjoying herself here. She won't grow up if she continues isolating herself."

"Why are you so concerned about her?" Richie asked, furrowing his brows. "It's as if you like her. You're not like that with anyone, Freen. Remember how you hate people? Especially someone like her, an outgoing girl who only loves to party."

"Your sister is not like that," Freen disagreed. "Becky's nice. Perhaps, you don't know everything about her. You didn't grow up with her, right?"

"You're saying nonsensical things again, Freen." Richie sighed, his expression turning slightly angry. "From now on, I won't let Becky see you."

Freen furrowed her brows, meeting Richie's gaze defiantly. "You can't control her, Richie. She's also my friend. Are you jealous?"

"Yes, I am," he admitted.

The space beneath the umbrella felt suffocating. Freen wanted to walk away, but she didn't want to get sick. The cold, combined with her frustration, made her head spin.

"If you think I'm choosing Becky over you, don't worry, you're still my best friend." She patted his shoulder, attempting to calm herself.

"I'm not jealous because I'm your best friend, Freen." Richie sighed, averting his gaze. "Why can't you feel it?"

Freen knew where this was going. Richie was her best friend, and though he never dated anyone, they pretended to be a couple before. When she started dating, they stopped the charade and became closer. She admitted she was once attracted to him, but Becky changed her perspective.

"Let's pretend I didn't hear it, and you didn't say it." Freen stepped out of the umbrella and returned to the cabin.

Back inside, she found Becky still resting. She smiled sadly and approached her. If she wasn't soaked, she would hug her tightly.

"You went outside?" Becky asked, sitting up and attempting to cover Freen with a blanket, but Freen stopped her.

"Tomorrow, we can go home. Promise me you'll just rest at home, okay? And visit me in my dorm," Freen pinched her cheeks playfully.

"Hmm. You should shower now, or else you'll get sick too," Becky advised, gently pushing her.

Freen smiled and nodded. She grabbed a towel and entered the bathroom, but the thought of Becky leaving lingered in her mind. What if next week Becky didn't return because her parents grew tired of her back-and-forth visits? Freen shook her head, refusing to entertain such thoughts. Becky would do everything to stay. She trusted her, and Becky wouldn't let her down.