Chapter 55: CH 055: You like me? (MR 9)

Chapter 55: CH 055: You like me? (MR 9)The door to the room clicked shut behind Dave, leaving a charged silence in the hallway. Outside, the others couldn’t help but wonder what was going on, the curiosity and tension hanging thick in the air. The three teenage boys, standing just out of sight, exchanged restless glances. Their bodies were taut, their eyes sharp with barely contained emotion. Gab was at the front, his fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight with rage. He was furious, absolutely furious. His mind raced with thoughts of Ella and Dave, her subtle smile earlier that had made his stomach twist with jealousy. He had always kept his feelings hidden, but now, seeing her go into that room with Dave... it felt like a kick to his stomach. "I’m going in there," Gab muttered, his voice low, filled with determination. The other two, Felix and Fin, exchanged a glance before stepping in front of him. "Gab, hold up," Felix said, his tone trying to be calm but tinged with concern. "You’re going to get yourself into trouble. You know Chris is here, right?" Felix’s hand went to Gab’s shoulder, an attempt to stop him, but Gab shrugged it off violently. His eyes were wild, burning with the kind of anger that Felix hasn’t seen before. "I don’t care about Chris, or anyone else," Gab spat. "This is about Ella. How dare that brat make a move on her? She’s mine!" His voice shook with the intensity of his feelings, and his fists tightened even further. Felix’s face creased in frustration as he tried again. "Gab, listen to me. Chris hasn’t said anything, but that doesn’t mean we’re in the clear. If he learns that we were trying to sneak away, or worse, challenge Dave, like you’re doing now, well, we’ll be in real trouble. He’ll tell the executives not to let us on another mission. We might even get kicked off the executive team." His voice dropped, the weight of his words sinking in. "Is that really what you want?" Gab didn’t answer right away. His eyes flickered with a hint of hesitation, but it only lasted a moment. He was too angry to be reasoned with. "No," Gab growled, shaking off the doubt. "I don’t care if Chris is watching. I’m taking that brat down, right now." His voice was resolute, and without another word, he shoved past Felix, his stride determined as he moved toward the door of the small room. Felix watched Gab’s retreating form with a mix of exasperation and worry. "This is a bad idea," he muttered under his breath. But there was nothing they could do now. Gab was too far gone in his anger, and no amount of reason was going to pull him back. So they just watched as he stalked down the hallway toward the door where Dave and Ella had went into. As Gab reached for the doorknob, his blood was still boiling, the heat of his anger almost tangible. He was so consumed by the thought of what Dave might be doing with Ella that he didn’t even consider the consequences. All that mattered was pulling Ella out of there and humiliating Dave. Felix and the third boy, Fin, stood there for a second, exchanging looks. Felix opened his mouth, clearly about to protest further, but nothing had came out, and instead they just watched Gab went inside the room. Meanwhile, from where Eric was sitting, he simply just leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, eyes glinting with mischief as he waited for the inevitable confrontation. "Well," he chuckled softly, "this is going to be fun." **** Ella’s footsteps echoed against the cold, smooth tiles as she made her way toward the room, the sound of each step a reminder of the anticipation swirling in her chest. Her thoughts were scattered, her mind racing with questions that seemed to twist and turn faster than she could grasp them. Why had Dave called for her? Her heart picked up its pace with every step, thumping louder in her ears as her hands felt inexplicably clammy. She couldn’t stop herself from running through multiple possibilities in her head. Especially as to why Dave had requested for them to meet here. As she reached the door, her fingers hovered for a brief moment over the handle. The cool metal sent a chill up her spine, and she hesitated, just a beat before gently pushing it open. The door creaked softly on its hinges, and her gaze immediately fell on Dave, standing in the corner near the shelf, his back to her. She could only see the outline of him, the sharp angles of his shoulders silhouetted by the dim light of the room. But as soon as he heard the door, he turned, his eyes meeting hers. For a heartbeat, they stood there, just looking at each other. There was something in his gaze, a flicker of emotion she couldn’t place, something uncertain, maybe even vulnerable, before it was quickly replaced by determination. He took a step toward her, closing the distance between them, and she felt her breath catch in her throat. "Ella," Dave’s voice was steady, but there was an unmistakable edge to it. He didn’t waste any time. His words hung in the air, unexpected and direct. "You like me, don’t you?" The question was like a punch to the gut. Ella’s breath hitched, her pulse jumping wildly in her veins. ’What?’ The words didn’t seem real, not in that moment. She stood frozen for a split second, her mind scrambling to catch up with the sudden shift in the atmosphere. Her chest tightened, and a knot formed in her stomach as the silence stretched on. ’Did he really just ask me that?’ She opened her mouth, but the words came tumbling out before she could stop them, before she even had a chance to think. "How do you know?" she said quickly, but before he could respond, her mind caught up with the truth that had been sitting there, waiting to spill. "Yes, I like you. I really like you." The confession hung between them, raw and unrefined. It was out now, there was no taking it back. Her heart raced, her cheeks warming with a rush of heat and embarrassment. ’Did I just say that out loud?’ The room seemed to pause for a moment. The air felt thick, pressing in on her, and Ella couldn’t look away from him. Her breath felt shallow as she waited, waited for him to say something, anything. But all she could hear was the rapid beat of her own heart, pulsing in her ears. The world seemed to slow down, the seconds stretching longer than they should have. The silence between them was deafening. But in that one, suspended moment, Dave had closed the distance between them as he pulled her close to him, his lips inching towards hers as they both locked in a kissing mode. Ella had accepted Dave’s lips as they intertwined with hers, a rough but warm breath filling her lungs as they both started sucking each other’s tongues and lips. [40 Energy points have been obtained] [Total EP: 185 energy points] Dave stood still for a moment, staring at the screen before him. His heart raced with a sense of accomplishment. He hadn’t just been going through the motions; every action, every choice had been calculated, all leading to this point. His mind had shifted as he began to strategize. White’s army of hybrids, those unpredictable, half-human, half-beast creatures, were a looming threat. If Dave was going to face them head-on, he needed more than just strength. He needed control. And that control came with a hefty price: energy points. Without them, he would be fighting blind. So far, he had gathered enough energy points to tame at least three of the hybrids. Taming hybrids was no simple task. Unlike regular beasts, hybrids required 40 energy points each. Dave knew the price was steep, but it was necessary. As the system had explained to him, these hybrids, once tamed, would evolve to their highest potential. It wasn’t just a matter of gaining their obedience, it was about unlocking their true power. The system didn’t provide much more information, but Dave had seen enough to trust it. His previous experiences with beasts had been proof enough. The first time he tamed ordinary beasts, he’d noticed their strength had skyrocket, doubling in size and power. Beasts he had once struggled to control were now surpassing others of their level, quickly becoming invaluable allies. If hybrids were anything like those beasts, the gains would be even more substantial. The thought of taming them made Dave’s pulse quicken. This could be the turning point in his battle against White and his twisted creations. He wasn’t just fighting for survival anymore, he was preparing for a war, and he needed every advantage he could get. As the weight of his decision settled over him, Dave felt a calm resolve take root. He would do whatever it took. The next step was clear: he needed to get those hybrids under his control before White had a chance to strike again.