chapter5


    I<b>was</b>caughtoff guardby CaptainLong’swords.


    Iinstinctivelylookedatfan,whowassuppressingasmileasheslowlytookouthisphone.Feelingtrapped,Imaintainedmposure.


    IaddedIan’sWhatsAppcontact.


    Inotedhisunusualusername“Pikake”andsimplebluemeprofilepicture.


    Hisusernamewasodd.


    Notwantingtolinger,Iquicklymadeanexcusetoleave.


    Later,athome,IsawCaptain Long’spostonX.


    Thephotofromdinnerlookedodd.


    Ihadn’tnoticedanythingunusualwhenitwastaken,butnowIcouldn’thelpbutfrown.


    IanandI seemedunusuallyclose.


    ItlookedasifIanandIwereacouple.


    WhileYannisandWendylookedlikeacouple.


    Yannishadlikedthepost.


    Itremindedmeofhisunansweredmessagesfromanalternateount.


    Yanniswasusinganalternateounttocontactme–atrickweoftenusedduringclosedtrainingsessions.IignoredYannisbutsawupdates.


    HetookWendybacktothefirestationafterthedinner.


    Wendywasecstatic,postingaboutitonevery socialmediatform.


    Sheposted,“Rememberwhenyousaidyouwantedtobeafirefightertoprotectme?Nowyou’vedoneit.”ItwasasubtleconfessiontoYannisthatquicklywentviral.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    PeoplebombardedmewithquestionsaboutYannisandme.


    Ifounditalmostfunny.


    We’dneverbeenpublic.Wewerejustcolleaguesandsecretlovers,nevertruepartners.


    EverythingIhadoncelongedfor,Wendywouldsoonhave.


    Loveornotwereactuallysostraightforwardandsimple.


    Ihadbeendeceivingmyselfalong.


    Nowthatthedreamwasshattered,itwastimetowakeup.


    IwonderedwhereWendy’sconstantsenseofcrisis towardsmehaefrom.


    Yannisclearlylovedherdeeply.


    AsIponderedWendy’sinexplicableinsecurityandYannis’sobviousloveforher,myphonechimed.


    ItwasIan.


    Heinformedmethatmytransferapplicationhadbeenapproved,andwithinthreedays,Iwouldreceiveofficialconfirmationtotransferfrommycurrentunit.


    MyhandsshookwithexcitementasIthankedhim.


    Eventhoughhedidn’treplyfurther,Icouldn’tcontainmyjoy.


    TheopportunityI’dgivenupayearagowasfinallywithinreachagain.