Francy's p.o.v

The weather was perfect. Not too hot yet sunny and clear. One of those mornings where you know what ever you wear you won't sweat and you'll look amazing in it.

Remi and I had parked our bikes at the bakery and headed to the train station on foot to wait for Kai who was supposed to come over today.

He had told Remi he'd catch the 8 o'clock train and will be here around noon.

Remi wore tiny white shorts and a pink shirt and had put a lot of effort into her hair looking flawless. She was vividly excited. I was tortured from early morning to get up and see if her hair was perfect, if her legs were shaved properly, if her arms were waxed flawlessly, if her make up was on point and honestly I had forgiven all that once she handed me coffee and breakfast.

The plan was, I greet Kai, we go and grab some coffee and then they go back to the house while I browse around town.

We waved at some of the people we recognized from visiting our bakery.

I looked at the time on my phone. We had about an hour until Kai arrives, but we wanted to make sure we were there in case the train got there earlier.

We were three steps away from entering the train station when I heard a whistle.

Remi and I turned around and a familiar guy was standing there shyly smiling at Remi.

"Hi."

"Hi." She answered, uncertain of who he was.

He cleared his throat. "You never called."

"Um.." Remi looked at me and then him. "Do I know you?"

He smiled and then realized she had no idea who he was. "A few nights ago. I gave you a teddy bear."

Instantly my memory was fresh. Right right...the bear.

"Thanks for the gift." Remi smiled. "But I have a boyfriend. I'm on my way to meet him."

"Oh I see. Well that explains it...why I never got a call." He looked down disappointed.

I leaned towards Remi and whispered. "Did the bear have a number on it?"

Remi shook her head and then gave him a short sweet laugh. "How would I even call you without a name or a number? That was a bit silly, don't you think."

"I did give you my number with the bear." He explained brushing his hair back nervously.

"There was no number." Remi chuckled.

"Yes there was." The guy chuckled back.

"No there wasn't." Remi chuckled again.

"Yes there was." He smiled.

"Where?" Remi asked bit irritated.

"I put it inside the bear. In the little zipper department. I thought you'll find it and it will be romantic or smth.. But i didn't know um...." He blushed. "Thanks for letting me know you have a boyfriend. I won't bother you now. Bye."

Red in the face, he left.

Remi turned towards me, her face in horror. "Did he just say what I think he said?"

"Where did you put the bear?" I asked.

"I left it on the table in the living room." Remi panicked. "Oh my god. I left the bear in the living room! Where Kai can find it."

"WHY WOULD YOU LEAVE IT THERE?" I yelled.

"I DON'T KNOW. IT'S JUST A BEAR." Remi yelled and took deep breaths to calm down. "Oh my god. What if we go back to the house and he grabs the bear and sees it."

"Then change your plans and don't go back to the house." I told her.

"No!!!" Remi said. "I can't. I already made plans."

"What kind of plans?" I asked suspiciously. is she planning on doing something naughty?

She waved her hands like she knew what I was thinking. "Not like that. I was going to show him the kitchen and how I redecorated it and then cook for him and then we were going to just chill together and talk. Like we normally do."

That was actually really sweet.

"But we can't do that now, Remi. Kai has a sense for things like this when it comes to you. If he finds out someone gave you a gift and you kept it and then sees the number he will misunderstand...."

I did not want to think of the consequences.

"He'll think I betrayed him." Remi suddenly pulled my hand and started running.

"Where are we going?" I ran with her.

"Back to the house. We have to get rid of that bear." She said completely determent.

"That's crazy. What about Kai?" I asked.

We reached the bakery and our bikes. As she climbed on it, she pulled out the phone and called Kai.

"Hey Kai, umm Francy and I forgot the um.. uh.iron on when we were getting ready and we have to run back home to turn it off. We'll be really quick. Just wait for us at the train station when you come here."

She nodded happily. "Okay great."

She hung up and her serious face was back on. "I bought us some time. Let's go."

We pedaled as fast as we could back to the house. The moment we were there, we dropped the bikes outside and ran to the door. Sweet was dripping of me while I was trying to unlock the door.

"Faster!" She panicked.

The moment she heard the click she pushed us both inside and went after the teddy bear in the living room.

I ran after her.

She had grabbed the bear and was trying to unzip the zipper pulling on it violently.

"Argh it's stuck and my hands are sweaty. I can't open it." She threw me the bear.

I grabbed the zipper and pulled down.

God damn it. It won't open.

Suddenly, miraculously her phone rang.

There was instant silence and none of us moved.

"How is my phone ringing?" She pulled out her phone. "It's Kai. He probably got here."

"Pick it up."

She picked up. "Hello?, Hellooo Kai" She brought her hand down. " I heard him for a second and the network was gone."

"It's fine. He'll wait for us there." I said and proceeded to try to unzip the bear.

Ping.

The message notification rang on Remi's phone.

She opened it and screamed. "HE IS COMING HERE."

"WHAT?" I yelled. "How?"

"He says he will call Mr. Silvan to drive him to the house. Your dad must have given him the number."

"Call him right now! Tell him to wait there." I ordered.

"There's. No. Network." She pointed at her phone violently.

I glanced at her screen as she showed me the phone.

"Um..You have Kai signed as crème de la crème?" I asked her, trying not to laugh. That was just..adorable.

She turned her phone around and pressed it to her chest, obviously embarrassed. "That's..my business..now focus Francy.."

"Go upstairs. Somewhere high." I grabbed her hand and pulled her upstairs. We went to the bathroom and she waved her hand up to try and catch a signal.

"It's not working. Francy, what are we going to do if he really comes here? How are we going to get rid of the number in the bear?" Remi started shaking in panic.

"What if Kai wants to break up with me when he finds it? I should have never kept that bear. Francy...what am I going to do?"

The panic had completely engulfed her. She was scared. Out of her wits and no longer making sense.

Part of me wanted to laugh cause this was hilariously stupid, part of me knew Kai's possessiveness and love for Remi weren't to be taken lightly if he misunderstands this whole situation.

It wasn't Remi I was worried about. It was the guy.

Indeed if we weren't panicking we would have come up with a rational solution.

I looked outside the window.

This was it. The moment all best friends lived for. The moment you're called to act upon your duty as a best friend and prove yourself in a tough situation despite all odds..

***

The shovel in my sweaty hands was heavy. The heat was causing drops of sweat to trickle down my forehead and neck. The hole before me, that I had been digging for some time now, was fit for a shallow grave.

I wiped the sweat off my face with my dirty shirt.

Ah, the sun was shining right on top of me. I should have worn sunscreen.

I put the shovel away and kicked the remaining soil on the side.

I looked at Remi. Her clothes were also dirty for helping me dig a hole.

She ripped the duck tape and circled the last layer of tape over the teddy bear. She held it clutched in her hands.

"Throw it in." I told her. "We have no time."

"This so cold and insensitive." She sighed.

We had to be cold. There was no place for empathy nor drama.

"I'm sorry it had to be this way." She told the bear and threw him in the hole. "Your sacrifice serves a bigger purpose."

I grabbed the shovel and started adding the dirt over the grave.

What had to be done was done.