"Robert!" he heard Angela call as he fell into the rushing water with a splash.

The strong current pushed him along.

Robert fought hard against it and broke into the surface with Yin in his arms.

"Here!" Robert yelled back to Angela.

He tossed the wet cat at her, bobbing in the water as he did.

Angela caught the cat in her arms and looked back at Robert, terrified.

But He was nowhere to be seen.

"Robert! Where are you?!" she cried.

A surge of panic rose inside her.

The water was strong and the canal deep, she didn't know what to do. She ran along the small path, the cat in her arms, trying hard not to slip in the pouring rain.

Robert fought against the strong current.

'At least the cat's okay...' he thought as he swam against the current.

His arms were beginning to ache and his legs were getting tired.

He broke out of the water and took a deep breath before the water closed over his head once more.

'My only chance right now is the bridge...' he thought as he swam up again, this time, keeping afloat.

He taught he saw a glimpse of Angela, but then he went under water again. It wasn't long when he saw the bridge, though. It was a good thing that the water was high, he was able to hold on to the railing, gasping for breath as he tried to pull himself up.

Robert held on.

His arms were tired from the effort and the water was pulling him under the bridge.

He was about to loose his grip when Angela showed up on top of him.

She looked at him, her eyes full of concern. She leaned over the railing and held on to him with both hands.

"Stupid! I might pull you in with me!" yelled Robert.

Angela didn't reply.

She still held on to him, her legs anchored around the railing.

She was trying her hardest to pull him up.

"If this goes on..." thought Robert, "We will both end up in this current, and I don't think Angè would last long in this flood..."

Gathering his last strength, Robert took hold of the metal railing and pulled himself up.

He felt his arms shaking with the effort.

He struggled to find a foothold and found the small bridge's base. Slowly he was able to raise himself with sheer effort. He looked up and was face to face with Angela, her eyes brimming with tears. She pulled him up and helped him over the railing, holding on to him as she did.

Finally, Robert found himself in solid ground.

Angela broke out crying.
She sat on the ground and covered her face with her hands. Robert stood there for a while, leaning on the railing. He wanted to go to her and comfort her, but as soon as he let go of his support, his legs buckled underneath him and he fell on the ground, heaving.

"A-are you... alright?" he asked her, out of breath.

Angela looked up at him, her face distorted from crying. She got up and ran to him, throwing her arms around Robert.

"I'm so sorry..." she gasped, "so sorry..."

Robert was dumb struck.

He wanted to wrap his arms around her, too, but his sore arms wouldn't budge.

He leaned forward and placed his head on her quivering shoulder instead. He was so tired, but the rain was still pouring and they were both in it.

"I'm okay..." he told her, "We've got to get out of the rain..." he tried to stand up, wobbling as he did. Angela was at his side at once to support him. "So, where's Yin?" he asked

"Here Yin..." called Angela, her arm around Robert. The small black cat crawled cautiously out of a small bush and went to her. "Don't worry, she'll follow us back home."

"Good... I'm glad she's fine..."he said, trying to laugh.

"Yin is just a cat, you know..." Angela suddenly said. "You didn't have to act so reckless just to save a cat! You could have died there!"

"But..." Robert answered back, "you were really worried about her, right?"

Angela looked up at Robert.

He looked back at her, smiling.

He was stupid enough to risk his life just to get back her cat because he didn't want her to worry? He didn't even think about himself and saved the cat first even when he was drowning in the canal. She looked away, blushing. Her arm was around his waist, with the other on his chest to support him. Robert had his arm around her too, and his body was so close to hers.

'He's so warm...' she found herself thinking.

She was a little disappointed when they got home.

She opened the door to Robert's house and helped him in, when Danny suddenly showed up in front of them.

"Hey, where have you been? The pool's full! We can swim now!" he said. He was wearing a pair of boxers and nothing else. Angela noticed the wet clothes hanging on a chair.

"Danny?" said Robert, pulling his arm away from Angela.

"Whoa, what happened to you two?" he asked, looking at the soaked pair in front of him.

"We went looking for a cat," said Robert with a grin. "I fell in the canal."

"You what?!" asked Danny, alarmed.

"Sorry, it was all my fault..." Angela tried to explain, "It was my cat after all, but...

"That was so cool, Obet!" Danny suddenly said, "I've always wanted to know how it feels like to swim in a roaring river!"

"It was tiring..." said the other. He went to the nearest chair and sat there slumped.

"Well, next time call me when you do something like that again, 'ya hear me?" said his friend.

Angela looked at the two.

She couldn't believe this!

Here's Robert, who almost lost his life in the flood, and he thinks it's so cool?

She threw her arms in the air and took off her coat instead, hanging it to dry.

She wasn't that wet under the thick jacket.

She picked Yin up and decided to dry the cat in the bathroom.

"By the way," said Danny, "why is Angè wearing your clothes?"

Angela froze.

She felt her face burning.

"Ah, it's just that she came here all wet from the rain and..." explained Robert suddenly standing up in front of his friend.

"She came here all alone?" asked Danny. "Then what did you do?" he was grinning mischievously.

"It's not what you think!" said Angela, turning around, her face was all red as well. "We were just..."

Before Angela could finish, Robert suddenly dropped to the floor.

Danny watched wide-eyed as his friend fell on him.

"Robert!" he called, catching him. "He's burning up!" He looked at Angela seriously. "Get some towels, quick!"