A Fake Crush

"Secret? I beg your pardon?" Rashid asked Achim in a confused manner.

"Rashid," Achim sighed. "I know you are..."

Suddenly, Achim felt his right arm being grabbed by Naomi, "Achim!" she exclaimed.

Layla saw Naomi glomming onto Achim's arm.

"Hey, Naomi! Let Achim go!" Layla ordered.

Naomi quickly let go of Achim's right arm.

"So sorry, Layla." Naomi said, releasing her grip from Achim.

"Good." Layla said to Naomi firmly.

Akilah noticed Rashid beginning to sit up again.

"Take it easy," Akilah advised Rashid. "lie back down and get some shut eye."

Rashid's stomach began to rumble and grumble like crazy.

"I'm hungry, Layla, do you have any more pita bread and hummus?"

Layla looked at her only brother, "I'm sorry, Rashid, but we finished it all off when we were on the train." she sighed.

"Oh, well," Rashid said. "thanks for caring, Layla."

Rashid felt a strange presence glowing from within him.

"I'll go to the kitchen and get something for you to eat." Akilah offered Rashid.

"Thank you, Akilah." Rashid said.

Akilah took off like a shot toward the Freezenburg palace's kitchen.

Hideaki is growing stronger, he's thriving, Layla thought. I know it, I can feel it!

A few minutes later, Akilah returned from the kitchen with three bunches of green grapes on a plate.

Akilah handed one bunch of grapes off to Rashid and one bunch off to Layla and they began to enjoy their snack.

Achim glanced over at Rashid who was still snacking on his grapes.

"Rashid," Achim sighed. "I know you are..."

Again, Achim felt his right arm being grabbed by Naomi, "Achim!" she exclaimed.

Layla saw Naomi glomming onto Achim's arm again.

"Hey, Naomi! Let Achim go!" Layla ordered again.

Naomi quickly let go of Achim's right arm again.

"So sorry, Layla." Naomi said, releasing her grip from Achim again.

Layla could tell that something was afoot.

"Achim, is there a private place where we can chat alone?" Layla asked.

"My secret garden here," Achim answered Layla. "come on, I'll show you where it is."

Achim silently led Layla to his special place at his Aunt Hildegard's castle.