Is this destiny?

Next to the lake…

"How far did you go with Ade?", Imani asked Hande.

The two of them were close with Masika and Merve, but now that Masika is spending most of her time with Zack, and Merve is stuck to Corey, Imani and Hande grew closer. Also, Ade and Jamari are best friends, so they get a lot of chances to be together as two couples.

"We kiss and hug and… that's it." Hande responded. "You?"

Imani fidgeted. "Don't you want to try other stuff?"

Hande smiled. "You didn't answer my question."

"Uhm… we touched."

"That is a vague answer…" Hande teased Imani and repeated the question: "Do YOU want to try other stuff with Jamari?"

"I asked you first." Imani pouted.

"Sure. I want to do everything with Ade. One day, when we are ready."

"How do you know if you are ready?"

Hande shrugged. "I guess when I'm ready, it won't feel forced and my desire to find out how it feels will be more than my embarrassment or fear of being caught."

Imani thought how this makes sense. She remembered the morning before this chaos started and what Jamari and she did in the bed. She fled even though she was curious and later she regretted that she didn't stay in the bed longer.

Hande nudged Imani. "I can see that you are blushing. Now you need to tell me the details." 

Imani glanced around, to make sure they are not overheard. "I woke up before him and I saw a bulge in his crotch area, and I was curious…"

Hande's eyes widened in anticipation of Imani's next words. "Aaaand?"

"I touched him down there and rubbed and…" Imani gave Hande a knowing look.

Hande didn't understand the look, but she had so many questions. "How does it feel?"

"Warm and hard, yet soft. And it can move."

Hande didn't get it. How can it be hard and soft at the same time? And it can move? Isn't it attached to the man's crotch area? Maybe that is one of the things that can't be explained with words.

"Did he touch you?" Hande asked in a whisper.

Imani nodded. "My breasts. But just for a bit. I was embarrassed and left."

"Oh… Why didn't you let him touch you down there? You touched him so it would be fair."

"You think that I was not fair?"

Hande shrugged. "I don't know… but I heard how that is the best place to touch and it's a hundred times better if the boy you love touches you compared to you doing it yourself. Do you want him to touch you?"

"It's embarrassing."

Hande giggled. "Of course, it is. If it's not, people would be doing it publicly. The question is if you want him to touch you or not. If you do, forget about everything and go for it. Bad things happen without prior notice. What would you do if Jamari disappears tomorrow? Will you regret that you allowed your embarrassment to stop you from experiencing something new with Jamari? I remember how anxious I was when Ade left for the mission and I couldn't contact him… and then he called and said that they were ambushed, and I thought that I will pass out. I am grateful that they didn't take him... and I can't imagine how bad Sarah feels."

Imani was not sure what to say. Nothing seemed right.

"Let's go and join the guys." Imani suggested.

Hande agreed. 

Imani sat next to Jamari and leaned on him, and Hande sat next to Ade and hugged his arm. 

Ade and Jamari exchanged confused glances before focusing on the girl next to them.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" Ade asked Hande.

Jamari looked after Ade and Hande who were moving away and holding each other.

"Are you OK?" Jamari asked Imani.

"I'm scared." Imani said in a small voice.

Jamari understood that Imani is talking about their situation and Aiden missing. "We are all scared and tense. But this is not the time to give in to our fears. We need to believe that things will be OK, and we need to fight for it."

Imani observed Jamari's face. "Do you really believe it or are you just saying it to make me feel better?"

"We need to believe it. OK? If Sarah sees us sulking instead of being charged up to kick some ass, she would be disappointed. Let's channel this energy somehow… How about we go to the training ground?"

Imani and Jamari went to the underground shooting range and they found that it's packed. Masika and Zack were side-by-side shooting at the same target, Nala and Haru were there, Ron and Zula, Bo and Francisca, Wing and Azra, and many other kids. Luckily, it's an underground facility for hundreds of soldiers, so there was space for everyone.

Soldiers also gathered to watch their generals train. The brave ones approached them and asked for some pointers.

Allen and Julius were competing with Tejan and Rosa on the obstacle course, and Daniel and Xiaohui were next in line.

"It seems that many others had the same idea…" Jamari told Imani.

Suddenly, Imani cupped Jamari's cheeks and planted a juicy kiss on his lips. "When this is over… I will not run away. I promise."

Jamari blinked, surprised by the sudden kiss in front of others, and he was not sure what she is talking about. "Run away?"

Imani could not believe that he is making her say it. "You know… from the bed."

Jamari's eyebrows shoot up in surprise and a second later his lips stretched into a smile. He hugged her tightly and spoke close to her ear: "Alright. When this is over, I will take you on a date, and after that… I will not let you run away no matter how embarrassed you are."

Imani felt the heat seeping into her face, and she hid it in the crook of Jamari's neck.

"Don't make out on the training ground in front of everyone…" Ade said coolly to Jamari and Imani when Hande and he walked next to them.

Ade and Hande went to Daniel and Xiaohui and challenged them for a showdown at the obstacle course. Souta and Camila also joined this group and they requested to compete against the winner.

From the side, Michael and Oni observed with Hong next to them.

"They are directing their energy well." Michael commented.

"Sarah and Aiden would like that." Oni responded.

"Do you know how many kids decided to join us tomorrow?"

Oni gave him a knowing smile. "Everyone wants to go. We will take Atlas, Vega, Bella, and Luna as well."

"I will join you." Hong said from the side.

Michael and Oni exchanged glances. They don't know Hong's background, but Sarah and Aiden mentioned that he is concealing his identity.

"Are you sure?" Oni asked.

"Thank you for your concern. I know what I'm doing. I might be old, but I'm not dead yet. I'm going." Hong declared before walking away.

"He is stubborn and has a hard exterior, but he feels the same as we do." Oni said only for Michael to hear.

"If he is not a softy on the inside, he would not stick with us for so long." Michael responded. "Let's go another round at the shooting range..."

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