"Ro-Ena?!...............Ena?!" Nick called out frantically as he burst into his hotel room, in search for Ro-Ena’s presence. Only he found the room empty. "Where the hell is she?" he sighed in desperation and fear. Nick looked at himself in the bathroom mirror and saw that his neck had red markings from the hands that belonged to the person that tried to choke him in his own vehicle. He ran his fingers down his neck then continued his search for Ro-Ena.

He ran into the bedroom and looked for anything that could explain where she could have gone, but there was none. He then looked at the spot in the corner of the room where Ro-Ena usually laid her book bag at; the bag was still there. "Damn it!" he retorted in sheer aggravation and frustration. His heart began to beat faster as fears overtake him with a fearful idea suddenly hitting him. What if he was too late? What if Jay had come for her and took her away and there was no lead for him to find her and help her?

A long list of ‘what-ifs’ sent a chilling trepidation throughout Nick’s entirety as he terrifyingly searched the entire place again. Each door he opened, he hoped and prayed that he will find Ro-Ena in it, but there was no luck. He ran out of the balcony to see if she was out there, but just like the inside of his room, it too lacked her presence. He looked down the balcony to the street to see if there was a commotion happening that was not normal, but everything seemed in synch from below.

He walked back inside while running his hands through his hair. He felt lost. He felt helpless. He felt empty. He was out of ideas of what else to do. In that moment, he wanted to kick and scream to take out the entire disturbance that was lingering inside of him. He wanted to grab all that he can get a hold of and whip it across the room to release the stress and nuisance he felt.

He shifted his head as the vision of one of Ro-Ena’s schoolbooks that was laid on top of the table in one corner of the room became evident in his eyesight. "The campus!" he uttered, "She probably went to the library campus!" he concluded, somewhat relieved that there was another place where she could have gone to. He gathered himself up again avoiding his almost outburst and tantrum while running towards the front door.

Reaching for the knob of the door, as he swung it opened, there on the other side stood Ro-Ena holding the key card in her hand just about ready to swipe it into the small hole to open the door.

"Give me a heart attack, why don't you?" she said while quickly grasping her chest with one hand.

"Where the hell were you?" he demanded

"I went out," she squinted her eyebrows while shoving Nick aside so she could gain access inside the hotel room. "I had cravings for some ice cream and they didn't have any Ben & Jerry's here so I went down to the store to get some!"

"You should have left a note or something," Nick closed the door from beyond as he felt relief once again.

"I didn't know I have to gain permission from now on," she sighed while flopping on the couch to devour her ice cream.

"I'm sorry for snapping," he said apologetically while sitting beside Ro-Ena. "I was just worried that's all...I uh...I worry about you, you know that!"

Ro-Ena looked at Nick and saw the sincerity written across his eyes and his face. "I'm sorry too, and you're right, I should have been more considerate and I really do appreciate you worrying this much about me. It's just that, I'm not used to being couped up like this. I know my life is in danger but...it will take some time getting used to it, that's all!"

"I know," Nick said in a soft tone while allowing his head to rest on the shoulder of the couch. Fatigue suddenly sets in and he felt lifeless.

"What happened to your neck?" Ro-Ena propped up from her seat setting the tub of ice cream on the table to examine Nick's red neck.

"Uh...it was...I uh..." he stuttered. He didn't want to tell Ro-Ena what happened to avoid scaring her even more. "I must have eaten something I was allergic to at the restaurant earlier when I went out with Reese. It's just rashes," he lied

"They don't look like rashes," Ro-Ena squinted her eyes in suspicion

"Now who's being paranoid? Trust me, they're rashes, now quit it and eat your ice cream," he smiled at her while leaning over to get Ro-Ena's ice cream to have a taste.

Ro-Ena watched him as her face was filled with a smile. "Enjoying my ice cream?"

"Yeup!" he grinned. "This is good stuff!" he winked at her trying to tease her to see what she would do.

"Give it back to me!" she playfully whined while trying to reach for the tub to gain control of it

Nick jerked his body around so that Ro-Ena could not get ahold of the ice cream, then stood up and held the ice cream high up in the air. "Come and get it!!!"

Ro-Ena stood on top of the couch and threw her entire weight at Nick so that he would collapse down on the floor, helpless. As a result, the two of them fell on the floor and began to wrestle one another.

"Holy crap, you're strong!!!" Nick chuckled while letting go of the ice cream so that he can grab Ro-Ena's side. In doing so, he began to tickle her as screech of laughter came out of Ro-Ena's mouth. When she was helpless, he pushed her off of him and pretty soon, it was her turn to be pinned on the floor.

"Wait, wait, wait!!" Ro-Ena screamed out. "Wait!!"

"What?" Nick asked breathless. The two of them gazed at each other for a few seconds until Nick leaned in closer and allowed his lips to touch hers.