Giving Love a Chance – Preetha Surekha

The room was dark black as I dodged a bullet while running away, my black-blue dyed hair flying in the air and my green eyes fixed on the car. It took me 2 hours to reach headquarters again.

“You have a new mission to complete agent Jule,” my boss said. “After all you are one of our best spies.”

“Yes sir, I know,” I said proudly.

Then I stood up and excused myself and I saw my boyfriend, Conner waiting for me.

“Hey Jules, saw you enter the room after I left,” he said with his usual dimpled smile, “got a new mission I suppose”.

“Yes, I am just going to collect it from the counter,” I said looking into his magnificent sea blue eyes and blonde hair which was still perfectly put.

“I am also heading there let us go together,” he offered.

We went to the counter and collected our missions, we were shocked. We got the same mission.

And soon another guy with long, black hair took a mission, and it was also the same as us. HE was a ROOKIE. It was so annoying. How could the agency team me up with a rookie? Ugh. My boyfriend is also one of the best spies and I’m fine with him but why the rookie.

We started meeting up for a strategy and for training. I had to admit though he was very talented and was a kind person. Like one time he helped an old lady cross the road. One day after practice while I was eating cupped noodles like always, he came up to me and said, “Why do you always eat cup noodles? You know it is bad for your health.”

I just ignored him, why does he care? It is not like I am his girlfriend. Then finally my real boyfriend came, his short blonde hair looking gorgeous. He used to have long hair which made him look like a rude person, so he cut it because after we started dating many people started telling me that we do not look good together. I told him I didn’t mind it but the next day he cut his hair short and came.

Next practice when I was about to buy some cup noodles, the new guy whose name turned out to be Zack gave me home cooked food.

“Made it myself! Don’t worry! Its healthy, um… agent Jule,” he said as if he was informing  me.

“Thanks!” I said.

After that we connected a lot, he told me nobody has ever written him a love letter though he always wanted one and I suddenly started to realise how beautiful his green eyes were with his open hair reaching to his shoulders.

“And you can call me Jule,” I said trying to sound more cordial than before.

My boyfriend and I still talked a lot, and we still must respect the one rule we have—no checking each other’s work phones for secrecy of the missions assigned to us. He does not even come to practice so much due to his other missions. I missed him a lot, but it was fine.

The next day, I was balancing on the rope, but I was about to fall when I saw Zack in a tied ponytail and open shirt, and I fell right into his arms.

“Are you okay?” he asked me.

“Okay!” finally speaking though my heart fluttered, but I reminded myself I had a boyfriend and moved on.

Finally, it was time for our first action. The plan was simple. We would invade the transportation of illegal arms and drug dealings. As I went in first, I was shocked to see fruits….No, this cannot be real! We had been sent fake news, someone provided fake news to Conner. Shit….

We came back, Zack was beating his head on the wall and Conner was leaning on the wall while walking. I suspected a traitor because no one else except for us knew about this operation. My first thought was Zack, he was the new guy no matter what and I didn’t really see him out of practice even if he was a rookie; Conner and I did video calls much often.

We all took one day to rest. Next day we had agreed on a strategy meeting, but I was not going to follow it. I had something of my own planned out. Conner and I were going to follow a different plan. The first part was exactly the same where the police team handles the small fries but the second part where originally I am supposed to handle the right hand of the leader while Zack and Conner are supposed to defeat the leader.

But now, I will defeat the traitor and Conner the leader. I trained effortfully so that I could defeat the one I had thought of as my friend before. Now all I could think of was defeating him.

All of us trained as hard as possible as if our jobs depended on it. One day before training while I was going to the washroom, I heard something, “That is how we could defeat Conner but how do we deal with Jule.”

I recognized it as Zack’s voice. Aha! Now I was sure that Zack was the traitor. I told Conner all about the bathroom incident, about what I had heard.

“He was caught while talking, huh! I knew he was up to something,” said Conner.

“I know and I am glad it wasn’t you,” I said.

Then he leaned and held my back and kissed me.

The main day finally came. The police squad was dealing with the small fries, Conner and I went upstairs to fight the villains. When we came to a place where no one could hear or see us, Conner stopped and turned to me. He spoke.

“How foolish are you?”

I stressed, “Don’t stop! We have to fight those guys.”

“Don’t you get it, Jule, Jules! I am the traitor,” he said mockingly.

I froze, my skin turned pale white, my lips quivering, my eyes twitching in disbelief. After a minute or so I got my voice back and asked.

“But what about the call? E-everything,” I stuttered.

He told me, “I was the one faking the phone call.”

‘That is how we could defeat Conner but how do we deal with Julie?’ he said imitating Zack’s voice.

There were so many signs that I missed…our one rule, him not showing to practice, him providing us the faulty news…. Every single thing that I missed. Maybe I knew he was the traitor, but I just ignored it.

He drew out his gun. I thought, I guess this is it for me…. Goodbye world!

But suddenly I saw something behind Conner’s back. It was Zack with a…sprayer! Though I had understood what he meant and put on the mask just as he was about to spray.

After the gas cleared, we saw Conner.  He wasn’t unconscious in fact he had his mask on. Obviously, what was I thinking?  That we can defeat him! He was one of the best spies.

“I know what you are thinking; we can defeat him. You are the strongest person I have ever met. Together, we can defeat him.” Zack encouraged me. “I defeated his right-hand man, he is the leader. We can win Jule!”

“Yes, thanks,” I said figuring out my next move. “Yes, even I am one of the best spies and Zack is very clever and strong too.”

“You guys would make a very good couple. You know!” Conner teased, “Better than we did.”

Then the fight was on. We fought and fought for 10 minutes, and he finally collapsed. “Looks like the poison did affect him,” I said in relief.

“Yes!” Zack was tired too.

On our way back to the headquarters:

“So, how did you know that I am not the traitor?” I asked, “And if you did, why didn’t you tell me about your plan?”

“I knew you were not the traitor as I knew Conner was. He imitated me, so it was obvious, and I didn’t tell you because you thought I was the traitor and you’d tell our whole plan to Conner,” he said confidently, he didn’t sound like an amateur at all.

“Well, you got me there,” I admitted.

After capturing them all, Zack and I got a huge promotion to the same level. We started hanging out a lot after it.

After a week:

“I like you Jules, and I understand if you don’t like me back,” Zack said politely.

“I like you too Zack, but I need some time before I start dating again,” I replied.

“I promise I will wait!”

One week later:

“A letter has arrived for you, Sir!” An informer informed.

“Bring it in.”

He opened the letter:

Dear Zack,

I am ready.

With love,

Jule

“So, what is it?” I asked as he arrived at the rooftop restaurant and took a seat opposite me.

“Same thing I said a week ago,” said Zack.

I smiled and so did he. He got up and brushed the hair off my face and kissed me.

I don’t know, I don’t care whether I am right or wrong. I can still give love another chance.

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Read about the young writer:

I am Preetha Sureka. I study in class 8 in Royal Global School. Some of my favourite books are Harry Potter by J. K Rowling, Middle school: the worst days of my life by James Paterson, It ends with us by Colleen Hover. My inspiration to writing stories is my sister. She is always there to praise and encourage my stories and me. I am also a huge fan of anime and manga like Jujutsu Kaisen, Fairy Tail, Naruto, Demon Slayer, Horimiya, SK8 the infinity, Blue Lock, etc. I love to read, sketch and sing. I was also inspired to write from my and other authors. My favourite subject are English and maths. I am described as a very clumsy and fun person. l am also a comic fan. I always thought that authors are brave and confident people. My favourite genres are mystery, romance, fiction, etc. If the book has more than one genre then I think it is the best book. I also love watching YouTube videos.