The rising tension

colin packed his bags and quickly but his mind whirled like crazy. he didn't know what was going on in detail and he couldn't believe things were just going way out of plan. what was lila trying to do? was she really pregnant? what was going to happen if she really had his child and was trying to ruin his family and his company's reputation?

colin needed someone to be with him now... he quicky dropped everything he had and raced down the corridor.

***

tyler was getting ready to head out to lunch with alyssa. they were happily getting ready to meet shayna and timothy at the hotel lobby. just then, colin came through the lift doors and stopped tyler just in time. when the couple locked eyes with colin, alyssa gasped.

"ty, i need to talk to you now," colin said desperately.
"what's up?" tyler asked. just then alyssa stopped the both of them.
"what are you doing here and what the hell is going on?!" she asked, obviously very angry and pissed off.
when tyler was about to explain, colin interrupted, "alyssa, could we explain this to you some other time? i have something very important to discuss with tyler."

before alyssa could even retaliate, colin pulled tyler to one side and told him everything that his father had told him on the phone. This left tyler's jaw hanging. He couldn't believe the amount of shit colin had landed into.
"what are you going to do about it?"
"i have to go back... today... now... and i need you to come with me," colin said.
tyler turned to look at alyssa, who is pissed off and just trying to figure out what they were talking about. he didn't know what to do. he was torn between his best friend and his fiancee.

"please buddy. you have to help me settle this. i can't do this alone," colin pleaded. tyler looked at his friend and realised that friendship was indeed more important. he had to help colin... even if that means alyssa not talking to him for the rest of her life.
"alright. book tickets for the both of us on the next flight out. i'll try to explain things to alyssa and we'll get the heck outta here to save your ass," tyler said.
colin smiled and thanked his friend, "oh please tell alyssa not to say anything to shayna. i don't want her to have the wrong idea about me... you know..."
tyler nodded, "yeah i know..."
colin clapped his best friend on the back and said, "thanks man. i wouldn't know what to do without you. see you in a bit."
as colin raced up the stairs, tyler sighed. somehow this was going to be a tough one to explain to alyssa.

tyler walked back to alyssa who was waiting impatiently.
"what is he doing here? i think you have something to do with it," alyssa said, sounding angry.
"dear, it's a long story... and... i have to go back today," tyler said.
alyssa's eyes glared open at him, "WHAT? NOW?"
tyler nodded, "lyss, please listen to me. it's very important..." he tried to calm alyssa down but she pushed him aside.
"i don't wanna hear about it! first you bring that man to london, obviously to make shayna upset... and now you are trying to leave london with him; leaving me here alone?" alyssa rolled her eyes and heaved a sigh, "i thought this was going to be our special pre-wedding holiday. great! everything's so perfect! thank you tyler..."
alyssa turned away but tyler pulled her back and looked into her eyes.

"lyss, i need you to understand. i am not going to leave my best friend in the lurch now when his family, his company and his reputation is at stake. I have to be there for him when he needs me. i'm not going to forsake this friendship i have for years with him just because you want it. just like you are not going to forsake your friendship with shayna," tyler explained.

alyssa answered, "i know you have a close friendship with colin but i need you here too. aren't you being selfish? isn't he being selfish? why can't you think about me?"
"i am thinking of you lyss. i know you need me but when we get married, you have all of me to enjoy. could you just let me settle colin's problem first? if he is being selfish, aren't you also being selfish for wanting me here?"

"oh so i'm the selfish one here?!" alyssa asked.
"... you know that was not what i meant..." tyler tried to explain.
alyssa started to tear, "whatever tyler. you go back with colin. i don't wanna see you... i don't think we can get married either. bye tyler." alyssa took out the ring from her finger and gave it back to tyler before she ran off down the corridor.

***

shayna and timothy walked towards the hotel to meet alyssa and tyler for a nice double date. timothy was holding onto her hand as they walked through the park. shayna suggested that they strolled towards the hotel instead of always taking the car. she wanted to have a feel of how walking through london was all about.

timothy looked at his future wife, enjoying the romantic walk with him; hand in hand without any words spoken. He let out a snort of laughter. shayna turned to him and frowned.
"what's so funny?" she asked.
"nothing. i just think that this is a great date... even though it hasn't really started," timothy said which made shayna smile.
"really? i never knew you were so easily satisfied," she teased.
"well, that depends on what you are talking about," timothy nuzzled his nose against her cheek, making shayna squeak.
"come on. i have a great idea," timothy said.
"what is it this time?" shayna asked, obviously not amused.

before shayna could even do anything, timothy made her climb onto his back for a piggyback ride.
"this way, we could reach the hotel faster," timothy commented as shayna was squealing as he trudged through the park.
"let me down timmy!" shayna screamed but timothy just continued until they walked through the soft pasture of the park and timothy fell face down onto the pasture.
"god timmy, are you alright?" shayna asked, worried that he might have hurt himself.

timothy turned around and laughed. he then turned to pin her on the ground.
"ha! gotcha!" he said.
shayna rolled her eyes and started to laugh, "stop being so playful. you scared me!" timothy stuck out his tongue and put on a funny face. shayna just continued laughing as they ended in a long lip lock.

"i think we better go... alyssa and tyler should be waiting by now," shayna said.
"let them wait... we still have time," timothy said, trying to get another kiss but shayna pushed him away.
"timmy... let's go..." she said and stood up.

they made their way into the hotel, still laughing and teasing each other. then they saw alyssa sitting in the hotel lobby, her eyes swollen and she was alone.
"lys? what happened? where's tyler?" shayna asked as she rushed towards her best friend.
alyssa looked at shayna for a moment and then started to burst out in tears again. alyssa threw herself onto shayna and continued crying.

all shayna could do was look at timothy puzzledly and comfort her best friend. something bad happened. she knew it.