Flashback - February 2016

"Did you take my high maintenance shirt, Oklahoma?" Ralph asked. "Why would I?" she replied, "Just because I love baggy clothes doesn't mean I want your shirt. Maybe ask BJ or Kat." They bickered before getting ready for school. Oklahoma then got into the shower 

Once done, she stepped out, wrapping herself in a fluffy towel as she moved to her room. Oklahoma chose her outfit carefully, a wardrobe reflecting her unique style that gravitated towards an oversized, laid-back look. She pulled on a large, teal blue shirt, soft fabric hanging loosely against her frame. A pair of blue baggy jeans followed, contrasting perfectly with the shirt. To complete the ensemble, she chose a blue beanie, pulling it over her hair, a few strands rebelliously peeking out.

Just as she was about to grab her backpack, her phone buzzed on her desk, the screen lighting up with a new message. Curious, she picked it up, her heart skipping a beat as she saw the sender's name. With a quick swipe, she opened the text, her day taking an unexpected turn with the words displayed on the small screen.

Him❤️

Meet me at our usual place after school?

Oklahoma blushes.

Me

You know it!

Him❤️

Ok. Love you ❤️

Oklahoma face start turning into a tomato.

Me 

Love you too ❤️

"I'm so in love," Oklahoma sighed dreamily, her mind lost in thoughts of her secret beau. Her reverie was abruptly shattered by a loud call, "OKLAHOMA! GET DOWN HERE NOW!" Startled, she blinked, muttering, "Geez, can't a girl daydream about her man?"

Grabbing her bag, Oklahoma descended the stairs to the family's bustling kitchen. Her younger siblings were already at the breakfast table, munching away. Her mother, Kate, was flipping pancakes while her father, Greg, was engrossed in perfecting his morning coffee. Ralph, looking aggravated, was impatiently checking the time.

"What's got your knickers in a twist, Ralph?" Oklahoma teased. Ralph retorted, "You're taking forever to get ready, Oklahoma! School starts in ten minutes and we still need to drop BJ off at his school!" 

Unfazed, Oklahoma simply put on her headphones, drowning out Ralph's nagging. "Don't ignore me," he grumbled. "I'll do whatever I want," she shot back, her tone light and teasing. 

Turning to her mother, she planted a quick kiss on Kate's cheek. "Good morning, Mom." 

"Good morning, baby. Here's your breakfast," Kate said, setting a plate of pancakes in front of Oklahoma. 

"Thanks, Mom," Oklahoma replied, sitting next to BJ. She then greeted her father and siblings, who responded in kind. 

As they ate, Ralph fretted about being late. To his relief, Kate offered to drop BJ off, allowing Ralph, Oklahoma, and Katherine to head straight to school. 

"Thanks, Mom, for calming down this emo kid," Oklahoma quipped, earning a playful glare from Ralph. She laughed, finishing her breakfast quickly. 

"Alright, let's get going. See you later, Mom!" The trio then piled into Ralph's car, ready to tackle another day at school.

At School:

"Well, I'll see you guys later," Katherine declared, lifting a hand in farewell. "See you, Kat!" Oklahoma responded. "I've got to meet Tabby, bye!" With that, she turned and set off in search of her best friend. 

"Oak!" The joyful shout caught Oklahoma's attention and she turned to see Tabby waiting near the lockers. "There's my girl!" Oklahoma exclaimed, wrapping Tabby in a tight hug. "I've missed you!"

"You saw me last night, Oak," Tabby reminded her, her tone teasing.

"That was yesterday!" Oklahoma retorted, laughing. Tabby joined her, their laughter echoing down the hall. 

The conversation took a serious turn when Tabby asked, "So, how are things going with... Eugene?" She asked, whispering the name. 

"Well, we're doing well. It's hard keeping it a secret from our family, because if they find out, it'd be a disaster. But I love him and he loves me," Oklahoma confessed, her cheeks turning a rosy hue.

"Aww, my bestie is in love," Tabby cooed, causing Oklahoma to playfully roll her eyes. The school bell rang out, cutting their conversation short. "Ugh, math time," Oklahoma groaned. "Let's go ahead and get it over with," Tabby suggested.

At the End of the Day:

"So, you're staying after school for what?" Ralph asked Oklahoma. "Tabby is staying after for her club, so I decided to wait for her and leave with her," Oklahoma replied. 

"Okay. Well, see you at home, sis," Ralph said before driving away. "Talk to you later, Oak," Katherine added. 

"You too, Kat," Oklahoma responded. As Ralph's car disappeared from view, Oklahoma let out a slow breath. "Whew, that was a close one," she thought, relieved that her secret remained safe for another day. With some time to kill, she decided to head to the park.

At the park, Oklahoma spotted him in the distance, setting up a picnic. "Yep, this is the man I'm head over heels for," she mused to herself. She strode over to Eugene, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Hey, baby," she greeted him. 

"Oak!" Eugene's face lit up as he saw her. He rushed over, pulling her into a tight embrace. Their lips met in a sweet, loving kiss, expressing the intensity of their feelings for each other. "I've missed you," Eugene murmured, peppering her face with soft kisses. 

"Me too," Oklahoma replied. As they pulled back from the affectionate exchange, Eugene suggested, "Let's eat." 

They sat down on the picnic blanket, enjoying the spread of food before them. Once they were done, they laid back on the blanket, taking in the serene atmosphere around them. 

"You are so beautiful," Eugene commented, making Oklahoma blush. "Thank you," she said, a hint of shyness in her voice. 

Eugene's expression turned somber. "I wish we didn't have to hide. I would love to hold your hand in public," he confessed. 

"I know," Oklahoma agreed, her heart aching at their predicament. "But I hope it will get better," she added optimistically. 

Suddenly, Eugene presented her with a flower. "What's this?" Oklahoma asked, surprise evident in her voice. 

"Be my Valentine?" Eugene asked shyly. Oklahoma was taken aback, then broke into a wide smile. "Of course I will," she exclaimed, tackling him in excitement and showering him with kisses. 

Eugene laughed, returning her kisses with equal fervor. He then pulled her away, tucking the flower behind her ear. "You're so beautiful. I'm the luckiest man in the world," he declared, making Oklahoma blush even deeper. 

Eugene then pulled out his phone and captured a picture of her. "There, now I can carry your beautiful face with me every day," he said, a tender smile on his face.

Later that Day:

Upon Oklahoma's late return home, Ralph immediately confronted her. "Where were you?" he demanded, startling her. "Ahh, Ralph, you scared me!" she exclaimed, placing a hand over her racing heart. "Where were you, Oklahoma?!" Ralph repeated, his tone growing stern.

"I told you, I was with Tabby," Oklahoma responded defensively. Ralph's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Really? Then why was Tabby here earlier, saying she didn't know where you were?" he challenged.

Oklahoma mentally groaned, "Ugh, I should have informed Tabby about my plans so she could cover for me," she thought, regretting her oversight. Ralph, seeing her silence, continued his interrogation. "Let me guess, you went to see him," he guessed, his voice dripping with disapproval.

"Yes, I did. So what?" Oklahoma retorted, brushing past him dismissively. Ralph grabbed her arm, forcing her to face him. "Oklahoma, it's dangerous to see him. Our families hate each other, and his father is a complete psycho. We have no idea what he'd do if he found out. And how can you be sure he genuinely likes you? What if he's playing you and his father already knows about you?" Ralph argued, concern lacing his words.

"For the last time, Ralph, Eugene isn’t like that! He loves me and he wants this feud to end so we can finally stop hiding," Oklahoma shot back, her voice laced with determination and frustration. 

"He'd say anything to make you believe him," Ralph retorted angrily. "Ugh, you just don’t get it!" Oklahoma yelled, storming off to her room. "Come back here, we are not done!" Ralph shouted after her, but she was already slamming her bedroom door shut.

"Ugh, what does Ralph know!" Oklahoma muttered to herself, her heart pounding in her chest. "Eugene isn’t like his dad. I know that for sure," she assured herself, trying to drown out Ralph's words.

Meanwhile at the Blackwood House:

Eugene was in his room, racking his brain for the perfect Valentine's present for Oklahoma. "Hmm, Oklahoma deserves the best! What does she like? She likes beanies! But I got her one for her birthday. Ugh, I don’t know," Eugene mused, struggling to come up with a unique gift idea. Finally, an idea sparked in his mind.

At the same time, Hex and Aaron were discussing Eugene's relationship with Sarrington. "So, Eugene and the older Sarrington girl, huh?" Hex queried. "Yes, father," Aaron confirmed, "They've been together since September, I heard."

"Hm, impressive. We only just found out about this, which means Eugene is good at keeping secrets," Hex remarked, staring at the family portrait. "We can’t lose Eugene to this girl. He's going to be the heir to my business and I can't let him be obsessed with a Sarrington girl," Hex declared.

"What are you going to do, father?" Aaron asked. His father's reply came with an evil grin, "First of all, bring Eugene to me."

Aaron promptly went to Eugene's room. "Eugene," he called, garnering the younger boy's attention. "Aaron? What do you want?" Eugene asked, a hint of suspicion in his tone. "Father wants to talk to you," Aaron responded, an ominous smirk on his face.

"Okay…" Eugene said, leaving his room to head to his father's office. As he entered, he was met with the sight of his father's workers. 

"Father, you needed me?" Eugene greeted, as Aaron closed the door behind him. "So, I heard about you and that Sarrington girl," Hex said, his gaze fixed on the window. Terrified, Eugene denied, "I don’t know what you're talking about."

"You don’t?" Hex laughed, the sound chilling. "I thought I taught my son better than to fall for a Sarrington. Instead, you went behind my back and got involved with her, and now you're lying to me," Hex accused, his eyes boring into Eugene's.

Yes, I’m with Oklahoma. And I’m in love with her! And there’s nothing you can do to stop it!" Eugene retorted, surprising even himself with his defiance. "You're right, I probably can’t stop your feelings. But it still won't stop me from doing this," his father retorted, snapping his fingers.

His command was a signal for the guards to approach Eugene. They began to beat him, landing blows on his eye, stomach, and legs. "Stop, stop this!" Eugene cried out, but his plea fell on deaf ears. Hex merely watched as his son was assaulted. 

Finally, Hex intervened, snapping his fingers again to signal a halt. He stepped closer to his son, his voice sinister as he whispered, "You're going to end it with that Sarrington girl. And I don’t trust you to do it by yourself, so I have a perfect plan for you to follow. You won't go by Eugene anymore - that's a name for a weak, pathetic boy. I don't know why your mother chose it. From now on, you're Psycho. You'll inherit my business whether you like it or not."

With those chilling words, Hex left his son with a final command, "Now get cleaned up, you've got a girl's heart to break."

At the Sarrington's House:

Oklahoma was sprawled out on the couch, mindlessly flipping through channels and munching on popcorn. The house was quiet, the tension from her argument with Ralph still lingering. After their confrontation, she had chosen to avoid him. She just didn’t want to deal with him at the moment; she was certain his accusations were baseless. Thoughts whirled around in her mind as she tried to distract herself with the TV.

All of a sudden, her phone buzzed on the coffee table, breaking the silence. She glanced at the screen and her heart leapt - it was a text from Eugene.

Him❤️

Hey

Me

Hey babe! Why you texting so late? You okay?

Him❤️ 

Yeah I am but can you meet me at the docks?

"The docks? We've never met there before," Oklahoma mused, puzzled by the unusual meeting place. However, she figured it must be something significant for Eugene to text her so late. With a sense of curiosity and a hint of concern, she decided to head to the docks to meet him.

Me

Okay meet you there I’m 5 minutes!

Oklahoma quickly dressed, quietly sneaking out of the house to avoid rousing any suspicions. She got in her car and drove to the docks. Upon arrival, she spotted Eugene standing alone. 

"Hey babe!" she greeted cheerfully, approaching him for a hug. But he didn’t reciprocate, standing stiffly. She pulled back, her eyes widening as she noticed the bruises marring his face. 

"Are you okay, baby?" Oklahoma asked, concern seeping into her voice. Eugene opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a deep voice that made them both jump. 

"He’s fine. Actually, he came here to tell you something," the voice boomed. A tall figure emerged from the shadows. "Who are you?!" Oklahoma demanded, her heart racing.

"I’m Hex, his father. Also, your dad’s enemy," the man declared. Oklahoma's blood ran cold. "Eugene, what’s going on? Answer me!" she pleaded, turning to her boyfriend. 

Eugene laughed, a cold, hollow sound. "You and I were never a thing. I used you to get information on your family. I would never fall for a girl like you. You wear baggy clothes, you're a Sarrington, and you're an easy girl to fool, especially considering you fell for me despite our family history," he spat out.

Oklahoma's eyes welled up with tears. "You don’t mean that, Eugene!" she protested, her voice trembling. "I do. You are nothing to me. And it's not Eugene anymore. I go by Psycho now," he retorted. 

Hex laughed, delighted at the unfolding drama. Suddenly, a new voice interrupted. "Stay away from my daughter!" Greg, Oklahoma's father, stepped protectively in front of her. "Oh, Greg. Nice to see you, old friend. I was just chatting with your daughter. Did you know my son and your daughter were dating? Or at least, she thought they were. My son was playing her the whole time. It's quite amusing, actually," Hex taunted.

"Stay away from my daughter, both of you, or I swear, Hex, I will kill you," Greg threatened, his voice deadly serious. Hex shrugged nonchalantly. "Sure, like you could. Come on, Psycho, let's go. Our work here is done," he said dismissively, leading Psycho away from the scene.

"You okay?" Greg asked his daughter, who was struggling to hold back tears. "How did you find me?" she managed to ask. "Ralph saw you leave and told me everything about you and that boy. I had to look everywhere to find you and I finally found you here at the docks," Greg explained.

Oklahoma broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. "I’m sorry, dad. I shouldn’t have fallen in love with the enemy. I was foolish and in love. I thought he loved me but I just betrayed the family," she confessed between sobs. Greg pulled his daughter into a comforting hug. "No baby girl, you didn't betray anyone. The Blackwoods played you and took advantage of your feelings," he reassured her.

Meanwhile, back at the Blackwood house, Hex congratulated Psycho. "You did a good job, son. Now get some sleep. Tomorrow, you have your first mission," he said, leaving Psycho alone in his room. "I’m so sorry, Oklahoma," Psycho thought, a twinge of regret piercing his heart.