Phoedgeworth #2 ~ Turnabout Trust

I stared at Phoenix in disbelief. What the hell happened that night?! That man who kissed him so forcefully and brutally was definitely NOT me! I was OUTRAGED by the fact someone or someTHING had impersonated me!

'Now I understand his fears...'

I sighed hopelessly. Anyone would be scared if they were forced into kissing another. "Th-that wasn't you...?" He mumbled. "No. That was most definitely not me!" I noted his doubtful expression and continued; "Don't you see that they had green eyes, not brown? Furthermore they weren't wearing a cravat, their hair was WONKY, they were as pale as a piece of paper and their chest was less broad than mine! Not to mention that I don't have stubble!"
"A-ah..."
"I don't hold it against you, though. Perhaps you didn't realise in the spur of the moment, though you weren't given a choice to pull away anyway. I will find who did this to you..." My hands reached out to hold his face gently. He blushed. "I'm sorry I mistook you for them..." He moaned quietly. "It's more than alright..."
"But now what...?" His eyes flitted back to mine. "Now we go out and investigate-"
"Edgeworth... We can't go out! Remember? We're kind've celebrities at the moment..." He looked down dismally. "Oh, yeah. Right." I gritted my teeth and let my hands fall back to my sides. "Well... Maybe we COULD still go out..." I looked up at Phoenix, a fresh idea in my mind. "Huh?"
"We could... Fake us breaking up...!"
"But wouldn't that still be a big scoop?"
"Only for a day or two. It wouldn't be as big as us being together, right?"
"That's true..." He gripped my shoulders and grinned; "Edgeworth, you're a GENIUS!" I grinned back:
"Gee, thanks..."
"Should we go now?"
"Yeah, I guess.. Remember to act like we're smitten with each other, okay? I'll take the lead, you just act along."
"O-ok!" I rose and took my half full bowl of cereal into the kitchen with me. Phoenix followed eagerly. "Ok, let's go!" I gripped Phoenix's clammy hand tightly as we walked toward the door. He trembled vigorously as he turned the key in the lock stiffly. The door swung open and I was blinded by the amount of flashing cameras and brightly coloured tops.

"THEY'RE HERE!" One reporter cried out; "Are you recording this?!" Various members of the crowd buzzed into action, blabbering on about us and asking us questions. Of course, we didn't answer. I thought about how Phoenix must have felt to be greeted by this on his own. No wonder the poor guy was so intimidated. He grasped my hand tighter and used my body to slightly hide behind. I walked onward, leading him through the partition the crowd created as they tailed us, various microphones and cameras being waved in our faces. When our little 'troop' reached the high street and had considerably enlarged, I begun to strike up a conversation with Phoenix; "Phoenix, where do you want to go..?" I deliberately brushed my hair against his cheek to get him to focus on me. "I-I don't mind... Edgeworth..."

'Phoenix... Act natural! You never say my name like that when we're alone!'

He spoke stiffly, in need of encouragement; "How about... The city centre, eh?" I knew there'd be plenty of people around the shops to witness our fake argument, so it seemed only logical to act it out around there. "Y-yes... Anything for you..." He looked up at me with glistening eyes. I smirked. He was finally getting the idea. We walked, hand in hand to the city centre with the crowd following us, consumed in their excited chit-chatter. "Phoenix..." I stared lovingly into his eyes, whilst discreetly using my hands to delve into my pocket and make my phone buzz. "Edge, your phone's going off!" Phoenix raised his eyebrows.
"Ah! So it is!" I reached into my pocket and brought out my startlingly red phone, pretending to check my texts with the screen. "Who is it...?" Phoenix inquired, voice rising. The whole crowd held their breaths, eyes focused on me. "Oh... It's no one.." I airily and uneasily laughed. Phoenix understood and followed up my lead; "Oh I see how it is!" He began to angrily spit at me with such passion that you couldn't tell he was lying. "It's that girl again, ISN'T IT?!"
"Phoenix-"
"Hmm, so how have you two been getting on, huh?!" He pushed me away slightly; "All matey? Well, I'll have you know I'm up to HERE with your tricks!" Phoenix shook his fist furiously at me.

The crowd were silent. Spellbound.

"Phoenix, please..." I leaned in to kiss him, trying to hide my grin. He gingerly batted my hand away (not hard enough to hurt me) and sharply jerked away from me. For some reason, although I knew it was an act, his actions hurt me. They FELT real. "Don't you DARE kiss me!" He snarled.
"Phoenix... I'm sorry!" I shouted after him as he turned and shoved his way through the crowd into the road. In his moment of fake rage, he didn't notice the car hammering down the road at full speed at the same time as him running. I cried out and ran toward him, pulling him back before it was too late. He squirmed in my grip as the car which had almost run him over horned loudly at us before continuing rampaging down the road. Phoenix began to sag in my arms and let out a flood of tears, not struggling anymore. "Nngh..." He groaned. The cameras were flashing again and I had to pull Phoenix away. Adrenaline coursed through my body as questions were hurled at me; "What was it like when Phoenix gave you that outburst?!"
"Have you been cheating on Phoenix from the beginning?!"
"How does it feel to have him limp and crying in your arms?!"

I bitterly clenched my teeth and gripped Phoenix tightly as the reporters gave chase.

A few moments later, I realised with a rising sense of nausea that Phoenix was no longer in my grip.

It was like a horrid repeat of the last case with Lorenzo on that fateful night.

A lone tear dribbled down my cheek as I trembled with fear.