One night, while sitting in her room, Lina decided it was time to change her strategy. She would isolate Tim from Lukas to strengthen her position. She needed to create a problem that would make her appear not only as Lukas's best friend, but also as his only choice.
The next day, she spoke to one of her classmates, who jokingly remarked that Tim was back on the market. "Maybe you should put him in his place again, Lina," he said.
Lina smiled mysteriously. "I have an idea."
Over the next week, Lina prepared a plan to weaken the bond between Tim and Lukas. She knew she could exploit his weakness for Tim. By portraying Tim as a threat, Lukas would see that he could rely on her.
She began spreading rumors about Tim—that he'd made some strange acquaintances during his time away and that it might be better for everyone if he kept some distance from Lukas. She knew Lukas was sensitive and cared about the people he cared about. This would work.
One Friday night, while they were at school with Lukas, she set the stage for their game. She put on a serious face and spoke in a worried voice. "Lukas, I'm really worried about Tim. I heard he's been hanging out with some pretty bad people. You know how dangerous that can be."
Lukas looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"
"I heard he's in trouble and doesn't care enough about his own safety. You should really take care of him before something bad happens," she urged, watching the uncertainty grow in Lukas's eyes.
"This... this can't be true," Lukas murmured, beginning to worry. "I thought he was back on track."
Lina smiled inwardly. Her plan was beginning to bear fruit, and she knew she couldn't stop until she had what she wanted—Lukas's complete devotion. She just had to make sure Tim didn't get in the way, and she was willing to do anything to achieve that.
The next few days were crucial for Lina's plan. She continued to observe Tim and Lukas, ensuring that her influence guided their every move. Tim tried to return to his normal routine, but the constant doubts Lina had sown in Lukas kept him from resting. Every time Tim spoke to Lukas, she noticed Lukas withdrawing, worried and thoughtful. It was the perfect time for her to present herself as the reliable support.
One evening, as they sat together again in the café, Lina couldn't put off the opportunity any longer. Tim had just entered the café, and she knew Lukas was about to speak to him. "Hey, Tim, how are you?" Lukas called, and the two began to talk. Lina sat off to the side, watching them with her arms crossed, a small grin on her lips.
She wondered how she could interrupt the conversation. Finally, she stood up and walked over to them. "Lukas, could you please do me a favor? I'm feeling a little unwell and could use your help," she said in a strained voice that demanded attention.
Lukas immediately turned to her. "Sure, what do you need?"
"It would be great if we could talk alone for a moment," she added, sending Tim a challenging look that was unmistakable. Lukas immediately followed her, and they walked a little way away.
"What's wrong, Lina?" he asked worriedly as they retreated to a quiet corner.
"I'm really worried about you and Tim. I feel like he's not treating you well. I don't want you to get hurt," she said, looking deep into his eyes to emphasize her words.
"What do you mean? Tim didn't even tell me he was in trouble again," Lukas replied, but Lina could see she was already planting doubts in his mind.
"Just look at the way he's acting. I think you should keep a little distance from him. It could be dangerous for you," she said urgently.
In the days that followed, Lina continued her plan. She cut Tim out of Lukas's life by filling him with her own stories of "hidden dangers" and "possible threats." It was as if she was spinning a web of lies and manipulation that was woven ever tighter around the two of them.
Tim sensed the changes in Lukas and tried to clear things up. "Hey, I have a feeling something's wrong between us. You've been so distant lately," he said to Lukas one evening.
"It's not what you think, Tim. Lina's just worried about me. She wants to make sure I'm okay," Lukas explained, but uncertainty shone in his eyes.
"Lina is a good person, but I think she's exaggerating a bit," Tim said, searching Lukas's eyes deeply.
"I don't know if I can really trust her. She made me feel like I wasn't protecting you enough," Lukas replied, and this caused Tim to experience an inner conflict. He knew Lina wasn't telling the truth, but he also didn't have the courage to tell Lukas the whole truth for fear it might only make things worse.
The days passed, and Lina felt more in control than ever. She took every opportunity to isolate Lukas from Tim. When Lukas returned from one of her conversations with Tim, he was often thoughtful or irritated. Lina saw his behavior change, and she knew she was on the right track.
But the more time she spent with Lukas, the more she realized that she didn't truly own him. He was still gripped by the grief over Tim, and it nagged at her that she was only manipulating him instead of building a real connection with him. In the darkness of her room, as she considered her next steps, she felt a growing sense of doubt and unease. Was this really what she wanted? A life of lies and manipulation to win a boy's love?
One night, while thinking about all this, she discovered a message from Tim on her phone that she had accidentally read. "Lina never trusted you, and I'm worried about what she's doing to you," the message read. A cold shiver ran down her spine. What if he finds out the truth?
In that moment, Lina decided she couldn't let Tim, or anyone else, ruin her plan. She had to regain control before it was too late. And as she thought about it, a new, darker plan began to form in her mind. If Tim doesn't disappear from Lukas's life, she'll have to do it herself.
Lina felt inspired by the idea of getting rid of Tim, as if he were an obstacle in her path to Lukas. The more she thought about it, the more the idea took shape and clarity. It was a simple solution that could fix everything for her. She imagined how things would change if Tim were no longer there. Lukas would finally focus solely on her, and she could give him the support he needed to become the boy she admired so much again.
In the days that followed, Lina observed Tim even more closely. She noticed that he was still trying to build a relationship with Lukas, and it made her angry. How could he be so blind? He didn't understand that Lukas was being pulled into an emotional whirlpool by Lina that was slowly consuming him. She looked at him while he talked to Lukas, and she was gripped by his innocence. Tim wasn't the enemy—that was herself. But she had to block that out. She couldn't show any weakness.
One evening, when Tim went jogging alone, Lina decided to follow him. She knew he took a specific route that led him through the park. It was a quiet place, often empty in the evenings. Perfect for putting their plans into action.
Lina found a suitable place to hide and waited. Her heart raced as she considered how to surprise Tim. Finally, she saw him jogging in the distance, and the sight alone sent a wave of adrenaline coursing through her body. It's now or never.
As Tim approached, she stepped out of her hiding place and called out, "Hey, Tim! Wait a minute!"
He stopped and looked surprised. "Lina? What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to talk to you," she said, approaching him to hide her nervousness. "There are things I need to tell you."
"What's wrong?" he asked, and Lina could hear the hesitation in his voice.
"It's about Lukas. I'm really worried about him. He seems so different lately. I think you might be negatively influencing him," she began, sounding both sweet and manipulative.
Tim shook his head. "I don't think so, Lina. I'm just here to be there for him."
"You have to understand that it would be better if you stayed away from him. Maybe you should just get some distance. It's not healthy for him to always be surrounded by you," she said, taking a step closer to him.
"I can't just pretend I don't exist. Lukas is my friend. I can't stab him in the back," Tim replied, and she saw the resistance in his eyes.
"But what if it hurts him? If he can't handle you?" she asked urgently, her voice filling the room with an urgent intensity.
"I'm worried about you, Lina. You seem so desperate. You have to be careful not to go too far," Tim said worriedly.
An idea flashed through Lina's mind that she wanted to act on immediately. "If you're really worried about me, could you help me," she suggested, stepping even closer.
"How?"
"It's hard to explain, but I need your help to talk to Lukas. I think if he only knew I was there for him, he might be able to think more clearly again," she said, holding his gaze.
Tim seemed to be thinking, and that was the moment Lina needed. "What if we meet tomorrow morning? I want to show you something that might help you understand him better," she added, smiling.
He nodded hesitantly. "Okay, I'm in."
At that moment, Lina knew she could regain control of the situation. She had Tim at a point she could use to carry out her plans. And as she talked to him, she secretly plotted the next step in her mind.
She spent the night perfecting her strategy. She wanted to trap Tim while ensuring Lukas wasn't harmed. She would tell him there was a threat that only they could fight together. It was a perfect cover.