Kapittel 16

Vanessa

I stared at the droplets of water cascading from my face down to the floor and eventually the drain, heaving a sigh. I raised my hands across my wet, slippery hair, lathering it further with the shampoo I had applied to it earlier.

I have been stuck in the shower enclosure for so long that I didn't know how much time has passed. My lukewarm tears were streaming endlessly, cascading down my face softly along the suds. The scent of lemon and peppermint spread elegantly, quite the opposite of the organic soil my butt slammed into.

I didn't know what I was doing. All I knew was I needed to shower to remove all the stuff that got to me when I slipped and fell in the garden. I needed to scrub every inch of me clean even though I already did it in a recluse bathroom nearby Ms. Caswell's office. Good thing we came across each other while I was on my way out and helped me get a change of clothes without getting other people's attention.

I bit my lower lip and curled my fingers, scratching my nails across my scalp, remembering how those stormy orbs scrutinized me deeply that it drowned me unknowingly. It still stuck in my mind to see how Friso looked at me when Ms. Caswell bid him goodbye after helping him get a change as well. His eyes were directed at me with a gaze so mellow and crestfallen as I was one fine, fragile piece of China that he broke or he valued all long lost.

Although I was angry at him, I felt partially guilty. He was panicking when I had an attack, and I pushed him away. My actions for getting back at him were inexcusable. I was driven by my anger, and I still was. But what would have stopped him from wetting my shoes and making me slip?

I was inconsolable too. My old wound was back open afresh, rubbed with salt. Remembering Dad, and realizing that I had forgotten something that happened in his death broke me. Not to mention those visions, those flashes of what happened that rainy night. In one thing I get to somehow forget about that unfortunate happening, something pulls me back to that nightmarish pit all over again. It was always like this when I get to step on foot out of the cruel, sorrowful cage, the chain on my neck pull me back. As though it was reminding me that I had no place to be happy.

Luckily, I got to hold back my tears when Mom picked me up. But as soon as I got in my room, closed the door, and dropped all my things, I found myself wailing like a baby. I was grieving my father's death all over again. I found myself grieving all over again. I sometimes thought that I hated feeling like this. I hated this, grieving.

My head suddenly felt light, and my gaze was lazily stuck on the drain collecting the raining water that my vision had become blurry. My chest thumped. What was grief exactly?

I once read someone named Herschel made an analogy about grief likened to a large ball inside a box with a pain button in it. The ball started big, constantly pressing that pain button, but as time passes, the ball would get smaller, and could no longer hit the button most of the time. But why did my grief not feel like it?

It had been quite a time since Dad died. But it seemed that my pain didn't minimize even the slightest bit. There were times when I had gotten tired of crying. I got sick of getting my post-breakdown migraines. I grew weary of the panic attacks. The sense of worthlessness when I forgot even the slightest bit about him, especially it was about the accident, his last moments. It was already tediou– God, what am I thinking?! I shouldn't think about this, dad doesn't deserve this!

Ah, I feel so worthless. I couldn't protect Dad in the accident, now I couldn't even remember him properly. What kind of daughter was I?

There were times I conceived the thought of moving on one day. But that idea always strikes my chest with irrevocable guilt. He could have been alive if I refused to take his helmet. He would have been alive. I was responsible for his death, I owe him my life. I shouldn't forget the sacrifice he did for me, paying his life as a price. What was more disheartening was that I dared to forget his last words to me.

Going back to the box and ball analogy, maybe my ball was still big and wasn't deflating so it remained pressing the button, or maybe my grief wasn't a ball in a box, but rather, an iron maiden with countless spikes. My grief was trapping me in a dark, claustrophobic space that suffocated me, not to mention the spikes that would tear down my flesh when I made any form of movement.

I rested a palm on the wall, leaning my face forward to evade the water from dripping my head. My eyes stopped releasing the salty tears when it struck me. Maybe I wasn't tired of grief. Maybe I was tired of the pain caused by this grief. But I was grief's willing prisoner, willing to suffer for my dad's lasting sake. Pain was a main accessory to grief, or is it?

God, all this thinking was making my head so light that I might pass out.

Steam built up in the glass chamber. The water was comfortably warm, however, I was feeling cold. At the same time, I felt like sweating. I stared back down at the drain. All the suds had gone, and the water looked vibrant and iridescent in the presence of the suds, but now that all of the bubbles had gone down the drain, everything suddenly became monochromatic. I turned the water off, and I noticed my fingers had gotten way too wrinkly. Looks like I've been here for too much for a long time.

I should get some Tylenol because for sure, I'm getting a headache later. My head splits whenever I break down. I ran a hand on my face, wiping off the wetness. Deciding to get out of the shower, I sniffed. Maybe I should take something to get rid of this runny nose too.

I was in the middle of changing my clothes when my phone suddenly rang. I hastily wore my shorts, thinking that it was my friends from the other part of the east coast asking for FaceTime again. I ran to the nightstand to reach for the ringing device and realized I wasn't wrong.

"Missed me too much?" I greeted them after pressing the answer button.

"With that hair? Never." It was Nikki who answered, and I heard chuckles pealing at her response.

I pouted. "C'mon, guys. I just got out of the shower." Looking around, I started my search for my comb.

"At a time like this?" she asked, resting her device on what seemed to be a coffee table. Nikki was stepping back to sit on the couch where Seandhe and Harley lounged.

"Hey, you two," I waved at her two brothers, who enthusiastically replied with large smiles and energetic waves. They always looked excited when we call. "Long story." I tried to avoid talking about Friso, walking to the vanity mirror. My comb must be there.

"Then make it short du– wait, were crying?!"

I almost freaked out when she exclaimed. Thank God, I got to hold my facial muscles and kept my usual facial expression. "No, why?" I feigned ignorance. Damn, I thought it wasn't obvious behind the camera. I didn't want to talk about Friso or anything about today right now, especially after all those shower thoughts. I needed some peace of mind.

"You're lying," Seandhe retorted.

"You can tell?"

"So you were definitely lying." Holy... I almost cussed out loud when I realized what just happened. I was taken aback that instead of lying again, I asked him instead without thinking. Sometimes, I couldn't comprehend how stupid I could be when encountering situations in which critical thinking and things like lying were crucial.

"By the way, where's Katherine and Jay?" Beads of sweat started to form on my wet scalp and forehead. I didn't know if this was because my room was unexpectedly hot or if I was just afraid of their confrontation.

"Don't change the subject. Talk." Nikki insisted

I sighed, sitting on the vanity's chair, the white flag waving. "I can never hide any of my troubles from you guys. Can't I?" I shook my head lightly with a small smile. I should just tell them small details so it wouldn't be much pain to the chest.

"We're friends. It's part of our connection."

"Right..." I mumbled in a voice so small that it was close to being inaudible. I parted my lips, thinking about what I should tell them, but I couldn't find my throat releasing a voice. Gosh, was I hesitating? "But I don't feel like talking about it right now."

"Bummer," Nikki mumbled under her breath like she was disappointed, which earned her a light smack on the arm from Harley. "Hey!" she interjected, rubbing her arm.

"You two are a pain in the asses. You guys can't just force her to open up." He shook his head at his two nosy siblings, and a loud disappointed sigh reverberated through the line. He then looked at me. "You don't have to tell us if you don't want to, Van. Don't listen to them, they're just speaking nonsense."

"But in all seriousness though, Van. If you aren't comfortable talking about it then we'll wait," Seandhe added.

"Harley's right, Van. Sorry for forcing you into telling the truth." It was Nikki who apologized, seeming to realize her mistake. "But when they hurt and make you cry again, just tell us and we'll beat their asses," she said, folding her sleeve up to her shoulder and showing off her toned arm, one that I was envious of her.

She tended to work out together with her brothers, so she's got that pretty toned body that I want on myself. Meanwhile, I was so busy moping and living a sedentary life that a little fat grew on my low belly. I guess I should start hitting the gym sometimes.

"That's right! I'll give 'em a taste of a move I learned at training recently," Seandhe added, suddenly standing up and began throwing flashy yet forceful punches in the air and shuffling his feet. I laughed when he said some onomatopoetic noises in every move he made.

"You mean, that kick where you put too much force that it made you fall and embarrass yourself in front of everyone?" Harley asked which made us all release a peal of laughter, except for Seandhe of course.

"You didn't have to tell her that!" he said, his ears red with embarrassment.

"Thank you, guys," I said, smiling widely. I opened the vanity drawer and finally found my comb.

We got to catch up on things that happened in the afternoon. Nikki and Harley embarrassed Seandhe further by telling me how he slipped "majestically" when trying a new move during training. We had only been away from each other for days and talked a few hours ago, and I couldn't help but still missed them. I wanted to see them face-to-face and hug them tight. I needed it.

Our conversations rolled from one thing to another then it went on about viral videos on social media, and thank God they didn't seem to see my video on TikTok though. Well, Georgia did mention that it kept getting deleted, but got reposted every time on the school's Reddit. Hopefully, it wasn't posted in others as well.

While I got to avoid sharing them about the incident earlier, they also made me feel better. It still lingered in my mind no matter how much I tried to forget it though. I was still enraged, to be honest. I wasn't just angry with him, but at myself as well. Everything was like a bomb that dropped and exploded. Things just happened in a blink of an eye, I let my emotions get the best of me, and I ended up hurting myself. The memory of Dad telling me that he hated me frowning before he died. How come I remembered about that just now?

Unlike in the shower in which time seemed to pass slowly, our little hang-out happened so fast that it was already time for dinner.

"How do I look?" I asked them and angled my face from side to side to give them a good look at my face. No wonder Nikki sensed that I was crying, my eyes were all puffy and swelling red. Here I was, stupid enough to believe that the shower could handle it. I couldn't let Mom see me like this and get sad, I had to conceal it with makeup.

"Mighty fine...?" Nikki answered with a raised brow as if it was the dumbest question asked.

I rolled my eyes. "No, I meant do I still look like I cried?"

"Yeah. The color-correcting concealer did well." Now we were talking.

"Vanessa!" Mom's voice echoed. "Come and eat dinner before it gets cold!"

"I'm on my way, mom!" I quickly answered, scrambling on my seat and putting my makeup back in the drawer. "Just give me a few!" I said.

"Hurry up," Seandhe pressured. He knew that I hated getting pressured, and always taunted me about it.

"I am, so shut it." I stuck my tongue out and combed my hair one last time. While combing my hair earlier, I somehow thought that my friends were like a comb. They were willing to help me detangle the twists and knots life purposely made for whatever's sake. I was glad that they were always there for me, especially when I needed them most and was too afraid to tell them. I guess this was what Nikki implied about having a connection as part of being friends.

"Speaking of, aren't you guys supposed to eat dinner at this time too?" I asked, tucking my tresses behind my ear for a finishing touch.

"We already did. You were too busy with your makeup to notice that were slurping on Chinese," Seandhe replied nonchalantly.

"I see," I murmured while picking up the phone. I should bid them goodbye before I get down.

"What are you having for dinner?" it was Harley who asked.

"That, I don't know."

"I bet it's something good. You know Mrs. H cooks well."

"Yeah, unlike mom who puts less than a pinch of spice in every food," Seandhe complained, tapping his stomach.

"Yeah, and that's why we don't let you cook either," Nikki retorted.

"You!" My burly friend was quick to get on his feet and was ready to charge her. So did his sister, running behind Harley for cover.

"Hey, hey!" Harley went between them, trying to de-escalate the situation. "Knock it off, you two."

"What? It's true, your food tastes like it's unseasoned too!" Nikki continued to taunt her brother who was trying to claw her, and the other was protecting her from behind.

I have already seen the three of them argue lots of times, and it never failed to amuse me. Jay, Katherine, and I would even make bets sometimes about who would win. But tonight felt different since I was seeing this online, it might be because the lovebirds weren't present as well.

"Oh yeah? Well, your chicken alfredo sucks!" Seandhe voiced which caused her to gasp, and furrow her eyebrows. Of course, Nikki's favorite was chicken alfredo, and always took pride in how she made them deliciously, which she did.

"You did not just say my chicken alfredo sucks!"

"Oh no," he made an obviously fake gasp. "I just did!"

"Come here and let me smack your ass!"

"No, you come here, and let me smack you!"

"Coward!"

"Doesn't that make you one too?!"

"You two, stop!" Harley squawked at the top of his voice. He was tired of restraining his siblings from tearing each other. If he did back down even for a second, surely there'd be blood. "This is giving me a headache."

"Harls, you decide! Which is better my cooking or hers?" Seandhe asked.

"Y'all are giving me the hot seat now?" he asked his twin, glaring at him absurdly.

"Just answer it!" Nikki cajoled.

"Uh..." Harley hesitated, he knew that if he would pick a side, it would definitely insinuate discord with the other. "Let Van decide!" Damn, he transferred the hot seat to me!

The two immediately hovered over the camera and insisted which I thought best. I stared at them ridiculously and was about ridicule to give a reply when a message popped. Thank God, the universe, and all the odds!

"Hang on, a friend just texted," I tried to avoid the contest.

"Well, well, well. Would you look at that!" Now their attitude changed. They crossed their arms simultaneously, looking at each with raised brows.

"What?" I asked innocently.

"Oh nothing, it's just that it looks like we're getting replaced in no time," Nikki retorted.

"You guys are so dramatic." I gave them the bombastic side jokingly, before tapping on the text.

It was Asher, asking about what happened to me being called to the Guidance Counselor. I immediately stretched my thumbs and answered that I was tasked to do community service as punishment.

From: Asher

Wow.

From: Asher

You were tasked to do community service.

Okay... why did he seem surprised?

"Who is it?" Harley asked.

"It's Asher. He was asking about what happened earlier."

"You mean, what made you cry?" Seandhe asked.

"Yea– no! No." I glared at him over the line. He got me again.

"See we are getting replaced." Nikki began to feign tears and bawled loudly. "You're getting to telling him about that stuff, and you don't tell it to us."

"Nikki," Harley bellowed her name, his voice octaves lower than his normal one. It sounded like a father warning his child.

"I was just kidding!"

I shook my head, ignored them, and continued talking to Asher.

To: Asher

Uh yeah...?

To: Asher

What about it?

From: Asher

Nothing.

My heart thumped at his response. I was supposed to feel relieved, but something didn't feel right.

To: Asher

Asher, what is it?!

To: Asher

You're scaring me!

From: Asher

Hang on, give me time to type.

To: Asher

Then type faster.

From: Asher

I'm leaving you on read.

To: Asher

I was kidding...

From: Asher

Ik.

From: Asher

Usually, a first offense is only consequent with a warning.

From: Asher

The second offense requires detention and a reflection paper.

From: Asher

You only get to do community service on the third offense.

To: Asher

Wait.

To: Asher

What?!

From: Asher

Student handbook, page 45, article II, section 5, subsection C, third paragraph.

After hearing his response, I immediately ran to the door, opening it to notify Mom. "Mom, I'll be late for dinner in a bit!"

"Okay, honey. Just heat the food when you eat!"

"Okay, thanks!" I replied and ran to my study desk in an attempt to search for the student handbook I got from the registrar, almost throwing my stash just to find the goddamned book. I was agitated, I wanted to find that page immediately. If it was true that my offense was not liable for community service then that meant...

"What's going on?" Nikki asked, obviously confused.

"I... I need to go, guys. I got something to do." I stopped jumbling my things when I heard her. My chest has this turmoil boiling inside me, I needed some time alone, and for that, the calls needed to end. I'm sure they'd understand.

I was too occupied with my thoughts that I didn't notice I had placed the phone on the phone stand connected to the desk, showing them a full view that I was throwing my things away just to find a single item.

"Did something happen?" Seandhe asked worriedly. His question pierced my heart. It was obvious that they were concerned for me, but this problem did not involve them. I mustn't involve them too.

Vanessa, breathe. Get yourself together. Don't break down what you've recently built.

"I'd be lying if I said nothing happened," I answered, a small smile stretching on my lips. "I'm sorry for cutting this call short, but I need some time for myself right now."

"Oh... okay." My heart broke hearing Nikki's crestfallen voice. I felt guilty for disappointing them, but I need to prioritize myself right now, as well as finding the handbook.

"Take care." I grabbed the phone to wave them goodbye.

"Van," Harley called. "You know that we'll always be here for you right?"

"I know," I murmured with a small smile before ending the call.

I just hoped I was punished accordingly and not due to any factor interfering. Finally finding the book, which was just on the surface of the desk, along with my textbooks, I flipped the pages instantaneously and with full force like my life depended on it. There I found the page and section Asher implied, under the minor offenses.

"Whether these criteria are considered applicable by the succeeding persons in positions of the Discipline Committee, the Student Affairs Head, and the Student Formation Dean... the final verdict is determined by the Guidance Counselor... In such that either one or two violations were committed by the students, they are obligated to perform the following, in adherence with the level of offense, and jurisdiction of the Guidance Counselor... and shall be recorded in the student's name...." My eyes moved fastidiously from left to right as I seeped all the information entailed.

"General misconduct that may be liable under this includes but are not limited to the following... violation of basic campus rules... lacking evidence... unable to adhere to the SAO's uniform guidelines..." I mumbled the text word for word as I scanned the page. I got past what he had listed in the text. But there was nothing about assault or anything like it being listed as a minor offense.

To: Asher

But this applies to minor offenses like improper wearing of the uniform, not wearing the ID, and stuff like that though?

From: Asher

Turn to the next page.

I did as was told. My jaw smacked down the floor, and my eyes widened and my eyeballs left when I read what was articulated in the next page. What... the fuck. My veins constricted and it felt difficult to breathe as my face became hot. There it was, printed in an elegant text on the fine sheet of paper that emanated the smell of expensive print.

Assault that includes but is not limited to:

Punching

Kicking

Mockery

Pushing

Taunting

I didn't finish the rest that was written and immediately replied to Asher.

To: Asher

What the heck? Punching someone is just a minor offense?

From: Asher

You should be glad it's just a minor offense. The penalties for major violations are heavy.

From: Asher

That doesn't stop others from being assholes tho.

From: Asher

You didn't ask on what grounds you were penalized?

From: Asher

Here I thought you were some smarty pants who'd shout "I know my rights!" when incriminated or something.

To: Asher

I was scared okay?!

To: Asher

It was my first time getting called to the Guidance Counselor. I didn't know Mr. I-got-called-more-than-once.

To: Asher

What are the major offenses then?

From: Asher

Oh, you know.

From: Asher

Aside from things like cheating, arson, vandalizing, fighting with a teacher, illegal shit, scandals that can affect the school's rep, and other stuff.

To: Asher

Wait, you're not denying you got called more than once?!

To: Asher

Vandalizing is a major offense, and violence is not?!

From: Asher

I'd be lying if I say I didn't.

From: Asher

I'm starting to question which side you're on.

From: Asher

Especially that you're the assailant.

To: Asher

We're not talking about that right now.

From: Asher

But anyway, you only punched Friso once. If you're actually reading the handbook, it states there that assault escalates to violence when one punch becomes two, and the other party retaliates. The same goes with kicks, among others.

I turned the phone away to read the entire contents of the page and saw that he was right.

To: Asher

But what if my offense was treated as major since the video is posted on the school's Reddit?

To: Asher

Plus, it said there that penalties are at the Counselor's discretion.

To: Asher

Ms. Caswell was kind enough not to put it in my record too. Doing CS for it is nothing.

From: Asher

I'll give the benefit of the doubt.

From: Asher

But if we stick to the book, it sucks for u that they had you do CS when you were just supposed to be warned.

From: Asher

Anyways, gtg. It's spaghetti night. Can't miss it.

From: Asher

c u tmrw.

"What the heck?" I found myself grinning seeing his texts getting more minimum one after another. I plopped on my bed, emptily staring at the ceiling, processing what just happened. I... was meant to only have a warning?

My stomach growled but I wasn't in the mood to eat. All the information I just learned ate me whole. Now the time was passing so slowly again. A sigh escaped my lips. I was angry. Somewhat frustrated. There was a rumbling turmoil inside me that I couldn't process. My chest tightened as my thoughts went deeper. I wanted to know the truth, on what grounds I was tasked with community service as a penalty, but I didn't want to at the same time. I didn't think I'd handle the truth if it ever came out. No, I couldn't bear to hear it. They said that ignorance was bliss. Yet, willful ignorance turns into a crime. I'd rather... do crime I wouldn't take to see the naked truth itself.

Still, I should give the benefit of the doubt, right? Maybe I was somehow right. Especially since Asher mentioned major misconduct penalties like stuff that could affect the school's rep. It was in the handbook, too. Ms. Caswell surely punished me justly, right?

No. I bit my lower lip. This didn't feel right. My blood boiled as the devil cooed in my ear that she didn't punish me justly. If following the book itself, what I did was a minor misconduct. My first minor misconduct at that! I did community service when I shouldn't have?! I was supposed to only have a warning, what the fuck?

But it said there that violation at any level will be recorded in the student's name. Therefore, even if it was just a warning, I should have had my name on record. But she didn't do that. Urgh, this was confusing. This all seemed like someone asked Ms. Caswell to do all that.

Wait.

What if someone did? But who would be?

The night was cold, clouds huddled in the sky, and the winds blew hard like a storm was coming yet there wasn't. But realization struck me like lightning itself. No else could be capable of such things other than the devil himself: Friso.

No. No freaking way.

Fuck. I bit my lower lip when a familiar saline liquid got into the corner of my mouth. The other one flowed down the side of my face, reaching my ear. For no known reason, I was crying again.

Days have passed since my community service in the school garden with Friso. They said that time heals all wounds, but my anger hadn't subsided. Not one bit. I had been doing what I was usually supposed to be doing in school, focusing on my academics in hopes of a scholarship. The deathly scrutiny of the entire student body was hostile and bothersome at most but I kept myself mum. Of course, I was a mere peasant in their eyes, and this mere peasant hit their king. One miserable hit made me a pariah. So it wasn't surprising that every person I passed by gave me the evil eye. Thankfully, they weren't foul enough to hound at me like how the gossipmonger from last time did.

While I had a bit of time before my class, I walked to my locker with the thought of getting a textbook in mind. Crumpled papers, empty milk cartons, banana peels, and other whatchamacallit came out bursting from my locker as soon I opened it. The other students near my parameters only looked at the scraps piled up on the floor and carried on with their lives. Unfortunately, some people weren't as kind as the rest. There were people who were at their best to pester me. I should keep in mind not to be affected by this, by them. Like this. Exhibit fucking A.

"Urgh," I groaned under my breath before taking out a trashbag from my bag, kneeling down on the floor, and began picking everything up. This had been going on for days, so it wasn't a surprise anymore. I got to prepare things to clean up the litter as well. Good thing I didn't put all my things in there yesterday like how I usually did. I once had a notebook wet with sticky banana milk out of their taunting. As much as I wanted to report this to the guidance counselor, discipline committee, or whoever was responsible for handling this stuff, I couldn't. Especially after realization dawned on me what Ms. Caswell had done. Everyone in this school was clearly on Friso's side.

Finally picking up the last trash, I looked over my locker again, finding there were chewed gums stuck in different spots of my little storage. The one who did it was even polite to leave an untouched pack. Speaking of the devil and he doth appear, in some way. I groaned, pulled out a disposable glove, and began pulling each one out.

These past few days, Friso had been persistent in stealing my attention. He sat on seats close to me when we have classes together, he wouldn't use his own books or even bring one which forced me to share mine with him, he and the entire soccer team eat would with me at lunch and recess, he teased me like poking, holding, even softly shoving me, he'd also suddenly grab my things from me, and this too, putting his chewed gum all over the walls inside my locker. The last one was what instigated others to put their trash in their locker to taunt me. But I refuse to give him what he wanted. The more things he pulled to provoke me, the more I loathed him. Unfortunately, it did not have a good effect since it only made him pester me more, which was making things harder for me.

Trash? Gums? Pretty immature and old-school. But I was sure they'd get over it anytime soon like a fad. Not did it only his antics annoy me, but it was also not helping me understand him and the reason why he could have possibly asked Ms. Caswell to put me in community service and not put me on the record. I mean, aside from our old flame, what else did he want from me, or was this his way as a payback?

I hated being schemed on and I hated it more if I had gotten into someone's favor unjustly, and only for self-gain. But, was I in his favor to begin with when he was the one behind all it? Though I didn't have any evidence of how he could have been possibly involved with my record and penalty, I knew that he was capable of such things. I already knew what he was capable of with the power he got from his father, and I would never be surprised if he got control of absurd things occurring,

​​"Hey!" I was cut off from my trail of thoughts when someone snapped their fingers at me.

"Girl, you okay?" I heard Georgia's voice ask. I looked to my left only to find her looking at me with an anxious gaze.

"Huh?" that was all I could reply to her.

"You were spacing out, I was asking i–"

"Oof!" I grunted when my locker was suddenly pushed closed with a loud clang! Fuck, it was a lucky stroke that I had already taken my hand out.

"Oops, sorry. Saw a fly and thought I should take it out," a girl with dark hair, a sharp nose, and a ridiculous gaze apologized with a smirk on her face. It was clear that she wasn't sorry at all.

This was Lana, somebody whose existence I didn't know of until days ago when she did the same stunt. She suddenly came onto me one day because I hurt her "dear" Drew. I had been ignoring her though, and just walk to class. She'd eventually stop when I get inside the classroom. As much as she'd sometimes get on my nerves, I didn't want to snap back since I might end up in CS with Friso again, or get penalized with something worse.

"Oh, you didn't just smash that door on my friend's face!" Georgia snapped at her, stepping forward to put me behind her. She had been here for me and with me in this entire farce. She would shoo away the girls who tried to make their way to me and even used her pedestal as vice-captain of the cheerleading team to keep me out of harm's way. I was thankful to her for that.

Lana raised a brow at her, crossing her arms."You and your little friend should know your places, especially since you're just a financial advisor's daughter." They're pulling out the parent job card now?! That was a weird insult. "Like taking the trash out." She gestured her fingers at the trashbag that I was holding.

"Oh, you're really ge–" I was about to charge at her when someone spoke.

"I think you're one who should know your place, especially since you're just a public relations manager's daughter," a voice suddenly interrupted, causing the three of us to look in one direction simultaneously. It was that familiar-looking, tall brunette who was with Haley last time. I remember her name something like Maddy or something...

"Madison!" the villain of the day was elated. Oh no, was she a backup? "You're just in time. I was go–"

"Shut it," with just two words, Lana had shut up. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be following Chad or something?" Madison's voice was a combination of sultry yet raspy, with a demeaning tone was persisting.

"I'm here to teach her a lesson! She should know who she's me–"

"What lesson? As far as I know, you're not involved in that 'incident', and Friso didn't ask you to do this. So I wonder why you're sticking around Vanessa recently. You're trying to make a name for yourself perhaps? A new way to get to Chad?" At her remark, Lana suddenly became a laughingstock. I looked around, seeing everyone had stopped in their tracks just to laugh at her.

The sharp-nosed femme's face peeled tomato red. "You, you're close to Drew. Why aren't you angry for him?" tomato red face pointed a manicured index finger at the brunette beauty who scoffed in response.

Madison's face winced like she just saw something incorrigibly disgusting, turning Lana's finger away with a palm."First, put that ugly nail away from me. Second, I believe it isn't any of your business," she said, her voice becoming more threatening as she inched closer towards us, particularly at Lana. "And third, why don't you go and clean up Chad's mess, like you always do, and like how your daddy does with other people's mess too."

"My nail isn't ugly!" the latter shouted at the top of her lungs, her voice thick. My eye widened when I saw tears starting to stream from her eyes. I mean, I'd cry too if someone would call my nails ugly. "I'm telling Chad about this!" she cried before finally turning on her feet and running away sobbing. Wow, I didn't expect that she was one who could easily cry.

"As if he'd defend you anyway," Madison mumbled to herself nonchalantly, fishing out her phone, and began typing like she was casually responding to someone's text. The hall was now silent, yet it was still full of the flabbergasted crowd. "What are y'all looking at? Show's over," she suddenly glared at us, causing the formed crowd to finally dissipate. Though, even with her fierce scram, it didn't stop the others from gossiping and sharing whispers with each other.

"Thank you," I expressed my gratitude as soon as it had gone back to normal again.

"Whatever," she retorted, putting her phone back in her pocket. "Be careful, especially since Friso's pretty tight on you. You're making an enemy out of almost half of the campus," she said, her hands on my collar running her fingers on it like she was fixing a crease. It may seem like a word of advice but it was a lethal warning. I could feel the sharp, corrosive acid on her words. Her neat and first-class manicured fingers running across my collarbone felt soft but pushed weight on me, and her sweet perfume paralyzed me like I was injected with wolfsbane.

"You seem like a tough cookie, though, I wonder how long it would take 'til you break." She patted my collar. The force was quite hard yet it didn't hurt. It felt like something else except a good luck pat. She gave one last lingering look, her eye piercing at me as she strutted away. I stared at her back helplessly, watching her shiny, glamorous hair sway effortlessly as she sashayed. She wasn't an ally, I guess.

_

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