Chapter Forty Eight

It's been a week.

Ever since their little argument that afternoon, Thea had decided to avoid Seth. His words had hurt her badly but she refused to let her sadness show in any shape or form.

Maybe she should just stick to the contract because that is all this is, a bloody contract, nothing else.

Thea stood in front of the white basin, washing her hands with soap. She finished her first lecture not so long ago and she was getting ready to head to her second lecture.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself. The posts on WeTalk have gotten progressively accusatory and she was loving every bit of it.

The door creaked open and a figure walked in. Thea glanced up in the mirror, her eyes meeting those of Yumi's.

Yumi stared, a look of shock flickering in her eyes as they settled on Thea. She froze, glancing between the stalls and the entrance. Thea looked away, returning her attention to her hands. She has no personal business with Yumi and she intends to keep it that way..

For now.

Yumi clears her throat and walks past Thea to one of the stalls. The sound of running water soon followed. When she emerged, she walked to the basin right beside Thea, turning on the faucet.

"I didn't know you joined Zean," Yumi stated as she began to wash her hands.

Thea didn't even turn her head. She picked up a paper towel, slowly drying her fingers.

"I didn't know we were close enough for such pleasantries, Yumi." Her voice lacked warmth.

Yumi smiled, her eyes still fixed on her hands. “I suppose so. Now that you're no longer a Balmero, there would be no need to pretend to like each other right?”

Thea smiled. “I suppose so, since hypocrisy runs in the water your friend group drinks.”

Yumi's hand stilled under the water. She turned her head slightly to look at Thea, a flicker of annoyance crossing her features.

"You're being a little smug, aren't you? For someone who just got disowned by her father, and had her dirty laundry aired for the entire world to see."

Thea finally turned, a smirk spreading across her face. Her eyes held a chilling glint as they met Yumi's.

"Dirty laundry?" Thea repeated.

Yumi smirked. “You might have been able to get someone to wipe it off the internet but…we all know what you did on the night of your engagement party.”

Thea scoffed, finding Yumi's audacity unbelievable.

“Of course, I knew you were no goody two-shoes. I don’t know why Runes agreed to marry you anyway. Even Yolanda could smell the bullshit from miles away.”

Thea's eyes met her with a cunning smile. “Just like I can smell your hypocrisy from here? You sure love pointing fingers, don't you?”

Yumi froze, her gaze meeting Thea's in the mirror. Her eyes narrowed, what is that supposed to mean?

“What? I'm not the one with a video of me cheating getting leaked to the internet.” She snaps back.

"Funny. I believe I made it clear that the whole situation was taken out of context. And I am not a cheat like Runes claimed. Unless, of course, you know something about Runes that no one else knows, Yumi?"

Yumi's face paled. Her eyes went open and flickered away from Thea's, darting nervously towards the restroom door, then back to Thea.

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Does Thea know something about her and Runes? What was that statement supposed to mean?

Yumi chuckled nervously, “What are you talking about?”

Thea watched Yumi's panic, her smirk widening. She could have said more, could have spelled it out, but why give Yumi the satisfaction of a full confession?

Thea leaned closer, her voice dropping to a barely audible whisper.

"You know, Yumi, some people chase after fleeting pleasures, scraps left behind by others. They settle for being a secret, a disposable toy. But then, some know their worth and stand tall even when the world tries to knock them down."

She straightened up, her gaze hardening.

"I may have been disowned, but I have more self-worth in my little finger than you'll ever have in your pathetic existence."

Yumi scoffed, too stunned to give Thea a response. Perhaps her words hit her like a knife or maybe she was scared she knew something about her and Runes.

“W…what are you ranting about?!” She snapped, her voice trembling with each word.

Thea tossed the used paper towel into the bin, adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder, and walked past Yumi.

She didn't spare her another glance, simply pushed open the restroom door and stepped out, leaving Yumi standing alone at the basin, her hands still wet, her mind reeling.

Yumi stared at her reflection in the mirror, her cheeks flushed with terror. Does she know? If she found out, how did she find out? How much does she know? Is she going to go to the media and tell them what she knows? Does she even have proof for her claims?

Her mind raced with a million possibilities, knowing that the end result of all her suspicions, if they were right, was bound to ruin her life!

Yumi glanced at the restroom door once more, nervous. This is not going to end well. What if its all in her head? What if Thea doesn’t know a thing about her relationship with Runes?

She tries to dry her hands in haste but ends up yanking the toilet paper off the stand and tossing it to the ground in anger. Her fingers went through her hair, panic running every last basin cell she had left.

It can’t be. She was careful. She was sure that that bastard kept his mouth shut and she had always covered her tracks. How? Where did she slip?!

Yumi storms out of the restroom, heading for her class. Her eyes met Thea's, who was in her second lecture hall, briefly. Thea’s face was expressionless, confusing Yumi even more.

What is this? Some sick game?