"Let me go, Nelson!" Naomi harshly pulled away from him as soon as Lana and Samuel disappeared from their view.
"What's wrong Naomi? What did I do to you that you despise me that much?.."
"As I said. Nothing wrong, just stay away from my business."
"No. It's not going to happen. I'm not going to let you go. At least I won't."
"Don't make me repeat myself!" Holding up the rage buckling in her, she makes sure Nelson heard her well this time. "Stay. Away. From. Me."
"NO." Nelson gets a hold of her arm before she gets the chance to run away again. "Give me a chance, let us prove that we are not meant to be together." Nelson hadn't staggered from his position, inoffensive by Naomi's harsh attitude toward him. "Give me a chance." He said, almost half whispering.
As if the time had frozen, for a second, Naomi had listened to him. Their eyes locked, and a surge of adrenaline rushed causing her dewy cheeks to beet red.
"I..."
"It's alright Naomi, I know I shouldn't force you into accepting me. But I'm eager to make you heard me, this time." He pleaded, tiring of the games of chasing around.
"You are..., ridiculous," Naomi stuttered, averting his gaze, in a way too soft to sound angry nor irritated. The sour taste was crumpled in her chest, waiting to be released.
Hoping Naomi will catch up with him, he leads the way. Throwing one last glance, a hand stuffed in the pocket, he said, "Come, let's go." He ordered. "Perhaps I should make a move first, since, you still refuse me to be around?"
"No, I mean, Nelson..."
"It's Neil... You may call me Neil." The striking clear brown eyes penetrate into her soul, assuring her it's alright to let her insecure down.
In this world, she had no one else to turn to, if even her only uncle won't bother to ruin her why would anyone else care. Yet anyone who bothers about her will only be left with a burden larger than themselves as if she is a living curse.
Her aging parents had to abandon Nora's needs to support her studies, and Nora had no choice but to leave the house...
And Lana...
Lana shouldn't be at the scene at that time, even though she had done her best to protect Lana, it is the grudge that acts to the sinister disastrous ending.
She had allowed the devil to take over her clear mind on that day...
In fact, anyone could be the victim, but fate chooses her only best friend. If only it wasn't Lana..., then it wouldn't end that way.
It was Lana's fault after all. She had made her into the mess.
Her life is totally a joke to the world.
Impatient by Naomi's clueless demeanor Nelson returns to her, casually putting both hands on her shoulder, "Come on, I know what you think about me, so, you should prove this blurry guy is terrible." Nelson says it to her face to divert her attention to him.
An unexpected chuckle escaped from Naomi's thin light rosy lips which then erupted into an infectious giggle. Nelson burst out a suppressed laugh trying to figure out the source of the comedy. "What? Why are you laughing."
Breaking their eye contact, she looks away and finds a distraction from the empty walls. Clearing her throat, she composes herself, fighting the urge to smile, she answered, "You are funny."
How long had it been? Nelson had no memory of this side of her. Eventually, Naomi had overwhelmed him with her hidden bright personality.
Alternately nudging her glass frame upon the bridge of her nose, she quickly responded, " I think... I should go, see you around." She said as she goes, refusing to meet his gaze.
"Halt." Nelson gets a grip on her again.
The warms of his touch send erratic thuds in her chest echoing in her ears. Yet, she withholds to look back.
"It is suffocating to be at school all the time. Don't you think so?" Nelson suggested.
In slow motion, Naomi responded to him. Her curious rounded, prominent innocent eyes fixated on him, making his heart skip a beat as a soft reply slip away her lips. "Huh...?"
Warding off the robust desire to devour her lips. He uttered in his forced baritone, "Come with me." Holding her hand, he hauls her away with him.
"But..."
Taking one last glimpse at the empty hallway for witnesses to their truant, adjusting her spectacles, Naomi quickly matched Nelson's steps.
His back view encloses her way, broad shoulder of him establish a warm refuge to her, and the fact that Nelson is clutching her hand securely in the palm of his hand had ceased her ability from functioning as usual.
"What on earth is wrong with you today? Wake up, Naomi!" Her inner voice screamed to herself. When they are standing beside Nelson's metallic lime green sporty Z-style superbike at the school parking lot, Naomi is yet to be aware of her surrounding.
Handing her one of the ebony matte helmets, Nelson puts on his gloves and leather jacket he tugged nicely in his backpack. Acknowledge that Naomi will stay confused, he gently assisted her to put on her helmet. Igniting the start button, the engine rumble to life. As he mounted on, he lifted his visor, gesturing Naomi to take the seat behind him. "Let's go to a place, I will drop you home afterward."
The details of his words were silenced by the roaring of the super machine, she didn't get what had he said, yet, Naomi decided to neglect all the norms and accepted his offer.
Making sure his passenger is safe and sound at his back, he advised, "Hold me tight, Naomi. We are going on a date." He said softly, a smile deepening his dimples formed from behind his full-face helmet. Twisting the throttle, he maneuvered smoothly and accelerate out of the school compound.
A quiet café by the lake.That was where we would meet.Nelson drop me at the venue, "Call me if you need anything." he said softly."I can call a taxi too, please don't worry," I said before closing the door."Sure," he said, trying to smile.The hours leading up to it passed in a haze. My hands trembled slightly as I smoothed down my dress.I wasn't sure why I was so nervous.Maybe because, for the first time in fifteen years, I would finally see the man I had loved more than anything.And he was alive.My heart hammering as I scanned the café.The grand glass windows framed the tranquil waters, while soft instrumental music played in the background with freshly brewed artisanal coffee lingered in the air.It was a place of quiet indulgence, yet somehow, as I stepped inside, I felt its echoes stirring in the silence.I was nervous but hopeful, dressed in a way that made me feel like myself again, like the girl who once dreamed of forever with Sam.When I finally saw him, standing by
For the first time in years, I woke up feeling… light.No lingering drowsiness from medication.No heaviness pressing against my chest.Just the quiet hum of the morning, the distant crash of waves against the shore, and the warmth of the sun filtering through the curtains.I sat up slowly, letting the realization settle in.I had slept.Truly slept.Without the aid of pills, without waking in cold sweats, without the weight of forgotten memories clawing at the edges of my mind.Since the day Nelson had taken me to the memorial park. He had stood by my side as I faced the past I never knew I had buried so deeply.The guilt, the unanswered questions, the fear of the unknown.Had finally begun to lift.I stepped out onto the balcony, the ocean stretching endlessly before me. The salty breeze kissed my skin, the crash of waves a soothing melody against the silence.For once, I felt calm.Not healed. Not whole.But calm.Everything was still sinking in. The truth about Naomi, the lies Jaso
"Because I killed him. I killed Bong, Lana!" she admitted with an evil mock.She stood there, the wind whipped around her, catching the loose strands of her hair.Gusts of wind send shivers through my frail body, but rather my lips tremble as I chooses to speak. "You didn't, you didn't...""Lana, I did. I was there." She responded. "I'm the one who removes the evidence; I try to keep him away from you, but my resentment for such an animal, I rather end his life."I feel it back then how my heart break at the truth that the murder of our school security guard who tried to harass me was done by Naomi.Naomi was indeed... trying to protect me.I was hoping it was a hoax, but the truth had been told by Naomi herself tore my heart apart even more."Naomi, why... why did you do that? You could have told me, and I would have been able to help you!""Lana, how could you possibly rescue me? He raped me, destroyed my life, and put my future in jeopardy! Tell me, have any peasants like me gotten
A faint hum of the engine and the sway of the car pulled me from the depths of sleep.My eyelids felt impossibly heavy, my limbs weighed down as if my body had sunk into the seat.The world outside the window blurred past in muted streaks of grey and green, shrouded in the soft glow of the morning light.I blinked, my mind struggling to catch up.The last thing I remembered was sitting at the dining table with Nelson, his voice low as he suggested something. But the memory was hazy, distorted, as if it belonged to someone else.A faint recollection of waking up sluggishly, getting ready with Mrs. Holland's help, and having breakfast darted across my mind, but not quite tangible.Panic coiled in my chest. I turned, my breath catching as I found Nelson beside me, one hand on the wheel, the other resting lazily on the armrest.His face was calm, but there was something guarded in the way his gaze flickered toward me before settling back on the road."You're awake." His voice was smooth, u
The guest room prepared for me was a surprising contrast to the rest of the antique grandeur mansion.The walls were painted a soft, muted grey, with a single abstract painting hanging above a sleek platform bed. The bed itself was low and modern, dressed in crisp silky white linens and a lightweight beige throw.Just clean lines and a calm, unpretentious aesthetic.A small bedside table held a simple lamp with a frosted glass shade, casting a warm and inviting glow.A single potted plant. A touch of green against the neutral palette stood on a narrow wooden shelf that ran the length of the wall.The floorboards gleamed too perfectly, polished wood, and the large window opposite the bed framed the darkness outside. A sheer white curtain drifted slightly with the cool night breeze, adding a touch of softness to the otherwise stark room.The warmth of the bath earlier had done little to ease the tension coiled tight in my chest.I lay awake staring at the ceiling, tracing invisible patte
The winding road felt endless, the hum of Nelson's motorcycle filling the silence between us. The city's glow had long since faded, replaced by the barren fields and a sky bloated with stars, an emptiness of the countryside.Trees lined the path, their shadows stretching ominously under the pale moonlight. My grip on Nelson's jacket tightened as the bike slowed, its headlight glaring at a wrought-iron gate.Nelson pulled off his helmet and reached for his phone. With a quick call, he muttered something I couldn't hear. Moments later, the gates creaked open, revealing a long driveway framed by hedges trimmed to razor-perfect lines casted by a soft golden glow of bulbs.The house at the end of the path loomed, grand yet secluded, with its aged wood and stone exterior.We rolled forward slowly, the bike's engine a low rumble that echoed in the still night. A figure waited by the entrance, an elderly woman, her posture straight and her hands clasped neatly in front of her. She had a calm y