From Hell | Jensoo

1

"Michelle is a monster from hell."

That's what everyone tells me. Everyone whispered the same story. She's bitter and harsh. She's intimidating and towers over others. She smokes and drinks and parties. She sleeps around and leaves the second the deed is done. Dressed in all red, looking as though she was the devil, it was understandable why people called her a walking red flag.

And for the longest time, I believed it.

I grew up in a christian family where my parents taught me that her type of behavior is unacceptable to God. Every sunday, my family and I would go to church. My parents would constantly remind me to obey the word of God.

I was told to treat others the way I wanted to be treated, kindly. I was told not to smoke or drink or do drugs. I was told to stay a virgin for that "special someone" I'd inevitably meet.

And that made me decide that I wanted nothing to do with her...

Even if she smiles at me like what she's doing right now.

"Hi Heather. Fancy meeting you here."

She said as she rests her arms on the railings yet I didn't give her a reply nor acknowledge her presence.

Some would say it's mean while others like my parents and friends would say I'm doing the right thing. I guess this is me being cautious from the girl they call a monster from hell.

I was really surprise when she talked to me. I barely have any interaction with her as I always try to avoid her yet here we are, staying in the same place looking at the twinkling stars.

I was sitting outside for some fresh air after talking to one of my friends inside who asked me to accompany her at the party. I didn't drink as what I promised my parents earlier.

"Want some wine?"

She offered me a glass of red wine after puffing out the smoke from her cigar. I fished out my handkerchief to cover my nose from inhaling the smoke. I shook my head in response then muttered with my voice muffled with the cloth,

"I don't drink alcohol."

She nodded in understanding. I saw her open a bottle of water and handed it to me instead. I look at her in confusion.

"You seemed a little thirsty."

She's right. I am thirsty. Maybe because I haven't had a decent drink ever since I arrived at the party or maybe because I felt my body temperature raised and had this odd feeling when I saw her dancing earlier.

"Don't worry. Drinking it won't turn you into a bad person."

She smiled sheepishly. I realized I didn't accept her bottle yet. I gave her a tight-lipped smile and grabbed the bottle from her hand while muttering a quick 'thanks'.

If I'm being honest, I was tempted to drink alcohol. I wanted to experience what it's like to be drunk. There's a lot of things I want to experience...but doing those would be disgraceful to my family.

Who would've thought that I'd be with the girl whom they called a monster? She sat quietly beside me without minding the awkward silence between us.

I carefully glanced at the girl who is sitting beside me. People always say that I am the total opposite of her.

If they see her as a monster from hell, they see me as an angel from heaven.

The thing is, keeping up a good image is suffocating and I'm not an angel as what they pictured me out to be. All I want is to be free from their scrutinizing gaze. I don't want to spend my life pretending to be a perfect girl. One that doesn't smoke nor drink alcohol. One that doesn't party and have sex with anyone. One that doesn't feel any sexual attraction towards their own gender. And one that obeys what they want me to be.

Of course, I won't let anyone know that the angel that they see wants to be far from what they expect.

I looked at her once again as she closed her eyes allowing the cold breeze relax her body.

I was thinking if the rumors were really true as what they say.

She's wearing in all red. A red dress and a red cardigan. Her milky white shoulder were draped with the cardigan. Her lips were as red as her outfit. Her eyeliner as dark as her hair.

She looked like a succubus luring anyone to sin.

And I was almost one of them.

I saw the way she suggestively danced earlier which placed me in a trance I've never experienced before. She swayed her hips confidently without a care for the eyes on her. It was very hypnotizing that I almost sinned for thinking of sinful thoughts.

I should really go home now before my parents ground me for not coming home on time.

And I should go home before I succumb into her charm...

before I turn into a type of person my parents won't like.