Malefic [BOOK 2]

Hope Hurts.

So, seeing the same boy she had grown up with into a complete monster was a bitter pill for Leo to swallow. But now, as she sat by him, hearing his quiet sighs, she couldn't help but question herself. Did her presence, and her actions, contribute to his current state? Was she somehow responsible for the darkness that had consumed him?

Leo released a sigh, her lips forming a subtle pout. A firefly landed on her finger making her lips lift up slightly. It crawled into her palm and settled there like it was its personal king-sized bed. Leo gently cupped her hands together, bringing the firefly closer to her face. Its gentle glow cast a soft light on her features, revealing the curve of her nose in the enveloping darkness.

As the firefly's light danced upon her face, Leo sensed Chen's gaze drilling into her from the side. Her smile gradually transformed into a solemn frown, mirroring the weight of their unspoken words. With a tender touch, she gently released the firefly onto the cool blades of grass, watching it flutter away into the night.

"Chen, I get it. You've been through stuff that I can't even imagine," Leo began, her voice tinged with a mix of empathy and frustration. She locked eyes with him, not backing down. "But you can't expect me to say sorry for something I didn't do. I can't take the blame for something I had no part in."

"Apologize? I stopped expecting anything from you the day you drowned me in that river, Leo," Chen stated, his voice surprisingly calm despite the weight of his accusation.

"For the umpteenth time, I didn't drown you, Chen!" Leo exclaimed, frustration evident in her voice.

"Well, you certainly didn't save me either," he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Blame me if you want, blame me if it helps you sleep at night," Leo seethed while yanking Chen's blazer from her shoulder and throwing it at him harshly.

"I do blame you, trust me," Chen began, his voice tinged with bitterness as he gently placed the blazer around Leo's shoulders once again. "But not because I died."

Leo couldn't help but roll her eyes in response, a gesture of dismissiveness meant to hide how she really felt. She wanted to appear nonchalant as if Chen's harsh words and detached tone didn't affect her. Yet, beneath her stoic facade, she felt her heart slowly breaking, piece by piece.

"Then what is it that you blame me for?"

Chen's silence stretched on, intensifying the knot of anxiety in Leo's stomach. Whatever Chen was going to say would decide what role she played in his story. Was she the friend who had unknowingly caused him pain? Or was she the villain, the one responsible for turning him into a monster?

"I blame you," he said, pausing to turn his body fully towards Leo. His gaze is cold as ever. "I blame you for being kind to me, for taking care of me, for giving me hope, and for shielding me from the darkness."

"If you're seeking sympathy, you've come to the wrong person-"

"Yes!" Chen exclaimed, his outburst cutting off Leo. Startled, she looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"This is what you should have done," Chen continued while breathing heavily, "You should have pushed me away, blamed me, and shown me how much I hurt you. Instead, you cared for me, you supported me, and you made me believe that I was worthy of love and understanding."

Leo's heart pounded in her chest, but she fought to maintain her composure. Chen's icy gaze locked onto hers, a mischievous smirk playing at the corners of his lips. Despite the tension in the air, his relaxed posture left Leo feeling unsettled. He sat with his knees bent, his hands loosely clasped around his legs.

"You should have ignored me from the beginning, bullied me with others, shut me out of your life," he droned on, his fingers toying with a delicate white flower. "Life would have been so much easier if I had hated you."