Fool Me Twice, Shame On Me ✓

[ 24 ] After 200 years . . . it was about time

And look where that got me...

I always thought that I could rely on people but after contemplating Stacey's words, I realize that the only person I can rely on is myself.

Even if I have friends, it doesn't change the fact that I'm truly on my own and I'm the only person who can defend myself.

Getting attached to someone who can potentially betray you is hurtful a hell.

Evangelina genuinely seems to be nice... then again, is it all a show?

I don't want to doubt her loyalty for a second but I don't want to be naïve either. If she turns out to be the person Stacey claims her to be, it'll hurt me to the core.

Out of all the people I've met here, she's one of the few sane people I've acquainted with in this school. I guess I know what I'm going to have to do next...

I'll need to ask whether she likes Noel or not. If it turns out that she does, then I'll simply end things with him. In order to avoid all the drama and to secure my friendship with her, it must be done.

Albeit, what if Stacey was just trying to get inside my head?

Urgh.

Why can't a thing around here roll smoothly for once?

"Is it safe to talk to you or do you still want to be left alone?" a familiar voice snaps me out of my thoughts.

My eyes land on Natalie before rearranging my features to a blank look. After the Halloween party last Saturday night, we didn't even make the effort to communicate. Natalie chose to stay by Aaliyah's side and she hasn't attempted to talk until now.

Deep now, I know I can't really blame her for choosing to be on Aaliyah's side. I mean I straight up left a few years back and while I was gone, Aaliyah and Natalie were all they'd got.

Even if we exchanged messages and kept in touch, I wasn't there through their hardships.

A corner of her lips slightly lifts. "So you and Noel uh?"

It takes me a few seconds to comprehend her question.

"I don't really know where we stand at the moment."

Natalie's reaction is plain disbelief. "Please, he practically did a public display of affection for the entire school to see, which I might add is very unlikely of him to kiss a girl in front of the entire school. If anything, I'm pretty sure the kiss for him symbolizes the start of a beautiful relationship."

A lopsided grin creeps onto my face but it instantly vanishes, once Stacey's words come back to taunt me.

Evangelina has a thing for Noel.

A moment of silence surfaces between us.

"Look Em," she begins smoothly. "it pains me to see that my two best friends are not on speaking terms. I know you're mad at me but at least for my sake, don't throw away our years of friendship.

"Aaliyah can be stubborn sometimes and she won't admit to herself that she misses you but we both know deep down, she truly does."

I purse my lips. "The mistake I made was thinking that I could depend on my friends to defend me when I'm being attacked. So I guess, I have myself to blame in terms of raising the expectation I had of you guys. Right now, I'm just really hurt."

Natalie's forehead creases. "Emery, come on that's not fair...you can't just cut us off. I admit that we should've defended you all right? I'm sorry for not coming to your defence. Is that what you want to hear? But please don't let this issue tear us apart, we can get through this."