They were all liars too. Umi blinked, her tears fell, but they weren't that painful anymore. She freed herself from Ethan's embrace and smiled. At the corner of her eyes, Professor Tiu and another teacher appeared. She gestured to them to wait before interrupting the pandemonium.
Since it was time for storytelling, she should have her own too.
"My turn." Umi snorted, wiping her tears dry, combing her now uneven short hair to the back. "Once upon a time, there was a king..."
She swore that as the fairytale ends—
—They'd be the ones crying.
She staggered to her feet and straightened the attire. The dress was beautiful, but it had to be torn just for tonight. It was such a grand scene, just to crush the meager remains of her dignity.
Now she had nothing to lose.
She sneered at Pauline, beautiful in a white dress, too dazzling and pure for the world. She couldn't wait to pop her perfect bubble.
"Once upon a time," she repeated as she adjusted her balance to stand better. "There was a king, queen and a princess. They were happy in a kingdom and loved by all their subjects."
"You're going crazy! What are you talking about?"
Umi suppressed a laugh at her confusion and shushed her, with the index finger on her mouth. "Listen. This is a good one."
Umi took off her heels and finally stood barefoot. Her toes wriggled on the marble floor. Better. At least now she could feel the cold seeping into her feet. "Then, they didn't know, the king had a relationship with an evil witch and they also had a child..."
She approached almost a dancy tiptoe in each step. She savored how Pauline's forehead creased into bewilderment and fear of the things she might hear.
"Then God punished the witch." She twisted to look at James. "Hmm, she died."
The latter averted his eyes and with the endless cries.
"What happened to the child of the king and the witch?" Finally, Ethan asked, the familiar story dawning on him.
"You know what happened to her," Umi replied playfully, then challenged him. "Tell me, Ethan."
He stepped closer calling her name in a tremble, she stepped away. Lies suited him. A part of her still pulled Umi to make excuses that maybe he had reasons too.
"Tell her the end of the fairytale I told you before!"
"I'm sorry, Umi. I ..."
"What's happening?" Pauline asked behind her.
Once more, Umi faced her. It wouldn't be fair to be the only one going insane. She must share it too, they are sisters after all.
"Do you still remember how your dad couldn't come home for a few weeks? Because I do."
"He had business trips!"
"Of course," she agreed and giggled, leaning closer to the bewildered girl. "Do you know other types of business meetings he goes to every Saturday?"
Not enough. Her voice still lacked sarcasm.
"Poor little princess. While you're enjoying a perfect life, I'm with him. All his attention is mine. Just mine."
"Stop it!" She rushed for another slap—Umi caught it, pulled Pauline with her other hand, then grabbed her perfectly styled hair. "Scared to hear it? You act like you know everything, but you don't want to hear the truth. You goddamn hypocrite."
Pauline struggled to get away as she cried in pain with her now non-perfect hair.
"Do you know Yvette Salceda?" She forced the other to look at her, eye to eye, enough to see her speak the words clearly and all the hatred she conveyed. "She's my mother. And by now you'd know who she is to your father. You're smart, yeah?"
Pauline's face twisted into a shocked silence. Then came the sobs, becoming one with the spectators' gasps.
"It sucks, isn't it? All right, cry like you're the only victim."
Only then did Umi let her go, as the other melted and wailed on the floor.
"Umi... that's enough ..." James spoke, tearless but with the same hopelessness. "It doesn't have to end like this."
"Oh, another hypocrite spotted." Her gaze zeroed on him, then to the hall, scouring the faces of the spectators, pausing to a particular student documenting the chaos with her camera. "You are all hypocrites. All of you!"
Her voice echoed, so much anger crawling out into the surface of her skin.
"Am I a slut because of my naked pictures? Did I allow it? As if some of you don't send nudes. You're all just as dirty as I am."
Umi snickered, "Shall I post pictures of your DMs on me too? You know, dick pics and all. Or slut-shaming messages, as if you didn't do worse."
A few looked away.
"You are all fucking hypocrites. You!" Umi pointed to Bea, now enveloping Pauline with a hug. "Did I demand an apology when you accused me of cheating with your ex-boyfriend?"
The other couldn't answer.
"I didn't. Did I demand an apology from all your gossip?"
All the bitterness she harbored, loneliness and pretense of indifference vibrated in her voice, like a relentless storm.
"Did you know who was with me after the party last year?"
Her eyes caught a figure slowly backing away into the crowd.
Got you.
"Jux Puenco!"
All eyes focused on him until he fled.
"Your golden boy. I begged him to stop taking pictures. I fought, I fought hard. I ran and locked myself in the bathroom. He banged the door, he was laughing. He was angry. He was strong."
Another sob escaped her mouth, recalling the horror of that day. Her palms washed her endless tears. "I'm a victim too."