I squinted as a ray of light sneaked through the curtains, piercing my eyes. I groaned and shielded my innocent eyes with the back of my hands, "Can someone shut that curtain properly."
"You do sleep like a pig, don't you?"
"Huh?" I snapped back into reality upon hearing a familiar raspy voice.
I sat up and met a pair of molten brown eyes awake and alert. My heart thudded in my chest for a split second.
"Good morning, how long have you been awake?" I asked, trying to calm my racing heart.
"At last, the sleeping beauty awakes from her deep slumber. Good morning, my princess, how may I serve you." Another voice drew our attention as a silhouette figure walked out of the bathroom with a towel around her body. Ruby! I rolled my eyes.
"Seriously?"
She chuckled softly, "Sorry, just wanted to try that. Oops, did I interrupt you guys? Go on, just pretend I'm not here." She winked and hastily yanked her clothes from the bed, scurrying back into the bathroom.
I soothed my temple, Ugh, this girl!
"Hm... I guess since 5:30 AM."
"Who the hell wakes up that early." I grimaced.
Putting one hand on his chin in a gesture of fake contemplation, he responded. "People who got work to do."
I bit down on my lower lips, "If you're implying I'm a slouch, then I'll gladly admit that. Since you're so good at putting a label to everything." I hopped out of the bed, slid my feet into my slippers and stepped into the washroom.
He let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I ain't calling you a slouch, silly. Why do you always misinterpret my words."
"Oh honey, I had no idea you had a date." I spotted Ruby at the mirror stand, touching up her face with a little makeup. She wore a turtle neck bodycon mini dress with a pearl necklace gracing her neck.
"So who's the unlucky guy?" I asked.
"Haha real funny, Vivian. We're heading to the grocery store. Go clean up. Also... dress pretty."
"TF! Grocery store? You're dressed like you're going to a freaking club! You ain't fooling me."
"We've gotta look charming, who knows, we might bump into some hottie on our way there."
"Ugh, whatever. Knock yourself out, honey... I ain't putting that on by the way."
"Fine! Just put on your usual rags." She added the finishing touch by applying a strawberry-flavoured glossy lipstick.
"Meet me at the reception."
"You look hideous by the way."
"Thanks, sweetheart, I couldn't care less." She stepped out. "Uhm... Vivian, it seems your boyfriend went on an outing alone. Did you two quarrel this morning?"
"Ugh, just get the fuck outta here, would ya." I sighed.
"Bitch!"
"Heard that!"
"Not my business."
Weird... he never informed me he was heading anywhere, not like I cared.
•
"Aw... would you look at that. She took my advice and dolled herself up!" Ruby chuckled.
I wore a black crop velvet wrap top with a three-quarter stretchable pencil skirt. "Shut the hell up, I don't take advice from you." I hissed.
"Are you coming or not."
She scrolled through her phone, her face illuminating with an eerie blue glow.
"Ruby? Did you hear me?"
"Huh? Oh sorry, just searching for any far away grocery store."
"Why not close by?"
"So we could flaunt out outfits a little longer."
I kneaded my forehead, Oh help me, she doesn't know how hard I'm trying to stop myself from slamming my knee into her head. Breathe. Breathe. You're not a Psycho. Breathe.
"Hey stupid! When you're done having a mental breakdown, let's head out." She patted my shoulder.
Don't. Kill. Her. Aurora. You're. Not. A. Murderer! I took in a deep breath and straightened up.
"Yes, sister." I forced a smile.
"Er... don't call me sister and wipe off that smile on your face. It makes you look more hideous." She added as we strode out of the hotel.
There goes the last strand of sanity I heard left.
As I was about to tug her head from behind and bang it into my knee, a voice reached my ear, I halted in my track and spun around.
"Aurora. Found you." A creepy teenage girl crouched on the ground with a sword in her hands. I couldn't tell who she was since she wore a mask.
"Finally! Someone to vent out this anger!" I said and without a second thought, I surged towards her.
Pretty stupid. I didn't know what she was capable of, especially with a sword like that in her hands. Instead, my first instinct was to attack first. My inner mind mocked me.
"Rule number one-charging head first to your opponent is pure foolishness. Know their weak point and use it to your advantage." The girl said as she straightened up and swerved ninety degrees to the left evading my fist.
I felt a sting of pain on my side. Her blade slid through my side as a warm liquid dripped down my skin.
"Ahh." I gritted my teeth and immediately leapt backwards, creating a gap between us.
Fighting with emotions will only slow you down. Think, think, how can I defeat her.
"Rule number two-never get distracted when a fight is still on." She swiftly shortened the distance between us and plunged her sword aiming at my neck. I ducked, feeling the whoosh of the air next to my hair as her sword barely missed me. I snuck my right fist from under her and connected against her stomach. She paused but no sign of pain displayed on her face.
She glared down at me, "That was weak."
I cringed and scrambled back. At that moment, only one thought came to my mind. I'm no match for her. My muscles tensed up as the colour drained from my face.
"Rule number three-when doubts and fear creep into your opponent, victory is decided."
She charged toward me, thrusting her sword out. Just when I had lost all hope.
A familiar figure hovered above me sheltering me from the incoming strike.
"Please, don't kill her. Please!" She cried out, her voice choked with fear.
Ruby!
Tears pricked my eyes, I'm sorry for being so weak.
The girl sighed and halted in her steps. "We will finish this another time. Before then... make yourself a worthy opponent... I hate fighting frail, puny girls."
•
"Tsk! Just let me be. It hurts as hell." I groaned as Ruby was pressing damp clothe against my right abdomen; the cut from earlier seemed to have gotten worse.
"Suit yourself, honey." She lifted her hand in defeat and strode to the washroom to dry off the clothing. She came back into the room and took a seat on the sofa.
"Thanks," I mumbled.
"Huh? Did I die and woke up in heaven?" Her eyes darted back and forth as if in search of something.
I chuckled, "I'm pretty sure heaven would be the last place you'd be."
"Yeah thanks, sister!" She rolled her eyes.
"The pleasure is all mine." A smile crept to the corner of my lips.
"I couldn't just stand there and watch you die. Could I?" She lowered her head. Fear still visibly imprinted on her face.
"Hm... You could actually... I mean, I wouldn't have done that if I were you, that would just be stupid." I shrugged.
"Don't make me regret my decision, Vivian!" She scowled.
I clasped my lips to suppress the urge of laughing out but my lips failed me miserably. "I-I'm s-so sorry, Ruby. T-that was brave of you." I said in between my laugh.
She heaved a sigh, "Should have just let you die."
"No, I'm grateful." I chortled.
I laughed too hard, and tears began forming in my eyes.
"You can't ever be serious, can you? Shouldn't you put a bandage on that? It'll leak out at this rate."
•
I awoke the next morning as my eyes met a pair of moist lifeless brown eyes squatted beside me. "R-Ruby! What's wrong?"
I looked over to Sebastian who was casually seated on the sofa, on a call with someone.
Heartless jerk!
I diverted my attention back to Ruby. I positioned my hands on her shoulder and leaned closer towards her, she stared back at me. Her face was pale and grim like she had been sobbing for hours.
"What's the issue, Ruby. You can talk to me." I assured her.
Her lips parted but no words came out. She seemed to struggle with whether to tell me or not.
"Please, Ruby," I reassured her once more.
"I'msorrythisisallmyfaultifonlyIhadstayedwithhershewouldhavestillbeenalive." She muffled her words as tears spilt from her eyes.
"I-I'm not getting you, Ruby."
"Michelle. Is. Dead!! S-she was murdered! The cops found her body laid face down in a pool of blood!" She blurted out as raw panic flooded her voice.
I froze. My heart went numb. How? When? Who could have done it? My mind was a whirl of confusion and half-formed questions. Fear soaked into the air like humidity.
"S-someone from the neighbourhood called. They found an anonymous letter beside her c-corpse."
Of all people, why her! Maybe if I had stayed with her, none of this would have happened. She would have still been alive! Guilt, fear, and panic outweighed my entire being.
"What'd it say!" I asked as tears threatened to spill out of my eyes.
"Checkmate... Lora!"
I gasped as a memory brushed through my mind. T-the message I received that day! I rushed to my bag, turned it over and poured out all the content in it in search of my phone. I picked it up from under a notebook and went directly to my messages. I scrolled frantically, it was the day I resumed school. Found it!
I tapped on it. The colour immediately drained from my face. My inside twisted.
Fuck!
The tears I tried so hard to control rolled down my cheeks uncontrollably. I k-killed her!
~~~
Told you the message had some purpose. Go back to the end of the third chapter in case you missed that.
What did the message say exactly that made her so pale? I guess you might find that out in the next chapter(;
'Might' XD
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