Trigger warning: This chapter deals with heavy issues like death.
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"What were the other antagonists like?"
His mouth felt dry.
Memories started floating to the surface, pushing to break through the thin wall containing them. "Huh, so Aidyn told you," N noted, head leaning against the back of the chair. "Well, we went through so many antagonists that it's hard to choose just one."
[Name] could feel the strain in his voice; every emotion attempting to hide behind a false sense of happiness. Had her predecessors really affected him? Would she be the same and hurt the people she loved? To [Name], sharing was beautiful; it was a form of expressing yourself with confidence, without reservation, and without filters. However, being forced to share was ugly. It leaves you unwillingly exposed as the world perversely stares. [Name] despised that feeling. It was like jumping into a puddle with socks on: uncomfortable and disgusting. She vowed to never let someone else experience the same anguish she had once felt. So, when the antagonist noticed the small gestures N exhibited, [Name] knew she shouldn't have pushed him. "Ah. You don't have to tell me, N! It's totally fine!"
"No, no, it's okay! I promised you, after all!" N gave a bittersweet smile, wistfully attempting to blink away the nostalgia, "who would you like to know about?"
The girl peered into his emerald-colored eyes, searching for any sign of lying or unease, but his eyes were clear. N was just too nice to her. "Whoever you're comfortable talking about," [Name] spoke in what she hoped was a comforting tone. To be honest, [Name] could never be Lumi, but, hey, it's never too late to become a butterfly and metamorphosis into a warm soft boi.
N took a deep breath, shut his eyes and blocked out the world around him. His mind spun as he attempted to remember the antagonist before [Name]...
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The door in front of her would be the end of her. It was simple, not even eye-catching, but Brittany could help steal a glance every time she scuffed past it. The fourteen cacti stickers— each one unique to the other— decorating the door gave the door a personality Brittany found absolutely adorable. Even the mini knife sticker couldn't stop the swell of happiness she was feeling.
"Merde, Je vais vraiment ce faire**," she mumbled, feet planted before the closed door. The antagonist was so close, she could count each individual thorn. Sweat clung to her manicured hands. She had meticulously planned for this day for so long, even to go so far as to skip her antagonist duties. She even read an internet guide because she was just that stressed.
Today, on the fourth of April, would be the day Brittany would confess to Essi.
Brittany was a woman of pure stereotypes: tanned skin, blonde, and a body of a barbie doll. She was the embodiment of the 'popular' antagonist look.
But her eyes were black.
A shade so dark, no light could reflect through. Like seeing a black rose amidst a bouquet of red. It was captivating. They could suck you in, capturing you in their dark confinement.
People enraptured by those eyes claimed optimism filled every inch of her body until it flowed out in steady streams, affecting everyone around her. The girl was naturally cheerful— the type which draws people to her. She was a good Samaritan. Nari liked to joke about how she was more fit to be a protagonist than an antagonist.
However, in N's humble opinion, it seemed like an elaborate lie carefully assembled together. Every lie was perfectly calculated to enhance her 'angelic image.' Every lie crafted to appeal to her crush. Every lie fabricated to get closer to Essi. Perhaps he was paranoid, however. The world may never know.
Yet, no matter how he much he reconsidered, her eyes were two black holes who could only greedily devour their surroundings.
Following the internet guide, Brittany stood as still as a statue and closed her eyes, attempting to calm her body. Her heart was beating so fast, it could pop out and run away.
She opened her black eyes.
Brittany knocked once, shocked to find the door slowly creaking open after the light tap— as if it was never closed properly. Confusion washed over Brittany. She hesitantly peered through the crack. The room was dark; an eerie silence filled the air, nearly suffocating her. Maybe no one was in the room, but why would Essi leave his door unlocked? It was strange.
Wanting to investigate, she stepped inside.
"Hello?"
That was the last Brittany was seen.
—————-
[Name] grimaced when he didn't continue. "Yes, you may continue," she urged, denying the obvious cliffhanger. [Name] didn't like cliffhangers. Sure, they have a stylistic purpose, to engage the reader, but the suspense... oh man, the suspense.
"Tada." N jazzed his hands in a depressing manner. "That's it. No one knows what happened to Brittany-"
Well, wasn't that comforting.
"- Her disappearance was so sudden; it was in the middle of a mission, too. I think HQ desperately needed an antagonist to fill her spot and that's when you came in."
"No wonder I was suddenly inserted into the middle of a mission," the antagonist distractedly mumbled, trying to connect the dots. Pursing her lips, [Name]'s eyebrows were furrowed. She was still perplexed by Brittany's story. Confessing to Essi was a dangerous task, especially with his crazy bodyguard around, but would Rion truly kill someone just for that? He may be insane, but he's not dumb. Moreover, when [Name] first arrived at the house, no one seemed affected by the mysterious disappearance of Brittany. That was sketchy.
A lot of points did not add up.
"If it doesn't inconvenience you, is there another antagonist you know about?" [Name] innocently inquired.
N's heart was caught in his throat; he has only experienced three antagonists in his short career. However, there was one particular girl he dreaded to talk about. But he promised [Name], right? He should 'rip off the bandaid' because 'denial would only last so long.'
"Sure...." The boy paused, rethinking the phrases. "Melissa was..."
Melissa was a beautiful girl in his eyes. The way her ebony locks framed her hair like an angel's halo. The way her ocean, blue orbs encapsulated the ocean. She was so perfect, she could be a wattpad protagonist. But, at the same time, she was so flawed, Wattpad wouldn't accept her.
The girl could confidently speak her mind— not a single shame in her words. N would make a "she wasn't like other girls" comment, but who exactly were the "other girls?" Melissa liked pink, but she also liked black. She liked to wear crop tops and makeup but was always down to wear sweats. She liked salads (with lots of dressing) but could inhale a cheeseburger in seconds.
Therefore, N decided the antagonist was like other girls because she was willing to be comfortable in her own skin.
But, it was her passion for acting which made N truly fall in love with her.
Melissa was a natural prodigy. Like a ballerina gracefully twirling their perfected craft, her performance was ethereal. The antagonist could reenact the dictionary with a beauty that could capture the attention of millions. Words of millions of emotions spilled out her mouth, pulling her audience with every tear and smile. Melissa was the puppet master and her audience members were her puppets. She could manipulate their emotions with a single word: making them smile when she laughed or making them cry when she cried. Pulling, twisting, dragging. She could do it all without breaking a sweat. It was absolutely enthralling to watch a master perfect her craft.
Perhaps her gift was the reason she left. Melissa despised their poor living conditions. She yearned for a life of extravagance and gold, a life she deserved. Naturally, the antagonist would sacrifice everything and anything for her dreams— even the person she loved.
The day she reached out her hand, was the last day N saw her...
....
....
In the end, N couldn't say anything.
God, he was a hypocrite, and he knew it. 'Ripping off the bandaid' his ass. Externally, he was preaching about the dangers of hiding emotional pain; however, internally, he was too much of a pussy to even talk about Melissa.
The girl in front of him was a strong woman— a woman who was willing to be vulnerable and have the courage to open herself to the world.
And what was he? An absolute coward.
'I promised myself to not get attached to antagonists, but look where I am,' N dryly laughed to himself, drowning in sorrowful memories. He glanced up, noting every little detail about [Name]. The way she licked her lips when she was nervous, the way she spoke with a hidden passion, the way her eyes crinkled when she smiled.
She was like Melissa, but so much more.
And that scared him.
N feared to lose the people he loved. The feeling suffocated him, constricting his breathing. When Melissa left, he spiraled. To lose [Name], would break N. So, he planned to live in denial...
But, N was a man who wore his heart on his sleeve. Little gestures would easily chip away his feeble facade, naturally revealing his true emotions.
"What about Melissa?" [Name] questioned innocently, eyes like shining jewels.
"Melissa? Did I say Melissa?" N awkwardly barked out a laugh, pretending he wasn't sad seconds ago. Literally, all three antagonists he met had a negative impact on the household, who could he even talk about? How did he dig himself this hole?
Oh yeah, it's those damn puppy eyes.
Clearing his throat, the boy collected his thoughts. "There was nothing too notable about the second antagonist." He began with a white lie, twisting and untwisting an oreo, "her name was..."
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Aubrey.
N remembered Aubrey so well. Remembered their meeting. How full of excitement and hope Aubrey was. How willing she was to work and do good for the world.
Still in heartbreak, N thought she wouldn't last: her acting was subpar, she was too clumsy, her naivety nearly cost them a mission. HQ didn't like their antagonists too childish. Yet, she continued to persist, determination oozing out.
"I will," the new antagonist jubilantly proclaimed on a sunny day, boldly standing on the coffee table as if she was a great leader rallying her supporters to overthrow the government. "I'll spend every moment I can to help others-" She dramatically points as the closest person to her. "-I'll even help you too, Keo. Please trust in me. Okay?"
Aubrey loved drama movies too much.
But the world wasn't such a good place. And Aubrey was too good a person. She spread herself too thin— cracked under the pressure of everything. It was horrible. N couldn't get the thought out of his head.
Aubrey sobbed into her hands, chewed fingernails innocently describing her decay. The wind whipped beneath her, beckoning her to follow it. "I'm sorry!" The antagonist screamed. "I failed, and there's nothing I can do about it! I lied! I lied to you! To myself! To everyone!" She harshly tugged her once-perfect hazelnut hair, ashy locks slipping through her bony fingers and drifting onto the street below her.
The cars on the ground seemed like tiny ants that could do nothing wrong.
"Aubrey, please don't-" Keo spoke in a candied whisper, reaching for her hand. His smooth hand softy holding her scabbed one with disheartenment.
"No!" She wrenched her broken hand from the warm embrace, "I'm a disgrace. If you touch me, you'll be like me. I don't want that to happen to you..." She took a tiny step back.
"Everyone here loves you. You mean so much to us," Keo breath quickened as he motioned to everyone behind him. "So don't...."
The two crackheads were so close.
"I'm sorry." Aubrey smiled sadly. "Please continue to be happy for me, Keo."
And she... she
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N stifled a sob. Damn, he made the story sad again. Might as well shop at Hot Topic to complete his angsty storytelling.
[Name] drew N into a warm embrace, arms firmly wrapped around him, "I promise to never leave you guys." Life has so much to offer. Even in the bad times, even when everything feels to crappy that you just want to scream and shout, there will always be a light to pull you up.
If you can't live for yourself, live for another person. Live for the hobbies, the people, and the things you love.
"I want you to promise me this, [Name]," N plead, furiously wiping away the neverending tears. Aubrey's last smile flashed across his mind. Melissa's heart-shaped face strained his heart. "Promise me you won't do anything reckless."
She felt a tight squeeze in her chest when she saw the desperation swimming in N's green eyes. Ashamed. [Name] was ashamed of herself. All of this pain was because of her idiotic actions. [Name] noticed the dejected faces on everyone— they had experienced so many heartbreaks and betrayals. [Name] would learn from her predecessors.
She was naive for oversimplifying the job of an antagonist and believe she could be at the top— that she could be a 'three-dimensional antagonist.'
The boy in front of her was a strong man— a man who was willing to be vulnerable and have the courage to open himself to the world.
And what was she? An absolute coward.
But, she was willing to be a coward for the people she loved.
[Name] came to the conclusion, for all the reasons in this godforsaken world...
To get rid of her dream.
"Of course."
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** "Shit, I'm really gonna do this." In French. (I would like to thank my friend, lama, for helping me to translate this line. The only words I know in French is baguette and croissant.)
A/N: THE PLOT THICKENS. This is the angstiest and saddest chapter I've ever written, hopefully it wasn't too bad. Sorry for the late chapter. SAT is a force and I was having writers block :(
On a more serious note, if you don't feel like yourself anymore or just want to talk, I'm always happy to talk in PM. Just know your not alone in this! :)
Special special thanks to @Imaybetrashbut for not only editing, but also helping to write Aubrey's section.