Mom and Briana were inside the disciplinary office, dealing with Briana's trouble she had gotten into.
 
Mom asked me to wait for them so we could go home together, which is why I'm here in the hallway of the office, waiting for them. It seemed like an eternity, but I knew I had to be patient. After all, Liam's going to be late because he has soccer team practice, so I won't be able to go home with him either.
 
After a few minutes, Briana came out first. She had this annoying reaction on her face, especially when she looked at me. "Are you happy now?"
 
"What are you talking about?" I replied.
 
She faces me, her eyes glaring straight through me."Because of you and your stupid friends, I wouldn't be in this situation."
 
I laughed rudely at what she said. "Are you crazy? You brought this upon yourself, Briana. I warned you to stay away from my friends, especially Mady, but you didn't listen, and now, you got your karma."
 
"Karma? What I did was the right thing to do. Madison doesn't deserve to be in this school because she's filthy and poor. She was supposed to be in the garbage where she belonged because she's trash."
 
I clenched my fist, trying to calm myself. "Your personality is the one who's trash here. Don't worry, I'll make sure I keep my promise to you. I'll tell everyone about your little secret because you didn't listen."
She smirked as if she didn't believe I would do that. Maybe that's why she did it again because she knew I wouldn't be able to reveal her true identity to the whole school, that she's adopted and came from the same life that Mady has now. She knew that no matter how angry I was at her, I would still protect her, but she made a mistake. Because now, my patience has worn thin. She has pushed me too far. She will taste her own medicine.
 
"Maybe that's why Rhian and Sam left you because you're too numb to realize your own mistake. You're enjoying yourself too much causing pain to other people." I continued.
 
"Or maybe, they're just as stupid as you are. People like you don't deserve happiness because you're weak and lack the strength to face reality."
 
"Seriously, that's enough." Is she this dense? I can't believe she's this immature. I step closer, giving her a stern gaze. "Stop trying to bring others down and belittle them just to boost your own ego. The more you do it, the more obvious it becomes that your self-esteem is at rock bottom."
 
Briana's face twisted with anger, her eyes narrowing as she struggled to find a word. "S-stop acting like you know everything!" She stutters.
 
"I pity you, Briana. Your need to tear others down only reveals your own insecurities." I said, putting her on edge.
Her fists clenched, her anger boiling over. She raised her hand and was about to slap me, but the door from the disciplinary office opened. "What are you doing?" Mom asked, stepping closer to us.
 
"T-tita, it's not what you think. I was just—" Before she could spit another lie, I couldn't help myself but slap her. I didn't even think about the fact that Mom was right there. I was too fed up with her that I had to do something because I knew that Briana would make me look bad to Mom if she continued what she was saying.
 
"Finish what you started, Briana. You should've slapped me the moment you raised your hand."
 
She looked at me, shocked as if she couldn't believe that I slapped her in front of Mom. To be honest, I felt like a different person right now. It felt like all the anger I'd been holding in finally came out. "What? Say something."
 
"Why did you slap me? I said I'm sorry. I regret what I did." She said, holding her cheek that had been slapped. Her voice switched as if she was an angel or something.
 
I couldn't help but laugh at how she was playing the victim. I raised my hand again and slapped her on the other side. "Stop acting innocent because you're not." She's really getting on my nerves. I don't care if I look bad to Mom anymore.
 
She glared at me, her hands were trembling. I know she wants to slap me back. "You want to slap me too, right? But you can't because you know Mom's right there." I whispered to her.
She glances at Mom who is just standing there, watching us. I really can't describe what she's thinking right now because her eyes were emotionless.
 
"Tita—" For the second time, her words were cut off, but this time, by Mom.
 
"Let's go to the car. We'll talk about this at home, Briana." Mom replied calmly, but there was a hint of anger in her voice.
 
She gestured for us to follow her, but Briana stopped Mom and held her wrist, causing her to stop. "Tita, you saw that, right? Mira slapped me twice."
 
I just shook my head at her behavior. She looks pathetic. "Briana, are you not listening? I said we'll talk about this at home." Mom replied with a stern voice.
 
"But Tita, she hurt me. Aren't you going to tell her off?" She whined.
 
"You want me to take your side? Briana, before you complain about getting slapped, you should reflect on your own actions." She didn't wait for Briana to say anything. She went ahead and went to the car. I quietly followed Mom, leaving Briana standing there, completely alone.
———
We were sitting there, Briana and I, in Mom's office, facing each other while Mom was on her desk. "Briana, I was so disappointed with you!"
 
"But Tita, I didn't do anything! Someone sabotaged me. It was clear that Mira's friend was the one who put the wallet in my bag because she was jealous of me."
 
I looked at Briana after she said that. "Will you stop?! Why are you so desperate to Mady?"
 
"You're siding with her? Mira, I'm your cousin. You should've believed me more than her." Is she not going to stop pretending?
 
"You're not my real cousin." I said simply, looking at her directly.
 
She looked at me as if she couldn't believe what I said. "How could you say that? I've always been nice to you, and I've always treated you as my family even though I'm adopted." Her tone was far from her usual voice.
 
I can't help but roll my eyes. Why does she love to manipulate people so much? Sophie was right, she was so fake. "Can you please stop acting like such a goddamn actress because you suck at it!"
Mom heaved a frustrated sigh and slammed the desk in front of us using her hands. "You both stop!" She went back to her seat and calmed herself. "Briana, don't lie any longer because they already told me everything before you joined me in the disciplinary office. It was true that someone put the blame on you, and it was Liam, but he only did that because he caught you taking the wallet and putting it in your classmate's bag. All in all, it was still your fault."
 
"Mom, how did you know? Did Liam tell you about it?" I asked her.
 
"There's a hidden CCTV in all your classrooms." Mom said casually.
 
Wait, what?! There are CCTVs in the classroom and we have no idea about it? It's a good thing I haven't been doing anything stupid inside the classroom. But that's not important right now, Briana's about to be exposed and I should focus on that.
 
"They showed me the CCTV footage, and it was confirmed that you're the one who started it. Why did you do that, Briana?" Mom continued.
 
"Tita, believe me, I had nothing to do with it!"
It was evident from Mom's face that she was angry with Briana. "Do you think the CCTV is lying? Please, stop making excuses. With your behavior right now, I'm even more disappointed in you, Briana."
 
"But Tita—" Briana's eyes started tearing up.
 
"You can't manipulate me with your crying. I can't believe that you can do such things, and to think that it's not just Mira's friend that you did wrong. Even Mira, my own daughter!"
 
My eyes widened at Mom's words. Did the school inform her about what Briana did to me as well?
 
Mom placed her hand on her forehead, trying to calm herself. Meanwhile, Briana was in tears, her head lowered, unable to meet our gaze.
 
"From now on, you're grounded. After school, you will go straight home, you're not allowed to hang out or go anywhere. Do you understand?" Mom's voice was firm.
 
Briana lifted her head to look at Mom. "B-but..."
 
"You didn't answer me, Briana. I said do you understand?!" Mom shouted, her voice filled the whole room, causing Briana and me to flinch.
 
I know I'm not the one being scolded, but at this moment, I'm suddenly scared of Mom because I can see how angry she is at Briana.
 
Briana nodded silently.
"I will also make sure your Mom and Dad know about this. It's a good thing your Mom feels better now, but I don't know if she'll be okay when she finds out about what you've been doing here."
 
Briana was still crying but she managed to smirk. I don't know if Mom noticed it, but I did. "They're not even my real parents." She muttered.
 
Mom looks at Briana in disbelief. "They're not your real parents because they don't have a daughter like you!" Wow, that was harsh.
 
Briana lowered her head, clearly affected by Mom's words. She remained silent, unable to find the words to speak.
 
Mom's stern expression softened as she saw Briana's reaction. She let out a sigh, realizing the impact of her words. "Now, go back to your room. We can talk about this tomorrow. Briana, take this time to reflect on what you've done. We'll discuss the consequences and how we can move forward when we're all ready."
 
Briana nodded silently, her tears still flowing. It was clear that her actions had consequences, and it would take time for her to fully understand the impact of her choices. She got up and went out of the room without uttering a single word.
I stood up and was about to leave, but Mom stopped me before I could. "Not you, young lady. Stay and go back to your seat!" Her voice was still firm.
 
I swallowed nervously. I'm not going to be scolded by Mom, right? I can't think of anything I did wrong.
 
"Why didn't you tell me about what Briana did to you? I know you have your feud, but I never expected it to escalate to her doing something harmful to you. I'm also disappointed in you because I had to find out about it from the school. Why did you hide it, Mira?" Mom asked, her tone still stern, but I could see the worry in her eyes.
 
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of Mom's disappointment in me. I had kept the incidents with Briana to myself, thinking that I could handle it on my own. But now, seeing how upset Mom was, I realized that I should have reached out for help.
 
"I'm sorry, Mom." I said, my voice filled with remorse. "I thought I could handle it by myself. I didn't want to burden you or make things worse by involving you. I know that it was a mistake to keep it from you, but I also know that you care for her, and I didn't want to ruin that, that's why I just stayed silent."
Mom's expression softened slightly as she listened to my words. "Mira, as your mother, it's my role to protect you. You should never hesitate to come to me with your problems, no matter how big or small they may seem. I don't care if it's about Briana or anyone else. You're my daughter, and I'll always choose you over anyone else."
 
Tears quickly started to well up in my eyes. I had been trying to handle everything on my own, but I didn't have to carry the weight alone. Mom's right, no matter what happened, she'll always choose me over anyone, even Briana.
 
"I'm sorry, Mom." I repeated. "I promise, from now on, I'll be more open with you."
 
Mom's stern expression softened further, and she stood up from her desk, walking over to me. She enveloped me in a warm embrace, holding me tightly, and in that moment, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. Despite everything, I knew that I had her who would always be there for me, always.
———
A month had passed, and everything had turned around. Briana had become the target of bullying in our school. Everyone seemed to hate her, picking on her relentlessly. Suddenly, she went from being the bully to the pitied one.
 
The school even knows now about her secret, that she's adopted. I had nothing to do with spreading that, it was all the work of Buzzworthy Scoop. I don't know how they found out. I admit that I feel a little sorry for her, but maybe it's okay because it will make her realize what she's been doing.
 
Her Mom and Dad also know about her antics at school. They were also disappointed, which led them to make a decision. After we graduated from high school, Briana would have to leave our house and rent a small apartment. Her punishment was to live alone, something she couldn't handle, and she would be forced to support herself with a part-time job. Her parents would still pay for her college, but she would have to learn to be independent and take responsibility for herself.
 
"So, how's Bea?" Liam asked me while we were walking around the school.
 
"She was still adjusting, but she's doing fine." I replied.
 
After Mom and Dad discovered the truth about Bea, they wasted no time in arranging a DNA test between her and Briana. The results confirmed that they were indeed siblings.
 
Following the revelation, Mom immediately took Bea in, and she now lives with us. Bea tries her best to connect with Briana, but that spoiled brat keeps her distance. Despite Mom's efforts to encourage a bond between them, Briana remains distant.
 
While my family won't officially adopt Bea, they have committed to supporting her education and even helping with her Aunt's medical expenses, which Bea used to take care of when she was still a maid for Liam's family. She will continue her senior year at our school next year. It's a shame, if she hadn't stopped studying before, maybe she would be in college too.
"Didn't you think that the wrong twin was adopted by your family?" Liam asked teasingly. "Your life wouldn't be this hard if Bea had been your cousin."
 
I punched him on his shoulder. "Hey, stop it. Let's just forget about it. Briana's been through a lot these days, so let's just leave her alone."
 
Liam smirked, leaving his eyes on me. "She deserves all the karma though." He said. "It amazes me how you always try to be nice to her after all she's done to you. But I hope you don't overdo it, to the point that you get affected because everything happening to her now, she deserves it."
 
"I will." I replied simply.
 
Before he could even answer, I noticed Briana sitting on a bench near the basketball court, minding her own business. As I watched, my attention was drawn to a guy who seemed to be intentionally aiming the ball at Briana. Without thinking, I sprinted towards her, trying to pull her out of harm's way. But before I could reach her, I felt the impact of the ball crashing into me, causing me to stumble and fall.
Pain radiated through my body as I lay on the ground, the impact of the ball still reverberating within me. Liam's eyes widened in shock as he realized what had just happened. "Mira!" He exclaimed, rushing to my side, his voice filled with worry. He knelt beside me, his touch gentle as he checked for any injuries. "Are you alright? I just told you, didn't I? Look what just happened."
 
"I'll be fine." I replied while trying to stand up.
 
As Liam helped me to my feet, supporting me as we made our way towards a nearby bench, I couldn't help but notice Briana's intense gaze over me. "What are you trying to do?"
 
Liam gasped in annoyance at Briana's question. "Are you freaking blind? She just saved you!"
 
She rolled her eyes. "Why are you pretending to be all righteous? Did you think I would be grateful?" Her voice was irritated and cold.
I suddenly got annoyed by what she said. Is she serious? I just saved her and that's what she's going to say? I expected it from her attitude that she wouldn't be grateful, but still. For some reason, I hoped she would lower her pride this time. "I'm so stupid for getting hurt for someone like you. I should have just let you get hit!"
 
Liam held me, giving Briana a stern glare before we turned our backs. "Let's go, you need to go to the clinic."
 
"Don't you dare turn your back on me!" Briana shouted, causing Liam and me to pause and look back at her.
 
"What now?!" I asked, my frustration evident, as I locked eyes with Briana, her fists clenched.
 
"Do you think you're that special? Don't get your hopes up, you'll probably end up getting hurt."
 
"What?" I asked, trying to make sense of what she was talking about.
"Your pathetic friends and Liam. They're only like that to you because you're too nice. They just feel sorry for you, Mira. Because even if you try to act strong, your weakness shows even more."
 
"Will you just shut up?" Liam replied angrily. "Why don't you just admit that you're jealous of Mira? It's because of your attitude that your friends abandoned you."
 
Briana's face contorted with anger, her fists trembling as she struggled to find a response. "I-I can handle myself on my own." She stutters. "I don't need friends, especially not ones like you!"
 
Liam's jaw tightened, his eyes burning with frustration. "You're the one pushing everyone away, Briana. You're so consumed by your own insecurities that you can't see the genuine care and support that Mira is giving you. I pity you."
 
"I don't need anyone's pity." She hissed.
 
Liam gave her a forced chuckle. "Then don't act like one."
———
A month turned into several more, and finally, the email that held the answer to my dreams was right there before me.
 
It had been a month since I applied and took the entrance exam for my dream University in Italy. The anticipation had been building up, and now, the result was finally within reach.
 
"Are you ready?" Sophie asked me. It was just the three of us, Sophie, Mady, and me, gathered in my room, huddled around my laptop, the unopened email waiting to reveal its contents. I sat in my chair, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness, as they stood on either side of me, offering their calming presence and support.
 
"I'm nervous. What if I didn't pass?" I said, glancing at both of them.
Mady placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, her eyes filled with confidence. "Mira, you've worked so hard for this. We believe in you. No matter the outcome, we know you did your best."
 
Sophie nodded in agreement. "You poured your heart and soul into this. I'm sure you'll pass."
 
Taking a deep breath, I mustered the courage to click on the email. My heart raced as the message unfolded before me, revealing the words I had been longing to see.
 
As I opened the email, tears quickly welled up in my eyes. "I got accepted!" I exclaimed in disbelief.
 
In that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude for the journey that had led me to this point. I had been accepted into my dream university in Italy. I really can't believe this!
Sophie and Mady erupted into cheers, enveloping me in a tight embrace. We laughed and cried tears of happiness, celebrating together.
 
As the excitement settled, they suddenly fell silent. They looked at me with a serious face. It was clear that they were thinking the same thing. "I don't want to ruin your excitement, but have you thought about how you're going to tell Liam?"
 
I sigh. My mood suddenly changed after she said that. Everyone knows about me applying at the university, except for Liam who has no idea. All he knows is that I'll be going to college here in the Philippines. "I'm not sure how to tell him. I'm scared, what if he doesn't want me to study there?"
 
Mady placed a hand on my arm. "Mira, you have to be honest with him. Your dreams are just as important as your relationship. He loves you, I'm sure he'll understand."
 
"Yeah, sure, long distance is challenging, but it can work if you guys are willing to put in the effort. If he's not supportive, then he's an idiot! You don't deserve someone who can't support your dreams." Sophie replied.
I knew they were right. I couldn't let fear hold me back from pursuing this opportunity, but I can't help but overthink.
 
What if we end up going in different directions and slowly grow apart, unable to bridge the gap caused by our distance? What if we ended up drifting apart?
 
What if the distance becomes too much for us?