Warning: This chapter contains scenes that might be uncomfortable for some readers. Read at your own risk.
[ Bella's Point of View ]
We all know that secrets are always meant to be revealed at some point, but my secrets will be buried with me in my grave.
If you want your secrets to remain as secrets, you should keep them to yourself.
That's just how it is.
"Niana, what's your biggest secret." I looked at Niana, eating bananas while sitting on the couch, watching television.
She looked at me slowly and smiled.
"You probably know my secrets. My worst secret will be the day when we burned Sewol." She looked down and frowned.
Did it really affect her? She's been living life like nothing has happened anyway.
"Will you keep that secret forever?"
"If I could, then yes. We will keep our secrets with us, forever."
The person who knows everything about me is now dead. I wonder how he could learn so much about me. Am I that transparent towards him?
Jameson, please appear in my dreams again.
As I closed my eyes, I imagined his eyes that I'd never seen in a while.
Why do I feel so strange every time I think about him?
Never mind, I'm sleepy. May tomorrow be an exciting day.
...
"Everyone, you may now go out except for Bella. You stay." Ashton commanded as he stared fiercely at me. I looked at the other club members walking their way out of this room. They were like birds freed from a cage.
"What do you need?" I asked and sat on the couch in front of him. He leaned at the sofa where he was sitting and stretched both of his arms.
"You probably know already what I want." He smirked at me and locked the club room door. I just glared at him. He walked towards me and looked at me. He touched my chin and moved his face closer to mine. "You're next." He muttered.
I smirked and scoffed, "Huh? So this is what you do to the members? Why are you obsessed with us anyway?"
I stood up and crossed my arms at him. He just shrugged and sighed, "Well, I'm obsessed with intelligent people." He uttered.
"Okay, that's why you assault women with a high intelligence quotient. What a rat you are!" I screamed at him and clenched my fists.
He started to walk towards me and pushed me to the couch. I bumped my head on something, and now it feels like bleeding.
"You bastard! I will tell every single detail about what you're doing to the members of this club! Your doom is coming."
He was panting heavily.
"Really? These girls will end up having issues in the school newspaper once they disclose the things I've done to them. Do you want to be the newspaper headline?" He said while he was on top of me, holding both my shoulders.
"Don't worry, Bella. You won't be harmed if you keep your mouth shut!"
Ashton unbuttoned the first buttons of his polo, but someone barged inside the room. Ashton flinched and immediately moved away from me while I stayed lying down on the couch.
"Goodness! Bella!" I saw Niana holding a book in her other hand and a key on the other. She ran towards me and hugged me. I saw another girl come, it was Princess Bellania.
"What was happening earlier, Ashton?" She screamed at Ashton, who was now placing his buttons back again.
"N...nothing." He replied and looked away. His face was totally red, and he looked like he was about to explode.
"You. What did you do to my Ashton!" Princess Bellania pointed at me and aimed to slap me, but I slapped her first.
"Your boyfriend is a r*pist," I said.
At first, Princess Bellania's eyes widened, and she started to grin. After that, she laughed.
"What kind of lie is that, Bella?"
Niana pulled my wrist and told me to go.
"What on Earth happened to you? Did Ashton do something?" Niana asked me worriedly. She looked at me from head to toe.
"He was about to. Good thing you came on time." I smiled at her, and she maintained a worried face.
"What if I didn't come? What would you do?"
"If you didn't come, I will not allow him to do anything to me, of course."
"You must always allow me to stay with you at all times. So, what do you plan on that guy? Should we report him to the faculty? Or to the police, perhaps?"
"I already have something in mind. It's pretty interesting."
...
"Yo, guys, did you see the new article on the school page? Goodness! I can't believe that Ashton is a r*pist."
"Are those true? Maybe someone is setting him up."
"I also wonder. But I think it's reliable. There were audio clips at the end of the article."
"Audio?"
"Yes! The voice is like Bella Salvador. There were also interviews of the other victims. What do you think?"
"I wonder."
How news flies so fast.
It was a struggle getting the other members' experience with Ashton. They were all abused by that bastard.
I'll make him suffer.
"Oy, Bella!" I heard a sharp, angry scream coming from behind. Her footsteps are stomping heavily on the floor.
I felt her grab my hair, and I started to turn to her. I pulled her hair back and kicked her abdomen.
"What the heck, Princess," I muttered.
"What do you think are you doing?! Huh? Spreading rumors about Ashton? This will ruin his reputation! Why are you doing this, psychopath?" She voiced in anger and agitation.
I bent over and placed my mouth direct at her ear.
"Why? This is what you did to me too. I'm just returning the favor. Do you want me to reveal your secrets too, Princess Bellania? Your father is a drug dealer. Your mom is a thief. And you are a liar who kept toying everyone. What do you think?" I whispered.
She flinched, probably wondering where on earth did I get that information.
"How dare you!" She screamed.
I chuckled at her expression.
"Didn't I warn you before? You should've stopped getting into my way before I destroy everything about you and your little lover Ashton.
I was about to walk away, but she continued speaking.
"What do you want?! Just... just tell me and stop this nonsense!"
"Hmm, I want to see you suffer. Why? Because I am a psychopath."
I breathed heavily.
"Ah, just to remind you, you're digging your own grave. I'm just helping you. Goodbye, see you later." I waved my hands at her and marched away. I heard her wail.
Things are going to happen over and over again if people keep sticking their noses on my business.
All I wanted was to live.
...
As Niana and I went back to our dormitory, I opened my laptop. I saw a ton of messages and notifications. Some were asking if I was okay, some were asking if the article about Ashton was genuine, and some were apologizing for gossiping about me.
I don't care about it, but I posted that I am fine and that all the rumors about Ashton were true. I ain't lying, though.
There were also messages from Ashton. He commanded me to delete the article about him and change it after I deleted those. He said he was genuinely sorry about everything he had done and that, just like any other being, he made mistakes.
People and their words. I don't believe them anymore. After they apologize, they will repeat the same mistake again and again and again.
Liars.
I called him, and I could hear him crying and breathing aggressively on the other line.
"Why are you crying? Now you're sad about everything you had done? Do you think you have the right to be sad?" I mumbled.
"Just... Let's just stop this, Bella. I promise... I promise I won't do it again! I will be a good person! Promise, Bella. I promise."
I chortled. Good person? I refuse to believe anyone in this world is good.
I know one person, but he's dead, sadly.
"No. You are a r*pist, which will hunt you for the rest of your life. You've been threatening all your victims, and now you're afraid? You are so unbelievable!"
"Please, Bella, just spare me this time. I'll do everything you want!"
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Hmm, okay."
I looked at the white clock ticking hanged on my wall.
Eight pm.
"Bring your girlfriend to the school rooftop, now."
I ended the call and laughed on my bed.
"Bella, can I come with you?" Niana opened the door of my room, begging me to let her come with me.
I sat down and stared at her. "Were you eavesdropping?" I asked.
Her eyes widened, "It's not like that. I was just worried. I can't help but listen."
"You can't come. I can't afford to cause another trauma to you."
"Are you worried for me?"
I jolted at her question. Am I?
"Okay, you can come. But I am not responsible if you end up having nightmares."