The world is just another lion's den.
But we have a choice, either to let the lions eat us or be friends with the lions.
Which is entirely impossible, so be I became one of the lions.
People do different things to survive in this world of chaos and woe. After all, why are we even living?
To survive.
I realized that this world I walk on will keep throwing stones at me until I fall.
But I won't let any stone crush me down.
Whether you are sane, an animal, a psychopath, or a child,
all of us have one goal,
To survive.
...
[ Bella's Point of View ]
Days went as normal as they should be. People didn't care much about Ashton's and Princess Bellania's death. Well, after all, life should still go on.
A year passed, and I regained my reputation in the school. I'm always on top, and people never look down on me. They always praise me and give me compliments, as they should. I stopped being a loan shark since I got a scholarship from the school foundation. They decided to take care of my needs and finances until I graduate college. I deserve it, so I don't feel grateful.
Niana, on the other hand, stayed by my side and showed great loyalty. Still, for me, she seems shady sometimes.
Second-year high school is no fun at all. Kids get into dates, and after weeks, they break up, and the cycle begins again. People are so easy to get.
I wonder what dating feels like for them? I remember my parents. They were the worst. Why do people date anyway? Can't they stand on their own?
"Here we go again," Niana oddly muttered as we saw two teenage middle schoolers kissing on the bench at the school sidewalk.
"Yuck, aren't they ashamed?" I asked.
"It doesn't seem like it."
Goodness, young adults and their burning passion of lust. It is so unnervingly obnoxious.
I snorted and just walked past them, "What pitiful lives. They're gonna break up tomorrow or the day after the morrow. Don't you think that's pathetic, Niana?"
"I wonder. They seem like having fun, though. Why won't you try dating too, Bella?"
I looked at her with a nonchalant face, then smirked, "Let me think about it," I said.
It's not a problem if I do date. I want to know why people are so enthusiastic about dating.
...
"What is love?"
Seriously? Is this an elementary class? I sighed and rested my chin on my hand. This class is so boring.
I stared at my classmates, and none of them raised their hands to answer the teacher's question.
Don't they know? I'm a psychopath. What would I know about love?
At least for me, love is when someone shows kindness to someone and is willing to risk their lives for someone.
"In your perspective, miss Salvador, what is love?"The teacher glanced at me with her thick squared glasses and nude lipstick.
I stood up and made a straight face, "I'm sorry, but I don't have a clear definition of what love is. As a child, I was deprived of it, and I never felt it from anyone..." After I said that, Jameson's smiling face suddenly popped out of my mind. "So, I can't identify whether someone has shown me love or is it just kindness I don't know. But, what I know is that love is more than just words. It should be manifested through your actions."
I sat down dumbfounded. Where did I get those words I just said?
"Thank you, miss Salvador. As always, you are such an impressive student," the teacher said and smiled at me.
"As your classmate said, love, is more than just words. Love should be shown through your actions. So let me ask you again, do you love someone? Or have you ever loved someone?"
Most of my classmates obviously answered that they love their parents, pets, boyfriends and girlfriends, friends, and more. I wonder if they really love those things they said.
Nevermind. It's not for me to bother.
Love is non-existent for me. No matter what.
...
It has been a long day. I am walking alone on the streets because Niana returned to the dorm earlier since I needed to finish my assignment. I slapped my nape as I felt a mosquito biting me.
"Poor insect. If you haven't bit me in the first place, you won't end up dead," I said as I stared at my hand with a dead mosquito covered with my blood, "or are you just willing to risk your life to take a sip of my blood? What worth is your will to survive if you'll end up dead?"
I blew the mosquito off and wiped my palm.
"Hi, miss, where are you headed?" A bald guy wearing a musty shirt popped in front of me while holding a bottle of beer in his right hand. He's clearly drunk.
I glared at him and said, "I'm headed to my dorm. Why? Do you have a problem with that?"
"Well, do you want to come with us?" He asked, and then suddenly, two more big guys walked towards me.
This is not good. My fighting skills won't win against these buff men!
I took a few steps behind and searched through my pocket, but unfortunately, I forgot to bring my pocket knife.
"Damn it," I muttered.
"What's the problem, pretty kid? Don't you want to come with us? We will bring you to a place where you wouldn't have to worry about anything. It will be fun, I assure you," one of those men uttered drunkenly. Seriously, they stink so bad!
"Stay away from me!" I screamed at them without showing any signs of fear.
"What a bold look you have on that face of yours. Aren't you terrified? Strong girls like you should be treasured, so come with us."
Two men came to me and grabbed my arms.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? LEAVE ME ALONE!" I screamed my lungs out and tried to pull myself from them, but they were far more potent than I am.
This is useless. What should I do? Why did I let my guard down? No, this isn't the time to think about other things. I need to go away! I moved more aggressively to pull myself from them, but it was futile.
I decided to calm down and just let them do whatever they wanted.
"What will you do? Will you kidnap me?" I asked apathetically.
"You finally calmed down, huh. That's a sudden change in your mood, interesting," said the bald guy with a beer.
"Could you just freaking put me down?! I won't go anywhere, okay?! Just put away those filthy hands off me!" I screamed at both the guys gripping my arm. They loosened their grip, and I breathed heavily.
Now, what do I do? It's not like I can escape these monkeys at all. I can't call or record either because my phone is inside my bag. If I try to get it, they will take it away from me.
Jeez, what has gotten into me? This hasn't happened before.
"What's your name, cute girl?" The bald guy asked again and took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.
"My name is Hannah," I replied immediately. Good thing I left my ID at the dorm. I won't tell them my name.
"Hannah? What a nice name. So, what do you want to do tonight? Where do you like to go?"
The bald guy walked toward me and lowered his face to mine. After that, he blew cigarette smoke right on my face. I coughed a bit.
"YOU BASTARD!" I screamed.
He chuckled with a very annoying voice.
"Hahahaha! Oh, I like that face you emit just now. I like girls who are annoyed by my presence. Anyway, I'll bring you somewhere amazing." He placed his finger below my chin, and I pushed it away.
"Hmm, you're really something. Boys, bring her to the van," he commanded the other guys and walked away. The two men grabbed me again.
"I said don't touch me! You bastards! What the heck do you want?!" I screamed all I could and kicked the other man's balls as hard as I could. Soon enough, he fell in pain and let go of my right arm.
This time, I faced the guy gripping my left arm. I raised a fist, but he immediately stopped me.
"Hmm, who do you think you are? You're nothing but a weak woman! Hahahaha! Women are no match for men."
How dare he? This is why I despise men a lot! They have no right to boss around and treat women as materials!
How infuriating.
I took all my strength and bit his hands, holding me. Immediately, he put his hands away and screamed in pain.
I instantly ran away from them, but I heard a shot from a gun. No, if I ran further, I could end up dead with a shot.
These idiots.
I turned back at them and looked at the bald guy holding a gun while pointing it at me.
"Come now, kid. You are a really stubborn kid. If you try to escape once more, I'll shoot a bullet on your head," he calmly uttered at me.
You messed up, Bella. Why on earth do I have to encounter this?
I slowly walked towards them again and clenched my fists as I gritted my teeth.
"There, good girl. I didn't know you were so easy to tame?" The bald guy started patting my head, and as soon as I saw a chance, I grabbed the pistol from him and pointed it at him.
"Whoa whoa whoa, you're fast. Kid, you better put that down now," he said in a threatening tone.
"No, I'll kill you all first!" I screamed.
"Oh, really?"
He marched towards me and punched my stomach real hard. Everything happened so fast, and the pistol's trigger was too hard to press.
I groaned in pain and dropped the gun as I fell to the ground.
"You naughty girl. Do you want to keep hurting like this? If you didn't make a fuss, then this won't happen to you." He grabbed his gun and pulled me.
"Come on, boys, enter the car!" He commanded again.
Will I die?
"Hey, stay away from her!" I widened my eyes as I heard a voice coming from behind.
"Who's that? Is that your friend?" The guy I kicked a while back asked.
I couldn't focus my gaze on the one who spoke because I felt like I was going to vomit, but I'm sure he is a guy my age.
"I said, stay away from her!"
The boy ran towards us, and I fell to the ground again. The last thing I knew, he fought with those three big men, and he carried me.
I lost consciousness.