"You better get rid of her as soon as possible! What's taking you so long?"
"I can't do it."
"Why? Are you in love with her?"
"Yes."
...
[Bella's Point of View]
I woke up having a really terrible nightmare. I dreamed I was being eaten by a fire-breathing pink dinosaur. How strange and scary.
I stretched my arms and checked my phone. Ivan has been messaging me since yesterday. Yesterday, we had a petty argument because I didn't want to meet his parents. He asked me to meet his parents, and I thought he might be joking.
Because how could he even do that?
Even if we've always been together during these past days, and he is getting very clingy and touchy, I still doubt him and Niana.
I might end up one day groaning in pain while dying because my boyfriend killed me with a knife and a smirk on his face. I am not getting overdramatic, just careful.
There's nobody I can trust these days. Everyone around me has been leaving, hurting, and betraying me. What did I ever do to them?
I sighed and glanced at my phone as soon as a message from Ivan popped up again.
Ivan: Please, let's talk.
I wore a beige top and baggy jeans paired with high-cut shoes. I love how I look just simply FANTASTIC! I can't keep with this petty argument with Ivan already, so I decided to meet him at a cafe where we usually go after school classes to study or date.
As soon as I arrived, I saw him wearing a minty green polo with a white shirt beneath it. He looked through the window with his chin rested on his right palm. On his left ear was an ear pod while humming a soft song.
I marched towards him, and as he looked at me, he sweetly smiled. His face was like, 'Oh, here comes the love of my life.'
"Hi, Bella, my love," he muttered and pulled a chair for me.
What the heck has gotten into him? Is this one of his tricks?
"What are you saying? That's so cringed," I replied and glared at him as he went back to his seat.
"Sorry, you don't want me calling you an endearment?" He asked.
"No," I simply just said.
"Alright then, Bella. Thank you for meeting with me today. I'm very delighted," he uttered with a gentle but low voice, then smiled again with his teeth shown.
"I'll take an order first," he continued and went to grab an order. He probably knows what I want to eat already since we've been here multiple times together. I smiled at that thought, but I immediately frowned when I realized that I shouldn't be smiling.
He returned with two slices of moist chocolate cake and two matcha lattes.
"Here you go," he mumbled.
I grabbed my food and abruptly took a bit of the cake. I don't want to listen to whatever Ivan's going to tell me.
"Bella, if you're still mad about it, I'm really, really sorry. I'm not forcing you to meet my parents anyway, but, as your boyfriend, I want you to meet my parents. You know, I've been talking about you a lot to them, and they seem interested in meeting you. But, of course, I'll wait until you are prepared," he said lightly and held my hand.
His hands were so soft and light. Every time he holds my hand, I just feel like touching a soft pillow.
"Please, Bella, can you forgive me?" He asked with an apologizing look. He was staring right into my soul.
"Okay," I replied and took my matcha latte. It feels strange that Ivan is apologizing.
"Thank you, Bella," he said and started to eat his cake.
I've wanted to ask him why he was so serious with me these past days.
"Uhm, Ivan, I wanted to ask something."
"What is it?"
"Why are you being so close to me now? Why do you want me to meet your parents? I'm not a fool not to notice that you were clearly not interested in me when we started dating. So, why are you doing this?" I asked him, and he stopped putting a spoon of cake in his mouth. He looked at me and smiled.
"You're really good at noticing things. Well, to be honest, you're right. The day we started dating, I was really not into you. I think I just wanted someone to date. But as we've been together for months, I realized I've been falling for you. My past relationships weren't like what we have now," he replied.
"Really? Do you know that I'm a psychopath? People won't love me, Ivan. I am not a normal person. Do you know that I can kill you?" I refuted.
"It will be a pleasure to have me killed by you, Bella."
We were just exchanging glances at that time. I don't know why he is doing this. Why on earth is he doing this to me?!
There's no way he could develop feelings for a person like me!
"You know, Bella, I know you are a psychopath ever since the day we started dating. But, that doesn't mean no one can love you..."
No freaking way! Liar!
"You're not hard to love, Bella."
...
As I went back to the dorm, every word that came out of Ivan's mouth remained stuck in my head. Why does he have to be so good with the words that made me almost believe it?!
"Hi, Bella. How was your day?" Niana asked without making eye contact with me. She is in her yellow pajamas while playing a video game on the computer.
"I'm tired," I replied and went inside my room.
We were barely even talking these past days. Niana says she's always busy with some of her projects, and I'm with Ivan most of the time.
Just how did we end up like this, Niana? I thought you were a friend. But as days pass by, my doubts about you are just getting bigger and bigger.
I feel like all those times we spent together is something you planned since the beginning.
It's now mutual. We're just using each other.
I'll make sure that if you go down, I won't go down with you.
I took a quick shower and changed my clothes to my pajamas. I finished my skincare and immediately lay down on my bed. I searched for murder documentaries and started watching, but Ivan messaged me.
What a disturbance.
Ivan: Always take care, my love. I'm not always by your side, but I know you can handle yourself. If something happens, just call me. Okay?
What does he mean? Is he saying that something terrible is going to happen?
I didn't reply and just continued watching various documentaries. I couldn't help but think about what Ivan said. Is Niana planning to do something to me now?
I stood up from my bed and went outside my room to look for Niana, but she was nowhere to be found again. What the heck is that girl up to?
I returned to my room and immediately dialed Ivan, but he wasn't answering. After how many tries, someone finally answered the call.
"Hello? Is this my brother's girlfriend?" A voice of a child, probably a six-year-old girl, said.
"Who's this?" I asked.
Is it Ivan's little sister? He mentioned to me last time that he has two little siblings. One was a boy, and one was a girl.
"Yes, I am his sister. Please look for him at the bar, please? He forgot his phone at home, and until now, he's not coming home yet," the little girl responded.
"Okay, okay. Can you tell me what bar is he in?"
I changed my clothes and immediately went to the bar, Ivan's little sister said. Why on earth will he go to a bar at this hour? Does he have a problem?
It doesn't matter. I need to find Ivan immediately to go back to the dorm.
I entered the bar he was in, and the place was annoyingly crowded! Loud music was everywhere, couples making out, noisy talks, and drunk people.
"Where the freak are you, Ivan?" I said in a low voice.
I squeezed myself in with the people and looked around every single corner of this place.
Then finally, I saw Ivan sleeping soundly at a table in a corner. I snorted and walked towards him, but suddenly, someone held my wrist.
I turned around and saw a tall guy wearing a black shirt. He has fancy green eyes and curtain bangs. He looks handsome.
"Why?" I asked and looked at his hand clutching my wrist.
"Won't you mind having a night with me?"
Huh?
As soon as I realized he was stoned, I pulled my hands away and screamed for help, but everyone was so busy with their own business that no one would even dare to help me.
Ivan, please wake up!
I grabbed my pocket knife out of my pocket, but this guy immediately grabbed it from me as soon as I could attack him. He smirked at me and held both of my shoulders.
"Just this night."