Chapter 23: Chapter 23

Danas could only be strong with what she was facing. It was a lie that Danas was living a good life. In fact, she seemed to be in a bind. Now there seemed to be two camps that continued to attack her from both directions.

"If I could choose, I would like to go to a faraway place so I don't meet these people who keep pressuring me," Danas said to himself.

At that time, she entered the campus and imagined that she would meet Renata. Just thinking about it made her head dizzy and her footsteps felt heavy.

The university gate looked tall and haughty. The students were milling in and out while joking with their friends. Danas felt envious. They didn't seem to have the heavy burden of life like her.

"I wish I could be like them, living freely without burden. Ugh!"

Danas complained but he quickly took a breath and tried to calm himself down. There was no point in lamenting her fate.

Following a busy lecture schedule made Danas able to forget about Renata a little. Even so, she occasionally glanced at her surroundings. She didn't want to accidentally cross paths with the woman.

Tired after college, Danas' energy seemed to be absorbed. She envisioned a cozy bedroom and wanted to go home as soon as possible. However, again Danas was scared by the mere thought of going home.

It's because Danas will meet Melvin at home. The monster-like man could pounce and kill her at any time. Danas felt chills run down her body. Melvin's rough touch was still there, traumatizing her.

Too wrapped up in her thoughts and feelings, Danas forgot that she hadn't even eaten lunch yet. Her stomach was rumbling and begging to be filled.

Danas usually eats at the cafeteria with her friends. But now it feels like she can't do that anymore. Every eye seemed to be watching her every move and kept sneering at her.

Danas then went to a quiet park. She even deliberately sat on an empty chair in a hidden place. She hoped no one would see her. "Alone to save myself," she muttered incoherently.

She took out a food box from the bag she was carrying. Danas had deliberately brought food from home because she had planned not to eat in crowded places.

She opened the pink box. There was only a piece of sandwich and an apple. A carton of milk completed her simple lunch.

Danas took a bite of the sandwich, savoring the hastily made bread. The filling was very simple, just lettuce leaves and a thin sheet of ham.

The food Danas brought was far from enough. However, her stomach already felt full even when she only picked up half an apple. She wanted to finish it but she was too lazy to chew, she wanted to throw it away but she didn't want to. Finally, Danas finished it while reading a book.

Danas soaked up the loneliness, here. In a quiet park, while chewing her food. Actually, her throat felt like it was clogged every time she swallowed food. Danas was again lost in her grief.

She didn't know who to complain to. Tears began to flow down her cheeks. She quickly wiped away the spilled tears with the back of her hand. But every time she wiped her face clean, the tears flowed again. Danas ended up crying bitterly.

Normally, when Danas was in a bad situation, her best friend Davina was always the one she confided in. Davina used to be her safe haven. But now her only friend, the one she could talk to, was also away from her.

"What did I do wrong for you to go away from me, Davina?" Danas thought as she wiped away the remnants of her tears.

"I now have no one, not even a friend to confide in." Danas was still mourning her best friend, even in her heart.

Without Danas knowing, Davina saw her from a distance. From where she stood at the edge of the garden, Davina could see Danas' back to her. She knew very well that it was Danas.

"Sorry, Danas. I can't be with you anymore," Davina said silently. She was actually sorry but the problem Danas brought was too complicated for her. She didn't want to get involved.

Davina was stunned looking at the corner of the garden. Her steps stopped for a moment. She was with her brother. Davina's behavior made her brother look in the direction Davina was looking at.

The man saw in the corner of the park a woman who seemed to be alone and wiping her tears. He then watched in more detail who the figure behind the tree was.

"Davina, who is she? Do you know her?"

Her brother's words stunned Davina. Apparently she was caught daydreaming while looking at Danas.

"Umm, no. I don't know her."

Davina said that quickly as she looked away. She didn't want to be known as Danas' close friend.

Davina's attitude made her brother frown. He looked deeply at Davina as if searching for the truth of her words. "Are you sure you don't know her?"

Davina shook her head quickly again. She kept looking the other way and refused to look back to where Danas was.

"If you want to see her, go see her. It looks like she's sad."

Davina still did not budge, instead she pretended to be busy with the college books she was currently holding. "No, I don't wanna."

"Don't be like that. If she needs you, maybe this is the best time. I see she's crying, poor thing." Davina's brother sympathized with Danas.

Davina's attitude, however, didn't change. She chose to avoid and leave the place. "Never mind, let's just go. The afternoon lecture will start soon."

Danina diverted the conversation by reminding the class they were going to. She then left the place and headed to the class.

Her brother could only sigh as he shrugged his shoulders. Relationships between women were unique. When they were close, they were like sisters, but when they were hostile, they would immediately say they didn't know each other.

"These women are really strange. Davina should have gone to comfort her friend, instead she chose to leave," he muttered.

Jagad's mutterings were heard by Davina. She narrowed her eyes and waited for her brother to stand right in front of her. "What are you saying?"

Davina looked angry and upset because what she did was protested by her brother. While she didn't know the real issue.

"Was I wrong? I'm just giving you advice but if you don't accept it, forget it."

Davina snorted in annoyance. There was a conflict in her heart but Davina's mind was stronger. She thought staying away from Danas was the right choice at the moment.

"I don't wanna be friends with someone like her," Davina said. Her eyes wandered far ahead. After all, she couldn't bear to leave her friend when she knew she was at her worst.

Davina's brother looked disappointed. She then shook her head slowly while speeding up her pace. "Whatever you say."