Chapter 22: Chapter 22

A beautiful face appeared under the hoodie. Angeline stood with bate which could explode out anytime. That girl was alone. I saw the fire in her eyes. It was her resentment toward me that lit the flame. After pondering, I realized why she paid those men to kidnap me. It was as to how Kevin treated me recently, defended, or to be exact bribed the school principal to close the case. The worst was that Kevin and Reno got into a fight in the classroom because of me.

Angeline lifted my chin with her thumb after she unsealed the plaster off my mouth. She studied my face as if drawing it on her mind. At this moment, the person who was not even an inch separated from me did not express any emotions except fury.

“I have warned you to stay away from him. Why is it hard for you to do it?” She slapped my face. I did nothing but mince.

“If it is for Kevin, I am not your rival. There is no way Kevin will care for me. I am a poor girl.”

“That’s why I had alerted you earlier. You are not on our level. And you won’t be even until the end of the world.” She humiliated me.

“Why do you feel insecure because of me, then?” I inquired. She tightened her hand on my jaw.

“You are a parasite.” Her words reminded me of Nina. She said the same thing some time ago. “You would suck our blood slowly.” Her word knifed me. Yet, I tried to control myself.

“What did you want me to do now to make you set me free?”

“Hahahaha...Set you free? I think I need to teach you a lesson first before I decide whether to let you go or not."

“What? Why? You can’t do this to me!”

“I am the one here who can stipulate a final decision.” She affirmed. She pulled her hand off me, back in a straightened position. “I hope you enjoy spending your night here. Don’t worry. The mice will accompany you. They have been your companion, haven’t they?” She laughed out loud and swiveled.

“I valued you too highly.” She stood with her back facing me. “Now, I regret it. I don’t believe anymore in what my eyes have ever seen within you. At first, I assumed that you were different from other annoying girls at school. I never expected that a brainy girl with a good reputation and flawless beauty could do this kind of thing. You know it only degrades your dignity.” She turned back and imprinted slaps on my face twice.

“Who are you to judge me? You are just a slummy girl. I should have caged you with Reno until you two meet your death in the storeroom.” I was not shocked as I had expected her as a suspect.

“You have confessed that you are the culprit.”

“But, you can’t record my voice.” She won. That was she concluded.

“I am not interested in recording your voice. It won’t work, anyway. I am thinking that you are just a lonely girl who needs a new toy.”

“How dare you provoke me!” She shook my body. I did not react at all. “I should have killed you.” She ran to the other side and picked something carelessly. It was a rope. She was going to strangle my neck. Before she acted out her plan, someone called her name from outside. She threw the rope and went out.

I was ruminating about my mother at the moment. She was the one who occupied my soul and heart. I wish I could do telepathy and tell her that I was alright. I remembered the values she taught me. There were no situations humans could not cope with or a problem they could not handle. I instilled those doctrines in my mind. Yet, those doctrines didn’t seem to work out today.

My stomach was queasy. I had not eaten anything yet. A girl put a bowl of instant noodles on the table next to me just after Angeline left. She had untied my hands. The food was still there. I was afraid that Angeline put poison into it. So, I did not even touch it.

I didn’t know what time it was. It might be a night out there. I was wondering if anybody realized that I was missing. Would my mother search for me if I never came back? Many speculations filled my head.

“You should eat.” That girl said to me before the closed door. She was around eighteen, not too tall with dark skin and black short hair. She looked kind. I was clueless about who she was. But, I was sure she was one of Angeline’s gangs.

“Are you sure that Angeline didn’t add poison into the food?”

“She is evil but she doesn’t want to be jailed, I bet.” She was friendly. I took the bowl and finished its content only in few minutes. That girl whom I never knew her name handed me a bottle of mineral water.

“Thanks.” My short simple word made her smile.

“Here’s the blanket. Good night.” She moved out.

There was a carpet in the corner of the room. I lied my body there and wrapped it with a blanket that the girl had given me. At least, it warmed me. I could not close my eyes.

When did I go from here? Did she want to free me? When? Those questions shouted to each other in my mind. It prevented me from sleeping. I hoped I could sleep and forget all the bad things.

The mosquitoes partied around my ears. They bit my skin, enjoying my blood freely. I killed them by tapping those trying to reach me. This room was dirty so it was a perfect place for mosquitoes and other creatures to live in.

My heart jumped when the door suddenly opened. I got up. Someone stormed inside. I could not believe my eyes. His head emerged from the removed hoodie. But, how could he know I was here? Who told him?