Chapter 48: Chapter 47: Favor
Zein’s Point of View
What feels right seems wrong. I only had two choices, yet I chose the most painful one. Even though it hurts, I have to accept that we can never be together.
I know, we will never be the sa again.
What makes it even sadder is that everything happened on the night of his birthday. The pain will always be rembered, and the scar will always remain inside us. I’m sorry, I had to give you up. I hope that soday, the pain will fade along with the feelings.
I don’t even know how I managed to take a shower, and now I’m already dressed. I know I’m late for my next subject since I also woke up late. They didn’t wake
anymore, knowing that I needed proper rest.
I fell asleep quickly last night after crying so much. I cried over every scene, every mont we had, monts that will always stay with . I don’t need to forget everything; I will never forget what we shared. It’s already embedded in my heart.
My chest tightened again, so I decided to push everything away. I am so tired of tears.
When I stepped out of the dorm, a strange aura greeted
across the entire campus. The surroundings were unusually dark. Though nervous, I kept walking, until soone suddenly grabbed my arm.
"Don’t go out of the dorm yet."
Confused, I still managed to stop Mia as she tried to pull
back inside.
"Please,"
"What’s going on?" I asked, bewildered.
The seriousness in Mia’s eyes was replaced with worry. Only then did I realize that people were already surrounding us. Damn.
"Where are you taking that bitch?" Roxane said, her arms crossed, addressing Mia.
Mia didn’t bother to answer. Instead, she tightened her grip on my arm. I wanted to ask questions, but I didn’t even know where to begin. What happened now? I thought everything was over after what happened last night. Why do they look at
like this? There was disgust in their eyes, seething, burning.
"Co on, Zein." Mia tried to pull
again, but several students stepped in and blocked her.
My lips remained tightly sealed.
"Seems confused, huh?" Roxane said with a smirk, as if she had read my thoughts. "Well, the entire campus already knows about what happened between you and Supremo. About the exemption he made for your rule violation."
I let out a laugh.
I smirked and shook my head. "Then, congrats," I replied, making her grimace.
"Such a slut. I’m sure she seduced our Supremo."
The girl who spoke stepped back when I turned to look at her. I raised an eyebrow. "I’ll take that as a complint. At least I managed to seduce Supremo, how about you? Can you?" I said with a laugh, making her jaw drop.
"See? She seduced our Supremo! Are you really going to let this pass?" Roxane said, clearly pleased as she gained the crowd’s sympathy.
Pathetic. It’s pitiful how she can’t face
on her own and has to beg for everyone else’s sympathy. Well, everyone already knows anyway, why should I hold back now?
So of them stepped closer to , ready to rush
all at once. I remained standing, unmoved, even as Mia’s hand trembled where it gripped my arm.
"Wait..." I stopped them. "I just want to ask sothing." I let out a soft laugh. "Do you know what the punishnt would be if you hurt ?" I asked, and they all froze.
Roxane grimaced, clearly not expecting those words to co out of my mouth.
"I am the Queen of this University, the current 4th Highest. The Supre Student Governnt Secretary. So tell , what punishnt do you want?"
So lowered their heads, while others simply stepped back. What is the purpose of the power I have if I won’t use it? They treat
like a disgusting whore, when in fact I am one of the highest in this hell. I could even be the devil in their nightmares.
"Don’t be scared!" Roxane shouted.
"T-This is wrong. We can’t hurt her."
"I can’t do it either."
"I’m out."
In an instant, all the students surrounding us disappeared. Only the three of us, Mia, Roxane, and , were left. She was trembling with anger, but it was pitiful that she couldn’t bring herself to hurt .
"I’m sorry to tell you this, but you will never be an exemption to the rule."
She smiled at
before gradually bursting into laughter. I didn’t know why, but suddenly the dark aura surrounding her seed to vanish.
"Samantha,"
I froze at the sound of that na again.
"You know what? I’m annoyed at you. From the start, I’ve been angry at you."
I kept my lips sealed and focused on her.
"Because you are insecure," Mia said.
She let out a soft laugh. "Maybe, but I get annoyed when I see her in you. I get annoyed that every ti I see you, she’s the one I rember. I see in you soone I used to consider a friend in this hell," she said.
I didn’t show that I was surprised by her words. I knew exactly who she was talking about, Samantha, but it was shocking to realize they were friends. She was annoyed at
because she saw her forr friend in .
"A friend who also left
in this hell. I thought she wouldn’t leave , but I was wrong." She quickly wiped away the tear that slid down her eye.
"S-She didn’t leave you, she was kil-"
"I don’t care! She still left
alone. I hate her! I hate you! I hate all of you!"
She ran away from us, leaving Mia and
standing there in shock. I didn’t know she felt that way. Sohow, I understand her now, it feels like she’s rebelling. Maybe we really shouldn’t judge people based on what we see, because we never know what’s going on inside them, just like Roxane.
But that still doesn’t an I’ll start seeing her as an angel. Psh.
Mia and I went our separate ways since she had classes, and I, with mine coming later, decided to head to the SSG Office first.
From a distance, I imdiately saw Supremo standing at the door of the SSG Office. Anxiety hit
fast, but I steadied myself.
I still couldn’t fully face him, but I couldn’t run away either. I had to confront what I did and prove that I could stand by the decision I made.
I’m now standing at his side, but his gaze remains distant, as if he’s sowhere else. I can’t bring myself to enter because he’s blocking the way.
I cleared my throat to catch his attention. I wasn’t disappointed, he ca back to reality.
"We’re being called to the Admin Office," Supremo said.
He walked ahead while I stayed frozen, staring at his back. I expected him to be cold toward , but I still couldn’t help feeling hurt. I wasn’t used to this.
I took a deep breath and mustered my courage before following him. When we arrived at the Admin Office, Mada Violet, Francisco, Teacher Kath, and Vice Ty were already there.
There were two empty chairs, clearly reserved for Supremo and . I sat down first before he took his seat.
I was nearly out of breath. The air felt suffocating and tight, made worse by all the eyes on the two of us. I lowered my head slightly to avoid their stares, though I could feel that none of that seed to affect Supremo, he simply leaned back in his chair, calm and unbothered.
"This is happening again," Francisco started. "I already warned you, Supremo."
"I won’t make this long. I called you here to say... I am stripping Supremo Ace Craige of his authority," Mada Violet said.
My gaze shot up, and my mouth fell open slightly. I wanted to protest, but I didn’t know how to begin.
"T-That’s too much!" Teacher Kath said.
"You know the rules! An SSG President shouldn’t get involved with anyone! Emotions are just a hindrance, and President Ace broke that rule!"
"We don’t have enough evidence that anything really happened between them. What if it’s all just assumptions?" Teacher Kath continued to argue.
I’m so grateful to Teacher Kath for standing up for Supremo and . My tongue almost retreated, I was still shocked by what Mada Violet said. I had already ended what happened between Supremo and , so they had no right to do this.
"Assumptions?" Francisco half-laughed, staring at us. "Is it true?" he asked.
Everyone looked at us, especially . My chest tightened again. It wasn’t just assumptions, we truly loved each other, but I couldn’t shout that out in front of them. Doing so would make all the pain and sacrifice aningless.
I wouldn’t let everything fall apart.
"I’ve seen the way you look at each other. I know there’s sothing going on between you," Mada Violet insisted.
My whole body shook.
"You saw... There’s no sense in hiding the trut-"
"Stop it!"
They were startled by my shout, and I knew Supremo had looked at , that was why I felt like I couldn’t breathe at all. I gasped, trying to draw in the air.
All of them were staring at , so I had no choice but to et their gaze.
I will do anything for you, even if I have to hurt you over and over again, I will. Supremo, I know you will hate
for this, but I’m sorry. You can’t stop .
"Supremo and I were never together. There was nothing between us."
I lowered my head after saying it. A deafening silence filled the four corners of the room. My chest felt unbearably tight.
I lied.
"T-That can’t be! I always see you toge-"
"Because I am his secretary. A fucking secretary in this hell!"
In denying everything, I knew I was hurting him again. I knew that no forgiveness could truly heal all of this, but I still hoped for it.
Forgive , my love. I love you so much. There’s no need for anyone else to know, because it’s enough that I know it’s true in my own heart.
"One question, one answer... Did you ever love Ace Craige?" Francisco asked.
FUCK!
"No."
I closed my eyes as I heard the chair beside
crash to the floor, and the door slam open and shut. I smiled absentmindedly.
I denied everything.
I wanted to run after him and ask for forgiveness, but I couldn’t. Even if I wanted to, this was sothing I truly wasn’t allowed to do.
"That should be enough to say that none of this is true," Teacher Kath said.
I couldn’t process anything anymore. All I could do was bite my lip to stop the tears from spilling.
Why did everything have to co to this? Maybe love really wasn’t ant to bloom in a place like this.
"Alright," Mada Violet said as she stood up. "Still, Supremo Ace Craige is suspended for one week."
That was better. At least it was only one week. I quickly ran out of the Admin Office.
I scanned my surroundings, hoping I might see him, hoping I could at least say sorry, but he was nowhere to be found.
I hate myself. I know you do too.
Absent-mindedly, I went to the secret garden and sat on the root of a large tree there. I hugged my knees and lowered my head.
I’m exhausted. I want to give up, but I can’t.
"You know what hurts the most than being left alone?"
I remained curled up, my head resting on my knees, not daring to lift my gaze. Hearing his voice makes my heart shatter into pieces.
"Being denied by the girl I am willing to scream the most."
I could only close my eyes as my tears finally fell. I tried to suppress my sobs, but I couldn’t stop my body from trembling. It felt like I was about to collapse right then and there.
Even while shaking, I forced myself to speak. "Just leave
alone. I don’t want to hear your voice anymore," I said.
Sorry. I have to hurt you so you can wake up from this nightmare.
"Is that really all there is?"
"YES!"
I stood up and t his gaze. Maybe I shouldn’t have done this, especially not now, when I can see his tears falling nonstop, quickly wiped away but never stopping.
"D-Did you ever really love ?"
"Love?" I laughed, even though it felt like my heart was being torn apart. "Who would ever love you? You’re such a poor, pathetic, heartless man. How can you expect soone to love you? You’re a devil!" I scread at the top of my lungs.
Even as I trembled, I forced myself to stay strong, but my knees nearly gave out when I saw his smile... a bitter smile.
Should I now nominate myself as the world’s most notorious liar ever?
I heard his bitter laugh. Every forced chuckle that escaped him felt like sothing sharp piercing straight through .
I shut my eyes tightly. "Stop it, Ace. You’re just a pain in the ass." I took a sharp breath before saying what ca next. "I am contentedly happy without you."
No one spoke after that. The only things I could hear were the loud pounding of my heart and the pain that had already wrapped itself around my entire being.
"Can you do
a favor?" he asked. "Just this one."
I kept my mouth shut, knowing I no longer had the strength to speak. I simply waited for what he was about to say.
In one swift move, my heart stopped beating. All I could feel was my body shaking — my mind, my soul, my heart.
He kissed .
"Fight, Zein. I want you to fight, not for , but for your friends, and most especially, fight for yourself. Don’t worry, I’m still breathing, and a promise is a promise. I am still your knight, your bulletproof, and no matter what happens, you are still my Queen."
He turned his back on , and I could do nothing but watch him until he disappeared from my sight.
I’ll fight, but not just for myself or for my friends. I’ll also shed every drop of blood I have for you, until I drown, and until I die, my King.
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