!It hurts!

 

No POV (Or author’s POV?)

 

Months had passed since that day, and a lot had changed with the six of them. Cutting to the chase, let’s start off by talking about their lives as of the moment.

 

First off, Mij.

 

She was at her usual pace now, not letting anything get in her way. She was being successful as ever. She had released her newest album named “No More”. It was basically her ‘hugot’ album to release all her feelings on the events that took place a few months ago. The album was a huge success and she was on tour around the world. She didn’t have the time to contact her friends now that she was so engrossed with work and all that. But she was sure that they would listen to her album that she had dedicated to them. The album had ten songs in all, namely:

               

                01: Twist & Turn

                02:  Lost

                03: SOS

                04: Stepping into the Unknown

                05: Scream

                06: Reasons

                07: Unsettled Emotions

                08: Confusion

                09: Doubts

                10: My Conclusion

 

                Most of the songs had some sort of Ed Sheeran/Sam Smith feel to it. The only energetic or upbeat song in the list would be the first. In fact, you would say that it was very out of place. But if you were in her situation, you would completely understand the amount of complete and utter confusion she had to go through in the past.

 

Basically she was pretty successful and fulfilled. Next in the list is Zoe.

 

                Her life was a lot more dull than Mij’s since she was just trapped in a high-security cell with no hope of escape. But, she didn’t want to anyway. She deserved this punishment. Months had past, but she had heard nothing about her sister. The only one who ever had a heart to visit was Nikki. They spent a few moments together and both of them ended up in tears before leaving. Zoe felt a bit better, knowing that at least someone had forgiven her, though she knew that no one else would have done that. She was still shocked with Nikki’s actions though. She really did have a kind heart despite her stupidity.

 

She was certain that no one wanted to do anything with her anymore; they had completely erased the name Zoe Parker from their lives aside from Nikki. But that was okay. She was to stay in this cold and spacious cell for years and years to come. She was already on the brink of insanity, but she was fine with that. She knew that would happen eventually. She had simply accepted her terrible fate.

 

                She also knew that her little sister hated her to the bone right now. Even if she didn’t ever stop by to tell her that directly, she could feel it. But despite all of that, she still loves her sister with all her heart. She was just waiting for the day that she would visit. She always wondered what she was doing or what had happened to her. Sure, it would be hard for the others to accept and trust Bianca again, but it could still be fixed. Unlike her relationship with the rest of them. It was completely severed; it could no longer be repaired.

 

Onto the third, our main character of the story, Nikki.

 

                Nikki had sacrificed a lot to reach her dreams, and now she’s finally made it. She’s now a famous k-pop star. Of course, she never forgot about her friends and all. She would contact them and visit them sometimes. She was a lot less busy compared to Mij, whom she assumed was her rival in the world of entertainment. Unlike Mij, Nikki did NOT possess the natural talent to perform. That is exactly why she practiced and learned with all her heart. Did she have a boyfriend? Yes, she did. In fact, she knew that he was watching her every performance even though he was not physically present. Her newfound friends would encourage her to join them to go to mixers and such, but she declined every time. She knew and she was sure that she would only love one man, and that lucky man was Albert.

 

Sure it’s corny and cheesy and all that, but she didn’t care. That was how she truly felt. That was what she realized when he had confessed to her on that day. Everyday she’d feel thankful for everything that had happened; their deaths were not in vain. Nikki was sure that she wasn’t the only one who saw the beauty in the events that had occurred in the past despite all the hardships they went through. She had learned so much from it and had matured. When she met up with Mij one day, she accused her of being an imposter. She had changed that much. Both of them had, actually. It was just so much more evident on Nikki, she was like a flower that finally blossomed. (#pathtimepls)

 

Both Nikki and Mij were very known in the industry, in fact, you could say that they were rivals. They didn’t see each other in person too often anymore, but they were obviously competing with each other. Releasing new music and merchandise here and there, they didn’t seem to stop. Their fame just kept growing. Their music styles were so different, but the world loved it. Nikki was more of the bubbly girl who would sing (and dance) the cheesiest and corniest love songs the world has to offer. She writes Korean and English songs; she actually took the time to take lessons in both Korean and English. Just like Angeliz’s suggestion earlier in the story. She had mastered both languages, something she was sure her friends were proud of. She was an all-around package according to some of her male fans for her cute looks and amazing voice. (No one really credited her dancing, but she was fine with that.) Mij on the other hand was like the new Beyoncé, dancing and singing with style, while still being able to be sophisticated at the same time. Her songs were nothing like Beyoncé’s though; she just performed as excellently- or even better than she did. It had her own original style in it that would make you literally ‘feel the feels’.

 

The only ones remaining would be Bianca, Blake and Arissa whose lives were still closely linked together due to certain circumstances.

 

“Blake, please calm down..” Arissa pleads to the man who was right in front of her, destroying everything he saw. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. Not long after that, he stopped and sat down. He dug his face in Arissa’s shoulder and began to cry, apologizing for what he had done.

 

                Blake had been going downhill after what had happened. He had lost so much, his friends, his cousin, heck even his girlfriend was long gone. He couldn’t contact her. She never responded to any of his calls or texts. Even if she did something that he could list as unforgivable, he was still worried. Fucking worried, to say the least. He at least wanted to talk to her one last time or something. He was so confused; he didn’t know what to do.

 

                He says he’s confused, but Arissa knows better. He’s been throwing tantrums uncontrollably for God knows how long and he’s also been crying like a child. She already had him checked out of concern. She didn’t tell him, or rather, she was afraid to. He was very close to being thrown into a mental institute, and that was no joke for Arissa. She dealt with all of his shit for the past months. How was she able to bear with him? Well to put it in simple words, she loved him. And she would not allow him to be put in a mental hospital.

 

Her love for him the very moment they were in a relationship in the past had not changed until now. They did break up, but that wasn’t because of her lack of love for him, in fact, it was the complete opposite. She decided to separate from him so that he could focus on what he needed to on that time instead of getting distracted with their relationship. Arissa thought that she could get him back once all of that was done, but she was too late. He had fallen for Bianca. Her heart was crushed, but she didn’t show it. Up until now, she could tell that Blake loved Bianca so much more than her. Even in that condition… It pained her so much, and that’s why she’s been hiding the truth from him.

 

The truth about Bianca.

 

She thought that this would benefit her… Maybe he’d forget about Bianca and fall for her again. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. The longer she kept him with her, the more he longed for Bianca. And so she had come to a decision to tell him the ugly truth.

 

“…Blake.” She whispered as she was holding him close to her on the couch. He looks at her intently. She sighs and bites her lip, getting ready for the worst to come.

 

“It’s about Bianca..” As soon as she said that he lit up.

 

“What happened to her, is she okay?” He asks. She pats his back to calm him down.

 

“I’ll let you see for yourself.” She replies and gets up. Blake follows her into the car.

 

                Blake is anxiously sitting in the car as Arissa drives. Arissa tries to calm him down by holding his hand throughout the ride, like a child. Arissa couldn’t believe that this is how a person nearing incurable insanity would act. Are you telling me that children are considered insane by default? She thought. She could’ve sworn that Blake was acting like a little, spoiled girl. She had two younger sisters after all. How could she not know? Even so, she found him to be adorable.

 

                They arrive at a hospital. As they went inside, Blake’s eyes were darting through the place in curiosity. What would Bianca be doing here? He thought. Or was this a trap? He hoped it wasn’t. He already had the feeling that he needed to be put in some sort of hospital considering the fact that he had so much medications to begin with… He doesn’t even know why Arissa continues to care for him like this, he’s just going to be a-

 

His thoughts were interrupted when Arissa had stopped at a room and took a peek inside. After that she signaled that it was okay for them to enter. Blake reluctantly entered the room, not knowing what to expect. He was as jumpy as ever.

His jaw drops as he sees Bianca on a bed. Bianca is also in shock and stares at him for a while. Arissa decides that it’s time to tell both of them the truths she’d been hiding from the both of them.

 

“Blake… Bianca got into a car accident on the day we went to see them off. I was in the car right beside the car that had collided with her in the evening. Since we all went our separate ways after eating out, I was the only one available to help her out and so I did. She’s actually going to be discharged today, just so you know. But..” Arissa had bit her lip and stopped. Bianca understanding the situation, continued.

 

“But I won’t be able to get up.” She looks away after finishing the statement.

 

“…What do you mean?” Blake’s eyebrows furrowed and he was in so much confusion at this point. He didn’t know what to do, his arms were flailing around everywhere. He couldn’t calm down.

 

“…In other words, she’s permanently disabled. The car had hit her legs pretty bad and now she can’t walk ever again.” Arissa says and takes a deep breath, prepared for the worst. She already informed Bianca yesterday about Blake and everything she had planned to do. Bianca reluctantly agreed and understood why Arissa needed to hide that from her for so long, but she had no idea how to react to the situation at hand.

 

“…I see.” Blake replies. He had a better reaction than what the two had anticipated. He calmed down a bit and took a deep breath. His random movements suddenly stop as he turns his head towards Bianca’s face.

 

“Say sorry.” Blake says and shoots a glare at her, filled with anger and sorrow at the same time.

 

“I-I’m sorry Blake, for everything..” Bianca couldn’t muster the courage to say more, even if she wanted to, she just couldn’t bring herself to do so. Blake suddenly punches the wall and smacks his head on it. Arissa tries to stop him but she just gets smacked unconscious. Bianca turns pale at the sight of what had happened.

 

Blake breathes in and out rapidly. He stares at Bianca while she scoots backwards, pale and absolutely terrified of what he was going to do next. He takes slow steps forward until he was pretty much straddling her, his forehead was touching hers. He was just blankly staring into her eyes. She had no choice, but to remain like that. She was too weak to move him away and she could no longer move backwards, she was already backed up against the wall. Her heart raced, she still had trauma from what Matthew Weimer had done to her. This time, she didn’t have a prince charming, or her sister to save her.

 

“I didn’t hear you.” Blake suddenly speaks up. Bianca repeats herself out of desperation.

“I’m s-sorry.” Her words stumbled. She was too scared.

“I still can’t hear you.” Blake made his voice more audible.

“I’m sorry!” Bianca could no longer hold it together. Tears fell from her eyes like a raging waterfall. She was truly and genuinely sorry for what she had done. You could even say she would be willing to accept anything Blake decided to do to her as punishment.

 

To her surprise, Blake gently lifts her chin and presses his lips against hers. It was a slow and gentle kiss.

 

“I’m sorry.. It’s just, I’m fucking insane..” Blake says as soon as they parted from the kiss. He scratches his head and smacks it a few times with his hand. A light shade of pink dusted Bianca’s face. Blake gets off of her and stands up. He looks around to see all the damage he’s done and is terrified to see an unconscious woman on the ground.

 

“What the fuck!?” Blake panics and goes to where Arissa’s body laid; shaking it frantically until Arissa finally fluttered her eyes open.

 

“Thank God..” He exhales and calms down a bit. Bianca is astonished and lets out a small giggle.

 

“I can’t believe you forgot about that.” Bianca comments.

 

“I told you I’m fucking insane.” He says. Arissa slowly gets up on her feet as Blake helps her balance. He had accidentally gave the lovely woman a black eye to ruin her beauty.

“I’m sorry, again..” Blake says as he embraces Arissa.

 

“It’s fine.. Just calm down, okay?” Arissa asks in a calming tone. He did not expect that kind of reaction. All his life he knew Arissa as a hothead who would pick fights that are totally uncalled for by accident. She wasn’t the patient type, and her patience with him is what shocked him the most.

 

A realization smacked his face as Arissa left the room. Did she actually like him until now? Is that why she continued to bare me? Questions were swirling around his head. He now knew that he fucked up really bad. It was bad enough that he was a dense motherfucker, but it’s even worse now that he doesn’t even harbor feelings for her. Even until today, he loved Bianca with all his heart. Arissa saw that, but endured the pain anyway. He had now discovered that he was a genuine asshat who needed to go die.

 

“Bianca, I need to do something real quick.” He says and runs off. Bianca could already tell what was happening. She wasn’t blind, she always knew that Arissa liked Blake. That’s what made her so guarded around Arissa. She did not want her to steal Blake away from her. But right now, he just ran off to her. Well given the circumstances, Bianca wasn’t surprised. Of course he’d love Arissa more than her… The kiss she received was probably a parting kiss. Was that his way of ending their relationship? She wondered and worried.

 

“Arissa!” Blake shouted as he ran towards her. She turns away from him, hiding her face. She did not want to see her crying. She was not crying because of her injury, but because she could tell what was going to happen next.

 

“I’m so sorry..” He says.

“You shouldn’t be. You can’t help yourself, you’re-“ She gets cut off as Blake embraces her from behind. She tries her best to suppress the tears, but couldn’t.

“Blake, please stop… I can’t.. It hurts.” Arissa says whilst crying. He held her even closer and tighter. She couldn’t escape from his grip.

 

“I’m an asshole..” He replies and tears up as well.

(POV: Blake)

 

I don’t know… I don’t know! Do I like Arissa or.. ugh. I kept repeating myself saying that I loved Bianca but right now... What’s happening to me? I love both of them, I don’t- I can’t. What the hell am I supposed to do...?

 

“You were not my own, you were sworn to love another..”

 

Choose me!? Why is that song in my mind now?

 

“With this sin can I win over these feelings deep within?”

 

That’s right… I played this kind of role in a play. I asked Angeliz for a bit of help since I was a little bit, er- inexperienced. She was the scriptwriter so I assumed she had a rough idea on how to act out my character.

 

“Think of it this way.. Your character can’t choose who to love. He’s conflicted. But he has to choose.” She says.

“But how?” I ask.

“Recall all the things you’ve done with the two and answer my questions.”

“But this is a play-“

“Assume it isn’t.”

 

Right now, it isn’t…

 

“Which from the both of them is usually there for you? It doesn’t necessarily have to be physical presence though. Like a little call or text would suffice. Well okay it doesn’t matter how often, but who do you think cares?”

“Both of them do…”

“NO SHIT SHERLOCK. I mean, who deals with your daily shit better? Who makes you happier?”
“…”

“Ugh, who eases your mood, who calms you down? Shit like that.”

“Arissa..”

“Who was the one who never hid anything from you?”

“Ariss..”

“WHO was the one who suffered with you, cried with you through it all?”

“Arissa.” I was slowly becoming more sure now… This was working… somehow.

“Who do you picture to be with longer?”

“Arissa!”

“THERE YOU FUCKING GO! DID YOU REALLY HAVE TO CALL ME FROM THE HEAVENS TO CONFIRM THAT?!”

“Wha-“

“Goodness gracious, Blake Hunter. Get your act together, be a man, say it wiff feelings! And don’t you dare let her go through this again. Are we clear?”

“Yes..”

“Good, now I can get back to being dead.”

“Erm, thanks..”

“Don’t disappoint me, asshat.”

 

I snap back to the real world. I was still embracing Arissa. She seemed to have calmed down a bit..

 

“Blake, just…”Arissa says, trying to push me away from her once again.

“Arissa, I love you.” I say. She’s too stunned to reply.

“I really, really do. And I’m sorry.” I reply, hoping that she would stop pushing me away from her.

“Are you sure about that?” She asks and turns around to face me.

“Don’t you love… Bianca?” She says with her eyes cast down on the ground.

“I do, but not in that way… I’ve been so stupidly blind. Arissa, I really do want you to be with me. Would you give me… another chance?” She seems reluctant to answer at first, but then she finally speaks up.

“Yes, I will..” She says and holds me tight… I didn’t want this sensation to end, but I still had something to do. I let go of her and run back towards Bianca’s room. Arissa gives me a peck on the cheek and says that she’ll see me later once he’s sorted everything out.

 

I take a deep breath and enter the room. Bianca was already in tears. It took a while until I finally made everything clear to her. She understood and tried her best to let out a faint smile afterward, trying to tell me that she’s okay. I had a feeling that she anticipated what was going to happen to her, so I guess she took it better than I had expected. I know it’s going to be difficult on her part to move on from me, but I know there’s someone out there who’ll make her happy. She deserves better. But for now, I’ll be her best friend. Even if she did some mistakes in the past, I forgive her. She couldn’t be blamed; it was all Marc’s doing. I’ll be right there for her when she needs me. That’s a promise I intend to keep.

 

NO POV

 

A few weeks later…

 

“Hey that guy outside was cute, why don’t you-“ Blake muttered

“Shut up!” Bianca shouted and hit his head lightly.

“Ow! Okay, I’m sorry. Wait how about-“

“Don’t start.”

“You guys, I brought cake.” Arissa came in the room holding a rather large cake.

“Thanks, Ariss.” Blake replied happily.

“This is nothing, really. Now, let’s eat.” Arissa says and slices the cake.

“Maybe we should visit Zoe sometime..” Blake mutters.

“That’s a good idea, I miss my twin.” Bianca replies.

“I heard Nikki’s on good terms with her already.” Arissa says.

“Really, I’m glad to hear that.” Bianca answers.

“By the way, have you heard Mij’s album?” Arissa asks.

“Goodness gracious, it was amazing.” Blake says happily.

“Blake, are you sure you’re not gay?” Bianca says as she chuckles.

“Could we stop that, please?” Blake begs.

“Bianca, take it easy… He’s sensitive.” Arissa says as she embraces him.

“Sh-shut up!” Blake shouts with his face tinted red.

 

And their chatter continued until night came.

 

The End.