5

RIELE'S POV.

Oct. 27. Tuesday.

Wow. It's a new day again. I wonder the gift this day will bring except being in school and listening to lectures all day.

I opened my locker and placed my books inside.

"Riele!" Karen called me.

I looked at her after locking my locker.

"I've been wondering how it is to live alone for the past few days. I thought your mom was gonna arrive yesterday." She said.

I scoffed. "She didn't, but it's no big deal, though she said she's definitely coming back today."

She nodded. "I'm sure someone like you can take care of yourself."

I gave her a look. Someone like me, ah?

She noticed and cowered.

"So, what are we doing after school?" She asked, changing the issue.

"I'm going shopping. I need to find the best Halloween outfit for me." I informed.

She gaped and nodded. "It does seem that's something we are gonna do solo since our outfits are gonna be kept secret between the four of us."

I nodded in agreement. 

Karen checked her wristwatch. "I need to go. I'm having swim practice."

I nodded. "OK."

I watched her retreating and walking past the hallway, as she passed a corner to another hallway out of sight.

I sighed. It honestly isn't easy to be alone at home. I always passed these past days trying to defeat, or gratify powerful impulses in a world I truly fear living alone.

I can't wait for my mum to return. I don't think I can take any more days living on my own.

Everyone has fear. No one is left out. No one is different from a feeling like fear. Fear happens to be inevitable in the life of a person no matter how strong a person can actually be.

And as I was about to leave with my thoughts, my eye sighted someone.

I scoffed. Liar.

"Hey, liar!" I called, wanting to cause a problem.

Yeah, causing problems is also a habit for me. Being this way was a need of mine as deep as wanting to eat when hungry.

I can't help it. It's the way I am. I would say, and my head would agree with me without scolding.

He turned shakily. I'm sure he recognizes my voice.

"Don't call me a liar." He said spitefully.

I chuckled. "But you are."

"Just because you have something against me, doesn't mean you can call me that." He said again.

I nodded, walking closer to him. "Yeah. I do have something against you. Something that could affect you, so watch your words, and it shouldn't bother you if I call you that."

He scoffed. "I can't believe of all people you had to be the one to find out."

I shrugged. "It was just my luck."

"You have humiliated me a lot in this school. Haven't you had enough?"

I shook my head. "No. There is more fun coming, and I really need it for me."

He sighed. "Please, don't make it viral. It'll be the end of me." He said in a drawling voice tinged with uneasiness.

I nodded. "I know. You look like a good person. No one would have thought how much of a betrayal you are."

"I had to do it."

"In the favor of you alone, 'cause someone got affected, and that someone is where he shouldn't be. Where he doesn't deserve to be." I told him.

He chuckled in disgust. "What about you? You hold a piece of pretty good evidence to help him, so why are you not helping? You are being selfish."

I looked away from him. "That time will come."

"So you are gonna rat me out, then."

I looked back at him. "You are the one pushing me."

He sighed. "Don't do it."

"It's not up to you, liar."

"You are a pretty good blackmailer, you know. I'm sure I'm not the only one."

I smiled. "Your problem is your business, so mind it. Don't poke your nose in other people's businesses."

"You'll get what is coming to you, Riele."

I nodded. "Everyone gets what is coming to them, just like you, so don't act victimized. You cowardly ran away from it, and let someone you called friend take the blow."

"I'll forever live to regret that, but there is nothing I can do."

I shook my head. This world.

It is so damn hard to trust people. No one can be trusted.

I've been taught a lot of things in this school. People are not who they say they are. They act well like they are better than everyone, but they are the worst.

Why can't they just show their true colors, and be accepted for who they are? Through that, there won't be any secret and any fear of being caught.

Everyone seemed like a strange plant blooming during the day and wilting at night.

The sun that makes that strange plant bloom and the cold darkness that made it wilt were never seen. It was their own private, and personal sun and darkness hidden for the eyes not to see.

Their secrets are buried deep within and disguised as the world's most better people, but they don't fool me.

I happen to see each, and everyone's private sun, and darkness.

I looked at him glaringly. "Then be a coward forever," I said, and walked away.

It turns out people are not always the things that they do, and the way they act.

I just wanted him to man up, and defend his friend. I wanna give him that chance. A man like him shouldn't be crawling under a rock.

Maybe I should have called him a coward. A coward who threw his best friend under a bus, and then crawl back under a rock.

Soon, I'll be the one to do what needs to be done, even if I'm gonna lose my card against that liar.