Episode 9

My pounding heart immediately begins to fight back from my chest but it can do nothing to resist the whole crowd. My hands are shaking uncontrollably as I realize this is nothing near what I was expecting.

The host moves on to announce the other winning couples who stand beside us as well as to explain the rules and other information. As far as I know, the chosen pairs have to take part in round two which usually happens on Valentine's day but what are you talking about? I have no idea who this boy with a sour face standing near me is. This is the first time I've even heard his name!

My body wraps in the other layer of numbness as it all looks surreal. To look at his side feels really awkward right now but I need to make the first move to help this situation somehow so I bulge him with an elbow in order to gain his attention.

"We can refuse the challenge and get out of here as soon as we can. It's really awkward. Sorry." I say out of fear in his ear as he leans slightly over me, his arms firmly crossed on his chest and his leg casually propped to the side. He tilts his head in a slight nod of agreement without commenting anything and I return to praying that this event finishes as fast as a nightmare or maybe I'm even still hoping that they apologize to us and say this was a mistake.

The same host with a foolish grin hops toward us again while the whole hall is biting their nails in anticipation. In a state of excitement, he nervously flips some pages over the folder he holds in his hands and returns on the old track."So are you taking the challenge to participate in the main romantic contest of the year or you decide not to risk and stay in the shadow with what you got?"

Damn. Who writes the scenario and all these scripts? I want to see this person.

Shaden snatches the microphone from the host's hands before I even blink and clears his throat, letting the mischievous smirk stretch across his face. I tuck myself behind his back when he takes a step ahead, not willing to participate in this conversation while we are standing in front of all school, exposed and disarmed.

Now everything depends on Shaden. Hopefully, he makes up a normal speech and we can get the hell out of this nerve-destructive place.

Because with each upcoming minute it feels like...

The floor is lava.

But seems time indeed stops at the highest peaks. Hurry up. It's the worse moment that I could ever experience. I feel the burning sensation crawling in my eyeballs so I close my lids shut as Shaden makes another pause, clearly enjoying the tormenting. 

"Yes. We accept the challenge." He announces carelessly, his eyes ablaze with taunting pleasure as he lifts them to the audience. His voice soothes and drowns in the false composure that I find quite ridiculous.

What? Are you insane?

My eyes widen as a result of me biting back a panic attack. Why would he do that? I thought we discussed the issue...

"Now when all the pairs are formed, you have four months to prepare for the final contest which will decide who is the Queen and King of the year. Good luck to everyone and see you back on this stage very soon." The host blabbers his last words and I still can't understand what's happening. The world is spinning around me but I'm not the center object. There is something else -- a powerful thing that waits for the right moment until it can toss me toward the inevitable disaster.

Someone installed the bomb under my feet...

And I stepped on it.

My emotions start overflowing and I feel like I can't contain them beneath the blank stare anymore. I want to escape. No, I need to escape as fast as I can.

With that thought in my mind on repeat like a depression song, I storm across the stage in the embarrassment explosion.

I hear multiple gasps people let out in confusion but I force myself not to look in their faces as I hustle my way out.

"Melanie! Wait." Among the gossiping buzz, I apprehend Venus yelping as she tries to tackle me. She pulls me to stop but I yank my arm free from her grip, shunting her away.

Covering the black raindrops, trickling down my cheeks with my palm, I leave the hall and follow a short route to one of the changing rooms. Away from the ruckus, away from the people. In some moments, people is the last thing you want to see. 

Despite the disrespectful trick of my behavior, Venus is still persistent in stalking me behind my back. Being out of control, mentally broken, and desperate to find a lonesome place, I can't allow one more traitor to keep on spinning me around the finger and telling me what to do.

I want everyone to leave me in peace. Is that too much to ask?

I take a halt, keeping her from the distance as I turn to meet her stony face with the word 'fear' written all over it.

"Don't come near to me. Got it?" I flash her a warning with my hands as she edges around the allowed 'fence line' I created to protect myself.

"You knew about this all! You and your fucking friends. You knew. The whole school knew and you just let it all be." I shout, not able to hold my true emotions on a leash, so I let them resurface to the full extend.

"I didn't know it would turn out like this! I thought..."

"You thought..." I cut her off with a chuckle of irony. "Thanks for setting me a trap and coaxing me into it. I really appreciate it."

"Is it so easy to lose friends for you?" She says in a hushed tone, her expression filling with hurt but I remain unfazed by her drama.

"Losing friends is hard but better to have no one and be lonely than to party all night with someone who is ready to feed you to the predators once they get hungry of emotions at the dawn." 

When I take the last peek at her face I see her eyes water with resentment but it's already too late to change anything. I tug my lips in a thin line apologetically, swinging my arm to help myself spin around as I force my feet to march away despite the sore pain tugging in my veins.

***

I hopelessly rest my back against the wall while I'm sitting on a bench with my hands cupping my head. I'm sharing my grief with the silence and the cold metal presence of the lockers beside me.

You may think I exaggerate but have you ever lose two friends in the same week? Well, I don't know your life... maybe you did. And I now perfectly understand what it feels like when you are left alone with your own mind. I hope you are fine though now and this didn't shatter you as much as it shattered me.

I can't hide here forever so after a few minutes of crying, my shaky hands reach for the phone and I dial my dad's number but only the annoying sounds of anticipation resonate from the speaker. I then call my mom but she also doesn't pick.

I forgot... they are at the birthday party. Damnit.

"I even have no one to pick me up." I sob to myself, my phone slipping from my hand as I throw my head back, thinking how awful it would feel for me to walk across the road with my desperate look and then catch a bus to get home in such a horrible state of mind. Not to mention all these people whom I want to avoid just like the worst paparazzi. Even though I could only dream to be a star.

My ears alert me of the possible danger when the doorknob starts to jiggle. I don't make any additional move or sound in hope that whoever it is wanting to use the changing room thinks that it's closed and goes away but I understand that all in vain when the creaking sound reaches out. 

Didn't I lock the door well?

"Hey, scared monkey face." A raspy male voice greets me like thunder after the strike of the lightning and my panic rises up again. I just calmed down...