God's Favorite

Vella walked back and fourth in her room, biting her nails until bloody. What did that letter mean? Game? Who was this Monica? Vella couldn't help but walk in a frenzy, the stress nearly coming into her head. She felt as if she was slowly loosing her mind.

She grabbed the letter that had already began to crumple in Vella's rough handling. She stared at the letter with red eyes, feeling as if she was about to explode. It was as if some one was playing a game with her, but she didn't know anything at all, toying with her.

No, she never wanted this. She was already content with her simple life, why was god so cruel to her? She had never done something wrong!

She sat down on her table, grabbing a piece of paper and a quill. She didn't know what to say, the only question that rang in her head was one.

'who are you?'

She frantically wrote, biting her nails, blood began trickling once more. The sudden pain made Vella frown.

She gazed down towards her hands, startled by the bloody mess her fingers became. She stared at her hand in a daze, her mind wondering to the past.

Biting her fingernails when stressed or anxious had always been her bad habit that she tried to fix multiple times. She remembered how her fingers gradually became more and more scarred as she grew up, her nails bristled and faint scar marks remained.

There was this particular friend she met in high school, a handsome and sweet boy. To her, he was like her guardian angel. Always coincidently there when she was in her darkest moments. He always helped her, slowly healing the deep pain that was buried deep in her heart. Until one day he disappeared.

Vella didn't know where he went, it was too abrupt. One day, he didn't go to school, the next day he still didn't come to school, until the third, fourth, fifth, and many days passed, he did not come. Vella tried visiting his home, only to find he moved away.

She was heartbroken. Her only friend suddenly disappeared without bothering to even tell her about it. She started to doubt their friendship, did he only pity her? Did he only feel sorry for me? Did he ever see me as a friend? Countless negative thoughts began to fill up her mind.

She resented him. Yet her heart couldn't help but twist in a mix of hatred and platonic love. She wanted him to feel her despair just as much as when he left her.

Vella snapped out her thoughts. The letter had began to blot with ink as she pressed the quill onto the paper for too long. She crumpled the paper and threw it away, grabbing the letter once more and staring at it.

What was the point of resentment now? She had already died anyways.

She looked at the window, rain began subsiding. The air still damp and the cold still clung.

"Maybe I need some fresh air." Vella muttered, sighing tiredly. She draped a thick cloak onto her body and slipped on black lace gloves as she went outside, calling for a maid to fetch her an umbrella.

"Don't tell anyone I'm heading out, I'll give you one of my diamond necklaces." Vella said to the timid looking maid. The maid nodded her head meekly, giving the umbrella towards her before quietly walking away.

Vella felt some an uncomfortable feeling settle in her heart, she needed to go out. Maybe explore the new world she was in, she needed something to calm her. Her heels clacked on the marble floor as she walked, her eyes distracted as they looked down, until she suddenly bumped into a firm body.

Vella jumped in surprise, "I'm so sorry!", she exclaimed to the person she bumped into. It was a familiar young man, red hair and ruby eyes. It was her youngest step brother, Jesper.

"You better be." Jesper spat in contempt, disdain clear in his eyes. His eyes caught her cloak and umbrella, a questioning gaze landed on her. "Where are you going?" he asked, quirking his eyebrow.

"It's none of your business, Jesper." Vella replied, a cusp of courage took over her. Her fist clenched tightly, knuckles all white as regret began seeping in her heart just a s she finished her words.

Jesper scowled, giving her an angry glare before walking away. His steps looked hurried, his body movements gave away his annoyance.

Vella sighed in relief, glad he did not continue the conversation. Each time she bumped into her family members only anxiousness bubbled inside her. Talking with them only brought her dread. She hoped Jesper didn't even care to remember she was heading out, afraid of what her father would say.

Everyday it felt like a new burden was dropped onto her shoulders. Vella walked hastily, trying to avoid anyone that came into sight. The only thing she wanted now was to be alone, it didn't matter where. As long as she was far away from this damned house and alone.

She walked towards the garden, a hidden backdoor hidden between the bushes appeared, leading to a path towards the market and city. The Duke's mansion was not far from the bustling central area of the city.

The constant drumming of pouring rain continuously pattered on her umbrella. Her hands clenched tightly onto the grip of the umbrella, a sense of familiarity tickling her as she walked upon a familiar path.

In the original Vella's scattered memories, a door hidden between the bushes often appeared. The meek yet vain girl often sneaked through to escape towards the town village and explore the city. She often referred it to mini breaks, a time off from the tiring world of the glamourous nobility. She never admitted that she partially missed the freedom she had back then, but the faint sense of longing couldn't bury her thoughts.

Vella walked for 20 minutes towards an alleyway, soon emerging from the narrow alleyway to the bustling marketplace. Fresh bread and other mouth watering smells wafted in the cold clung air. The warmth of barbeque smoke had heated up Vella's body occasionally as she looked around.

The cold rain could not stop the bustling crowd that filled the marketplace, colorful umbrella's filled the gloomy sky and noisy chattering being ever so lively.

Vella looked around for a moment, even buying herself a warm sweet bun as she sunk her teeth into it happily, before finally walking away from the marketplace and headed to the central area of the city, her destination to the library.

The scent of books was nostalgic. The peaceful calmness of libraries made her at ease. Before Yeona became Vella, books were a big part of her life, besides of games of course.

From the heart pounding romance to mystical feel of fantasy to the nail biting chill of horror; Books was another form of escapism for her. Reality indeed was not for her.

She passed many shops, few catching her eye. The library was not far, after a 15 minute walk she had already arrived there. The library, though not crowded, had quite some people. The tremendously large Victorian building was breath-taking and magnificent. The inside reminiscent to a castle, except filled with shelves and quaint tables instead.

Vella looked around, looking at the staggering amount of books that faced her. Excitement trembled through her as she grabbed the books one by one. Looking for a book that piqued her interest as she walked around.

There was a large window next to her, a pretty looking garden with tall bushes and flowers with gazebos scattered her and there appeared before her eyes. Vella's eyes practically glowed with glee.

She quickly took a book that she thought was interesting, and headed out. Almost forgetting her umbrella that was left leaning on a shelf. The rain began to reduce to a light drizzle, Vella couldn't even be bothered to open her umbrella.

Her eyes lingered around as she looked for an empty gazebo. Most were already filled with other people reading or either chattering lightly as they drank tea.

Vella walked around until she stopped at one particular gazebo. A beautiful girl sat there, her doll like eyes focused and her button nose and cheeks rosy, her brown hair was lush and curly with a red hue, her lips like two small petals of flowers. She was beautiful, a goddess one might say.

Vella froze. Her heart curled into complicated knots and small thorns began to poke. She stared at the pretty girl with wide eyes, a complicated feeling rose in her heart. Hate and envy mixed into one, added with Yeona's past heavy adoration. Vella stood stunned.

It was god's beloved. Adrianne.