Faster [ON-HOLD]

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR

GRACE'S POV

I fixed myself up and spent the afternoon alone exploring the resort. I did find a massage spa, but just when I went and held the pull handle, I heard someone taking a sharp breath in front of me. I looked up and saw a lady, the same age as me, staring at me as if she saw a ghost.

"G-Grace Chui?" she stuttered. Oh, shoot. I then heard her muffled squeal. "OMG! OMG! It is you!"

I went here to escape these people and here I am facing one. So stupid of me to forget my facemask. I'm only wearing a beach hat and sunglasses to cover my face, but of course, it can never be enough. "H-Hi. I'm going. Bye," I quickly said and let go of the pull handle.

I was about to turn my back on her when I felt her hand grabbing my arm. I looked up at her and saw her smile widen. "OMG! I'm a fan! I don't believe the stupid nonsense news, but can we take a picture?"

I blinked numerous times. Well, she did say she doesn't believe the fake news. And it's just a harmless photo. "S-Sure, just don't—"

"Oh, don't worry. I won't post it just yet. As a fan, I respect your unexpected vacation from the stressful celebrity life. I would just want a picture and an autograph for my sister," the jolly lady said, which somehow put me at ease.

I nodded and waited for her to grab her phone and take a picture with me. After that, she handed me a pen and a piece of paper. "What's your sister's name?"

She smiled brightly and her eyes twinkled. "Her name is Chinn, and I'm Charm. We're both been your fans since you were starting."

I smiled as I wrote a short dedication and signed the paper. "Thanks for that." I gave her back her stuff.

The lady named Charm just nods her head like a hyper kid before thanking me and bidding goodbye. I finally let out a sigh before entering the massage spa again. I just hope that no one recognizes me again.

The massage felt nice and relaxing. It was like I have forgotten the stress I have been through for a short amount of time. Just relaxing my body, as well as my mind.

But just as I thought I could live through the day without any more stress, I accidentally bumped into a stranger beside the shore, but unlike the lady who recognized me earlier, this woman raised an eyebrow. "Well, well, if it isn't the slutty, disgusting whore. What are you doing here? Trying to avoid the press from knowing that you're nothing but a slut? I'm pretty sure na kaya ka nakaabot sa taas ay dahil inakit mo rin yung mga director. I bet you even sleep with most of them," The woman continuously said.

I stood there in shock. Just what in the world did that fake news do to my career? Me? A slut? A whore? For crazy's sake, I haven't even had my first kiss yet! I knew the words thrown at me were not true, but I couldn't help but feel pain while that woman's friends laughed at me.

I honestly didn't know what to do. I went here to escape these close-minded and judgy people, but it seems to me that it did not work. And now, I'm being verbally attacked.

I was lost in thoughts that I was not able to notice the guy, one of that woman's friends, come near me. I flinched when he disgustingly caressed my arm. "Say... Could you do me like how you do those men behind the cameras? We could also do it in front of one."

The guy's friends continued laughing and some even cheered him. There were no other people walking around, and it was pretty late, the sun left the sky and the moon was about to replace it. The group of friends surrounded me, and I felt suffocated.

I felt goosebumps when I felt his breath fanning against my neck. "Come on. Don't be shy. I'm getting turned on." I flinched at his words. I wanted to scream for help but I couldn't even open my mouth and eyes. I just stood there frozen and trembling.

I was losing hope and even oxygen, when I suddenly heard the laughs and cheers being replaced with gasps and screams. I quickly opened my eyes to see the man harassing me was already on the floor with blood on the side of his lips.

"Mga tang in* kayo. Sinong nagtatatawa kanina ha?" I heard Winslet's voice. I followed it and saw her punch the woman who bad mouthed me.

I thought it was just her but I also saw Abby, Korin, and Jelly there. Pulling the hair of one of the woman's friends. I also saw the porters who helped us put our bags in our cabin, gripping the other guys' collars. And lastly, I saw... Daemon... standing in front of the guy who harassed me, punching the man non-stop.

"Bro, bro, stop. You'll kill him," one of the porters said, as he pulled Daemon away from that guy on the sand, almost not moving.

Daemon pulled his arm from the porter's grip and turned his head in my direction. When he saw me, he jogged toward me. "Are you okay?" He stared at me then cussed. "You're still trembling, Miss."

I was about to talk to him when someone hugged me from behind. "Sh*t! Are you okay, Gracey?" Abby asked when she turned me to them.

All of my friends looked worried. "Hindi ka sumasagot sa tawag o text namin. Alalang-alala kami sayo kanina pa," Korin said. Because of them, my tears finally fell.

"Why didn't you pick your phone up, Grace? Kung hindi pa kami dumating, baka kung ano na ang pinaggagagawa sayo ng mga 'yun." My sobs became louder because of Jelly's words.

"Shh... tahan na. Nandito na kami. Sorry, we're late," I heard Winslet's voice as I felt someone's hand softly caressing my back. I cried harder until I ran out of breath and lost consciousness. 

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