Araceli

18- Agitated minds (edited)

—Valarie (first person)—

There's a thin line between deception and loyalty. When you're loyal enough to hurt people you think are a threat to the person you're loyal to, you're deceiving your person nonetheless. This is where loyalty turns into deception. Specifically speaking, whoever did this to me is either too loyal to the person who's Joshua's rival or has a personal grudge against me. Whilst trying to give myself reasons for going through what I'm going through I gulped down the third glass of water.

There's something about this situation that makes me think about the people I've hurt unintentionally and the enemies I've made. Close to none for that record.

An all too familiar place is where I was right now. That would be Joshua Kim's apartment complex. The fact that I feel safer here than in my own place is already foolish enough. I was on the verge of bawling my eyes out at the sight of my precious things scattered around.

Whoever said there's a rainbow behind every corner was probably lying because this is what I get for being a nice person. "I don't think the solution was to bring this one here," Giovanni mumbled to Kier as he made himself comfortable on the cushion.

"What exactly is your problem with me? If I may ask," I clenched my jaw.

Kier and Joshua were both seated on the sofa. We were all sitting quietly and contemplating the entire situation but then Giovanni thought it would be funny to rub salt on my fresh injuries. I think I can hold a grudge against him for this. "It's sympathy if I may tell you. Who told you to mess with Joshua in the first place?" He smirked.

This guy is way worse than Joshua, actually. All this time I've been thinking about the worst possible scenarios where I can just casually slap him across his face and blame it on the inevitable situation that caused it. "But I did. And now people who hate him want to kill me," I sighed

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Joshua frowned. He didn't have his mask on so I could clearly see his face when he said that. He had an eyebrow raised as he squinted his eyes ever so slightly. It all adds to great dramatic effect.

"You're unlikable because of your twisted personality, of course you have enemies, Joshua," I retorted.

"You've got a mouth to run when you should be sad about what happened to your apartment," he gave me a sarcastic look before turning on his phone to check for updates.

"Kier, make sure this does not go on the news," he ordered.

"Yeah, if this one keeps her mouth shut," Giovanni made an annoying remark once again.

Kier slapped him on the arm. "She has a name," he eyed him.

"I had no idea you'd both be defending a mere journalist like that, she's a journalist, for god's sake," he said.

"It's her job to get news like this to the press." a thoughtful look crossed Giovanni's face, and then a small smile appeared on his lips.

He was right about my job at least. I was reminded about what I should be doing. But I'm not a cheat.

"Gio, you're atheist," Kier sighed.

"My job is to write an exclusive on Joshua Kim that doesn't necessarily include all that we're going through," I sighed as I put my hand on my forehead.

"That wasn't nearly as bad as it could've been. I mean nobody died so we're good, right?" Giovanni added. Kier was on the verge of pulling his hair out and Joshua just didn't care about Giovanni or me...

I just have another vile guy to deal with. He's looking down on me and I'm not going to stand for it. It's wonderful how people can go through a literal nightmare and still exist. People like me."May god never toss anything like you in the life of people who are already going through a lot. Me, for instance," I sighed and stood up.