My Dear Annabelle

Chapter - 9 A Mysterious Friend

The drive to school with his mom was quiet, but Kuea couldn't help the small spark of happiness that flickered within him.

It had been so long since she had driven him anywhere, not since Lian had started taking over.

The silence between them was thick with unspoken words, yet somehow it wasn't uncomfortable... just unfamiliar.

As they pulled up in front of the school, Kuea hesitated before getting out of the car, his hand resting on the door handle.

He glanced at Riya, unsure of what to say. The conversation they had shared earlier still felt surreal to him.

"Bye, Kuea. Have a good day," Riya said, her voice softer than usual, a slight awkwardness in her tone as if she wasn't used to wishing him well.

Kuea gave her a small smile in return, his heart warming at her words, though his mind was filled with doubt. "A good day?" he thought, stepping out of the car. "I doubt it."

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As he walked through the school gates, it felt like all eyes were on him. His shoulders tensed, and he kept his gaze low, trying to block out the sensation.

He knew it was just his imagination, but the feeling was still there, heavy and suffocating.

The events of the past week played over and over in his mind, from the fight to the suspension, to the accusations thrown his way.

It was supposed to be over, but the embarrassment lingered, gnawing at his insides.

Kuea had never been in a fight before, and now his name was tainted with the incident, all because of a group of bullies who had twisted the narrative against him.

"Kuea!"

The familiar voice made him stop in his tracks, and he looked up to see his friends... King, Uea, and Diao are approaching him.

Concern was written all over their faces, and Kuea felt a lump rise in his throat. They didn't deserve to see him like this, so vulnerable and broken.

"Are you okay?" King asked, his voice tinged with worry as he reached Kuea's side.

Kuea forced a weak smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I... I don't know," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

His emotions, which he had been holding in for days, suddenly surged forward, threatening to overwhelm him.

Uea immediately stepped forward, wrapping an arm around Kuea's shoulders in a comforting hug. "It's okay, Kuea. We're here for you," he said softly, his voice gentle.

Diao nodded, his eyes full of empathy. "Yeah, whatever happened, you don't have to deal with it on your own. We've got your back."

The sincerity in their words broke something in Kuea, and he could no longer hold back the tears. His shoulders shook as he leaned into Uea's embrace, the weight of the past week crashing down on him like a tidal wave. "I'm sorry," he whispered through his sobs. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen..."

"Hey, don't apologize," King said, stepping closer and placing a hand on Kuea's back. "You didn't do anything wrong. Honestly, they deserved it. You probably should've punched them harder."

Kuea let out a small, teary chuckle at King's attempt to lighten the mood, though the guilt still gnawed at him. "It's just... it all happened so fast," he said, his voice shaky. "I don't even remember how it started. They dragged me into the chemistry lab, and after that, everything's a blur."