Twice The Trouble Book 2 of 2: Twice The Love

Chapter 51: The Accident

Bryce

"How did you do on your midterms?" I asked Stacy after hell week was over. To my pleasant surprise, she had been the one to invite me to lunch at her parents' house one Sunday noon. I met Mama May and Papa Ben (they told me to call them that) an hour ago, and we talked for a while before they gave us some privacy in the dining room.

Stacy smiled, melting my heart. Even in a simple pink headband, pink shirt, denim shorts, and white flip flops, she carried herself with the same confidence and elegance that I saw the first time I laid eyes on her in the coffee shop, almost two years ago.

"Of course I did well," she answered haughtily as she sampled a spoonful of steaming porridge from her own bowl. Her sky blue gaze found my blue stare. "How about you?"

I flashed her a smug smile. "I probably aced everything."

"Did you just make a pun?"

Despite the heat rising to my cheeks, I still spoke with arrogance. "Now, control yourself, Ace. I know my clever wit is bound to make you fall harder for me, but try to watch your step."

A feminine giggle escaped her. We continued to eat our lunch until Stacy's cryptic silence made me look back at her. "Ace?" I called. "Is something bothering you?"

Stacy put down her spoon into her bowl of porridge and glanced at me. "Actually, yes," she answered,being her usual honest self. I always loved how blunt she was. "Two things, actually," she began, placing her folded arms on the white-clothed table. "First.. I think someone hacked into my bank account and withdrew more than half of my savings. I don't have proof, but my instinct is telling me I'm right."

I stared at her, the weight of her words slowly registering into my brain. "How much was stolen?"

"Bryce, I told you, I'm not fully sure that someone--"

"But you suspect," I said, cutting her off. "How much was it, Ace?"

Stacy shut her eyes and massaged her temples. "2.3 million pesos."

Fuck.

Who could have taken that much money?

"Did you file a complaint?" I asked her.

The beautiful blonde glared at me. "Of course I did, but according to the bank, there was no sign nor trace of hacking in the system. Though they said nothing, I knew they doubted me of fowl play."

"WHAT?" I shouted, rising from my seat. "They think you're lying?"

Stacy exhaled heavily. "What else is new? Who would believe some dumb blonde anyway?" she chuckled at herself.

"That's not funny." I ran a hand along my face. "Do you have anyone in mind who could have done this to you?"

"Bryce, it's probably some sick prank by someone at school," she said impassively. "Hundreds of people hate me, remember? If they wanted to scare me, it may have worked for a moment, but I think I should just let it go."

I couldn't believe I was hearing this from her. "Stacy, that kind of sum isn't something to joke about. You earned that money. It belongs to you and only you. Why are you giving up so easily?"

"Because there's too many possibilities of who could have committed the crime!" she shouted, also springing up from her chair. "There will always be someone trying to anchor me down, Bryce. Do you think I enjoy fighting back? I don't." She angrily slammed her fists on the table. "Why does it always feel like my fault I was born like this? People automatically judge me because I have a pretty face and a perfect body. I can't help flawless bone structure and yet everyone instantly finds fault in whatever I say and do when all I'm doing is living my life!"

"Stacy--"

"For nineteen years, I've been hated and called names: Flirt, slut, whore, social climber, gold digger, everything that I'm not. I don't deserve any of those labels. I DON'T DESERVE THAT KIND OF TREATMENT!" she screamed, tears raining down her cheeks. "So just do me a favor, Bryce, and erase my problem from your mind. Don't do anything to avenge me. Don't even think about attempting to hunt down my assailant."

"What do you want me to do,then?" I asked, pain slashing at my chest from her emotional tirade.

Instead of answering, Stacy simply stared at me before she walked towards the door of the living room.

"What was your other problem?" I questioned her as she stood in the doorway.

"For the past two weeks, someone has been stalking me." Then she strode out of the house.

Stacy

I stormed out of the house and stomped across the front yard, under the blazing sun.

"Hey there, sexy lady."

I shuddered when I heard an awfully familiar voice. I spun around and saw Eric Ortega, tailing my every step as I approached the busy streets.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" I lashed out at him.

"Come on, don't tell me you're still mad about third grade," he cajoled. "That was ten years ago. Get over it." He was referring to that time in elementary school, when he frequently lifted my skirt, dyed my braids into cans of paint, and hurled pebbles at my head to garner my attention.

The reason why I sent so much hostility to Eric from the very start was because he played the role of my grade school bully several years ago. He stole my lunch, tripped me in the hallways, spread rumors about me, and he gave me more attention than the other girls in class, they all hated me for it. I still had the scar on my forehead from when he threw a sharp pebble at my face but hit my forehead back when I was nine years old.

Why were boys so stupid when it came to expressing their feelings? If you like someone,you don't cause them physical and emotional harm! How come so many people still found that simple logic difficult to comprehend? You don't need to pull at someone's hair to show them you have a crush on them. Being extra nice was enough, and yet people acted otherwise.

Humans can be such morons at times.

Eric took two steps closer to me but I immediately recoiled. "Let's go on a date," he said.

"What?" I laughed at his idiocy. "The fuck, Eric. I have a suitor, and even if I didn't, I would never go out with you even if I were on fire and you were the last bucket of water on earth."

"Stop playing hard to get, Sta. Ana," retorted the muscular blond. "We both know you want me. You've always liked me since grade school."

"You're delusional!" I slapped his hand when he tried to grab my waist.

"Girls never mean what they say," Eric said with a cruel smile. "You say no but you mean yes. That's how women talk, right?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "No means no where you're concerned. Have you been following me? How did you know my address?" I seethed, clenching my jaw.

"It doesn't matter," he said, grabbing my wrist, gripping it so hard,I winced. "I'm taking you out on a date, whether you like it or not."

"Let go of me!" I tried to wriggle free and stomp on his foot but his hold was too strong.

"You'll have fun, babe," he said, clutching my waist, making me gasp loudly.

I shut my eyes and screamed at the top of my lungs. "HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME!"

"STACY!" yelled Bryce from the other side of the road.

"BRYCE!" I sighed with relief. The mere sight of him gave me strength, and I didn't think twice before I placed my mouth on Eric's arm clasping my wrist. My teeth bit into his skin so forcefully that Eric's curse could be heard in the next country. But when I bit his arm and he pushed me, I stumbled backwards and fell in the middle of the street.

Bryce

Without looking at the road, I crossed the street.

Luckily, I was able to reach Stacy in time and push her to safety. I was jokingly telling her to be more careful next time when everything suddenly went black.

A/N: She really shouldn't have gone outside..

..but hey, the accident is vital to this story.