The Villainess

Chapter 13

A small plastic cup entered my peripheral, I traced the owner of those hand slowly turning my head.

"Here's some water." His eyes was fixated on the television in front of me. I received the cup which I held with both hands the temperature of the cup transferred to my palms as it made a comfortable warmth on my hand.

"It's warm, cold water can strain your voice so..." He turned to me for a second as he put down his hand.

"So she's still making you watch this?" I nodded, drank the water in four gulps until I felt the warm began to fade and went back to what I was doing earlier.

"You never meant anything to me Alicia." Marian held Alicia's hand that was about to slap her cheek, she gripped it so much that Alicia's hand turned crimson red, like all her blood pooled in her fingers.

Marian'e eyes were filled with disgust as she looked at their hands together as she lets go of it suddenly. Alicia's small hand fell and she took a step backward.

"You were just some dirt mom and dad brought to our home, if it was up to me?" Marian went up to Alicia, with every heavy step she also threw in insults.

"I would rather have them run over you to finish your good for nothing life." As Marian got closer to Alicia, the camera stayed fixed on her eyes as she-

Suddenly the screen turned black, my forehead creased as confusion was drawn on my face. As I was about to ask what happened but I saw Sehun pointing the remote to the television.

"Why did you turned it off?" I asked. I removed the big pillow I was hugging for support as I turned to him. I surveyed his face, he was still fixated on the black screen, I was taken back when he suddenly turned to face me then throwing the remote over to his bed.

The remote tumbled from his bed til it crashed on the floor. It didn't break but the noise was enough for me to flinch in surprise.

"Sorry, but you really shouldn't watch anymore of those."

"Huh?"

"It's bad for you to continue this method." As our eyes met, I saw a small fire of anger. He really doesn't express much physically but inside those eyes he is easy to read.

"It's your mom's task for me." I reminded him. He took a deep breath as he exhaled slowly.

"I know but this is too much for you. It's just a small stage play." I leaned back and supported my body with both my hands stretching my upper body.

This boy, is he concerned for me?

"It's a small stage play but it will be my first time to perform." I heaved out a heavy sigh, tilted my head to the side and smiled.

"I'm doing okay. Though, a bit tired." I assured him. He then sat near me, copying the way I am sitting on his carpet.

"But you've been doing this for days now. I don't want you to see and hear those bad things." His finger was carefully tracing the lines on the carpet.

He really is worried about me. I couldn't help a corner of my lips to raise. I sat back up and held the big pillow that was enough to cover my mouth.

"It's okay. I know it's just acting, I'm not easily affected by this-"

"I should've stopped mother." His finger stopped moving and he intertwined them together.

"Can you?" I leaned closer to him. He avoided his eyes almost immediately.

"I can try." The room is now silent, with the television turned off it was like my first time appreciating peace.

When father called Sehun's mom, he asked her for a favor to teach me how to act. Emma Thurnsberg was a Class A actress in the past but now she's managing her production company that is able to direct and produce award winning films.

She's the best person to call when it comes to acting, but for a 11 years old child who just wants to learn to act in a small play, her methods could be deemed as child abuse.

She made me watch her old films for days, it came to the point that I was able to memorize all the lines and it never left me even in my dreams, in my past life I remember being a fan of heavy dramas but even her methods are somehow affecting me.

"Stop worrying. I learned a lot and this is my last day of lessons!" I tried to cheer him up. "I think I can now act the role of the step mother!" I grinned at him. He surveyed my face as he returned to his calm state.

"As long as you're okay." He said as he looked straight into my eyes.

Again

I placed my hand on my chest covered by the huge pillow.

It's starting to feel weird again.

"EVERYONE, we are about to start!" Timothy raised his voice for everyone to hear. Three kids started to work faster, some were designing the stage , finishing up dress rehearsal, Miss Lyka finished up with the lights and music, the actors are busy preparing themselves. My hands are cold as I'm saying to sweat off my anxiety.

It's really happening, I can't back out now.

I looked at the kids, they were not as anxious as I am, they were cheering each other up while smiling from corner to corner.

How can they be so calm while I'm here feeling like I lost the power of speech all of a sudden?

"Hey Seje, let's do our best today!" Juliana went to to me and held my hand.

What?

I looked down on our hands and I faced her smiling face.

My temperature started to blend well with her, she is as cold as me...no more than me. She was greeting the others just now which made me think she was calm, but feeling her hands right now made me understand her.

She was trying to cheer for others. I smiled at her and tightened the hold of her hand.

"En, let's show them what our class is made of." She nodded and walked to the other kids.

In an instant, I felt a fire starting to burn inside me. My competitive spirit just came back from the dead.

Acting? I'll show them what that looks like.