Of the Twisted and the Lost

Chapter 29:

"Well, well, well. If it isn't my favorite sister in the whole world, Sera Chang." Sam looks up, a wicked smile on his lips, before he widens his eyes innocently. "This is quite a surprise." 

Sera looks at Sam. Then Junjie. And back at Sam again. 

"What's going on?" she asks, unsure why a thread of worry is swirling through her. "I thought you hated Sam." 

She's looking at Junjie again, waiting for a perfectly logical explanation. But he doesn't meet her gaze, instead deciding to firmly keep his eyes on the ground. 

"Oh." Sam exhales, his pupils dilating in what seemed like pleasure. "She doesn't know, does she?" 

"Know what?" Sera demands, needles of unease pricking at her skin. "What are you talking about?" 

"Oh, this is going to be good." Sam gives her a wolfish grin, one that says: I know something you don't. "Should I tell her? Or do you want to?" 

Junjie finally looks up, shooting Sam a dark look. 

"I suppose if you're not going to speak, I should," Sam says brightly. "Oh, how I just love spoiling surprises." 

"Shut up, Sam!" Junjie spits out, fury dancing through his ocean-blue eyes. 

"What are you not telling me?" Sera begs, voice cracking. "Junjie. Please. Tell me." 

Junjie keeps quiet, though there's something — guilt, she realizes — riddled in his whole demeanor. 

"How well do you think you know Junjie?" Sam drawls. 

"Well enough to know he hates you," Sera fires back. 

The amusing look vanishes in Sam's dark eyes before he leans closer. "Well enough that Junjie might lose money and maybe even lose his whole house?" 

What? 

"I—" 

"Well enough to know that I was paying him money to go along with your little stupid mermaid expedition?" 

Sera stumbles back, shock exploding within her like brilliant fireworks. 

No. . . 

Impossible. . . 

Lies. . . 

"You're a liar!" Sera screams, advancing towards Sam. 

Sam smiles, one filled with saccharin and sugar, honeyed at the edges. "Am I?" he whispers softly. "Why don't you ask your little boyfriend?" 

Sera turns to Junjie. 

"Is it true?" she asks. 

Junjie finally meets her gaze, eyes filled with guilt. And at that moment, she knows it really is true. 

No. . . 

Please God, no. . . 

"So the only reason you wanted to help me was to get money?" Sera hisses, shock making way for fury. 

Pure fury the color of blood-red, one that makes her hands curl into fists, her blood boiling hotter and hotter until— 

"So our whole relationship was a lie?" Sera shrieks, shoving Junjie in the chest. "You freaking. . . bastard!" 

"Look, Sera," he says. "I didn't mean to hurt you—" 

"Oh, you didn't mean to hurt me, huh?" she snarls. "You didn't consider the fact that feelings — my feelings — were more important than money?" 

"At that time, I was in desperate need of the money," Junjie says quietly. "So no, I didn't consider your feelings." 

Tears fog her vision, but Sera blinks it away, trying hard not to show weakness. 

"Did you ever care about me?" Sera finally whispers, the lump in her throat suffocating. 

Before Junjie can answer, Sam mumbles: "I wish I brought popcorn. This is legit drama here." 

Sera shoots him a venomous look. 

"What the hell are you still doing here?" she demands. 

Sam shrugs. "I can't miss this much drama," he says sweetly. 

Sera glares, though she focuses on Junjie once more. 

"What is wrong with you?" Sera finally chokes. "I spill my heart out to you and what do you do? Betray me in the worst possible way!" 

"Sera, I didn't mean—" 

But by now, Sera is rifled up. 

"I send you three letters, which you don't even bother answering! I invite you to a date and then you call it a study session! Do you think that because you're so godly handsome and makes those stupid observations that make me feel stupid, you can get away with everything?" 

Junjie gapes. 

"And then, I finally realize that you only helped me kidnap a merperson — which we haven't even done yet — just for money? And when I ask you about it, you barely show a shred of sympathy!" 

"Sera." Junjie looks her square in the eye. "I'm really sorry—" 

"You think 'sorry' can fix everything?" Sera growls. "Well, you should've apologized earlier! For being such a jerk and a stuck-up person who apparently has bones in his living room!" 

"It's not my bones," Junjie says defensively. "It's my brother's—" 

"Well, I don't really give a freak anymore!" she snaps. "And you know what? I think we're done here." 

Junjie's eyebrows furrow together. 

"Like, you and I?" Sera points at herself, before stabbing her middle finger in Junjie's direction. "We're over, so don't you dare come near me ever again." 

"Sera, I understand you're upset right now—" 

"You don't understand humans at all, do you?" 

"Not really." 

Sera flashes Junjie a fake smile. "I'm mad at you, yeah?" she says. "That means you don't talk to me and you especially don't tell me I'm upset or that you understand me." 

Junjie purses his lips like he's going to try to explain something. Sera's teeth clench together. There's nothing to explain anymore. Not when he used her. 

"You don't follow me or try to reason with me," continues Sera. "When I go outside, I need to think. You just stay here and gather your money or whatever." 

"Sera. . ." 

"Shut up." 

"I—" 

"Shut up." 

"Look, you have to listen—" 

"Shut. The. Freak. Up." 

Junjie finally falls silent. 

"You're scary when you're mad," pipes up Sam, before Sera directs her narrowed eyes in his direction. "Sorry." 

Sera shakes her head, before backing towards the door. 

"You still haven't answered my question," she says shakily, fingers trailing against the metal shelf. "Did you ever care about me?" 

Junjie freezes for a moment. 

Time seems to slow, as he gives her a sad smile. 

"No."