chapter 14 - lightning beams
monday, 3/8/2020
Azli grinned as she handed Vivi a sparkly suit.
"The party theme for tonight is Euphoria."
Vivi furrowed her brows. "Are you sure that I could come? Isn't it exclusively for the people who attend your school?"
"Fuck that shit."
Vivi was struck by blue and purple beams that surrounded the room, adrenaline rushing through her veins as she jumped to the beat of the music, her curled strands flowing around her.
Azli screamed, her voice drowned out by the cheers of the crowd.
"Fuck yeah!" Vivi shouted as she swallowed the rest of the liquid on her third red cup.
Suddenly, Vivi was embraced in warm arms. Azli tucked Vivi onto her neck, grasping the latter's hair desperately. "You've got to let it out."
Vivi blinked. "Huh?"
"Go to the garden."
Just like the way it came, it went just as abruptly.
Vivi stood in the middle of the crowd, mind in a daze.
Azli wasn't with her anymore.
Vivi stumbled to the garden, obliging Azli's order. She heard a familiar chuckle though she couldn't pinpoint where it came from.
Ruel gathered her in his arms. "Azli spoiled you too much, didn't she?" He sighed. "I can't believe she'd actually leave you like this. She's usually unnecessarily protective."
Vivi hiccuped.
He sighed tenderly as he guided her into the car.
Vivi furrowed her brows as he fastened her seatbelt. "Where are we going?"
"It has been weeks. I think I'm ready," he stated, stern.
Vivi nodded, still perplexed.
She didn't know when she fell asleep until Ruel shook her gently. "We're here."
Her eyes fluttered open as she tried to process where she was. Ruel left the car hurriedly, rushing to her side.
Vivi's eyes widened when she saw the familiar hotel.
Ruel opened her door as Vivi shook her head relentlessly. "No. No, I don't want to get out!"
"We need to do this, Vi."
Vivi kicked his hands away, holding onto the seat. "No. You don't have to. Stop forcing yourself like this!"
"I'm not forcing myself!" Ruel boomed.
"I saw how you were," Vivi breathed out. "I witnessed it myself." Her vision was blurred by her tears. "You were screaming and crying. And you were so broken," she whined, tears spilling out of her eyes.
"And I was so scared."
Ruel grasped onto her face.
"I didn't know what to do. I didn't know who you were," Vivi continued on. "It still haunts me that I didn't do anything. I didn't even call the police."
Ruel placed his forehead on hers as Vivi clasped onto his chest desperately, eyes fixated on the ground as tears raced down her cheeks. "I don't like how you acted as if nothing happened. I hate how it affects me so greatly when you seem fine."
He pulled away, showing his red-stained eyes. He chuckled. "I was wrong to assume you'd be worse if I acted the way I felt." He wiped her tears away gently. "I'm sorry, Vivian. I'm so sorry," he soothed.
"From now on, we don't hide anything from each other anymore, yeah?" he asked her.
Vivi nodded, ceasing her sobs.
"And if I'm being honest," he continued on, raising her chin.
She peered up at him, confused.
His grip on her tightened as his lids closed.
And his lips fell onto hers, softly and cautiously. As if he was terrified of scaring her away.
It reminded her of the way she treated him in that hotel room.
She leaned onto him in reassurance.
"I'm proud of you for keeping yourself strong. But it's time to acknowledge your feelings, yeah?"
