The boxy thing did its job properly again. Her body, which felt very crushed, was carried by very slow footsteps. Her gaze was blank. The tear tracks on her cheeks dried up but not the red marks.
Her hand gently pushed the door to her room closed. She took off the dress that felt like it was binding her and threw it carelessly. She hurriedly stepped towards the nightstand.
Her eyebrows were drawn together. Her eyes looked very carefully at the contents of the nightstand locker that was open in front of her. Once she found what she was looking for, she hurriedly reached out with her hand.
She flicked on the flat box object that was currently in her grasp. A sigh of relief could be heard when the object that she had not touched for a long time was revived. Well, although she could have used her other cell phone if the one in her hand was unusable.
Callista gazed at the various brands of cell phones inside her son's locker. More than fifteen cell phones were stacked there. The sight disappeared as soon as Callista closed the nightstand locker again.
Not wanting to give her best friend even more suspicion, Callista went straight to the most widely used chat application in the country.
Then, please excuse me to the homeroom teacher. I still can't go to school tomorrow.
From: Callista
Why, Illis? Honestly tell me your real reason.
From: Rheana
A shady smile graced her lips. She felt the warmth of Rheana's concern even with just those two sentences. As she suspected, she couldn't give her friends a chance to be suspicious of the excuses she made. Otherwise, they would have come to the forefront for her.
I'm okay. I already told you my real reason. I'm sick, my body has been so weak lately that I had to stay at the hospital.
From: Callista
This time she didn't lie, she just didn't tell the whole truth. It's true, isn't it?
Know this, Illis. We are seriously worried about your condition. We feel guilty and responsible if anything happens to you.
From: Rheana
I'm sorry for making everyone worry. But I'm fine right now.
From: Callista
"At least there are no new wounds on my body today," Callista thought.
I can't. I can't hold it in anymore. The others and I will visit you tomorrow.
From: Rheana
Seeing that made that pair of eyes widen. No, she didn't want this conversation to end on this topic. She didn't want to show her condition that would probably still be there tomorrow.
No need, Rhen. I don't want to infect you guys with my heavy cold. I'll be back at school the day after tomorrow anyway. There's nothing to worry about.
From: Callista
It's okay if you don't want to. But if you ever get caught lying to us about your condition, I'll come to your mansion and kick down your bedroom door. Take that to heart, Illis.
From: Rheana
Callista chuckled softly. She could even guess the expression and tone Rheana would make when she said that. In a certain space, her heart felt relieved just by reading Rheana's typing which was able to raise her mood.
Ready commander!
From: Callista
Callista turned off the flat object. She put it back in its original place. Without turning her head, Callista immediately dropped her body on the bed. Her condition was very, very much better now. Thanks to her loved ones, of course.
She closed her heavy eyelids. She hoped to see Mommy and her brother in her dreams tonight.
***
The deafening sound was met with smiles and body contortions. A large, colorful lamp in the center of the room continued to rotate itself as if it too was enjoying the current situation.
Linking lips, sticking bodies with the opposite sex while twisting their bodies, to women hanging on to a man's arm, had become a common sight in this place.
A man with his face reddened by the drink in his hands and his hair in a messy state was surrounded by comfort women. The man never called out to them. Even he felt uncomfortable with the hands touching his body. But today he would only focus on relieving the pain in his chest.
'Let go, Kenward! I don't want to be with you anymore! You're a murderer! You're a cruel psychopath! You have no compassion! You should be in prison!'
'How could you dare mention the word love after everything you did to me? After you tortured me and gave me a new wound?'
Kenward gripped his hair firmly. He wanted to get rid of that unauthorized voice that kept playing in his mind. He couldn't get rid of that voice even after drinking so much alcohol.
It seemed like the cold night was coming back. He, who had insomnia, was miraculously cured when he embraced his girl's petite body. And now the drug had disappeared from him and even hated him. He didn't know what to do.
His mixed feelings were further aggravated by the longing that came to him a few minutes ago. These two rough hands wanted to reach out to the girl who was so incompatible with him. That girl was like a very clean angel to him who was like an ugly demon.
"Illis... Illis ...." Kenward muttered softly. He took another rough swig from the glass in his hand that had been refilled.
"Don't you want to stay with me tonight, handsome man?"
"You don't have to pay me as long as you give your whole body to me tonight."
The glass in Kenward's hand, which was only half full, was filled again by one of the women. They deliberately filled the glass over and over again. Those who seemed to want to devour him looked disgusting in Kenward's eyes.
Kenward got up and walked away from the women who surrounded him. Dizziness came to his head, making his steps stagger. He felt so disgusted that he wanted to cut off the heads of all those women.
Only Callista. Only that girl could be beside him. She was his destiny and although he could not have her, she would not belong to anyone else.
Kenward stopped his steps. He let out a long sigh. Why was that momentary happiness taken away from him? Was it because of karma as many people said? But why did it have to affect his relationship with Callista? He could no longer live without her.