My eyelids lift slightly. My vision is still blurry, but less than it was before. I feel like I’ve been sleeping for ages. I look around, and the only thing I see is a ceiling. Lights. People. Jules. My heart skips a beat as I notice Ann-Marie leaning to my level. 

• - Looks like you’ve taken too much alcohol, Jones. She says mockingly, snickering around as people agree 

It also looks like I’m lying on the floor. People are leaning in close to me, and I see their faces in close-ups. Too annoyed by the situation to let them look at me like that, I brutally stand up, my eyes narrowing. Some people back up a little bit, but others remain next to me. 

• - Listen, Ann-Marie, I don’t know who told you that, but if you paid attention to the situation, you’d know I had only taken one drink. I retort coldly 

She stares at me intently, trying to get a reaction out of it. Luckily, she didn’t catch one. 

• - Maybe I wasn’t paying attention, but that’s because I didn’t care. Now, it looks like I can pay attention. So, go ahead, Nora, what’s happening? She asks, grinning 

Everybody nods and agrees with her words, as I feel everybody’s gaze on me, except Jules, who backed up slightly, not wanting to be a burden...I wonder how he’s feeling right now. I remain silent for a second, trying to gather that information, wondering how to respond to her. 

• - Personal or what, what does that have to do with you anyway? You never cared about me, my well-being, my mental health, my relation status, and my global life. I don’t understand why you would, now, suddenly. 

Ann-Marie's blue eyes narrow, as she sneers, curling up her hair in a teasing manner. 

• - What? Can’t I be a little curious? (She pauses and glances at Jules, than looks back at me) Well, it’s okay, you don’t have to tell me, as you say, it’s none of my business anyway. 

She signals Jules to come over, as he stands next to her, slumping his shoulders as he avoided my gaze. 

 “Ann-Marie just has that trait that even if she’s smaller than everyone else, she just looks intimidating,” 

 I thought, noticing the height difference. 

• - Well, Jules, I think you’ve got something to say to Nora, don’t you? I think she deserves the truth. She affirms as a cheeky grin covered her cheeks 

Jules opened his eyes wide, looking around the crows formed around the three of us. Most of the crowd was standing next to Ann-Marie. The rest of the others had my back all long and just kept that poker face. Just like I do. Jules breathes shakily then looks me in the eyes. 

• - Nora. Ann-Marie asked me to fake that love for you, so you could pay for what you did.  

He looked away, his eyes filling with tears as I waited for him to continue, my heart feeling heavy. 

• - I-I'm sorry, Nora. 

He stutters as I burst into the crowd, running my way out of his house the fastest I can, sobbing as I run into my house. I enter my room at a surprising time, as I sit on my bed, crying all the tears of my body, crossing my arms around my legs...