One week ago... (Recap: Chapter 1)
"Grace, I'm done." Brielle called out to me as she picked up her canvas.
I dashed from my chair to have a look at the final product of her masterpiece.
"Woah, this is amazing!" I exclaimed, completely in awe of her painting. "I love the shadows and the way the colors blend so well~ But…"
"...But?" Brielle anticipated.
Brielle's painting centered around a sole girl. To my interpretation, the girl appeared trapped within a hollow, distorted universe. Surrounded and terrified of the darkness that was about to engulf her entirely, her glimmering eyes reflected her desperation to escape… to be free, flickering as her hope of living slowly fades away…
No... Megan... She used her! That cheater! She used Brielle!
In a panic, I scanned the dimly lit auditorium, searching for Brielle among the sea of faces. The audience erupted into wild celebration, cheering for the proclaimed "champion".
"My my, ang ganda ng ginawa niya!" "I see she has decided to do something different this time!"
"Ang galing! Megan truly is an artistic genius!" "So much talent runs in their family, I'm envious!"
Sensations of praise and adoration engulfed me like a flood, and I was drowning in the knowledge that knew the truth of it all. Surrounded by this sea filled with cheers and applause, I struggled to reach the surface, suffocating to its pollution.
This pollution was bound to spread more than ever, and amidst that crowd, I was like a sea creature tangled in its garbage. Each person, blinded by the beauty on the surface, failed to see the dirt of lies buried within.
Megan's bullying to the both of us? I realized that must only be a small stroke within a large painting— With the power her family held, who knows what else they've managed to get away with? If it's far worse and whatnot? Who knows how many times they've used someone else's work to leverage their own success?
Nothing- I mean nothing, has ever been done to stop the Guevarras. And I doubt that anything could change that now. Even if I were to expose their daughter's actions- the bullying and current fraud, my news would just get buried within the storm of her new success.
"Unshakable... wealth and power." I seethed under my breath, clenching my phone as I exited the auditorium.
Seeking some peace and quiet, I began to distance myself from that chaotic place. The audience's cheers echoed throughout the hallway, but it gradually muffled and quieted down as I walked. Students and parents lingered, grieving their failure yet doing what they could to remain positive. It seemed that wherever I turned, the areas would be of emotional warfare—A battleground where none but sympathy prevailed.
Security guards were forced to step up, coming by to ease the situation.
"Rejected applicants with their guardians, please proceed to exit the academy after receiving your results." They repeated, using crowd-control measures to guide people towards the entrance.
Their measures caused an eruption to the already turbulent emotions— "Is there any other way my son can get in?" "Will there be another batch of applications?" "I'd like to speak to your manager... or the principal." Parents and families begged in desperation, while their applicants pulled them outside in hopes of avoiding further embarrassment.
Meanwhile, amidst the crowd's movement- There I was, suspended in my thoughts. A mix of emotions surged within me, a dilemma questioning my next course of action.
I could either walk away, accept my defeat, and return home to prepare for other paths towards my future. This would mean turning a blind eye to the injustice that I've not only just witnessed, but also the injustices I've faced during the years.
Or...
Find Brielle and seek the truth of the situation, to at least make sense of this betrayal of her efforts and talent.
...
My decision was obvious, and I hated myself for even second-guessing it. If I left Brielle now, it would be the same as leaving a rabbit in a pack of wolves. I had to find her. I must.
I rushed into a restroom, hiding in a stall as I hoped to avoid detection from the guards. I sat there in silence, collecting my thoughts as I planned for my next move.
In the backstage where elated chatter and joyful tears erupted, there remained a lone girl, cowering on a couch.
Approaching her was Megan Guevarra. Her posture and stride exuded absolute confidence, and a satisfied smirk ran across her face - all of which must've followed, having just achieved her victory as a champion.
"There you are. I've been looking for you everywhere. Otherwise, how was I supposed to thank you for your assistance?" She murmured to the powerless girl, her voice carrying a condescending tone. The girl twitched upon hearing Megan's voice. She raised her head, revealing a face filled with tears.
"Y-You..." Brielle seethed, her expression fueling in devastation.
"I know... 6th place, wasn't it?" Megan mocked. "Tsk, I couldn't believe it as well."
Brielle raised herself off the chair, grabbing Megan by her shoulders- "No... Why didn't Grace make it as well?! After what I've done-?!"
Megan's heart dropped. All of a sudden? Overreacting in such a hectic place? She quickly stepped on Brielle's sandal, hushing her out. "I never said that she too, will make it in." She whispered menacingly, pressing her foot deeper into her sandals. "And keep it down, you wouldn't want anyone to know you've rigged your spot, do you now?"
Brielle begged silently, desperate tears welled in her eyes. "Please, I can't do this to Grace... You have to do something!-"
"Megan! Is she bothering you?!" Aria called out, hurrying to Megan's defense. She smacked Brielle's arms down, freeing Megan from her grasp.
"It's okay, Aria. " Megan gazed at Aria, her reassuring smile calming her. "Brielle here is a bit emotional since she worked so hard to make it in."
"O-Okay... " Aria stayed close to Megan, her worry lingering.
The environment around persisted as the same— an upbeat celebration of everyone's victory. Yet, an intense silence ensued between the three, their underlying tension looming in the air. Brielle remained tense, shivering in emotional distress as she scowled at her rivals.
"Calm down, Brielle." Megan soothed, leaning in towards her. She gently wrapped her hands around her, and whispered into her ear, "I'll give you the thirty-thousand at my house later, just as promised."
Aria stood by, completely unaware of the trade made between the two of them. Although she was afraid of Brielle hurting Megan, seeing the hug could only make her trust her best friend's judgment.
...
Megan clasped the hands of both Brielle and Aria, gesturing a warm desire to form a new, special bond.
"Now that we've gotten into this school... How about we put our past behind us?"
"Let's just say that... we've been friends for a very... long time."
Aria's expression faltered in surprise, "F-Friends?!" She stuttered in disbelief, "Friends with that? She's going to hurt you..."
"Don't worry, Aria. I was wrong about her all along." Megan refuted, "Turns out, Brielle can be quite... a reliable person."
She continued, "It was just Grace who was being such a drag, but she's out of the picture now."
Megan softened her gaze on her newly formed circle. Her satisfaction was evident, as seen by her calm and rested demeanor. This was it for her— with Brielle on her hands, she knew this association would destroy Grace once and for all. A betrayal that would absolutely break her, both physically and mentally. And there would be nothing she could do to stop this.
Megan would finally be free of Grace's constant persistence— That damn face filled of hatred towards her, the backtalk and insults thrown at her, and that damn determination to beat her at every competition... The pressure of all of that would be gone now, and she felt as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
"Grace has always had a bad attitude. It was never going to lead her anywhere."
"This is the reality of our world. You cannot make it out of the dirt without any respect for connections. It's what my dad has always taught me."
"Some are fortunate to have easy access to it, meanwhile, some have to earn for it."
Megan smiled at Brielle, her soft gaze evoking trust and care in her. However, Brielle's heart pounded, feeling a sense of doom and terror. Megan's facade of innocence was only getting unbearable, and Brielle could only question the extent of her guts. Her eyelids twitched as tears fell out, yet she managed to look into her eyes. She hoped for some humanity in her, perhaps an ounce of guilt. She searched for answers- ..Why are you doing this to us? Did we deserve all of this?
Yet, despite her warm expression, Megan's pupils remained dark and empty- a void where all was meaningless. With her rows of success and everything she has, Megan has lived a life that could only be satisfactory. At that moment, however, Brielle couldn't help but realize— Megan's eyes had never displayed any good. It has always been like that, and to her- It was uncanny. It was as though she was an empty being that lost its light and passion, yet still chose to present herself in the world.
Megan has only done everything she could, not because she's driven by goals or had any sense of motivation- Maybe she thinks she's doing the right thing, or her family tells her to do the things she does, or maybe it's the benefits— ...No, she doesn't even know it herself. She, too, is lost.
"So, I'm glad you're here now, Brielle. Eventually, you'll realize she was holding you back all this time."
"Put your feelings aside as opportunities await you. More than you'd ever dreamed of."
But it was no time to figure out her inner self. Doing that wouldn't undo the damage done to her friendship with Grace.
Megan's speech made Brielle contemplate— Did she really do the right thing? Stooping this low for a chance of future success? It hurt her too, and she was overwhelmed by the guilt of her actions- She had a feeling Megan would get rid of Grace if an opportunity showed, and well, she did. And it was just... unfortunate that she fell right into her trap regardless.
"Attention, students!" A teacher called out to everyone. In unison, all students turned their heads towards her. "Welcome to Guevarra Academy, and congratulations on your acceptance."
"As promised, we shall now commence with the campus tour. Since the painting department was the first to be announced, we shall be touring you all first."
Everyone began following the teacher in excitement, all leaving the cramped backstage.
"Seriously?" Aria pouted in disappointment, though she obliged, being the behaved student that she was. "I want to see the results of the sculpting department though..."
9.2
"CONGRATULATIONS TO MELVIN GUEVARRA, FOR WINNING AS THE CHAMPION WITH HIS SCULPTURE- PROLONGED INNOCENCE!"
As expected for a Guevarra, the auditorium erupted into a jubilant celebration- loud claps, cheers, and whistles all echoed throughout the air with idolization from the audience. Although it was yet another expected victory, it was undoubtedly well-deserved for such a talented child.
"Ang galing mo, Melvin!" "His hard work paid off, he's been sculpting since he was a child!"
"He's both handsome and talented!"
It was quite a normal celebration, or so everyone thought it would be when all of a sudden—
"WOOOOO, THAT'S MY BRO!!!" Kai hollered at the top of his lungs, "ANG GALING MO TALAGA PARE!!"
His deep yet enthusiastic holler stood out amongst all the formal, usual forms of cheering— It was rather the equivalent of a grown man rooting wildly for his favorite sports team. His behavior made heads turn to him, causing mixed reactions within the audience— Some chuckled, finding his enthusiasm delightful. While some gave weird stares, finding such behavior unusual.
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