[Music Recommendation: "In Silence" by Janet Suhh (It's Okay Not To Be Okay OST)-available in Youtube or Spotify] ~ Please listen to it in a loop while you read this part to experience the utmost beauty of this chapter ~

Seeing Kaiden walk towards us, with Verrill on his side, all my anger subsided. They all got replaced with sadness instead. Since it was another outburst of emotions, my eyes teared up.

'This hateful Callan! I'm gonna tell this to Kaiden! You judger of all womankind! Flirting girls who try to approach Kaiden to protect him? Don't joke with me! If I know better, you're just a real flirt and you're using Kaiden to get girls! Hmf! And since I'm not one to fall for your jerkiness, you're angry with me! Urgh! A real hooligan!'

"Kaiden, this guy—" I was gonna tell him off but he suddenly covered my mouth with his hands and pushed me closer to him.

'Wraaaa! Get your filthy hands off me! You… you… you trash! And how dare you pull me closer to you? A real flirt indeed! Mindlessly touching girls! The audacity!'

"Mrrrhhm! Hmmm-mm-mmmt!" I tried to speak but his hand was so strong.

"Nothing at all!" Callan answered Kaiden with a smile. "She just… figured out a secret that I'm not supposed to tell you both yet."

OMG! He looked so professional with his lying capabilities. But I'm not backing down you hateful person! I'm gonna tell you!

Then, he whispered to me, "Don't you dare tell Kaiden about this, you don't know what I can do."

Badump! Badump! Badump!

I didn't know what got into me but… hearing those words broke my heart. I was reminded of when my dad's life got threatened by those scammers. The fear, anger, anxiousness, and sadness I felt that day, it came rushing back. His words sent shivers down my spine. He was just a teenager like me but he could say such threatening words so effectively. This guy… he wasn't someone to be messed around with.

My eyes couldn't contain my tears anymore, so they fell like a gentle stream on my cheeks. He probably felt it flow on his hands since he jolted afterwards, turning me to face him so that my back was towards Kaiden. Seriously, this guy… he even made sure Kaiden wouldn't see my tears.

I made up my mind. I loathe this guy. Truly, not everyone you'll meet would be nice people.

"I hate you," I told him straight in the eye, glaring at him with all my anger and fierceness. I never felt this furious since that incident. The first was with those scammers, and now with him. "You judge people without even knowing them. You become mean, say rude things, and bully someone you don't even know."

'Yeah, just like my classmates.'

"How do you know that I'm really like those girls you perceive I am? Did I flirt with Kaiden? No, I didn't. I couldn't even bear to speak with him sometimes because I get so nervous. You think I liked him because of his money? Or his looks? You're wrong! I liked him even before I met him!"

My tears wouldn't stop. And my voice was shaking as I said those things.

"I understand if you're trying to protect your friend because if it's with Hora, or Crystal, I would do the same. But my methods won't be like yours! You think it's alright to say bad things about people just because you want to? Well let me tell you, that's wrong! You don't know what that person is going through for you to judge them and say anything as you please! Not to me, or to any girls or anyone on that matter!"

Callan looked shocked. He must be surprised that I'm fighting back. I might have been a pushover in my last life, always bottling up my opinions within myself, but this time… No! I would make my voice heard! I would make myself understood! And I would fight back! I won't just cower in the corner and hide!

"If you don't like me, that's fine. I don't care. But don't ever do this again to anyone!"

With that, I bumped his shoulders with mine, and went on my way. I heard Kaiden's footsteps getting nearer and I didn't want him to see me crying. I also didn't want him to be involved in our fight. It wasn't his fault anyway. It's that stupid Callan. Crystal was right. He was a stupid person! Urgh!

'I had enough of people judging me even before knowing me. Yes, it's easy to say just brush them off and don't care. But when they blatantly say that to your face, it's so irritating! I feel so wronged. What in the world did I do to you? I've never been rude to anyone but you treat me like that? How could you?! I know I can't please everybody, but just don't mess with me and leave me alone. I will gladly do the same for you!'

While pouring all my complaints in my mind, I reached my next classroom. I made sure to wipe my tears, and continue on with the rest of the day.

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[PS. This part is a mini Callan POV after Senara left]

I froze up when I saw her crying. Was I too mean? But wasn't she just like those annoying girls?

"You think I liked him because of his money? Or his looks? You're wrong! I liked him even before I met him!"

Those words lingered in my mind. She liked him even before meeting him? How in the friggin' world could that happen? Wut? She met Kai online or something?

"What happened, Cal?" Verrill ran towards me and asked.

"Yeah. Tell me," Kai followed, gazing at me intensely. Oh boy, his voice sounded so menacing. That girl fooled him this much, huh? "What did you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything wrong. She's just like those gold diggers who tried flirting with you before so I—"

Kai's intense gaze turned into a glare in a snap.

"How can she be a gold digger when we've been friends even before she knew I'm rich? Or even before she knew I'm Kaiden Ma?"

"Huh? What?"

"She's Lady Pumpkin, remember?" Verrill added.

"Lady Pumpkin? That lucky dude who got a sacred weapon?"

"Cal, she's not a dude. She's Senara."

"Wut? How could that be? He was so good at playing!"

"You never listened when Kai told us about her, did you?"

"You serious?"

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. Kai crossed his arms and glared at me more than before.

"You know what you need to do," and there it was, Kai's threatening words.

Oh boy… I fu*ked up real bad.