Faith (P.O.V.)

***Flashback***

~Ding...Ding...Ding~

As the bell rang, everybody prepared to leave for their next class.

"Don't forget to read page 33 and create an abstract for tomorrow's discussion." Mr. Wong announced.

After everybody left, I went to Mr. Wong's desk to talk to him.

"Hey, Mr. Wong. I apologize for disturbing you, but I wanted to ask you something."

Mr. Wong looked up from what he was doing.

"Ms. Davis, what can I help you with?" He asked with a nervous smile.

"Um... My dad received a call yesterday, and I was just wondering what I did for you to call him."

Mr. Wong put his pen down and stood up. 

He got away from his desk and leaned against a seat in front of his desk.

"I apologize for that phone call." He said. "I am very ashamed of the phone call I made yesterday." 

"But why did you make the phone call?" I asked.

"I...I... I could have lost my job if I didn't make that phone call. I'm sorry for getting you in trouble, but I had to save my job."

"Mr. Wong, what are you talking about? Why would you lose your job? I mean, how would that e-""

I stopped when it suddenly hit me. 

It all started to make sense. 

I started to understand everything. 

I understood who did this and why it was done. 

 Before Mr. Wong could say anything, I left the class in anger. 

I went straight to the cafeteria, where I would find the answers to my questions and Mr. Wong's helplessness.

***

"I am done with Evan Owens!" I exclaimed to Max on the phone that night. "I am just done!"

"I am sorry for what happened with you, Faith," Max said.

"No, Max, it's okay. You don't have to be sorry. I understood the students fearing Evan Owens, but how can the teachers fear him t-"

"Evan has control over everything. He has everybody under his palms. Whether it is a student or a teacher."

"This is so ridiculous. How does one person have so much control over everybody?"

"That's the power of the rich."

I sighed heavily. 

"I guess you're right," I said. 

"I hope you didn't get in too much trouble," Max said. "Are your mom and dad mad at you?"

I couldn't reply to Max's question. 

It felt like the whole world came to a standstill. 

I haven't heard the word in two years. 

Hearing the word left me unsettled. 

It brought me pain, anger, guilt, and regret. 

I felt empty and lost from within. 

Realizing that this wound was never going to heal, I could feel the tears bursting from my eyes. 

I was speechless as I didn't know what to say. 

I couldn't find the words to answer Max's question. 

My brain couldn't function. 

It paused at this specific moment.

I wanted to go back and change it, but I couldn't. 

All I could think about was the screams, the sirens, the bracelet, and the agony we went through.

"Faith, are you there?" Max asked. "Are your mom and d-"

***Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep.***

I dropped the phone, and the call ended. 

I left it on the floor and got into bed. 

I stared at the phone on the floor as I lay in bed. 

This time, there were no tears in my eyes. 

I just stared dryly at the phone. 

I was afraid of closing my eyes. 

I couldn't get Max's question out of my head. 

He brought the feelings of pain, emptiness, guilt, and anger into my heart. 

At that moment, only I knew what pain I was going through. 

No one knew, and no one would ever understand, even if they knew.

_______________________________________________

The next day, I got my food during lunch and was about to sit with Max when I bumped into Evan Owens. 

My plate slipped out of my hand, and the food spilled all over his shirt.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" He exclaimed.

"Oh my god!" I said. "I am so sorry. It was an accident." 

I tried to clean the food off his shirt.

"Don't touch me!" He said, taking a step back. 

He looked up at me with anger. 

"This is seriously cheap," He said, shaking his head. "I mean, this is sad. You spilled your food all over me to avenge the phone call incident."

"What!" I exclaimed.

"Drop the act. Don't act so shocked. You know very well what I am talking about."

"Do you think I'm a schemer like you? Do you think I would waste my time thinking about ways to get back at you for your cheap schemes?"

"Yes, there is no doubt in my mind about it. I know you did all of this to get back at me."

There was a limit to everything. 

I am standing here and apologizing to Evan Owens for spoiling his shirt, and instead of appreciating my efforts, he is accusing me of getting back at him.

"You know what?" I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "Your right. Yes, I did all this on purpose. I spoiled your shirt on purpose because you deserve that. I did it to show the people around you that Evan Owens is nothing but trash."

Everybody gasped and started to whisper to one another after I finished talking.

"Do you know who the hell you are talking to!?" He yelled in anger. "I AM EVAN OWENS!" 

"I am very well aware of who I am talking to," I said. "I can do whatever I want and talk to anybody however I want. Even if it is you."

Evan clenched his fist. 

His face started to get red. 

His eyes are bloodshot red. 

The anger is evident on his face.

"You go around saying, 'Oh! I'm Evan Owens, Mr. Perfect,' when you're nothing but a loser in reality." I said. "First of all, learn to accept your mistakes. It is not my fault if you are blind and can't see where you are going, but I still had the decency to apologize. So Mr. Evan Owens, or 'Mr. So-called perfect' or whatever the hell it is. I don't give a damn because, to me, you are nothing but a damn spoiled rich brat! Instead of showing people attitude, learn to accept your mistakes and stop trying to blame me for them."

Evan just got angrier after he heard all of that.

"Idiot!" I said as I started to walk away.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" Evan yelled.

I could hear him yelling, but I didn't even stop to look back. 

I just kept walking. 

I've had enough of Evan Owens. 

He didn't have respect for anybody. 

Neither his elders nor girls. 

I don't care how rich he is. 

I am not scared of him, and there is no way I will let him walk all over me. 

Shit, he can go somewhere else with that bull.

_________________________________________________________

"Hey, Grandma," I said, kissing her on the cheek after returning from school.

"Hey, babe," Grandma replied. "How was school today?"

"It was okay," I said, reflecting on my day. "It's finally the weekend."

I sat down, sighing heavily. 

I was exhausted. 

It was a long week full of drama. 

Actually, my whole life is a drama. 

My sister cares less about anybody in the family and constantly seeks ways to create problems for us. 

On the other hand, I have a new person in my life who wants to do nothing but fight with me every time he comes across me. 

I wonder when my life would ever become normal and drama-free.

"You know what?" Grandma said, interrupting my thoughts. "I think you should go out this weekend."

"Go where grandma?" I asked.

"I don't know! Girl, it's California. Go to the beach, a party, or a friend's."

"I don't know this place or the people here, except for Max. So where are you expecting me to go?"

"Honey, how you goin' kno' the place if you ain't going out? Don't be stayin' in this house all day. Try to get out once in a while."

Grandma was right. 

Since moving here, I have been so busy with school, Keisha and Evan Owens, that I have rarely seen California.

 She's right that I need to get out sometimes.

"Okay, I guess you're right," I said. "It won't hurt to go out once in a while."

"That's my babe!" Grandma said, kissing me on the forehead.

Keisha walked into the kitchen and went straight to the fridge.

"Girl, where you been all day?" Grandma asked.

"Out," Keisha said.

"Well, with whom?"

"My friends."

"What friends?"

"Dang, grandma! What's wrong withchu'? Why you interrogatin' me like yous some kinda officer? Like what hell!"

"Uh-uh, don't do that with me, girl! I'm warnin' you! And I ain't interested in your life, Keisha. I am just worried fo' you, and that is why I want to kno' what you be doin' out of this house all day."

"Well, that don't concern nun ya'll. I don't need anybody to be concerned for me. I can take care of myself. So please, excuse me." 

Keisha flipped her hair, walking out of the kitchen. 

"What a slut!" Grandma said. 

"Grandma!" I exclaimed.

"What? I'm just telling the truth. That girl gone' get herself in a big mess one day. Just mark my words. She will fall flat on her face with that nasty attitude."

Grandma is right. 

Keisha's attitude is getting worse day by day. 

I get worried for her, too, sometimes. 

She is just too much as she doesn't talk to anybody in the family; nobody knows where she goes, what she does, and who she hangs with. 

Nowadays, she comes home with different designer dresses that Dad never bought her. 

She also has a brand-new phone and wears different jewelry sets every day. 

I wonder where all this money is coming from. 

Who is she getting it from? What is Keisha doing?

*** End Of Chapter ***

Pic of Faith during Cafeteria scene ---------------->

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