Five
2423 Words
“They won the Debate Competition!”
“They are so intelligent!”
“I hope I have the same IQ as them!”
That’s a few of what we heard when we walked through the hallway of the school.
Liam fetched me and we walked through the school together.
“Did Danaia go to school early?” I asked myself and he heard it.
“I think so,” he replied.
“He’s so handsome yet smart too!”
“I want him!”
“I love him!”
I am shocked by what I heard from the girls beside me. They are talking about Liam who smiled at them. We are a hot topic here in the University because of the news. The school press release on the official website of the students showed a picture of me and Liam hugging each other when we knew that we won the contest.
“Why did they use this photo?” I asked him when I browsed my phone when we walked through our department building.
“They found the victory there,” he said and chuckled.
“What?” I didn’t know what he meant. He just shook his head sideways and laughed at it.
What’s with him?
I fixed my eyeglasses and held my hair in front when we were walking towards our room. I can hear the girls in the next room talking about Liam.
So he’s this famous right now?
I smirked and he looked at me.
“Why?” he asked so innocently.
“Nothing, I am just observing the people,” I stated and smirked again.
“Don’t mind them,” he stated and just walked confidently. He’s a bit arrogant too, I guess? We stepped into our classroom and I glanced at Danaia’s chair and I didn’t find her. I glance at the whole room but still, I can’t find her. I observe his chair and sit beside it.
Where is she?
I looked at Liam when he sat on his chair and told him that Danaia’s absent.
What was the reason behind it? The last time I contacted her was last Wednesday and I haven't heard anything from her until now. Is she sick?
I set aside my thoughts when the professor came into the room. Of course, they congratulate us and they are proud that we represent our University. The class went well and I miss studying like this. Debate competitions were so fascinating and at the same time challenging but they gave me many ideas and knowledge about different subjects.
“You want this, I know,” he said while we were sitting in the tree near the soccer field. He gave me a cup of noodles and strawberry juice. I don’t know who is doing this and I am shy to ask about it.
“Uh, thank you. You don’t need to do this Liam,” I stated.
“It’s okay, it’s nothing,” he said and opened his food.
“Wow! I still can’t believe that we have already finished the debate. We've been training for almost three weeks!” He reminisced about what happened before we got the victory.
“Yeah, I am so happy right now, still I can’t believe it,” I stated and joined him to reminisce.
“Did Danaia know about that? I think she saw that on the website,”
“But still I want her to know that in person, let’s visit her in their house,” I suggested and he shook his head. We finish our class normally and like usual. The joy that I am feeling right now is still here with the butterflies surrounding my stomach. These things make me so happy and content, unlike the other girls.
Liam and I walked through the hallway to go straight to Danaia’s house when we saw the brat girls who always make fun of Danaia. Luckily she wasn’t here, and I am good about it.
“Oh, hi Liam?” the leader of the brat girls stated in a seductive tone.
I smirked when I knew that she’s seducing him. Liam’s just looking at her so serious.
“I’m Samantha,” she stated and put her hand on Liam’s cheek. Liam put that dirty hand down and held my wrist and we walked away. I thought that would be the end but the girl shouted.
“I can see that you still don’t know Iris Saavedra!” She said and I looked at him so confused and they laughed like they were crazy. I am still analyzing what they said and confused about it.
“Let’s go, Danaia’s waiting for us,” he stated and we walked through and still I heard their laughs.
Liam keeps on telling me some stuff when we are walking through our community but I am mentally absent and I don’t even know what he is talking about. I am still confused thinking of what Samantha Collins stated earlier, I know that they are a rich family and his father is in politics.
“Hey, Iris! Are you listening?”
I flinched for a moment.
“Oh! sorry, some things kept bugging me,” I stated to him.
“What is it? Is it what that girl told you?” he asked me and I looked at him.
“Yeah, I am still confused-,” I cut my words when my phone suddenly rang. I smiled when I saw who’s calling and stopped walking for a moment.
“She missed me,” I said to Liam and answered Danaia’s call.
“Hey! Why did you skip class today? I told you that I will be back at school,” I started so energetically. Liam is just smiling at me when I turn the loudspeaker mode of the call so that Liam can talk to her also.
“Hey Danaia, this is Liam. We have so many things to tell you today but you skipped the class, so I guess we will bring you the news there in your house. We are on our way!” he stated, so happy too. I was patiently waiting for her response when I heard a familiar voice but not hers.
“I-iris,” she said.
I already felt something when she uttered my name.
“Tita? Where’s Danaia? Why did you call me on her phone?” I asked her a question but many are running on my head now.
“Can you go here at the h-hospital?” she asked me and I heard her voice cracking.
I didn’t say any words and I know something wrong happened. I ran so fast and Liam followed me. The puzzle and the missing piece will be connected when I finally know the whole story. Danaia?! What are you hiding with your brilliant smiles?!
I saw Danaia’s mother waiting on us at the entrance of the Hospital. Her eyes are swollen and you can tell that she’s crying the whole time. She led us to the ICU where I saw Danaia sleeping on the bed full of apparatus connected to her body. Tears suddenly fell into my cheeks.
“She’s tortured by the rich girls in your University, Iris,” she told me and I feel so mad right now.
“She's been handling it since then but she wasn’t able to tell you because she knows you. You will always save her,” she said and smiled at me while tears were falling again on her cheeks.
Danaia, why didn’t you tell me?
“She's been here since Wednesday night. Someone saw her on the street with her body full of blood. At first, I thought she will not survive but I was wrong,”
“She’s waiting for you to come home with the victory you own now. She always bragged about how intelligent you are and how beautiful you are,” she stated and that makes me cry so hard. I can feel Liam's patting my shoulder and he's just looking at Danaia who's in comatose now.
"She had been your number 1 fan since then," her mother added. I glance at her while she's wiping the tears away from her cheeks.
"How did you know that she was bullied by those girls?" I asked her.
"That night she was struggling so hard that she can't even tell if she will go to live after what happened to her. She sent me a voice message and I was so afraid at that time," she explained to me.
"Why did they do this to Naia?" they heard my voice crack for a moment.
"They want a guy named Liam," she said, so angry. I look at Liam now who's surprised by what he heard.
"Their leader wants him but they saw that you three are super close to each other. That's why they did a lot of things like this," she explained to us.
I am observing Naia right now. I don't know that she's suffering that hard because of the friendship we had with Liam. She didn't even tell us any words that will help her to fight for it. Now that I figured out where the bruises came from, now that I figured out where those sudden messages came from, and now that I figured out what happened to her it makes me mad. It made me so mad that I couldn't control myself.
I can see that her mother can't fight for justice for her daughter because they can't handle the worst effect its family can give. They are rich but they suck! I need justice for my best friend. Even in my dreams, I wished for the stars that one moment they would feel like trash. No, they are absolute trash!
I walked straight with my poker face and I passed by my room, I went to the other and I stepped in like I am one of the students in this room. They are shocked to see me enter their room without their permission. I can see Samantha smirking for a moment.
“I bet you already knew,” she stated.
My blood rises until it reaches my head and I can’t even stop myself from what I am doing. If the police can’t make justice for my best friend because they are protecting the family of this trash girl. So I guess I will.
“Do you know what you did to her? Do you know what you are doing, you trashy girl?!” I screamed out of anger. I am screaming for justice right now.
“The brave one and her slow-witted best friend,” she stated and she laughed again.
Her laugh made me so angry and I walked towards her, which made her feel so shocked. I gave him a slap that she will remember for her whole life.
“What the-,” she said and she would slap me but I made it first. I slapped her again on her left cheek and it made her angry so much. I can see her eyes burning right now and so do I. The crowd began the noise and they took a video and pictures about the scenario. I felt someone hold my wrist and I looked at it and it’s Liam. His eyes are so serious right now and I can see that he’s angry too. I looked at Samantha and she couldn't recover from my slap. She’s just staring at me so deathly but I am not afraid of her nor her family.
“Next time you lay just a finger to Danaia, I am not going to let you live your life to the fullest,” I smirked and walked out of their room. I walked until I reached an open field. I screamed out of anger and I know that Liam is just beside me.
“Why did you do that?!” he scolded me. I look at him with my eyes burning with anger.
“What do you want me to do? My best friend is laying on the hospital bed right now because of them, what do you expect me to do?!” I started and burst out into tears. He let out a deep sigh and hugged me.
He’s comforting me right now, I don’t know why I am acting like this. All I know is that justice will remain. I will keep finding justice for her.
“Shh, I know what you’re feeling right now. Just calm down for a second,” he stated and my phone suddenly rang. My heart beats so fast for a second and my hands are shaking when I answer the phone call.
“Iris! Iris! Iris!” she screamed and at the same time cried out loud. I couldn't help but cry again and walked fast while still talking to her.
“Clear! Clear!” I can hear the doctor saying this. I place my hand on my lips and stop walking for a moment.
“S-she will leave us,” she stated hopelessly.
“No, no! Don’t say that, she will be okay soon. She will be, I know she will be,” I said and started sobbing. I could no longer stand properly because my knees were shaking and I had to kneel on the floor.
Don't leave me that fast Danaia. I am begging you!
"Time of death, 2:18 pm. I am sorry Mrs. Dravino," I heard the doctor stated to her mother.
Is it true? Is this happening? I wished this is just a bad dream that I can wake up and hug the one who I missed today. I dropped my cell phone in shock at what I heard. And now, Danaia is one of the stars that I will look into the sky whenever I feel sad or happy. It will always shine the brightest. Farew
ell, my brightest star.
- Writer
