Careless Whisper

4 - Knight in the Night

January's POV

Dartmouth University.

One of the renowned universities in the Philippines, situated in Baguio. It's a private college, where only those with substantial bank accounts or basements full of money can afford to study.

Yet here I am-a simple Batangueño with no significant wealth-standing in front of the campus.

My eyes widen as if they're about to pop out of their sockets. I can feel my heart pounding hard inside my chest, amidst the background chatter of students.

Each one dressed differently, as if the building they're entering isn't really a school.

This marks my second year in this institution. I've made quite a scene, but I still can't seem to reach the long-standing legacy of one person.

Jezreel Archyls Ybañez.

The sole student to graduate from this university with a multitude of awards, gratitude, and praises. She's the only student to have her own picture at the entrance of the Academic Building.

No one knows her story, her connection, or her contributions that led the university owner to erect a painting in her honor. She's become a legend, shrouded in mystery like all those with enduring legacies.

After standing for a few minutes in front of the large open doors, I made my way inside and headed straight to the classroom.

As I entered, I saw a mix of familiar and unfamiliar faces. Yet, they all greeted me as if I were someone of great importance.

I greet back politely with a small, genuine smile before taking an empty seat in the front row. Some students avoid the front row, either out of fear of facing the professor or simply because they're shy.

As for me?

I'm confident enough to sit in the front because I know my skills and abilities. I'm self-assured in them.

After a few minutes, the room filled up, and there were no more vacant seats. It was odd to be completely full on the first day, but I didn't dwell on it. We waited a bit longer before a woman arrived.

She placed her shoulder bag and laptop on the teacher's table, silencing the room. I felt lost and confused as I didn't recognize her. She wasn't dressed like a student, so was she our new professor?

Judging by her appearance, I concluded she was. But why didn't our SSC President inform me?

Did he forget?

She was stunning.

Wearing a black skirt above her knees, a white sleeve covered by a black blazer, her hair in a ponytail. She had captivating black eyes, pink heart-shaped lips, and wore high heels with her nails painted black.

She had an EMO-like appearance.

A stunning EMO woman.

"Good morning class, I am your new professor for Building Technology 1 - Materials for this semester," she spoke in a soothing, calming voice. Despite her intimidating appearance, her voice was quite the opposite.

"My name is Veronica Ivy Arifies, but you can call me Professor Via."

Hold up...

Arifies?

Veronica?!

My sister's ex?!

"As you can see, I am a new professor, and while I may carry the name Arifies, I ask that you treat me like any other professor you've had. For now, we won't start our class with the usual lesson. Instead, we'll begin with an introduction game called '1 truth 2 lies.' At the end of the semester, I'll try to guess which statement of yours is true. If I guess correctly, I win. How does that sound?" She delivered her proposal with a sweet tone, looking at me with a smile, which seemed to be contagious as my blockmates agreed enthusiastically, creating a noisy buzz of excitement.

"Let's start with you, pretty lady. What's your name?" she asked me, and I stood up confidently.

"My name is January Miele Elizabeth Ybañez, but you can call me Jamie. I'm 21 years old. My 1 truth and 2 lies are... I hate playing guitar, I love the idea of romance, and I love math," I introduced myself.

I felt a sense of excitement as I joined in the game, eager to see how this unique class introduction would unfold.

"Ybañez? Are you related to Jezreel Ybañez from Triple Threat?" She asked, and I nodded. Her face lit up with joy.

"She's my older sister."

"Oh, I can see the resemblance. Brown eyes and a pointy nose with a pretty bridge... I'm her friend from back in the day, by the way."

But amidst her excitement, a seed of suspicion began to grow in my mind. Why was she so thrilled to learn about my sister?

Was there more to their past friendship than she was letting on?

Friends don't usually react with such excitement unless there's something significant at play.

Am I right? She's the ex, right?

As the class continued, I couldn't shake off the feeling of curiosity and suspicion. There was a mystery surrounding my sister's past, and it seemed like the professor might hold a piece of that puzzle.

/////////

Samantha's POV

"Hello there, pretty lady, wanna grab a drink?" The sudden interruption from a tall, strong woman caught me off guard, blocking my path in the bar my friend had brought me to.

Initially, I had found it peculiar how secluded and hard-to-find the club was, but stepping inside revealed its identity as a lesbian bar, finally answering the question that had been nagging at my mind.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not really into women," I replied, feeling awkward about rejecting her.

"Your loss" She utters seemed unfazed and casually walked away, leaving me feeling more anxious than before.

It was a new experience for me to witness women engaging in intimate activities in this setting; some were already involved in explicit acts while others watched, creating an atmosphere that was unfamiliar and somewhat unsettling to me.

This is a location where I doubt I will ever return. I'm not homophobic; I'm simply uncomfortable with the idea that some other women in this room were getting banged in front of the crowd while poisoning themselves with drink.

"Are you looking for Madame Serenity?" a woman approached me, dressed casually with a little nameplate on her blazer.

I agreed and let her lead the way; we climbed the stairs until we arrived at the corridor, which included a number of inhabited rooms.

So there's room for s*x. Why would they do it in public eyes?

"Nasa room 5 po siya... Make sure to knock before you went inside."

The staff winked at me, she giggled, and walked away, leaving me alone in the dark hallway.

The noises of talk, blast music, and moaning combine to almost make my ears bleed. I tried to ignore the fact that every room I walked past was filled with groans, accolades, or demeaning words.

I came to a standstill in front of the fifth chamber, and before I could knock, I felt weak.

"f**k! I can't hold it anymore"

"Then c*m for me, my little angel." I feel like I'm breaching someone's privacy by mistakenly eavesdropping on their voices.

I could hear my friend praising another woman she was with. Even if it sounds dumb, I let them be in their own world while texting So-yeon about my arrival.

I waited a few minutes, standing on the opposite side and pretending to play with my phone.

The door swung wide to show a woman and another with platinum blonde hair. The raven-haired one walks away, and I can feel the woman's raven-colored gaze on me.

In my peripheral vision, she's only wearing an oversized shirt and has a silly grin pasted on her stunning face. Before I knew it, she had dragged me inside. She shut the door and forced me to sit on an empty couch as she sat near me.

"Unnie, it's been a while; you didn't let me know you were coming back here." She began to talk cheerfully.

I saw her pour wine into a glass and offer it to me with care. I attempted to dismiss what I had just heard.

This girl. She was aggressive, wild, and a raging s*x offender a minute ago, and now she's acting like an innocent child with a sucker in her mouth.

We chatted about a variety of things, including my background and the cause for my unexpected entrance in this country.

So-yeon and her family were my grandparents' neighbors in Busan, where my mother previously lived. She is a commoner and has a low social status.

"If you really believe you've been banished from your own home, then why not prove him wrong? Show him you're worthy of being by his side, as you wanted. Besides, it's not your fault your fiance backed away and cheated," I slurred slightly, feeling a bit tipsy as our conversation continued.

We had finished the entire bottle of wine without realizing it.

"That's what I've been thinking about, but I don't know how. I don't know what to do anymore," I admitted, feeling frustrated and vulnerable. I resisted the urge to cry; I didn't want to ruin my $100 makeup that had taken hours to perfect.

"I've always been a good daughter to my father and a loyal girlfriend to my fiance. Why is it so hard to please them both?" I wiped away non-existent tears, feeling foolish. My heart pounded in my chest, and my body began to heave with emotion.

I leaned my head on her shoulder and closed my eyes, feeling dizzy and lightheaded from the wine's bitterness and sweetness that still lingered in my mouth.

I hated how weak alcohol made me feel.

"How can I win them back?" I murmured, hoping she wouldn't hear over the blasting music in the room.

The vibrations were faint but noticeable if one focused on them.

"Hey, don't rush it. I know your father and your ex-fiance are important to you, but you need to chill out. Take it easy, and don't worry-I'll help you with everything I can," she reassured me, sounding more mature than me, which made me feel pathetic for being the only one feeling drunk.

But what could I do? I felt like a fragile little girl trapped in a woman's body, unable to express myself freely without someone else's input.

I was on the brink of falling asleep when the door slammed open, and I saw someone who shouldn't be there.

"Get up, we're going back home," Jezreel demanded, reaching for me, but her wrist was grabbed by someone else.

"Hold on, you can't just barge in here and grab my friend like that. We don't know who you are. Do you know her?" So-yeon intervened, causing me to fall off the couch in my dizziness.

"Unfortunately, we do," she mumbled, now I'm feeling confused and frustrated by Jezreel's sudden appearance.

"Yeah we do. Jezreel, wait for me outside."

"No, well get out of here together."

"Jezreel, please" Jezreel insisted I go with her, but I pleaded with her to wait, and she stormed out angrily.

I was left wondering why she hated me so much and how she had found me.

"You didn't tell me you were here with your girlfriend," So-yeon remarked, handing me my purse. Her voice sounded deeper than usual, but my throbbing headache made it hard to focus on anything else.

"I'm sorry for how she behaved."

"It's fine... Get home safe and text me when you arrive," she replied, accustomed to me affectionate gestures as best friends. She gave me a kiss on the cheek, a normal part of our friendship.

Exiting the bar, I felt unsteady, as if I might stumble and fall. I couldn't walk straight, and when I spotted Jezreel leaning into a taxi, her cold, stoic expression didn't escape me.

She rolled her eyes and got into the taxi, I took a seat right beside her.

"How did you know I was there?" I asked, my voice trembling with nervousness.

"Does it matter? What about you? You shouldn't go somewhere you don't even know. If you get harmed, I could lose my job, thanks to you," Jezreel snapped. Her words made me feel both guilty and scared.

I only went to the bar because my friend insisted, and I didn't want her to hate me if I declined. I couldn't bear the thought of being hated, especially not the way Jezreel seemed to hate me now.

Why do I always feel the need to please everyone, even at the expense of my own well-being?

This constant fear of rejection and desire for approval is exhausting. It leaves me vulnerable and, ironically, more isolated than ever.

As the minutes ticked by, the hotel loomed closer. She exited the car with swift determination, leaving me to follow in her wake like a shadow.

My throat tightened, the words I wanted to say caught in the web of my insecurities.It was ridiculous, really, being intimidated by someone nine years my junior.

But her eyes, sharp as daggers, her fists clenched, and her jaw set like stone made me feel as fragile as a sheet of paper.

I had always loathed being the target of anyone's anger.I yearned for universal acceptance, a desire to be liked by everyone. The thought of being despised gnawed at my core-it was my Achilles' heel.

We entered the main lobby, the opulent surroundings spinning slightly as my dizziness grew.

Weakness washed over me, and, just as I feared, I stumbled and fell. Alcohol has always been my undoing.

"Jezreel... Can you help me?" My voice wavered as I struggled to rise, my body feeling insubstantial, as if the alcohol had drained every ounce of strength.

I was helpless.

She didn't even glance back. Instead, she walked away, leaving me to fend for myself. I didn't call out; my head throbbed too intensely.

Consumed by shame, I lay on the cold floor, staring up at the ceiling.

The massive chandelier above swayed gently, its brilliance masked by the menace of its diamond-like pendants. The thought of it crashing down and ending everything crossed my mind.

A flicker of anxiety ran through me, but I brushed it aside as So-yeon's words echoed in my ears, reverberating through my mind.

How can I win those men back?

I love them both, and I would do anything for them. But what should I do?

How can I prove that I'm worthy of their love?

Questions flood my mind, swirling relentlessly until the darkness consumes me. I know I'm going to catch a cold or even a fever, but it doesn't matter. I couldn't stand up on my own, anyway.

At last... For now... This is where I belong-at the lowest point on earth.

Or at least, that's what I thought.

After that night, I woke up in my room. Confusion clouded my thoughts as I tried to remember how I got there.

I ventured out and headed straight to the pool area, only to see strangers cleaning the pool. I wandered around and realized there were at least twenty strangers inside the hotel.

They all wore the same uniform: a plain red polo shirt with a logo on the back, marking them as part of the same team.

One of them explained that they were tasked with cleaning the entire hotel once a month. Feeling disoriented, I found myself in the kitchen where the couple was, but there was no sign of Jezreel.

"Good morning, Madame Sam. Ready na po kayo sa pag lipat nyo."

Oh shit... I completely forgot about it.

\\

Jezreel's POV

"Jezreel... Can you help me?" rinig kong pagmamakaawa ni Madame Sam, nahinto ako sa paglalakad ngunit hindi ko siya nilingon. Ayoko, dapat galit ako. I should be furious. There's no reason I should feel any sympathy.

I left her where she was and retreated to my room. After locking the door, I took a few steps before stopping, my resolve wavering.

I turned around, reopened the door, and went to the main lobby. There she was, lying on the cold floor, looking utterly helpless.

With a heavy sigh and a growing sense of guilt, I knelt down and picked her up in my arms. I carried her to her room, laid her gently on the bed, and tucked her in.

How could this be the same teenager I met before?

It seemed impossible.

Lalabas na sana ako ngunit sa aking pagtalikod pa lamang ay bigla niya akong hinawakan sa aking palapulsuhan. Pagharap ko sa kanya ay nakita ko siyang pilit binubuksan ang kanyang isang mata.

"Where are you going? Who are you?" She looked like she's winking but she's not. Inangat pa niya ng bahagya ang ulo niya para mas mamukhaan ako.

Cute.

"To the moon." Panggagago ko, she giggles na akala mo ay naintindihan ang sinabi ko.

"I wanna go to the moon as well, but I don't think my father would allow me." Huh? Bakit naman hindi siya papayagan? She's old enough naman na ah.

"Is disobeying not in your vocabulary?"

"No, I'm an obedient kid" binawi ko na ang kamay ko. Tumitig ako sa kanya ng ilang segundo. Nginisian niya naman ako.

"What? Am I pretty?"

"Go to sleep, oldie" tinakpan ko ang nakakaloko niyang mukha gamit ang available niyang unan.

Lumakad ako palapit sa kanyang pintuan ngunit bago pa ako makalabas ay nagsalita muli siya.

"That flustered expression, I miss that Jezreel." Natigilan tuloy ako sa kung anong gagawin ko.

"Miss ka ba?"