Kiara's P. O. V

I turn again, jerking with force in bed. Sleep seems to be pissed of with me.

And reality, it just feels like a dream. So much is going on, it's hard to believe it all at once. What if I am actually dreaming?

I punch myself and the slight sensation of pain tells me that I am not dreaming.

All these things, they scare and excite me at the same time.

The competition has been announced and well, it's tomorrow in the morning.

Yeah, they informed us on time.

I roll my eyes at my own sarcasm.

Everyone has worked so hard for this, especially my sister and now it all depends on me and Jason.

Jason.

A sweet guy who does alot of sweet things for me and who has, after his makeover, become the new talk of town.

Why? Well he went from being Not-anyones-type to everyone's-fantasy overnight.

Girls. All they care about is looks.

Really Kiara?

My conscious mocks me and I roll my eyes. I agree, even I didn't notice him before the make over but that doesn't mean that I like him only for his looks. He's cute and he treats everyone around him so well.

He's a perfect gentleman. I few weeks ago, I didn't want to work with him and now, I'm so glad I have him as my onstage romance. He just makes me feel so...comfortable.

Are you sure that's all he makes you feel? Just comfortable?

My conscious is back and I shut my eyes, trying to push it at the back of my mind.

You can't do this to yourself again Kiara. You can't let history repeat itself.

The sensible side of my brain is right. I can't let anyone have power over me again. I have had that before and it did not go down very well.

How funny. You are pushing Janet into something you're running away from. Hypocrite.

I grit my teeth at this thought mainly because, at the back of my mind, I know it's true.

I'm pushing Janet into this, knowing very well that it may all spiral down.

Not like she wasn't walking into the trap already.

She was, but that still doesn't justify the encouragement I'm giving her.

I shut my eyes and try to do the same with my brain. This is an argument that I want to avoid.

Because I don't like the end of the argument. It's going to bring me face to face with facts that I don't wish to admit.

The fact that despite of everything, somewhere deep down, the hope for true love and happily ever after is still there. It refuses to leave me even after all my attempts and somewhere, I'm trying to help Janet find love so that I can make peace with myself.

Selfish. I know.

I sigh.

There's really no right or wrong in this situation, now is it?

There's just one way of controlling the outcomes and I'm going to do it.

For Janet.

***********

I first fell a few drops and suddenly my face came in contact with what felt like a big wave. It was enough to make my heart jump.

And I follow my heart. So I jumped as well. But my brain felt betrayed, so it forced me to yell and so I did.

I suddenly felt a hand on my mouth and a voice, too loud for my liking, hit my drums.

"Kiara shut up!!!" I finally opened my eyes to see a freaked out Janet, holding my mouth shut.

I look around me to meet the familiar walls of my room. I also finally acknowledge the wetness in my t-shirt. But before I could react.

"Kiara why are you screaming? You think it's funny to wake the neighbourhood up?" my mother's voice comes from outside followed by knocks.

"Open the door," she yells and Janet closes her eyes, pure horror written all over her face.

I narrow my eyes at her when it strikes me.

Janet dropped water on me. That means the bed will also be wet. Oh my god.

If you don't already know this, you should that my mother hates it when anything happens to the sheets. Including them getting wet. She washes them also with extra care. This obsession of her is beyond my understanding but it's there and I'm dealing with it.

"Cover it!" I whisper-yell and get up to open the door. I grab my jacket from the nearby table and pull it over.

"Coming Mumma," I answer and my mother's incessant knocking stops.

I swing the door open and my mother is standing there with a gift wrapped box in her hand.

"Oh, how sweet mumma, you bought a gift for me," I try to change the topic and mother scowls.

"Don't change the topic. Next time you scream-" I cut her warning off.

"Okay, thanks Mumma, bye, I'm late for school," I smile, grab the gift box and shut the door. I turn and glare at Janet.

"You-" this time Janet cuts me off.

"What's that?" she asks me, pointing at the box and I look down. I let the matter pass because I'm way too curious about this box myself. My eyes land on the chit stuck to the corner. I flip it open to see 'With love, for Janet' sprawled over the chit.

"Ooooh, someone's got a gift," I sing and settle on the bed, pulling the gift open.

"uh-what?" Janet narrows her eyes and I chuck the paper chit at her before continuing to tear the box open.

Janet reads the chit and immediately her eyes widen. "Hey! That's for me!" she tries to grab the box but she's too late.

I pull the box open to see there's a small piece of rod, which looks like it's been cut off from a bigger piece, with a letter. I pick up the rod and examine it to find dried blood on one end. I drop the rod and I involuntarily push the box away from me.

Janet, who is left wide eyed, picks up the rod. She's staring at it, almost as if she recognises it.

Why is she looking at it like that?

My eyes fall on the letter and pick it up.

"I hope that day was warning enough and I won't have to tell you again. Stay away from Chase/Steven. I won't warn you again, next time it will be...
- With love.

I read it out loud and Janet's expression is morphed into one of worry and pain.

"What the hell is this Janet! Care to explain?" I cross my arms over my chest. Right now, looking at her, I'm sure she's hiding something from me.

"This rod, I recognise it," she starts and I nod."I can see that you recognise it. The question is, how and why the hell does it have blood on it?" I question and she bites her lip.

"Uh-m you remember the other day I had gone to the beach?" she asks and I nod.

"Yeah so that day Steven had found me and we were just hanging out when," she pauses and I shake my head.

I should have known. It had to be that guy. I knew he was dangerous and I like an idiot was seriously considering Steven for Janet. You really are mad Kiara. You should have known. Love is only for novels.

"When what Janet!?" I ask when she doesn't continue.

"We were attacked," she says softly and I glare at her, my fists clenching.

"It was not his fault, he saved me," she says immediately, almost as if she read my mind.

"Really Janet? That's his excuse! He wouldn't have to save it if he wouldn't have put it in trouble in the first place. You know, I'm sorry. I was pushing you towards him. I was so wrong. But I'm going to rectify that. Now, I'll make sure he doesn't come near you-" she cuts me off.

"No Kiara, calm down. It's not his fault. He didn't want it. He's a nice guys who's just-" this time I cut her off.

"No Janet. He's not a nice guy, especially if your life is in danger with him. You're not going to stay with him and that's final. I'm going to make sure of it," I finish.

This seemed to snap something in her and she got up with full force and anger."Don't worry, you won't have to work to do that because he took it upon himself to stay away from me. He and you, two people making my life choices for me. Thanks alot guys for taking my wishes into consideration," she yells and marches out.

Its too late to save Janet's heart, isn't it?

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Thank you so much for being patient with me and reading 💜 you guys are appreciated 💜💜💜💜