｡˚⛓˚｡⋆. GUCCI

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It wrecked me.

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Chanel... Zeus... I do not know what to do anymore. I just wanted this nightmare to end. Many people were already taken from us... Did we really deserve this? Was this the price we paid for wanting justice?

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If only I knew that we would end up like this, I would have told my friends to postpone the celebration.

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God... We just wanted to celebrate the end of exams.

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I hoped that I would end up in the other's room. But why did Crow give me mine?

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Why in my room full of pictures with Yves, Zeus, and I? The memories... they were still there. But the people were not. We were robbed of justice, and now, the people that mattered most to me were being singled out.

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Zeus is with her now. He is with his true love... the one he prayed for a thousand lifetimes.

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The universe didn't give them a lifetime. It gave them the afterlife to be with each other.

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I hope you're happy there, my love. Hug her for me.

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I was holding the picture frame of the photograph of me and Zeus. We did not know the group yet. We sat beside each other on the bus because it was our field trip.

Oh, we were so happy.

I miss him so much. The world is so unfair. The world was so bad for Prada and me. As if being happy was illegal. I settled for friendship... then it was taken away from me too.

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If you only chose me, I'd always choose your name without hesitation. I was only sure with you, Zeus.

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I then looked at a Polaroid picture of us. It was our prom. We were not partners but you insisted that we should have a prom picture. You were so attentive to me... never once did you made me feel alone.

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You looked so handsome that night.

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You were incomparable to stars.

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I did not have a partner then so he wanted to let me experience being danced in prom. Apollo even asked me if he could gate crash in our prom just so I could have a date. I told myself that I didn't want a partner if it was not Zeus.

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Even to the littlest nothing, I would still pick Zeus.

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My eyes darted to the plushie he gave to me. That's when I lost it. I took it and hugged it. He suggested that I put eyeglasses on the bear so I gave him that.

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It was cuter than ever!

He gave me this on my 16th birthday. We were already friends with Yves then. Zeus told me that I should hug this plushie when a thunderstorm comes because he knows that I was afraid of those.

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However, I wanted to hug this plushie right now. Because nothing made me more afraid than his death.

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"I regret everything." My voice cracked as I cried. I remembered everything I had done and I really regret it.

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I just want to bring back the days when we were so happy. Back to the day when I was 15.

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- -

FLASHBACK

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"I'm already late!" I shouted while running. I was already late for class since my stupid brother turned my alarm clock off so I woke up late!

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"Ugh, fuck!" I hissed when I saw the red stoplight sign for the pedestrian walkers.

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One thing about me is that I hate being late.

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Unlike Yves but I felt betrayed because she was already in school! I decided to call her.

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"Hey, Daliah! Where are you?!" My best friend frantically greeted me. Daliah Gucci July is my full name.

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"I'm five minutes away!" I answered. "Is Miss already there?!"

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"Yes!" She was in a panic too so I got nervous more! "! "Hurry up! I'll tell her you got stuck in traffic."

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"Okay okay, thank you." I was catching my breath as I hung up on the call.

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"Fuck, I'm already late," I looked at the man beside me. But why was his shoulder the only thing I see? I then raised my head.

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Gosh, he's tall.

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And he's handsome!

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His hair was jet black. He was wearing a Gucci shirt, black shorts, and rubber shoes. His backpack was hung on his right shoulder. He was looking at his watch which caused me to stare at it too... Rolex?!

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Man, I aspire to be that rich.

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I did not pay attention to him anymore because the stoplight turned green which meant I could go. But, I have a problem! I wanted to run but that meant I'd leave the handsome guy alone!

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Flirt or school?

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Of course, flirt.

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I slowed down the pace of my walking, trying not to be obvious that I wanted to keep up with him. He looked like he was the same age so I got curious about where he was studying. I flinched when I saw him looking at me!

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"You were staring at me," he pointed out, biting his bottom lip to stifle a smile.

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I'm blushing, shocks.

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"Yes, I was the first to look..." I nodded at him then tilted my head to the side. "But why were you the one chasing?"

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He looked stunned for a moment, making me break into a small laugh. He was cute too.

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"Hmm... Atenean," He said. I wanted to say 'So what?' but I remembered that I wanted to know where he was studying.

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"Atenean too." I gave him a smile. It felt like we were meant to be!

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But, I didn't expect that he was meant for my best friend.

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END

- -

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We met when I was 15. I loved you since then.

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I did not notice that I was crying so heavily since earlier while looking back at the days that we were happy and contented. I beg God to take us back.

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Enough of this, I don't want to cry anymore.

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I wiped my tears before taking out a photo album in my cabinet. Right now, I prefer looking at the pictures of our group.

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I smiled when I saw the first picture. It was our first complete hangout. Prada invited us to eat chicken wings and to be honest, I was hesitant at first.

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But Zeus said he would go so I came too!

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I remember how we were so awkward back then. Good thing, Apollo, Dior,  Achilles, and Hades were extroverted enough to initiate the conversation. They had me dying of laughter!

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Tiffany and I were often their targets when it came to teasing because they said our reactions were funny. Apollo and Dior were the greatest teasers!

But when they teased each other, it was like a World War.

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When the four of them get together, expect that you'll understand nothing with their conversation. Their logic was too complex for me to understand!

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The next picture was a picture of Yves, Chanel, Tiffany, and me. We belonged to an organization and it was an event so we decided to save the memory.

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It was the early days when Ares was still courting Tiffany and the start of the love story of Hades and Chanel.

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Yves just said 'yes' to Zeus at this moment.

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I sighed and looked at the next photograph. I remember this... It was taken after the High School graduation of Tiffany, Dior, Hermés, and Apollo.

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It was chaotic!

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Achilles, Apollo, and Hades were pillow fighting. Prada was showing a condom to Tiffany! Dior was drawing a dick on the sleeping Ares with a marker. Zeus and Yves were playing on their phones. Chanel was teaching Hermés how to twerk! Lastly, I was the one who took the picture.

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I do not know if I should cry or laugh at this picture. Because... we were too happy then. We were contented with each other's presence and it made me so sad that we reached this point.

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The next picture... was the happiest for me.

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We went to an amusement park to celebrate the graduation of Zeus', Yves', and me. I remembered how Apollo and Hades hugged each other out of fear during the roller coaster ride.

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It was also this day when Chanel said yes to Hades. We also teased Hermés to make a move on Dior!

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After that, we all succeeded in getting into the same university.

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Almost half of us worked hard for the scholarship and I am happy that I was with them until I grew up. They truly saved me.

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I know I made mistakes but...

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I only did it to save them.

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｡˚⛓˚｡⋆. APOLLO

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My brows furrowed when I saw this room. Wasn't this Ares'? For sure, it's not mine. Why did Tiffany have these?

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Why were there law books here? Tiffany is a med student.

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I'm a law student too so I was familiar with these types of books. Why did she own a Revised Penal Code? Was she curious? She has no books other than RPC and the 1987 Constitution.

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Or does she plan to give this as a gift to Ares? That guy and I were classmates in other subjects. But I know he was always complete with books! I even rented from him sometimes. When I returned it, it was already destroyed.

As if we're not friends! Just kidding.

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If this was a gift, I could safely say that it did not look brand new. And she was not careful using it. Goodness.

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I took the book and opened it. I got more confused because there were many highlights! Tell me the truth... Did Tiffany plan to shift courses?

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If I were her, don't. Joke.

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I noticed that the marks were solely about rape, coercion, and violation of privacy. Maybe she wanted to help Ares study? However... Ares and I were classmates so I knew our lessons. We were not yet on these topics.

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Moreover, with the intelligence of that asshole, he doesn't need a study buddy!

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I also asked help from my girlfriend but she didn't want to. She said that we're going to die eventually. So happy. Sarcasm intended.

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I looked at the papers of Tiffany laid on the desk. I was shocked to see that they were case digests. If she just wanted to read the law then I was sure that she wouldn't refer to these too.

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I read the cases and all of them were connected to what she highlighted in her books. Ares and Tiffany might be relationship goals if ever she really wanted to become a lawyer. I think she'll make a great criminal or human rights lawyer.

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I stopped when I saw a notebook on the side. I took it and read. I smirked when I discovered what was written there.

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Chanel and Tiffany knew the same thing.

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I remembered what Dior and I talked about earlier. The both of us knew the same about the incident... which made me shocked because of what Chanel told me.

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If I was given the chance, I'd gladly kill that fucker.

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I was stunned by my intelligence when I realized that the reason why Tiffany has law books is because she was investigating the case of Yves and Achilles.

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Rape, coercion, and violation of privacy.

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Many cases can be charged against you, you fucker.

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I smiled triumphantly when I realized that I now know everything about what happened! But how about the one I was protecting?

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All of us... have contributed to their deaths.

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We were also victims of lying and deceiving. Once we got out of here, were we going straight to prison?

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I cursed because I knew that it was not easy to tell them. We would still be struggling. It was difficult to move with the information we knew.

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And more that this was not easy to tell the others.

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We all had something we were protecting... that's why we reached this point. But fuck, I could not lose another friend again.

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Yes, we could not go back to the way we were before. But I just hoped that we wouldn't separate with grudges.

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They had a great impact on my life. I learned to be happy, to give, to care, and to love because of them.

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They were the ones who pulled me away from my bad ways.

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- -

FLASHBACK

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"Let's drink later!" Hades invited and slung his arm around me. Damn, this fool does not know anything other than drinking!

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Hermés, Hades, Achilles, and I were now in the mall. We were accompanying our girl friends who wanted to shop for groceries.

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But, why were we in Watsons now?

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"Ssap," I answered while texting the girl I was flirting with. I have been talking to her for a week now and the free trial will end tomorrow. Might as well make it worth it. "I have a date."

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"Fool, you're not even serious?" Achilles smacked me in the head, making me glare at him.

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"I'll treat you to dinner if Apollo enters a serious relationship," Hermés said before drinking his lemon juice. They really want me to get a girlfriend!

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"Be serious for once, you asshole!" Hades scolded. "I'll punch you if you lead someone on again!"

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"I hope you'll find your match." Hermés smirked at me before throwing his empty drink in the trash can.

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Serious relationship... Me? As if!

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It was hard for me to enter a serious relationship because I was hurt countless times. I became a red flag.

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Commitments do not work for me. I was only committed to mobile games.

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"Am I in love?"

One day, I just found myself asking that question while watching the girl I like walk away after planting a kiss on my cheek.

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After a few days, I stood in front of her house to serenade her.

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I was down bad.

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END

- -

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So I would not leave until I make sure that we were all fine and okay. We should let go of each other without excess baggage.

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This is for now. It will be safer this way. I'm just asking for a little time.

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It was as if a question in my head was answered when I saw what lay in Tiffany's trash bin. Fuck...

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She lied?!

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I looked at the burnt papers in her trash bin. I did not know what it was about so I took the ripped papers.

I placed this on the desk and tried forming it. It felt like I was playing a puzzle.

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2008 feels. Enjoyable.

"Fuck..." I held my head when I finished piecing the torn papers together.

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I thought the picture was not hers. We were all just the same. Playing safe. Liars. Traitors.

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I scoffed at myself when I realized why did Tiffany look so tired that night.

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Ares should know this.

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The whole truth.

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I just hope Ares won't let the crow kiss his girlfriend's death.