CHAPTER ELEVEN
Face the Truth | 진실을 직시하다

⚘( ၴႅၴ

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"I am in no position to be facing this with (Your name), it is just what I've heard, and I don't want to assume things. I also don't want you in trouble as well, so I want you to be careful."

Daniel's eyes lingered on Vasco, feeling the weight of the conversation pressing against his chest. The words were heavy, like stones sinking into his heart, but Vasco was right. This wasn't something he should dive into recklessly. He didn't know enough yet to form any conclusions, but the tension in the air suggested that whatever was going on was serious.

Daniel nodded, though it didn't feel like he was in agreement with anything Vasco had said. His mind, clouded with confusion, raced, desperately trying to make sense of the strange, fragmented pieces of the situation.

(Your name)... one of Goo and Gun?

The thought spun through his mind like a tornado, scattering his rational thoughts in every direction. Could it really be true? Was she involved with people like that? He had always seen her as the kind-hearted girl who stood up for the underdog, someone he could trust. But now, this new information felt like an unexplainable gap, one he didn't know how to cross.

His gaze drifted toward the stage where  (Your name) was standing. She looked so happy. The smile on her face was bright as she sang alongside Zoe, her voice carrying a sweet melody into the night. From a distance, she seemed untouchable, untroubled by anything that could shake her.

But then, the knot in his stomach tightened. Was it really her? Could it really be the same girl he'd spent time with—the same one who had opened up to him? He had seen the depths of her kindness, the way she always tried to protect others, especially the vulnerable. Could someone like that truly be tangled up with people like Goo and Gun?

Daniel's pulse quickened as Vasco's voice broke through his thoughts again. "If you have a problem, just call me, friend."

The offer was kind, but Daniel wasn't sure if it was enough. He didn't want to drag Vasco into whatever this was. It wasn't just about the situation with  (Your name); it was about his own growing uncertainty. What was he supposed to believe?

The truth was, Daniel was terrified. He had developed feelings for  (Your name)—feelings he wasn't sure how to handle. But at the same time, those feelings were tied to a deeper, more complex connection. He didn't want to lose her, not to the mystery surrounding her. Not to the suspicion of her involvement with people who made him feel uneasy. He didn't know if he had done something wrong to cause her to act distant, but this felt too big to ignore. The uncertainty gnawed at him, and every passing moment felt like a weight, too heavy to bear.

Vasco left, sensing that Daniel needed time to sort through his tangled thoughts.

As Vasco's retreating footsteps faded into the distance, Daniel found himself alone with his thoughts once again. His eyes returned to  (Your name), who was still singing with Zoe. The carefree joy that radiated from her only made the confusion in his heart grow stronger. The more he looked at her, the more he wanted to believe the best in her. But something was wrong. He could feel it in his gut.

While (Your name) continued to sing, her gaze shifted, and for the briefest of moments, she looked past the crowd, her eyes locking with someone in the distance. It was Crystal.

The sight of Crystal standing in the doorframe sent a shiver down (Your name)'s spine. Crystal's expression was unreadable, but there was something about the way she stood there—her posture tense, her eyes sharp—that made (Your name) feel a sense of unease. It was as if Crystal had always been able to read her, and in that moment, it felt as though she was dissecting (Your name)'s every move.

(Your name)'s heart skipped a beat. Her gut twisted with a strange mix of fear and guilt. She wasn't sure why, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. Crystal was no stranger to her, and their history together was filled with moments both warm and cold. But now, the distance between them felt insurmountable. She had tried to push that part of her life behind her, but Crystal's presence brought it all rushing back.

(Your name) quickly wrapped up the song, slinging her guitar over her back. She could feel her heartbeat in her throat as she hurried to leave the stage. She couldn't face Crystal—not now. Not when her emotions were already in disarray.

As she moved through the crowd, she could hear people calling out to her, asking her to stay and chat. But she couldn't. She couldn't afford to face them, not with the storm brewing inside of her. So, with a quick nod and a polite smile, she excused herself and made her way through the throng, desperately seeking a place to breathe.

But it was too late.

"Who's that, your girlfriend?"

The voice was unmistakable—Crystal's voice, teasing, mocking, and yet laced with something sharper, something bitter. (Your name) froze in place. Her face flushed with heat, her stomach twisting into knots. Why did Crystal always have a way of making her feel so exposed, like every hidden part of her was suddenly under a microscope?

"No," (Your name) managed to say, her voice soft, but her embarrassment was impossible to hide. "It's not like that. Please."

Crystal didn't seem to care. She leaned against the doorframe with a smirk, clearly enjoying the effect she was having. "I haven't heard you sing in a long time, did you know that? I've only heard a little from that forest."

The mention of the forest made (Your name) flinch. That place—the one that had once been a safe haven, a place to escape—was now a memory she wished to forget. She never thought she'd hear Crystal bring it up again.

"Uh... you heard that too?" (Your name)'s voice was hesitant, betraying the unease she felt. That was a stupid question. She hadn't wanted anyone to know about those secret moments—the moments she shared with herself in solitude. And yet, Crystal came in like a bunny with a blow torch.

Before Crystal could respond, a familiar voice interrupted them.

"I want to talk to you about something."

Crystal stepped forward, her expression serious. "I need your answer about what Gun asked you."

The question hung in the air, and (Your name)'s heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected this moment to come so soon, but here it was, impossible to avoid.

(Your name) took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She turned to Crystal, her gaze steady despite the turmoil swirling inside her.

"Yes, my answer. How important is this to you, Crystal?"

(Your name)'s words were calm, almost detached, but inside, her heart was pounding. She didn't know how to navigate this conversation, but she knew one thing—this was bigger than her. Bigger than what she and Crystal had shared.

Crystal's eyes narrowed as she stepped closer, her voice low but heavy with emotion. "You know, (Your name), I don't know about you, but we've been apart for a while. Don't you value the time we had when we were kids?"

Her words hit (Your name) like a punch to the stomach. She had been trying to move forward, trying to leave the past behind her, but Crystal's question pulled her right back into it. The memories flooded her—times of laughter, times of pain. Times when they had both been vulnerable, together, relying on each other to survive.

"I value it, Crystal!" (Your name)'s voice wavered, the crack in it betraying the storm of emotions inside her. "But you don't know, your dad—"

Before she could finish, Crystal interrupted her, her voice sharp, tinged with bitterness. "Oh, why my dad again?"

(Your name)'s stomach churned at the mention of Crystal's father, the man she had never been able to truly understand. The man who had shaped Crystal in ways Marcy couldn't even begin to comprehend.

"Yes, I know you don't like him. Yes, you don't want to be with him because he seems like a shady prick who lets others do the work for him. But Marcy, he raised me! He saved me from that orphanage!" Crystal's words were raw, filled with anger, but there was an undercurrent of pain that (Your name) couldn't ignore.

(Your name)'s eyes softened, though her voice remained firm. "So you hate the moments we had in the orphanage? I thought you enjoyed being with me?"

The question hung in the air, and Marcy could see the conflict in Crystal's eyes. But before Crystal could respond, the anger in her voice flared again. " (Your name)—you don't understand."

(Your name) shook her head, trying to hold on to some semblance of clarity. She had to get through to Crystal—had to make her see. "What don't I understand, Crystal? That you don't care? That you don't value our friendship?"

The silence between them was heavy, thick with unspoken words. Crystal opened her mouth to speak but stopped herself, the weight of her emotions choking her.

"I do..."

(Your name)'s voice was soft, pleading, but it was too late. Crystal was already pulling away, her gaze flickering toward Jace, who had been silently observing. "You have new friends," she said, her tone bitter. "I hope they can still join you in your adventures."

The words stung like a slap to the face. (Your name) could feel the gap between them widening, the connection she had once felt with Crystal slipping through her fingers like sand.

Crystal left, her steps echoing in the silence that followed.

The words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment, everything seemed to freeze. (Your name)'s heart hammered in her chest, the weight of the confession hanging over her like a storm cloud that she had long tried to avoid. Jace's teasing smile faded into something softer, more understanding, as if she knew that (Your name) wasn't quite ready to face the depths of what she was feeling. But there was no escaping it now. The dam had broken, and there was no turning back.

(Your name) could barely focus on the room around her. Her senses were overwhelmed by the emotional surge that had been building up inside her for so long. She felt her body tremble slightly, the rawness of her vulnerability finally forcing its way to the surface. She wanted to say something, anything to make sense of the storm inside her, but the words were trapped, caught somewhere deep within her chest.

Her mind raced as she thought back to the countless moments with Crystal—the laughter they shared, the warmth that Crystal's presence brought her, and the way her heart seemed to skip a beat whenever their eyes met. But the more (Your name) thought about it, the more she realized that it wasn't just about a fleeting crush. It was something deeper, something she couldn't quite explain. It was a bond that had grown over time, built on unspoken understanding and the shared experiences that made them more than just friends.

" (Your name)?" Jace's voice pulled her back to reality, her tone gentle but persistent. "You don't have to do it right now, but I think it's time you admitted what's been on your mind."

(Your name) swallowed hard, fighting the lump in her throat. She knew Jace was right. It was time to confront it, to stop pretending that her feelings didn't exist, that they could be buried away forever. But there was still that fear—the fear of rejection, of losing what she had with Crystal, of everything changing. And yet, in that moment, (Your name) realized that maybe it was better to face the unknown than to live in the shadow of doubt.

"I don't know how to say it," (Your name) muttered, her voice barely audible. "I don't even know what this is, but it feels... important. Too important to ignore anymore."

Jace nodded, her expression a mix of empathy and encouragement. "It's okay to feel confused. Sometimes, emotions don't make sense. But they're real. And you don't have to have all the answers right now. Just... be honest with yourself first."

(Your name) closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She needed to calm her racing thoughts, to find some clarity in the whirlwind of feelings that had overtaken her. She could still feel Crystal's presence in her mind—the way her smile made Marcy feel like she was home, the way Crystal's laughter felt like a balm for her soul.

"I think I'm scared," (Your name) admitted quietly, her voice trembling. "I don't want to mess things up. I don't want to ruin what we have."

"You won't ruin anything by being honest," Jace replied firmly, her voice a steady anchor in the sea of (Your name)'s uncertainty. "It's better to face the truth than to keep pretending. And besides, Crystal's not going to turn her back on you. You just have to trust that."

(Your name) opened her eyes and glanced at Jace, who was looking at her with a mix of understanding and reassurance. It wasn't the first time Jace had given her this kind of support, but something about her words felt different now. It felt like Jace wasn't just comforting her as a friend; she was helping (Your name) find the courage to face something deeper, something she had been avoiding for far too long.

Zack, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke up, his tone more subdued than usual. " (Your name)," he began, his voice rough but sincere, "you don't have to do this for anyone else but yourself. Whatever happens, we've got your back. We're not going anywhere."

(Your name) felt a lump form in her throat, a mixture of gratitude and uncertainty swirling inside her. She had always been surrounded by people who cared for her, people who supported her in ways she couldn't always understand. But this moment—this realization that she had the freedom to be honest with herself—felt like a turning point.

"I just... I don't know if I'm ready," (Your name) whispered, her hands still clutching the teddy bear Jace had given her. It felt like a lifeline, something to hold onto in the midst of the emotional chaos. "I don't know if I can handle the consequences."

"You don't have to have it all figured out," Jace reassured her, her hand resting gently on (Your name)'s shoulder. "You just need to take the first step. And you don't have to do it alone."

(Your name) nodded slowly, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she processed everything. It was like a weight had been lifted, but another, even heavier weight had taken its place—the weight of vulnerability, of facing the unknown. But Jace was right. She didn't have to do it alone. She had her friends, and she had herself.

The silence stretched out for a few moments as (Your name) gathered her thoughts. She glanced around at her friends, their faces full of support and understanding. It was hard to imagine a time when she had felt so disconnected from them, when everything felt so complicated and messy. But in this moment, surrounded by the people who cared for her, she felt a sense of clarity she hadn't experienced before.

"I think I know what I need to do," (Your name) said finally, her voice steadying. "I just have to take a deep breath and face the truth."

Jace gave her an encouraging smile, her eyes bright with pride. "That's the spirit."

(Your name) stood up a little straighter, feeling a sense of resolve settle over her. The world still felt uncertain, but for the first time in a long while, she felt like she was ready to face it head-on. Whatever came next, she knew she could handle it.

And with that, (Your name) took a deep breath, letting the air fill her lungs. She wasn't sure what the future held, but she was finally ready to confront it. Ready to face her feelings for Crystal, no matter how complicated or scary they seemed.

As the sound of Zack and Jace talking in the background faded, (Your name)'s thoughts turned to Crystal. She wasn't sure how to start the conversation, but she knew she couldn't keep running from it any longer. She had to be honest with herself—and with her.

And maybe, just maybe, everything would fall into place.

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A/n - I don't know if this story is closing in to the ending. Who knows. Just be ready when it does because I'm not-