"Miel, why are you crying? What happened?" Janice immediately asked when we saw her and angelo in the pathway.
But I didn't respond. I was just crying hard. Janice hugged me and caressed my back.
"Carl?" Janice asked because she really can't get any information from me.
"A photo of her and a man leaked in the cafeteria." He simply answered and he looks so annoyed, it is evident in his voice.
"And Matthew got mad?" Angelo's asked.
"Yes because he is stupid." Carl irritatedly said.
"Bro. That's an initial reaction of a man if he saw that kind of pictures. He will feel like he's betrayed." Angelo defended Matthew.
"Yeah? And he didn't listen to everything that Miel said." Carl argued.
"You know Matthew. He's just mad." Angelo said.
"Mad? Why would he? He didn't even... Nevermind." Carl spat but he stopped himself and he heave a sigh.
"Miel's innocent. That picture was taken when I rescued her from the two man who tried to raped her. They said someone asked them to take that picture. I saw it with my own eyes." Carl explained and that made me look at him.
"Y-you can help me." I immediately said then I held Carl's hand.
"Tsk. That man always ask for evidences. Don't expect him to just believe me since we're not in good terms you witnessed that." Carl said that made me lose hope.
"Take care of Miel. I'm going now." Carl said to Janice then he went closer to Angelo.
"Tell that immature man everything and try to make him understand the situation. Miel doesn't deserve this. Afterall, he's the one who's doing something wrong not Reina Miel." Carl said then he left.
"I'm going to calm her. Please do what you need to do." Janice said to Angelo then she held me in my arms and helped me walk towards the locker room since that would be a great place to have a serious talk. Everyone's busy in the cafeteria.
We easily arrived at the locker room. Janice helped me sit in the chair then she sat beside me.
I already stop from crying but I still don't feel okay.
Janice took her bag and took her tumbler. She opened it and helped me drink some water.
"Will you mind telling me what really happened?" Janice asked after helping me drink.
She closed her tumbler again and put it back inside her bag.
"We're happy. He even gave me roses." I said.
"Roses?" She asked.
"Yeah. A boquet of roses. I left it in the classroom." I explained.
"Okay and then?" She asked.
"This recess time, we decided to eat in the cafeteria since they're already used to eat there. But then we saw the other students gathering around in a certain area. When they noticed us, they moved away and let us saw the pictures that causing the commotion. It's me with a guy. He was carrying me bridal style and I was hugging his neck while I am unconscious. I don't know that. I can't even remember anything like that." I explained.
"That made sense. Carl witnessed what happened and he saved you." She responded.
"I tried to explain everything to Matthew but he's not listening." I said and I can feel that I'm about to cry again.
"Matthew closed his mind. How dare he?" Janice said and I can feel her anger.
"Can you help me? I'll apologize to him. I need to clear my name." I said then I held her hand.
"What? You didn't do anything wrong! He likes you right? Then why would he closed his mind and let you suffer like this?" Janice irritatedly said.
"I understand him. He just became like that because he felt betrayed." I said.
"Seriously? How about you? He never fetch you in your home. He's letting you roam around without anyone with you." Janice said. She's frustrated, I can feel it.
"I have a driver, Janice." I said to defend Matthew.
"It's not an excuse. If he want to know you more, he will do that even if that means that your family will see him." Janice spat and this is the first time that I saw her being this mad. "I won't help anymore, Miel. It's not your fault." She said then she stood up.
"Hey, where are you going?" I asked.
"I need some air. I'm sorry for aryuing with you but I really can't take this." She said then she walked away.
She left me here alone and sad.
I was so confused of Janice's behavior. She always supports me and Matthew. She always help me when things between me and Matthew are not okay. But now? I can feel how frustrated she is. She seems to hate Matthew. Why?
"Reina Miel." I heard someone called me outside.
"Yes? Who are you?" I asked then I went to the door and opened it. Only to be surprised of who it is.
"What are you doing here?" I softly asked.
"Our class will start again in seven minutes. Let's go." Carl said then he took my hand.
Luckily, I'm holding my bag so I have no worries and I don't have to go back.
We walk towards our room silently.
"Carl." I called him while we're walking.
"What?" he simply asked.
"Can you talk to Matthew---"You know he won't listen." I wasn't able to continue what I'm about to say since he interrupted me.
"But he's mad. I don't want him to be like this. I didn't cheat." I said with a sad voice.
"I know." He simply said then he let go of my hand. I didn't noticed that he's still holding it because I was so worried about Matthew.
I heave a sigh and became silent. I'm really sad now. What should I do?
I was looking straight but spacing out when suddenly I saw a sandwich moving in front of me.
I came back to my senses and saw that it was Carl who's holding the sandwich and he's moving his hand to catch my attention.
I look at him and became confuse of what he did.
"You haven't eating anything yet." He said but he's not looking at me.
I was so surprised that I just stared at him.
"C'mmon get it. Calm yourself and stop worrying too much. Everything happens for a reason." He said then he took my hand. He opened it and placed the sandwich there, making me hold it.
I can't help but to smile. He maybe so cold most of the time but he's a caring man. I've witnessed it for the second time now.
I guess he's right. Everything happens for a reason. It's just a challenge in our relationship we can overcomes this. I hope we can.
"Thank you." I said then I took a bite in the sandwich.
I really hope everything will be alright.
*********************************
Matthew didn't talk to me the whole day. Now that I'm about to go home, I feel so empty because I wasn't able to talk to him and explain everything. Yes he hurt my feelings by saying bad things to me but I understand him. He's just mad. That's why I'm thinking of a way on how to talk to him privately.
"Are you okay, ma'am Miel?" Asked Mang Jose while he's driving.
"I'm fine. Just tired of school works." I said since I don't want him to know about Matthew.
"Are you sure?" He asked again, still bothered.
"Yeah." I said then I look in the window again so he won't ask anymore.
I wonder how can I talk to Matthew.
I was silently watching the cars moving opposite to us when my phone suddenly rang multiple times.
I took it from my bag to see who messaged me.
I was hoping that it's Matthew but it's not. It's my notification in ChatsF. A lot of people are tagging me whether it is a post or a comment.
Out of curiosity, I check one of it. There I saw my photo with the stranger guy and a video of me with Matthew in the cafeteria with a caption of....
"This is the end of you, pretentious bitch."
It has nine thousand likes and fifteen thousand comments. I was so curious of what will people say about me so I look at the comment section and there I saw a lot of bash and hurtful words that people are throwing against me. Some of them are even telling stories about me and I don't even know where they came from.
You're right. I even heard that she's using her body to have a good grades that's why she's always on top.
Really? No wonder she's always the top one. I really knew there's something fishy about it.
Yeah. And now, She's targeting Carl as her second victim. She's really delusional.
That bitch ruined Ahliya and Matthew and now she'll cheat on him? I hope all the man she'll fall in love with will cheat on her too. She deserves it.
How dare her to do that? She's not even pretty. I hope she'll be involve in a car accident and die. Flirt!
This is too much. I didn't even do anything wrong. I didn't cheat. I was a victim of those strangers. Why are they like this?
"What did I do to deserve this?" I whispered. My voice cracked and my tears ran down continuously. This is too much.
I cried silently and hid my face in the window, pretending to be asleep so Mang Jose won't ask anything.
"We're here, ma'am Miel." Mang Jose announced so I immediately fix myself.
I wiped all of my tears carefully to avoid my eyes to swell.
I didn't wait for Mang Jose to open the car door for me. I did it myself and hurriedly went inside.
I look for Mom in the living room but she's not there. I'm thankful of that.
I cleared my throat and called her.
"Mom, I'm home." I shouted then I went to my room immediately.
I lock the door when I got inside. My tears were starting to fall again so I immediately throw my bag in the couch then I jumped in my bed.
I called Matthew but he's not answering.
"Matthew please... Answer the phone. I didn't do anything wrong." I said while crying.
I've been calling him for twenty times now and he's still not answering so I gave up and just sent him a message.
Matthew, it's not what you think. I didn't cheat. That picture that you saw a while ago, it happened when I was almost raped. That's where Carl saved me. Please believe me. I didn't do anything wrong. Please.
I understand that you're mad but please listen to me.
But I didn't get any response. I hugged the stuffed toy that Matthew gave me and cried there.
Do I deserve this?
Am I really the villain in Ahliya and Matthew's love story?
But I didn't do anything wrong.