16 - Karma is the Greatest Bitch

After considering her problem with Lark solved even though she failed to unveil her memories of last night, she suddenly missed Aster. Her quiet time with her was a breather in her boisterous routine. The woman was a part of her wanting for freaking peace!

School days exhaust her mentally. People swarm like flies around her. They always push her to chat as if she was a machine incapable of getting tired. Today is her worst experience thus far. She already imagined screaming "leave me be!" a thousandth time.

Who knew putting up with a beautiful-with-a-golden-heart act would drive her nuts?

A notification lit up her phone, Marigold sent a photo of Aster sitting in the library ten minutes ago. She captioned, "Your bestie's loner through and through."

She continued her journey on the connecting alleys to the main library disregarding Aster's last message not to meet her today plus the uncertainty of her still being there. Her stomach churned as anxiety crawled up to her heart for inexplicable reasons.

When she arrived, the place was pretty deserted contrary to what she predicted. It might be that the library does not top the list of the most visited by freshies on campus tours or whatever. What a bummer, she thought. As per her opinion, the lib is flexing its colossal bookshelves, hotel level lounge chairs and tables, and gigantic globe miniature at its midst. If that is not damn good, then what is?

By pure luck, she spotted her easy-peasy upon climbing on the second floor.

Who wouldn't?

The emo atmosphere she gives off was hardly ignorable: grim, unsmiling expression and slouching posture. On top of that, she was alone at a table, oddly surrounded by girls on nearby tables far from Librarian's Desk. Care sighed at their setup. Her friend definitely prefers her loner status, shutting doors to possible friendships around her.

Care was about to call her when a book as thick as a briefcase hit Aster's arm. She whimpered like a hurt kitten. The culprit was a very familiar face Care should have recognized in the first place. Madelaine Salvador, news flash, the two-faced bitch!

"Aww, sorry. Pick it up, freak." Mandy ordered.

The woman must have lost her mind for messing with Nguyen, Care concluded cockily. She brimmed with confidence that feistiness is part of their genes. She inwardly cheered, "Show her, Aster!"

Rather than snapping at Mandy, Aster bent to get the book and handed it with a trembling hand. The ingrate Mandy being ingrate just shoved it away. She cannot figure out Aster's expression because her face was downcast. Nevertheless, her blood boiled, unleashing a new intensity of anger she never experienced before.

"Before I forget, your bag is in a dumpster outside. Should've enrolled in another uni, you know. Do I have to spell out how an eyesore you are Nguyen? Let's go, guys!" Mandy said then stood up.

"On point but it's good to have her here, too! Every time the arrogant Ivy and slutty Marigold frustrates us, we are free to vent all of it to her." Another underling stated.

"True, it's like a free punching bag." The other one seconded with a chuckle.

She watched frozen and conflicted while her friend fisted her knuckles. As much as she ached to fend for her, Aster deserves to be the one to retaliate. Mandy also notices it and pauses.

"What, freak? Are you asking for a beating or want your babysitter Caress for help?" Mandy challenged.

Aster's face turned pale, shaking her head terribly at the same time.

"Not Care! You can't tell her! YOU CAN’T!" Aster shouted nearly hysterically, shocking the crap out of them. 

"Shut it! You scared me to death!" Mandy exclaimed, kicking the poor girl out of the way because she kneels before her front, "Get outta the way!"

Battling with different emotions, Care dropped on her knees. In the end, she crawled under the table so they wouldn't know she witnessed everything. Her body shuddered in livid madness that all she could see was pure red. She covered her mouth to stifle her animalistic growls of fury. She wanted to rip them to shreds as painful as how her heart writhes in agony.

Alerted with Aster about to leave, she held her respiration while still in hiding. She only allowed herself to breathe the moment she was completely out of her sight.

"I'm useless." She mumbled, remorseful.

No matter how she contemplates what happened, she falls to the same question. Why didn’t she pay attention?

Her fingers were shaking as she tapped her phone. With just a few rings, Aster answered the call. They shared the long silence stretching painfully for both of them.

"What's wrong?" Aster spoke, unable to bear the deafening soundless phone call.

Care almost sob hearing how casual she can keep her voice as if nothing happened.

"I drank too much last night and I thought... it would've been better if you were there with me. Perhaps, you have any other reason why you didn't come to Camaraderie?"

"Didn’t feel like it, that’s that. Why all of a sudden you're asking?"

"Nah. Just glad you didn't. It wasn't exactly fun. Tell me, don’t we all have skeletons in our closets that we try hard to keep hidden? If I show you mine, will you still call me your friend?"

In between breaks after lunch, Care spread the word to female members of elite clique to exclude Madelaine Salvador as well as her social climber minions to their social activities indefinitely. It went smooth because even though they backstabbed her, they hoped to be on her good side. This move won't hurt her, anyway. Turning somebody into a social pariah is an unspoken agreement between those who belong to the inner circle. Besides, Salvador rose through political power not because they originated from an old rich clan.

I'm barely warming up, she thought.

Evening came. Everyone attended a party hosted in Roux' penthouse. Because they were sucker to themes: tonight was bohemian escapade. Care arrived early bringing Aster along. She wanted her to badly witness how Mandy ‘feeling chummy’ to the clique would react the time she learns she became a social pariah.

"Care, you swore we'd go home by 8." Aster reminded her when the clock struck 7:59 pm.

"Sorry, wait a little longer. Promise we’d go after tonight's brief amusing show." She replied.

Aster raised her brow at her ambiguity. She meant to probe however Mandy crashed the party wearing a magenta sequined ball gown. Her head immediately titled towards Care and her heart raced due to the evil smirk plastered on her face. Aster was about to confront Care but her voice got drowned by numerous fits of laughter from attendees.

First step towards becoming a social pariah is public humiliation.

After three days of cold shoulder treatments from various pips, Mandy and her group finally grasped what was happening. No invites, insider news or the usual perks they enjoyed before!

"What do I do?" Mandy yelled, frustrated, as she exited the toilet cubicle.

She was helpless despite bearing the surname Salvador.

Marigold walked in treating her non-existent. It destroyed the little ember of hope she clung to that everything was a bad nightmare she will eventually wake up from! She mustered up the last ounce of courage left on her.

"Marigold..." She softly addressed her name.

 The bitch continued to apply lipstick on her pouty lips, forsaking her even a sideway glance. 

"C'mon, hey! Just this one time, beauty! Why? What did I do? Please, say something!" 

The plea on her tone squashed her pride like a pumpkin. And she would get down on her knees if she must. 

"Alright, since I enjoyed Camaraderie in your mansion! You angered Aphrodite, fool."

For a minute, she was dumbfounded while staring at herself in the full length mirror.

"Aphro what.. Oh?! Caress!?" she exclaimed when it dawned on her.

Right after class, she headed to the venue of the prestigious AU drama club admissions she dreamt so bad since highschool. How unlucky for her that Caress Aragon is a co-facilitator although she is also a freshman. Calling the situation unfair won't even suffice.

The second she saw Care surrounded by people, her heart turned to a drum being beaten mercilessly. She faked a cough to steal their attention yet everybody in the auditorium seemed in cahoots because no one looked at her. It was the first time she inched close to bawling her eyes out for being blatantly ignored. As a Mayor's daughter, she never expected this coming!

"UGH! How dare all of you? I swear on the name of Salvador, I'd shame you ten times harder. What a bunch of losers licking the feet of that damned entitled bitch!" Mandy screamed at the top of her lungs, pointing her index finger at Care.

Silence roamed the auditorium momentarily. People halted their movements, breaking conversations at the same time. Just as she thought they would at last acknowledge her existence, they returned back to their own business.

“Was I only a passing wind?” she revolted.

Pent up frustration caused her mind to snap, losing the ability to be rational. The first plastic chair she grabbed and hurled hit the girl Care was conversing with. Now, she gained the spotlight! Their frog-look-alike dilated eyes followed her movements. Their shocked faces further triggered her to extend the show. She stomped a couple of standees and smashed an LCD projector before two men were able to pin her body against the wall as though she was a crazy mental patient who escaped.

"Let's save ourselves the trouble. Escort her outside." Care instructed, intentionally letting her lopsided smile slip. Then, she leaned and whispered, "How does it feel to be in the outcast's shoes?"

Her knees suddenly become wobbly that she probably would fall if not for the guys holding her. Tears blurred her eyesight as regret washed over her senses.

What did she gain from her outburst?

She only made herself a sore loser!

They gently nudged her towards the egress while Caress Aragon stood undaunted behind them. Without anything to lose, she went down with bent knees realizing this should have been her first stunt earlier.

"Remember Confucius? Don't do unto others what you don't want others to do unto you. Grovel, Madelaine."

She watched Care turn her back and later sashayed her way inside.

Ever heard of a saying when a bully meets a greater bully?

That was what hit her straight to the core at that moment. She cried like a baby with dignity in shredded pieces, morale impossible to recover.... feelings in haywire.

Her need for consolation grew that she did not think twice but dialed her father’s number. Her old man picked up faster than she anticipated.

"Daddy, help me! Ruin Caress Aragon! She's hurting me. I've never been bullied or treated like shit! Please, kick her out of Aurum! I want her gon---"

"Mandy!" his voice boomed on the other line rendering her speechless, "Listen, child. Don't do anything to anger Caress. Aragons are our major political supporters. Losing them is the same as losing a foothold. Better put in mind what pays your luxuries. Understood? Don't discuss this ever again."

The call ended. No goodbye, no fatherly comfort or whatsoever that she needed the most.

"Screw you!" she screamed, never minding if her throat hurt or her voice became hoarse. 

Then, she threw her phone. It crashed on the wall thus resulting in the screen breaking. She couldn't care less knowing the gadget was expensive, recently bought and the latest released model! What pays for her luxuries barely satiates the insatiable hunger of her heart.