CHAPTER 1

Antagonist

–is a person who actively opposes or hostile to someone or something; an adversary…

“Blah! Blah! Blah!” Sabria said as she rolled her eyes and closed the laptop that was sitting on her desk.

But why did they hate antagonists when the truth is, they were once a protagonist, it just happens that there’s another villain who pretends to be a heroine and stole all the things they cherish the most. She thought. As she reminisced one of the most painful moments in her life.

3 MONTHS AGO

“I’m so excited to see Dash's mom, he’ll definitely be surprised because he thought that my flight will be on Saturday but I didn’t tell him that it got moved forward.” Her eyes twinkled and a wide smile plastered on her face with her thoughts.

Her mom smiled while driving her to meet her boyfriend Dash at the office of the car racing team. “I’m sure he will. I know both of you miss each other.”

She just got back from Paris after she finished an event where she was one of the models who ramped on stage. She is an amateur runaway model and she was invited to walk on stage wearing a designer dress. This is a great opportunity for her as a model so she didn’t hesitate to grab it. Even if she had to be there for 2 months because she had to prepare and practice together with the other models.

She misses her boyfriend a lot. And she tried so hard not to spill to anyone that she will be back, she wants to see what will be his reaction.

“Here we are.” Her mom slowly stepped on the brake.

“Good luck my gummy bear. I know he will be so happy to see you.” Her mom smiled at her and touches her cheeks before she kissed her goodbye.

“Thank you, mom. I love you. See you later,” she answered as she pushes the car door open and step out of the car.

As the car left, she took a deep breath before entering the building where all the members of the car racing team gathered. As she walks through the hallway towards the room where she can find Dash, a tall sturdy man with blond hair approached her. She waved and smile as she recognized him. It is Charlie, one of the close friends Dash.

“Hi Bria, wha... What a surprise. I.. I.. Thought you were in Paris?” he asked worriedly. His voice was stammering as his eyes widened and a sudden shock flashed thru his face and fades away while he simply looked from his left and right as if he was searching for someone.

“Hey, you looking for someone? Is there anything wrong Charlie?” She can’t help but be worried by his gestures, especially when she saw a few drops of sweat coming from his forehead even if the AC is on.

He shook his head abruptly and holds Bria by her both shoulders for her to look at him. “Listen to me Bria, you have to be brave. Everything happens for a reason. I know this sounds crazy but trust me, you will overcome it. I know you can.”

Her forehead creased as she doesn’t know what he was talking about. “What do you exactly want to say? I can’t understand a thing Charls.”

“Just remember what I told you, Bria. I’ll be rooting for you. You can do it.” After that, he walks past her without looking back.

She felt a little weird with his tone but she just shrugged and continue to walk. As she reaches the door and hold the knob to open it, she heard a familiar voice so she suddenly stops to eavesdrop on what she was talking about.

“We have to tell her the truth. I don’t want to be like this anymore. We will only cause her so much pain. Bria’s my friend you know that.” A woman’s voice but not just anyone’s, she knows it was coming from her best friend Jane. She can’t be wrong.

“I know. But can we make some time? Just a little bit. I think this is not the right time for her to know about us.” This time it was from her boyfriend Dash.

As soon as she heard their conversation, she felt like someone threw a bucket of ice on her. She can’t even move. Her hands are trembling while still holding the doorknob. She can’t even think properly. What is happening? Since when did they have a relationship? What does my best friend and boyfriend doing together in this room? She couldn’t help but think negatively. There are so many questions that have to be answered so she gathered all the courage and strength that was left in her body and turned the knob till the door opens.

They both looked as the door opens and shock filled in their face as they saw Bria right in front of them.

“Bria wha... What are you doing here? I.. I... Let me explain.”  His eyes went from Bria to Jane. Nervousness was obvious in his voice. He can’t even look her in the eye. He walked closer to Bria and tried to hold her hand but she shook it away.

“Bria hear me out. I can... Explain everything. We... We…” she couldn’t continue what she wants to say as Bria hurriedly walk towards Jane and slaps her left cheek as hard as she can. Jane stumbled on the floor while crying as she touches her face.

“Jane! Bria stop it! It was my fault. Don’t hurt her,” Dash exclaimed and rushed to come closer to Jane to check her face. Her slap left a small scratch on her face.

Bria chuckled bitterly. “What a wonderful scene. So all this time you were f*cking behind my back? Wow! Just wow! My best friend and boyfriend are having an affair while I am away.” She said as she clap her hands slowly. Her heart is full of resentment, she wanted to scream at their face and hurt them more than what she feels right now. She doesn’t want anything but to hurt them back.

“YOU!” she pointed her finger at Jane who is now sitting on a couch with Dash. “I TREATED YOU AS MY SISTER. I CARED AND LOVED YOU SO MUCH THAT I WANT YOU TO GO WITH ME TO PARIS AND FULFILL OUR DREAM TOGETHER.” Now it makes sense why Jane doesn’t want to come along with me to Paris. She wants my boyfriend. She thought.

“But you, YOU of all people. How come? Why? I.. I.. Trusted you, Jane. You betrayed me, you f*cking wh*re. I HATE YOU!” She said it with full of hatred, her eyes are blazing with so much anger and pain as she tries her best to keep herself from crying. She doesn’t want them to see her cry in front of them. She will not let them see her vulnerable side. Not with them.

“I’m going to ruin your life, Jane. Suit yourself for now, but don’t let your guard down for I will make your life a living hell.” She locked her fury eyes on Jane as she greeted her teeth and clenched her fist. When she felt that she can manage to move her feet, she walked out of that room even though her body was still shaking due to the confrontation.

She strained herself not to fall even a drop of tear on her eyes until she reaches out of the building. She promised herself that she will never be the same Sabria that they know. “I’ll make sure that everything she has right now will eventually and slowly vanishes right in front of her that she couldn’t even know what to do.” She kept this in her mind.

Sabria snaps back to reality when she heard a notification sound coming from her phone. She checked it and saw some random person who likes one of her posts.

“Dart liked your post.” As she read the notification, the name seems familiar to her but too lazy to check who it was. So she just threw her phone on her bed and walk out of her room to get some drinks together with a jar of cookies.

While walking down the stairs, she heard some small sobs coming from the living room. She saw her mother crying as she watched her favorite television drama. She heard the cursed words her mom pointed out to the villain.

Her mom has so much fondness for tv series, especially fairytale-like stories. She always yearns for the happy ending of the lead characters but wishes so much hardship for the villain not knowing what their story was and it irritates her.

“Psh! Mom, stop crying and please for Pete’s sake stop cursing the villain just because she is making that pathetic woman suffers. She deserves it,” she said as she rolled her eyes and took a bite of her cookie.

“Nah! She always makes Lanie’s life miserable. I really want to punch her ugly face like this.” She punches the pillow beside her over and over again. “Or pinch her with a nail cutter. She really deserves to go to hell and meet all the devils like her.” She said while greeting her teeth and continuously punching the poor pillow.

She just shook her head and shrug while walking towards the kitchen. “Mom, look if your so-called Lanie didn’t do something to her, do you think she will put up an idea of having revenge on that woman? I doubt it.” She put down the jar of cookies beside her and leaned back towards the kitchen island, crossing her arms. “And one more thing, will you stop watching dramas like that? It sucks!” She said turning around to open the fridge on her right side to get something to drink then went back straight to her room.

“She doesn’t even know the feeling of being betrayed by someone you trusted wholeheartedly.” She said mockingly. She sat on her bed and picked up her phone and open her social media account just to see another notification from a guy named Dart.

“Who is this guy? Are you interested in me? Hmm?” She said as if she was talking to the guy named Dart.

She tried to stalk the guy but his account is private, and even his profile picture is nowhere to distinguish because it is only a cup of coffee latte with a letter D and a small dart that drew on top of it.

Bria gave up and just watched random videos and busied herself to kill some time out of boredom.

Sabria is a girl who only wants to be like the lead character in every fairytale book she reads. But this little wish vanishes with her dream to have her own love story when her best friend took it away from her and then, she realized that it only happens in a story and not in real life.

“Bria!” A voice coming from her mom jump her out of the bed. She turn off her phone and got up from her bed.

“Why mom? Is there anything wrong? You’re too loud.”

“Dash is here, he wants to talk to you gummy bear.” As she heard his name, Bria hurriedly went to the mirror and fix her pixie bob messy hair. She sprayed some perfume, clean her face with wet wipes, and put on some lipstick and a little powder. She browsed her body and quickly changed her nighties into a denim mini skirt and a fitted plain peach crop top.

“You look stunning Bria. I like it.” She glanced again in the mirror and winked to herself before going down.

Bria unknowingly smiled when she saw Dash sitting on the couch while waiting for her as she walk down the stairs. He is wearing a powder blue shirt under a gingerbread brown blazer, his sleeve is slightly raised. He paired them with black jeans and white shoes. Bria gasp in awe but she managed not to make it obvious, she tried to look seductive as possible to see his reaction. And to her dismay, he is wearing a blank expression.

Well, she somewhat expected that reaction though. But she didn’t expect how angry he is and it filled his handsome face. As she reach the last step of the stair, He suddenly stood up and came closer to Bria.

“Let’s talk!” He said firmly with his sharp gaze locked in Bria. “Excuse us Mrs. Villin and I’m sorry for my sudden visit.” He quickly took a glance at Bria’s mom then grabbed her wrist and pulled her as they step out of the house.

“Hey! Let go! You’re hurting me Dash!” she tried to let go of his grip but he tighten it more.

I think it will mark. She sadly thought to herself.

“What did you do to Jane? When are you going to stop making these sh*ts?” he said it full of rage. Bria saw his other hand clenched fist as if he’s ready to punch her anytime.

Tss! It’s funny to know how I felt a bit of happiness to see him looking at me even if his eyes are full of hatred and disgust towards me. At least I made an impact on him. She secretly grinned because of what she was thinking at this moment.

She came back from reality when Dash let go of her arm forcefully. She then massage her wrist and then glared at him.

“What? Me? I didn’t do anything Dash! What stupidity did she do again and why are you blaming it on me?” she hissed with full of confidence as if she really didn’t do anything wrong with her. I will not tell them the truth, over my dead beautiful body. She told herself.

She then added. “I am at my house silently enjoying my vacation and out of nowhere you will barge in and now accusing me of doing some nonsense things to your lovely little sl*tty girlfriend? Really Dash? You know what?  You’re being pathetic. Wake up Dash you’re not like this.” She rolled her eyes and made a fake laugh just to make it believable.

“Oh, c’mon Sabria I know what’s on your mind. I know you a lot. Every... Inch... Of you... So don’t f*cking play with me lady,” he said emphasizing the word with greeted teeth as he pointed his finger at Sabria.

“Oh, really my lovely ex-boyfriend. So what’s every inch you know about me? Are they good enough to bring you back?” she seductively teased him with a smirk while caressing his left cheek.

Oh, God! I missed him so much. She thought.

He angrily brushed off her hand from his face and shouted. “BRIA!! Enough of this sh*t! You’re not like this before. You really change a lot.”

“Yeah! You’re right. I was a good girlfriend of you, not until that b*tch ruined every piece of me!” She burst out loud and was about to cry but forced herself not to do it. Not in front of him. Especially not in front of that woman. She firmly said to herself.

She held her head up high with confidence in her look that he can’t manage to make eye contact with her. He looked down and guilt filled his body as he knows that he is the reason why Bria is acting like this.

“Don’t talk to her like that. I’m sorry... I’m the one who ruined you not her, so please stop messing with her life. She doesn’t deserve this kind of treatment especially from you. She also treated you as her sister. Remember that,” he said before turning and walking away.

Bria burst out laughing devilishly while her eyes swam with tears as she screamed at him as loud as she could.

“SHE NEVER TREATED ME AS HER SISTER BUT AS A RIVAL BECAUSE SHE IS F*CKING JEALOUS, INSECURE AND A FAME WH*RE WHO WANTS TO TAKE EVERYTHING FROM ME!”

He doesn’t even flinch or turn his head to look at her, rather he continues to walk towards his car and hop inside. But while he was inside it, Bria saw his gaze full of anguish before he started the engine and leave.

You f*cking moron! I’m the one who’s hurting right now because you chose her over me. But why did I still love you despite what you have done to me? I’m willing to stop bothering her if that’s what you want. But please come back to me. She really wants to tell this to Dash but she knows that even if she kneels down, cry and begs for him, Their relationship will never go back as it was before.

I wish I could erase his memory and fill it with ours without Jane in the picture. She silently prayed to God.