Fake Facade

Continuous Netflix, the rotating sound of the ceiling fan, and the small meows of Tala, her Ragdoll cat, starts her morning.

"What's with the surprising dismissal of class?" Ashlyn asked herself as boredom strikes her. She reached for her phone and dialed Heaven.

["Ugh, it's so early Ash. Why did you call?"] Heaven answered in a lazy tone. She definitely just woke up.

"I'm bored. Let's hang out, Heve." Ashlyn suggested. She laughed as she heard Heaven's groans, she can't say no to her best friend.

["Alright. Be there in an hour."] Then Heaven ended the call.

Ashlyn went out of the bed and cuddled her cat, Tala. The cat meowed at her, mad, as she is hungry.

"Oh, my baby is hungry. Wait I'll get some food." Ashlyn muttered and went out of her bedroom.

She went downstairs and was about to pass through the living room when, coincidentally, she met Natasha going out also. Her sister's eyes widened as they cross paths. Since Ashlyn got discharged, Natasha never went to her, purposely avoiding her sister.

"Where are you going, Nat? Be careful on your way out." Ashlyn asked but Natasha snubbed her. She grabbed her younger sister's wrist but Natasha roughly took it back. She faced Ashlyn and scowled at her.

"You know what? stop playing nice! You're so fake Ashlyn. I know that you're angry at me! Be real with me b*tch!" Natasha yelled at Ashlyn's face.

"What are you saying, Nat?! I'm genuinely asking yet you're putting malice on my words!" Ashlyn hissed back. Natasha glares at her.

"Ha! Now you're being real with me. Show your true colors, Ash. I know that you really hate me. Stop with the 'nice abused girl' acting, you give me cringes!" Natasha exclaimed. Ashlyn looks at her in disbelief.

"You know what? I don't understand you, Natasha." Ashlyn calmly said.

"No one ever tried on doing so!", Natasha let out with tears threatening on escaping her eyes. Ashlyn saw the screeching pain in her. She's so damaged inside and this made her heart broke.

"Natasha... are my efforts, not enough?" she started.

"Can't you see how I tried so much reaching out to you?" Ashlyn softly mumbled. She doesn't want to be vulnerable at that moment because she knows that someone needs to be strong. It has to be her.

Natasha looks at her and tears slowly escaped her eyes. Ashlyn never meant to hurt her, she didn't know. No one knows.

"Stop pretending that you care because I know, that you really don't. Playing nice and kind? Really Ashlyn? Is that the best that you've got? Well let me tell you this, your acting stinks!", Natasha wiped her tears and steps back, looking away.

"How can you say that? Natasha that's not true. I genuinely care for you because you're still my sister, I won't be fake on you." Ashlyn softly explained and tried to reach her but Natasha steps back.

"Shut up!! You're not my sister and will never be! Get the hell away from me!" After she said that, Natasha lashed out of the mansion.

Ashlyn inhaled deeply and looked around noticing that the maids heard them. She gestures 'shush' to them then smiled.

Ashlyn went back to her room holding Tala's catfood.

"Baby, here's your food. Don't be mad with me, please." Ashlyn said as she feeds her pet cat.

She went inside her bathroom and took a bath. Thirty minutes after, she's done and went to her walk-in closet. Fixed herself and dress up as she went to her vanity table.

"Heve! I'm ready now, where are you?" Ashlyn asked.

["OTW babe."] Heaven said in a deep voice.

"OTW? On The Water you mean?"

["Hehe, this is gonna be quick. See ya later!"]Then Heaven hanged up.

Ashlyn composed herself in front of the mirror. She looks intently at herself and tried practicing her signature smile. As she saw her face smiling, her heart aches knowing that Natasha was right. She's definitely a fake.

"How can you manage to smile like that? You seemed like you don't have any problems, Ashlyn. Those smiles deceives everyone around you, how can you do that?" She asked herself as she bit her lower lip.

" 'She's so beautiful, her mom must be so proud of her. Wow! Her smile looks so nice, she must be feeling nice. She's a top student, right? She must be really smart. Her family is rich, she must be leaving every girl's dream.' Those comments, how can everyone say that about me when they don't even know what I am suffering from every day. Everything is a facade, please don't let it fool you." She whispered and went outside her room.

Ashlyn was surprised when she heard her mom and dad talking on the balcony.

"I'll make sure to win that election. That will cause me riches! Just gonna buy some votes and bribe the official then my position is set." Mrs. Dixon laughed and puffs her cigarette.

"Make sure that you'll do a clean job, Amanda. I don't want to stain my name. You have no idea how I made this far." Mr. Hubert commented as he drinks his wine.

"Of course, anyway, I'll use Ashlyn to promote with me. She's prettier and smarter than Natasha. I'm sure many will fall for her looks and will vote for me." Amanda Dixon planned and imagined her victory having her daughter as her bait.

Ashlyn quickly left the mansion realizing so much disdain for her family. She felt so horrible, especially they are her parents.

"How can they stomach stealing something that never belongs to them? Do they even have the slightest conscience? And do they only see me, us, Natasha and I, as an object that they'll use in times of need?" These questions were running inside her mind while she continued walking away to her so-called home.

A loud beep awakens her from sinking in her thoughts. She turned to the sound and felt relief to see the familiar face here. Heaven slowly opened her window.

"What's up, best friend?! Hop in!" She said having the prettiest smile on her face. She looks more chic wearing cat-eye acetate sunglasses.

Ashlyn opened the door and sat on the shotgun seat. She wears her seatbelt and laughed loudly.

"Why are you wearing sunglasses when it's so dark in your car?" Ashlyn teased.

"Well, it's style! I don't want to ruin my outfit duh!" Heaven replied and she starts the engine having a pout on her face.

She's wearing white high waisted pants, a black tube top, and PU boots to finish her gear.

"So, where do you plan to go?" Ashlyn asked.

"What do you have in mind?" Heaven replied.

"I have no mind," Ashlyn said making her friend frown.

" How dare you! I'm the one who should be saying that!" Ashlyn laughed at her best friend. She began searching online for a place to go. She wants a peaceful yet fascinating destination.

"Ugh, I have no idea where to go." Ashlyn pouted.

"Hmm... what about to Volt's company?" Heaven asked while she continues driving. Ashlyn glared at her friend making Heaven laugh.

"What the?! Are you being serious!?" Ashlyn retorted as suddenly wants to revenge. An idea suddenly came into her mind. An evil smirk flashed into her gorgeous face.

"Oh! I know now where to go!" said Ashlyn.

"Where?"

"Just drive and I'll give directions. Trust me, you'll love it," Ashlyn muttered as she searches the directions to the place.

"Is this some sort of a joke huh, Ashlyn?!" Heaven yelled as they reached the place.

~~~~~~

A bruised man continued running while his left arm is sliced making it vulnerable. 'Agent SX' and he had an intense one on one fight. Between the two of them, he suffered more visible deep cuts in his face from their sword fight earlier and his left arm still is continuously bleeding.

He and agent SX, both are aces of their respective teams but he can't deny the fact that she's more skillful than him, and this crushed his ego.

"That ugly hag. I'll make sure to destroy her face on our next meeting..." He gritted and felt another twinge in his stomach. The man gains a stab from the earlier battle.

"But right now...", He turned around to check if she's behind but she's not so he stopped running. He looked around to find a place to rest.

Every step he takes, he feels a vast amount of pain. He sat on a place near a canal, panting hard, and there he lays as he endures the torment.

"I'm so thirsty... but I can't go back. For sure boss will annihilate me when he finds out that I failed." The man said to himself and sighed deeply. Regrets and vengeance filled his heart as he recalls his decisions.

"And I'm also certain that he'll involve my family... since he's an influential man.", The man clenched his fists with the anger of the idea.

At that moment, he is losing an enormous amount of blood which's why he appears pale. The man slowly closed his eyes and accept his fate. He knows that he won't be able to last the day.

"Mister!", He flinched when he heard the voice of a girl. He looked at her with weak glances and close it again. The girl level herself to the guy, tapping his cheeks to awaken him but he's not responding.

"Hey, wake up mister!" she yelled at him. The girl checked his pulse, making sure he's still alive. She was about to stand up when the man grabbed her wrist. He opened his other eye and beg to her.

"Please, help me...."