THE LIE

Deuce's mom woke abruptly, her heart pounding with worry as she called out for her son.

"Deuce! Deuce!" Her voice echoed through the silent house.

"He's already gone to school," a neighbor informed her hastily, sensing her urgency.

Without wasting a moment, Deuce's mother rushed to the school, determined to resolve whatever had happened.

"I'm looking for the teacher's lounge," she urgently asked some passing students, who pointed her in the right direction.

"Please, where can I find the class B teacher?" Deuce's mother approached the nearest staff member she could find.

"I'm here," a middle-aged man replied, looking concerned as he sensed the distress in her voice.

"Please, sir, I want my son to withdraw from this school," Deuce's mother pleaded, her eyes pleading for understanding.

"Why?" The teacher's question hung in the air, but Deuce's mother found herself speechless.

"Alright, I'll give you a form. You'll have to fill it out," the teacher offered gently, handing her the necessary paperwork. She accepted it and quickly filled it out, her hand trembling slightly with worry and determination.

---

In another part of the school, the principal overheard the commotion and felt compelled to intervene.

"Why does she want Deuce to withdraw from the school? Go, I'll call her and find out," the principal instructed the teacher, his curiosity piqued by the unusual request.

"What is she hiding? What does she want to hide?" His thoughts raced as he contemplated the situation, wondering about the underlying reasons behind Deuce's mother's sudden decision.

Meanwhile, in the classroom, Diana's eyes widened with anger as she pushed Deuce forcefully, causing him to stumble and fall.

"Oh no! What have I done?" Deuce panicked, scrambling to his feet.

"Are you crazy?" Diana's voice was laced with venom as she delivered a hot slap across Deuce's cheek, leaving a bright red mark.

Deuce held his stinging cheek, too shocked to respond.

"I could sue you right now! You're a pervert!" Diana's accusation cut through the tense silence, her anger palpable.

"It was a foolish mistake," Deuce managed to utter weakly, but Diana was already storming away.

"I'm sure you've been eyeing me. When you got the chance, you didn't hesitate. Get this into your head: I can't and won't ever like you!" Diana's voice carried down the hallway, leaving Deuce stunned and hurt.

Before he could process what had just happened, Zann appeared and roughly grabbed Deuce by the shirt, dragging him out of the classroom.

"You're new here, right? I'll let it slide this time. Just know that I have my eyes on Diana, and I intend to make her mine. You know what to do," Zann's threat was clear as he pushed Deuce to the floor and walked away.

"He's even scarier than I thought," Deuce muttered to himself, brushing himself off and trying to gather his thoughts.

"Pervert! Pervert!" The taunts echoed around him as students in the classroom hurled insults and objects his way. Deuce couldn't bear the humiliation and dashed out of the room, seeking refuge somewhere quiet.

He found himself in a secluded room and sank down heavily onto a chair.

"This school is hell," Deuce muttered bitterly to himself, his emotions raw and swirling with confusion and anger.

"Hey!" A sudden voice startled him, and Deuce looked up to see a group of five to eight students standing before him.

"Who are you guys?" Deuce asked cautiously, unsure of their intentions.

"We're your friends," one of them replied with a smile, but Deuce couldn't help but feel wary.

"This feels like another trouble," Deuce thought to himself, but before he could react, they grabbed him and forcefully dragged him into a dark room.

"Stay there for now," one of them instructed, and they all laughed callously before locking the door behind them.

"Open the door!" Deuce shouted, banging on the door futilely. There was no response, and he was left alone in the darkness, feeling betrayed and helpless.

---

Meanwhile, outside the school, Diana found herself confronted by her friends about the rumors circulating.

"So I heard you kissed that new scholarship student. Is it true?" they asked her pointedly.

"It's not true. It was a mistake," Diana shrugged dismissively, trying to downplay the incident.

"He's cute though, and cool. Why don't you give it a chance?" Ania suggested casually, but Diana's reaction was immediate.

"Give what a chance? This has been our tradition. We can't stop just because he's cute. Even if he's cute, he's not my type. I feel like cutting off my lips. Should I go for surgery to get rid of them?" Diana's words were sharp, filled with defiance and frustration.

Diana's phone beeped suddenly, and she saw her father's name on the caller ID.

"Hello, Dad. Okay, I'll be right there," Diana responded quickly, sensing the urgency in her father's call.

"Take care, girls," Diana said to her friends before leaving abruptly.

Soon she heard some noise,

She followed the sound of distress until she reached a locked room. Without hesitation, she opened the door and found Deuce inside.

"Help me!" Deuce's voice was filled with relief as he stepped out, looking at Diana gratefully.

"Keep your thanks to yourself. If I knew it was you locked in there, I might have just walked away," Diana retorted coldly before turning to leave.

"Anyway, thanks," Deuce called after her, but Diana was already gone.

"And here I thought it was the witch who had me locked up. If it wasn't her, then who was it?" Deuce wondered aloud as he gathered his things and headed back to his classroom.

---

Later that day, Deuce wandered through his neighborhood, lost in thought.

"Hey, bestie!" A familiar voice greeted him warmly, and Deuce turned to see Bella approaching with a bright smile.

"Hey, bestie. What's up?" Deuce replied, returning her smile as they fell into step together.

"I'm mad at you. Why didn't you tell me you'd been admitted to your dream school? I know I was away for a while, but you could have messaged me," Bella chided playfully.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I've just been preoccupied," Deuce apologized sincerely.

"Okay, understood. Now that I'm back, am I going to be the only one left at our old school? No way! I'm going to ask my parents to transfer me to your school. What do you say?" Bella suggested excitedly.

"I'd be glad to have a companion," Deuce admitted, feeling a sense of relief at having a friend by his side.

"I got this for you," Bella added, handing Deuce a small parcel with a mischievous grin.

"Can I open it now?" Deuce asked eagerly, curious about the gift.

"No, not yet. But I've missed you so much," Bella said, pulling him into a hug.

"Deuce! Oh, you're back," Deuce's mom's voice interrupted them as she called out from the doorway.

"Go inside. I'll call you later," Deuce said to Bella, his mood shifting as he faced his mother.

"What happened?" Bella asked, concerned, but Deuce simply murmured that he needed some fresh air and walked away.

"Let's get some fresh air together," Bella called after him, hurrying to catch up.

---

Inside her own home, Diana kicked off her shoes and walked wearily to her room.

"Damn it! That Deuce guy. I need to deal with him. It's all over now. What if Father sees it? Oh no," Diana panicked, dropping her bag to the floor as she paced anxiously.

"My precious lips. I hope they're not contaminated. Should I undergo surgery?" Diana wondered aloud, staring at her reflection in the mirror with concern.

"It was my first kiss. I never imagined I'd kiss a poor church rat," Diana muttered bitterly, tears welling up in her eyes.

(Knock, knock)

"Come in," Diana called out as a maid entered quietly.

"Ma'am Diana, your father is asking for you," the maid informed her respectfully.

"Alright, tell him I'm coming," Diana replied tersely, dismissing the maid.

"Wait. Take a look at my lips. How do they look? Are they okay?" Diana hesitated, seeking reassurance.

"Never mind. You can leave now," Diana said abruptly as the maid hurried out.

"I shouldn't have helped him. He might think I like him now. Damn it," Diana cursed under her breath, feeling a pang of guilt.

"I need to go talk to Father," Diana muttered to herself as she made her way to her father's study.

---

"Good day, Dad," Diana greeted her father politely as she entered his office.

"Good day, my favorite daughter," her father replied warmly, his expression stern as he eyed her carefully.

"So, I saw some news today on the student forum. What was that about? And who is that guy?" her father demanded, his tone sharp with authority.

"He already found out. I'm doomed," Diana thought frantically, her mind racing for an answer.

"What guy, Dad?" Diana played dumb, pretending ignorance of the situation.

"Should I show you the picture to refresh your memory? Is he wealthy? Do you like him?" her father bombarded her with questions in rapid succession.

"I don't know him, Dad. He's nobody. He's just a scholarship student," Diana replied defensively,