the truth(44)

(The school bell rings, signaling the start of another miserable day for Michael. He barely hears it. His mind is consumed with thoughts of Lisa—of how she twisted everything, how she made his friends turn against him. Every second of every day, he searches for a way to fight back. But nothing works.)

(At lunch, Michael doesn't eat. He sits alone at a table in the far corner, his arms crossed, his gaze locked onto his former friends. They laugh together, completely unaware of his presence. Lisa sits beside Ethan, her hand resting on his arm, her face filled with fake concern whenever she speaks about him.)

Michael (internally, gritted teeth):

"I have to find a way. There has to be something I can do. But what? What the hell can I do?!"

(He spends the entire week obsessing over this question. He barely eats, barely sleeps. His parents notice—his mother tries to talk to him, but he just brushes her off. He doesn't care about anything anymore. Only the truth. Only justice.)

(Michael follows them. After school, before school, during lunch—he watches Lisa, watches Ethan, watches Marie, Alex, and Emily. He listens to their conversations, trying to find a crack in Lisa's lies. But everything she says is carefully calculated. She knows exactly how to keep them in her grasp.)

(One afternoon, he hides behind a tree near the school as Lisa and Ethan walk by.)

Lisa (smirking, whispering):

"I feel kind of bad for Michael. He looks so lost these days."

Ethan (sighing):

"I just don't get it. Why won't he just admit it? If he just apologized—"

Lisa (gently, manipulating):

"I know, baby. But some people… they just can't accept the truth. Michael hurt me, and instead of owning up to it, he's trying to make me look bad."

(Michael's fists clench. He wants to jump out, scream the truth, shake Ethan until he understands—but he doesn't. He just watches as Lisa weaves her lies deeper.)

(That night, Michael barely sleeps. His eyes burn from exhaustion, his thoughts a whirlwind of rage, confusion, and helplessness.)

Michael (to himself, whispering in the dark):

"I can't win… can I?"

(A full week passes. Michael is a ghost in his own life, drifting through the days like a shadow. He no longer talks in class. He no longer fights back when people whisper about him. But inside? He is drowning.)

(Then, at the end of the school day, he makes a decision.)

(As the final bell rings, he walks over to his former friends. His voice is hollow, lifeless.)

Michael (quietly):

"Come with me."

(They exchange glances, confused. Even Lisa and Ethan hesitate. But eventually, they follow him outside, to a quiet, empty part of the schoolyard.)

(And then, Michael falls to his knees.)

(The others stare in shock. Never, not once, have they seen Michael like this. He bows his head, his hands clenched into fists against the ground.)

Michael (broken, desperate):

"Please… please believe me."

(Silence. No one speaks.)

Michael (voice shaking):

"I didn't do anything to Lisa. She's manipulating you. I swear, I swear on my life. How can you all believe her over me?! I've been with you for years. We grew up together. And you just… just throw me away for her?"

(Marie shifts uncomfortably, but her expression remains guarded. Alex rubs the back of his neck, avoiding Michael's gaze.)

Alex:

"Michael, look… we just need proof. Something real. Something solid."

Michael (desperate, eyes wild):

"I gave you proof! The makeup! What more do you need?!"

Marie (softly, hesitant):

"Michael… maybe the makeup doesn't mean anything. It doesn't prove she faked anything."

(Michael's breath catches. He stares at them, disbelief etched across his face.)

Michael (whispering):

"So no matter what I do… no matter what I say… you'll never believe me?"

(They don't answer. That silence is the answer.)

(Michael's hands shake as he slowly rises to his feet, his head down. His voice is empty.)

Michael:

"I see."

(And then, Lisa steps forward. Her lips curl into a sickening smile. She lowers her voice, so only Michael can hear.)

Lisa (mocking, victorious whisper):

"Oh, poor Michael. You will never win against me."

(Michael's breath hitches. His fists clench so tightly his nails dig into his skin, threatening to break the flesh. His body trembles with rage.)

Michael (low, dark, venomous):

"You… bitch."

(He lifts his head, his eyes burning with fury.)

Michael:

"I will defeat you. And I will kill you."

(Lisa just giggles, stepping back as Ethan places a protective hand on her shoulder.)

Ethan (warning, firm):

"Enough, Michael. Just stop."

(Michael doesn't reply. He just turns and walks away. The others watch him leave, unsure if they feel pity… or something worse.)

(The memory fades, and Dakota is back in the present. The room is silent, the weight of what they just witnessed pressing down on everyone like a suffocating force.)

(Lucas, Liam, Ava, Mia, and Henry all stare at Dakota, their expressions tense.)

Henry:

"Damn, Dakota. You really were angry."

Liam (exhaling, shaking his head):

"I mean… I would've been too. That was beyond messed up."

(Dakota remains silent, his eyes shadowed.)

Dakota (softly, but firm):

"You will never understand how angry I was. My anger reached its peak. And after this…"

(His voice drops, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.)

Dakota:

"After this is the moment. The worst memory I think I have ever had."

(The group exchanges uneasy glances.)

Mia (hesitant):

"The worst memory? Just… what could have happened?"

(Dakota's gaze shifts to Lucas. His expression is unreadable, but his next words send a chill through everyone in the room.)

Dakota:

"You will see."

(He pauses before adding, his voice sharper than before.)

Dakota:

"And Lucas… you better brace yourself."

(Lucas stiffens. The others don't miss the way his fingers tighten around the fabric of his shirt.)

(The room falls into silence, the tension thick, the air heavy with anticipation. Something terrible is coming. And none of them are ready for it.)