Chapter-176

Freya Hidalgo

Jay-jay's POV

I want to ask him. I want him to
clarify what he was saying earlier. I really want to do that. But I know this is not the right time for that. I just
watched him for a moment .Not because I was happy to see her crying. But because I could see another side
of Freya. The real her. I was about to walk away because I knew what I was doing was not good but Freya got
ahead of me so she could see me. Mud! She looked at me evilly and seemed to be waiting for me to make an
excuse. I couldn't speak and my tongue seemed to be pulling back. "What do you want?" She asked seriously.
It was obvious that she didn't want to argue anymore and neither did I. I still couldn't speak. "If you're here
because of what happened earlier, just leave! I'm not in the mood to argue anymore!" She said and was about
to leave. "Freya." I called her a reason to stop her. Finally! She finally spoke! "What?!" She asked annoyed. Tsk!
Annoyed! It's embarrassing but I also want to know. I'm here, so let's clarify. "Y-what you said earlier. I don't...
understand." I said almost in a whisper. She laughed a little. "I thought your friends told you ." I shook my head
slightly. Freya stared at me from head to toe. "Actually, I'd be even more surprised if they actually told you."
She said and smiled slightly teasingly.
She's back to the B*tch Freya again!
"What's---"
"Yuri and Keifer is my Ex." She cut me off and emphasized
the word 'ex'.
Kiko had already told me that. I didn't speak for a moment to wait for
her to say next.
"After Percy died, Yuri was the first to come to me.
He supported me, showing that he's there for me anytime..." She said and
tears welled up in her eyes again. "...but that asshole did is
unforgivable!"
Her tears kept falling but she didn't hold them back.
She wanted to make me feel or show me the pain she was feeling.
"He make me fall for him and take what he wanted like every guy
wants! And when he got what he wanted?! HE RUINED ME!"
Impossible! Yuri's not like that. I don't want everything he says to sink into my brain
. I want to believe that he's lying but I
can't.
Because it's true...
She closed her eyes as if the words she let out were so painful.
"He left me." She said almost in a whisper.
I wanted to go over to Freya and hug her. I wanted to make her feel like
I was ready to listen. But who am I? I think I'd be such a hypocrite
if I did that. Besides, she's Freya Hidalgo,
she's stronger than me.
She wiped her tears and took a deep breath. "And then Keifer
showed up. Taking the spotlight." She shook her head slightly. "...I thought
I should thank him at first, but I was wrong."
She looked back at me. I almost backed away because of
that look.
"It's too good to be true. He's the ideal boyfriend that every girl wants.
Treating me like a queen even though only a few people know that
we're in a relationship." Tears were welling up in her eyes again.
"...but it all changed when she realized that it was still Yuri.
The shameless one was consumed by jealousy! It even got to the point where he laid
his hand on me!"
Wait!
Is this what Rakki was saying? Keifer could really hurt a woman?
But why? I was confused!
"What's worse? He restricted me! I felt like a prisoner!"
She took a deep breath to hold back her tears. "...Don't talk to this guy! Don't
go there! Don't go here! Don't get out of your house without my
permission! Never ever try to disobey me!" She imitated what
Keifer was saying.
She ran her hand through her hair and looked away.
She also took a deep breath.
"He picked me up from home and school. People thought that it was sweet. Ha!"
She shook her head. "...it was torture! He was doing that to make sure
I wouldn't go anywhere."
She was silent for a moment. He didn't seem to want to talk anymore so even though
I was shy I asked anyway. I wanted to be clear about what was happening.
"W-what did you do?"
He smiled at me as if he was bragging. "I go out with other guys.
Until he gets bored and breaks up."
He slept with other guys? Not just one? Many more! What is this?!
"...Then people start calling me slut, bitch and whore. Ha! If they
knew----if you knew!" He said while pointing at me. "...Are you still judging
me?"
I bowed my head. If only I had known. Maybe
he would have become my friend. Maybe I would have tried to talk to him. Maybe I would have understood
his anger.
"I'm pathetic right?" His tears fell on their own.
I was about to walk closer to him but he blocked my hand.
"Don't! I don't need your plasticity." He said and immediately
walked away.
He bumped into me but he didn't even look back. I don't know what
to say. I want to blame Yuri and Keifer, but for what?
Yuri. She loved Yuri but he just took what he wanted and
left her. Keifer. He's in a relationship and he can
hurt.
Impossible!
"Jay-jay!!" Someone called me.
I turned around and saw Ci-N, David and Felix approaching me.
I straightened myself and forced a smile. I didn't want to let them know
that there was a problem.
"We thought you were going somewhere." Ci said as she approached me.
"I-I didn't go far."
"Did you see it?" Felix asked.
I looked at him in surprise. "Huh?"
"The small falls and river. We thought you would look at the path?"
Tsk! I was speechless!
"Ahh... O-yes. I-I saw it. Are we going there yet?"
I looked at David. He was looking at me strangely and as if he was
saying 'there's something different about you'.
"Okay. We won't do anything." Ci was excited.
"I'll just go get the others." Felix said and immediately walked away.
The three of us were left behind. Ci-N saw the Gazibo and immediately ran
towards it. We just looked at her while peeking at every
corner and post.
"We met Freya. Did you two talk about something
?" David asked.
I deliberately didn't look at him because I had a strong feeling that
he would catch me.
"Just the one we answered earlier."
He didn't ask anymore. That's just how he is, he doesn't tend to nag
or interfere. But until now, I still wonder how he and
Percy met.
Ci-N ran back to us. He was still smiling and obviously excited.
"Is that far from here? The falls?" he asked.
"A little."
"I'm exhausted!" He said and swam away.
Get to the fishpond!
"They're here." David said.
I looked at the lukos. They were obviously excited too. They were all in front of me
before I noticed anything.
Hari and Yuri were gone. I looked where they came from and maybe
they were just caught.
"Josh, Keifer and Yuri were left behind." Felix said. "...they said they needed
someone to guard our place."
I just nodded. Guard? Maybe you guys don't want to be questioned.
Those guys sneaked in differently. I don't know about Josh's trip.
"Let's go! Let's go!" That's what---the most excited of all!
I walked with them first because I was the one who knew the way.
We passed through the thicket on the edge of the fishpond. Like I saw
earlier, there was the big Keep Out sign.
"Let's cross here." I said while trying to squeeze between the
wires.
"Slowly." David said and helped me.
When I got to the other side, I waited for them to cross. I made sure
we were complete before going back on foot. We just followed the
pathway---the part that was devoid of plants because we always pass through it.
When I said it was thick, I expected only tall grass but
what greeted us was more than that. The path was slippery and there were many
allen branches scattered around.
"Is this the right path we're taking?" Calix asked.
No!
But I couldn't tell them that. They might get angry with me,
but I was the brave one who agreed.
"Oh-yes... This is right."
We continued walking. I was already nervous because
I felt like we were taking the wrong path.
You're so annoying
, Jay! What I was even more afraid of was that we might run into a Snake.
My new best friend!
My fear disappeared when I heard the splashing of the water.
It got louder with each step we took.
And they were just as amazed when they saw the small falls.
The water was clear, sparkling with every drop and current.
"Let's go!" Ci-N shouted and immediately ran towards the big
rock near us.
Her fellow Ulopong followed.
The lukos immediately took off their tops except for Ci-N. All she was left wearing was
her boxers. I just slapped my forehead because of her appearance.
"Langya! It seems like your short height isn't just about height, huh?" Eren teased
Ci.
We immediately laughed and it got even louder when Ci touched
her lower part.
"That's a man too! Make him angry!" Felix shouted with laughter.
"Hey!" I told him.
He must have forgotten that they had a woman with them. He immediately
made a peace sign and left.
I walked towards the big rock where they had put their clothes. I sat there and watched them. The lukos
looked like children with no place to put their happiness. "Jay! Let's go!" They told me. I just nodded at them.
The truth is, I don't think I would have wanted to have fun despite what I heard earlier. "Don't you want to have
un with them?" I turned to the person who spoke. David was standing next to the rock and had his pockets
ull. He was also smiling, watching the people. "Maybe later." I replied. "You take care of it." He said and took
off his top clothes. Why did he suddenly get hot? He immediately went to the others and started swimming. Ci
got on behind him and they almost slipped. We just didn't want the organizer to catch us, we were all cut off.
Batman was up to us. Superman could have been busy swimming with his fellow Ulopongs. I noticed that they
were already running towards me. Before I could even get out of my seat, they were already surrounding me.
"W-why?" I asked nervously. W-wait! I felt like I knew what they were planning. Felix and Rory immediately
grabbed my wrists. They pulled me until we reached the waist-deep water part of the river. They stopped and
surrounded me. They also let go of me. "The baptism has begun!" Ci-N shouted and they all splashed water on
me at the same time. It was mud! I just covered my face. I had no escape because they surrounded me and
were laughing loudly. Damn it! I didn't even need to go down. I was already soaked! One by one they stopped
eeling tired. I took the opportunity to catch my breath. I felt like I was drowning from what they did. "Hanep!
Are you planning to kill me?" I asked them. They just laughed. Animals! "Don't be shy! Get naked!" Ci teased
but she immediately got a strong slap on the back of her head from David. "You're really bad!" "Why? That's
okay with me. I saw her naked." She explained while rubbing the back of her head. My eyes widened at what
she said. Even the others were surprised. Seriously? She saw me? "We'll report you to Keifer." Edrix threatened.
"Are you serious?" I asked Ci. He nodded innocently. "I saw your bare back." "Oh my!" "It's really bad!" "This is
serious!" Even I just shook my head at what came out of his mouth. He was in trouble! "I can even see the big
skin on your back." He added while pointing at me. I was touched by my back without realizing it. Do I have
skin? Big? But all I know is, I don't have it. "Is it really my back you're talking about?" I asked him. "... I don't
have skin." "I do." He insisted. I looked at Felix who was the closest to me. "Look at it." I ordered and he came
closer. I slightly lifted my clothes from behind. Enough for him to see what Ci was saying. Even the others
peeked in and looked. "There is." Felix said. "Is that skin? Why does it look like there's a shape?" Edrix asked.
"Damn! I think it's a scar." Eren disagreed. "Skin! It's blurry! Besides, a scar should be smooth and dry." Calix
poked me. "Why is there a shape?" Eman asked. Shape? "The shape of the bottom of an iron." David said. It
was like cold water was poured over me. Colder than river water. I took off my clothes and held onto the ends
of them tightly. They seemed shocked by what I had done. They immediately turned to face me and looked at
me in surprise. "Jay?" Ci called me. I bent down and bit my lower lip. "N-that's not skin, Ci." I said almost in a
whisper. "...s-scar." Even though they didn't speak, I could feel their concern. They wanted to ask, I knew that.
But I couldn't answer them. Even I didn't know where I got it. That was one of the treatments Grandma gave
me when I woke up in the hospital. When I asked them, they didn't answer. I thought the mark had completely
disappeared before. We always go to the doctor to have the scar removed but it doesn't seem like it really
wants to go away. "A-ahh... A-your scar is so social. It's still h-shaped." He tried to answer even though there
was a trace of embarrassment. I tried to laugh even though it was really awkward. I also knew that wasn't
what he wanted to say. "...You must be too lazy to scrub that's why it didn't come off." He added another
reason for the fools to laugh. What a fool! Is there a scar that comes off by scrubbing? He's really crazy! But I
know he's just saying that to reduce our embarrassment. "That's why Jay-jay should be bathed again!" Felix
shouted and immediately splashed water on me. The shameless ones joined in. I almost drowned in what
they were doing. I tried to fight back but it only ended in nothing because of the force of their splashing. We
soaked for a long time. If only we hadn't felt hungry, we still wouldn't have stopped. My whole body and
clothes were wet. While theirs were only their bottoms. Ci-N's was a little wet because he was wearing boxers
earlier. It was tiring because it took so long for us to get to the fish market. My body was also heavy. "Was
your swimming worth it?" I asked them. "Bite!" Ci said. "You're the only one who got caught!" Felix teased her.
They continued to tease as if they were never running out of energy. We were almost to the hall when I was
stopped. I was surprised to look at the person Sir Alvin was talking to. When the Snakes noticed me, they also
looked at what I was looking at. "Why is your cousin here?"