Royal Winstonian Academy - McCree's Classroom, 12:02 PM

I kept staring at the blank college application form, thinking heavily about what McCree told me the other day. I could go somewhere prestigious from around this country, like Rutledge University. I could end up going abroad to Sophia University in Tokyo, like McCree suggested, but doing what kind of career? My mind was a mess…

..and Fareeha Amari and Hana Song weren't making things easier on me, that's for sure. Fareeha had been making glances at me, slyly to not gain any attention on herself of course, and Hana was being her usual cute, clingy self. It was all a bit much to a degree, and I didn't want to say anything to Angela in case I'd make her too worried.

As I audibly sighed, the three women I'd become close friends with all pulled up their desks beside mine and we began our usual lunch routines.

"Say, Jonathan, your mom's gone out for the weekend, right?" said Fareeha, eating a sandwich of some kind.

"Hm? Yeah, she is. What about it?" I say, wondering what she could be scheming. It's not like I distrust Fareeha but, I can't help but think she'll try another move like the one she made at Hana's house…

"How about the four of us get together and just chill for the night?" the Egyptian suggested.

"Don't we have a Graduation Prom to prepare for?" asked Angela, bringing us all back to reality. The annual Winstonian Graduation Prom Night, where people get drunk, fuck each other in classrooms and dress like they've gone to a Royal Wedding.

"Meh, I'm gonna pass" remarked Hana, who was in the middle of some weird looking puzzle game on her Vita.

"Why?" the three of us said in unison, Angela looking slightly shocked.

"I-I just don't feel comfortable in all those weird fancy looking d-dresses!" says Hana, blushing as she normally does.

"I think you'd be the star of the show" I remark, causing her blush to intense (and Fareeha's eyes to roll ever so slightly)

"I...I'll think about it then…" says Hana, who basically has confirmed she's going, making me pretty excited.

"But that's not for a week anyways Angela, and we're not organising it this year; McCree sad he'd do it all" said Fareeha, finishing off her food.

"Yer damn right I am" said the cowboy in question, standing behind Angela.

"I think you lot have...been through enough. I think I at least owe y'all this…" he says, still with that solemn face. Even Angela can smile now, McCree. I'm surprised at how much this has really affected him. Does he really feel that responsible for Lena's death?

"I'll leave y'all to it, you just go and enjoy yer final week here, m'kay?" he says, tipping his hat to us, before giving me a look.

"And Bigshot, remember what I told you. Tomorrow's the deadline." He says, walking off.

"What on Earth is he on about, Jonathan?" asks Angela.

"O-Oh, n-nothing at al-"

"He hasn't handed in his Third Level Application Form" says Hana, not even looking up from her Vita

"H-Hana!" I say embarrassed.

"Jonathan, this isn't a small matter...you really should be thinking about your future! This isn't something that you can just pass over and let fix itself, you have to make a choi-"

"I know, I know Angela...but…" I say, my words becoming harder and harder to mutter out as I remember that my best friend, who always would give me the motivation I need, died and I have no idea what I need or anything like th-

"I'll help you" said Hana, putting her Vita down on the table, and gently taking my hand into hers. "That's what I'm here for, right?" she says with a beaming smile.

"Sometimes your cuteness can be overwhelming, Hana" Fareeha says sarcastically, Hana responding with a playful stick of her tongue.

"I'll think about it tonight...and no matter what...I'll make the right choice…" I say, trying to muster up some form of courage within myself.

"So, back to my original point - the weekend, Jonathan - how about it?" says Fareeha, with eyes that long for so much more than just a weekend get together.

"I don't mind if you guys don't I guess…" I say, scratching the back of my head.

"Well then, it's agreed. See you tomorrow night then" says Fareeha, getting up from her chair, assumedly to go to the library.

Man, that woman's seriously going to be the end of me…

After School - Jonathan's Room, 8:00 PM

With Hana at her usual meeting with Doctor Vaswani, I had to wait another hour or so before she got back in order to do my application form. Mom wouldn't be back until 10 because of the late shift, so I was all alone, stuck on my PC playing Final Fantasy XIV with my online friends. It'd been a while since I engaged in the world of Eorzea, but damn it's worth it every time I go back to it (at least for about 20 days of the 30 day subscription time limit). After about ten more minutes, I get up and get off the game to go get some food, and that's when I heard my door bell knock.

"Hmm? Hana's a bit early…" I say, checking my phone. I walk up to the door and open it.

"Gee, you're a bit earl-"

Cut off, by the taste...of smooth chocolate lipstick.

"Well hey there, Cujoh" says Fareeha Amari, who came over all of a sudden, without any sort of warning at all.

"W-What the hell?!" I say as she pushes me inside, closing the door behind her.

"Well I figured that now would be the best time to get you...alone" she says with a lust filled grin, one which I've honestly seen way too often recently from almost every fuckin' girl I meet, it's starting to piss me off in all honesty.

"You're not getting anything from me. You know I wouldn't betray Hana like that!" I say, as she continues to approach me, taking off her coat.

"Hmm? And what would Hana do if I told her about our little moment last night?" she says, gently wrapping her arms around my neck. I grab her arm in an attempt to force her away, but her grip is surprisingly strong.

"Give me an answer." she says in a commanding way...in a way similar to...them.

"S-She'd probably try to f-fucking kill you I dunno!" I say, becoming more desperate, my phone vibrating in my right hand. Someone's texted me.

"Hmm? I wonder who that could be?" said the Egyptian, opening my phone and reading the text aloud.

"Hey there Darling! I'm on my way, taking a taxi so I'll be there real soon! Let's work hard tonight!

Hana xo"

"Hmmm, isn't she so adorable when she's not totally fucked up in the head!" says Fareeha in a tone I could only describe as one of masochistic delight.

"You shut your mou-"

"Gladly!"

Before I could even finish my words, Fareeha smacked her lips against mine, pushing me down onto the ground with intense force.

"I will have what I deserve...I've loved you for so long...we were destined to be together!" she says, her eyes gone wide with madness and she attempts to undress me, despite my best struggles, she still overpowers me with her intense strength. What the hell is up with all these fucking women in my life acting fucking crazy all the time?!

"Fareeha...you're crazy...you're worse off than Hana is!" I shout at the top of my lungs, but this only edges her on more.

"Come on Jonathan...make love to me...why aren't you resisting? I know you're much stronger than me...so why are your attempts so useless?"

My mind and body both freeze up. Have I been subconsciously keeping my guard down this whole time?

"Don't you not love that precious psycho of yours?"

"I don't know…"

"Hmm? I can't heeeaar youuuuuuuuuu!"

"I don't know!"

"Louuuuuuuuuudddddddddeeeeeeeerrrrrrrr!"

"I SAID I DON'T FUCKING KNOW IF I LOVE HANA SONG ANYMORE!" I scream out, my breath becoming ragged. Fareeha loosens her grip on me, and takes herself off of me, her delusional look disappearing.

"Hmph, seems like you're finally coming to your senses, Cujoh. You're finally seeing what that little thing truly is: she'll never recover from wat happened to her, no matter how hard that Doctor tries to help her, she'll always have those sadistic tendencies buried deep down. One day, you'll see them explode, whether or not its for your benefit, you'll just have to see. But even so, you'll always be frightened." she says, re-buttoning my shirt and fixing her clothes, evidently about to leave.

"But I'm not like that...I'll be waiting, my darling lover~!" she says with another deep, passionate kiss before turning around and leaving.

I...I could barely hold myself upright. I was crying….crying like nothing else...because I had betrayed Hana...because I was assaulted maybe….but, i think the real reason was…

...I didn't know if my feelings for Hana were true anymore.

"Shit...she's gonna be here soon…" I say, wiping my face, trying to recollect myself. "I can't doubt myself now goddamnit!" I say, trying to psyche myself up.

Mere seconds later, my doorbell rang. I adjusted my look once more to try and look a little more fucking presentable and not like anything had just happened...if Hana found out, well, I doubt I would be a living human being anymore, let's just leave it at that. I walk over to the door and open it.

"That was the longest five minutes of my life Ha-"

Yet again I'm cut off, but this time, it's from Hana jumping into me, embracing me as tightly as her little, nimble frame would let her.

"Jeez you sure are happy!" I exclaim, trying to push her off and stop suffocating me.

"Am I not allowed to show how much I love you anymore, hm?" she asks in an accusatory tone.

"Well, I'd appreciate it if you did it in a less of a trying to kill me kind of way, haha"I say patting her head as she blushes.

"Sh-shut up…" she says, moving aside and looking over at the table, where I had my application forms laid out.

"Now...how about we get started!" she says with sudden enthusiasm.

"U-uh, sure" I say, put off my the sudden mood change.

….was Fareeha really right? I keep thinking that to myself, all throughout the night, not really focusing on the application at hand. I decided on Literature in Sophia University in Tokyo, wanting a change in scenery and a bit of a break from the mundane lifestyle I'd become accustomed to.

"We're gonna have to move out of here, huh…" remarks Hana as I finish signing the page.

"We? Nobody said you'd have to follow me, you just moved here too, I'd hate to be the reason for you to move away again" I said, trying to hide the myriad of feelings that were blooming within me. That flower of evil. That damn conflict between my love, and fear, of Hana Song. I can't end this, but I should. I should, but I'm way too fucking scared to. I don't know what would happen. Hana could probably end up killing herself, and I wouldn't want that….I still love how she is when she's in her normal state, when she's being cute, adorable, even the competitive side isn't bad, but her obsessive side, the one that I've seen so much of lately…

...it's becoming so much of a weight, a weight that I don't know if I can continue to carry anymore.

Earlier

I peek through the porch window, seeing the confrontation in the hall with clarity. He was pinned down to the ground, she was trying to DEFILE HIM. She was trying to TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME. She was forcing him to do these things. He wouldn't do them normally, he loves me! Just the thought of his love is enough to make me feel crazy on the inside. He wouldn't think differen-

"I SAID I DON'T FUCKING KNOW IF I LOVE HANA SONG ANYMORE!"

...wHY is she fOrciNG him to LIE LikE tHis?!

….She better watch her back. If she touches him again I will make sure she never will again!

(A/N: Well, that's a wrap for this chapter. Hope you all enjoyed the conflicting nature that this chapter presents to the overall narrative. The story is coming to a close withing the next few chapters. What will happen between out main four characters now? The psychological drama continues. I hope you all don't mind the tone shift here, I want a dark and somewhat edgy atmosphere to be built up around the characters for the final arc. There's also going to be no more explicit sex scenes from here on in, as I feel as though there've been plenty of those for one fic. See you all next time on Trapped in the Heart of a Gamer!)