Candy- Chapter 15

A/N: Hello guys! Please read and review, it means a lot to me! Sorry for the late update, but I guess no one cares haha. Enjoy!

The next morning, when Flora woke up to her alarm, she was on the ground. Only, this time, half of her stomach wasn't lying on the floor along with her. She smiled through her headache, getting up. It was about six o'clock, and she had only ventured into dreamland two hours ago.

The girl shook her head, trying to wake up. She felt like a zombie, deep inside. Maybe it was because she hadn't had a sugar rush in a while. Maybe it was because she didn't sleep for more than 120 minutes. She felt dead alive, but she felt happy.

"Flora!", she heard from the corridor.
It was her sister.
"What, Miele?"
"Somebody's waiting for you at the door!"
At those words, the brunette's eyes flashed wide. Someone was waiting for her? Who was it? Krystal? Musa?

Both were improbable, especially the latter.
For a while now did Musa ignore her, as though all those things they went through together suddenly didn't matter anymore. Flora didn't want to think about it, but her past best friend now never left Bloom's side. Bloom, oh Bloom.

"Flora!"
"I'm coming!"
The girl quickly threw on a pale pink turtleneck and a grey plated skirt, finishing off the look with white tights and a few colorful hair clips. She then rushed down the stairs, putting her hair into a ponytail, messier than she would have wanted.

"Who is it?", Flora mumbled, walking over. Miele was getting on her nerves. Honestly, right now, everything was getting on her nerves. She had slept not even for two hours, and everything was going far too fast.
Again, she was shocked when she reached the door.

"Musa.", she let out, coldly.
Flora wasn't an icy heart. She didn't need to be melted. But once you freeze her up, there is no going back. Usually. It's not that she doesn't want to give you a chance, it's that she doesn't want to be hurt again.
"Flora, we need to talk."
The brunette raised her eyebrows.
"We really do. Please."
Maybe it was that glint of light in the girl's black eyes. Maybe it was that look of hope.
"Fine. But make it quick."
A smile lit up the Asian girl's face, as she reached for Flora's arm.
"Come with me."
She then pulled her over to a small alley not far away.

"Well, talk.", Flora let out, a little too soft for her wanting.
"It was Bloom. She made me say that. I don't know how to explain this to you."
There was so much in her voice Flora couldn't make out anything clear.
"And why should I believe you?", she finally said.
"But why would I lie? You're my best friend, we went through so much, and she threatened to tell everyone about how I stole from her and-"
A small pause.
"You stole from her?"
Musa's eyes shot up in fear again.
"No, it's not like that, I worked at her house and it was Riven's birthday and-"
"Musa. Calm down.", suddenly cut the brunette, "I'm not saying I don't want to believe you. But I think we need some time off. What you said, hurt me. What you did, too. I don't know what made you do that, and I'm not even sure if I care anymore. I just want no trouble? I just want peace, okay? Don't come at me with your crazy tales after ignoring me for so long! Stop hiding things from me if you want me to trust you!"
And with that, she walked away.
"But Flora!"
The girl didn't reply.
Yes, she liked Musa. Yes, she wasn't ready to forget about her any time soon. She was in some way her savior, after all. But Flora also had self-respect. She didn't want to feel like this girl people throw away randomly, and, when they want to pick her up again, invent some over-the-top excuse.
She was a little like white. Easy to get, easy to lose. Hard to get back the same way. Doesn't add much, but without her nothing would work, either.

As she walked back to her house, Flora smiled. She still had Stella, Aisha, and Tecna, after all. At least they were real friends. Only, she was too naive, and far too trusting, too.

Krystal, that morning, had also woken up with a headache. She reached for her phone, contemplating the dozen missed calls.
"Hello, Aisha?"
"When are you giving us the money? You said yesterday!"
The girl sighed. Not again…
"I promise I'll get it before the end of the week, okay?"
"Well, hurry up! 'Cause I'm tired of playing best friends with a freshman, and for free, too, right now! Do you know how many times she called me this week?"
Krystal furrowed her eyebrows at the insults. But she didn't flinch. She needed Aisha. She needed all three of those girls. She needed Flora to be happy.
"Don't worry."
The call was soon ended by the other user.

Krystal then sat up, starting to choose her clothes. She wanted to impress her sister, all while looking approachable at the same time.
At the end, she settled for a white blouse with a sea blue tie, and denim jeans that gave her more curves than she had. The girl as well put on a dotted hair band to keep her hair from falling into her eyes, complementing the ensemble with her watch and a silver pendant.

Just as she put on her earrings, Krystal heard knocking on her door. She walked over. The blonde always locked it, for 'personal reasons'. Really, she was just afraid her father would murder her in her sleep, seeing how much she knew about his activities.

"Mom?", the girl let out, opening the door slowly.
Her mother never really visited her. She was far too busy working as a lawyer. Krystal wondered if her father only married the woman for that. Marrying someone working in law sure is favorable for a criminal like him.
"Krystal, you have to explain this to me.", the woman said, handing her a piece of paper. It was a letter. From her school.
"You had two Cs in History and failed the whole of Math?"
The girl looked down.
"Daughter! I don't know what you think you're doing, but wake up! You do realize you're on a scholarship? If you keep doing this, you're out, and it's public school for you!"
Krystal kept staring at the ground.
"Can't you for once ask dad to pay or something. He's a millionaire.", she mumbled.
"Yeah, very smart, young lady. Ask the father nobody knows you have to pay you out of this mess. The father who ran out of prison twice, the father who is supposed to be deceased. How smart. I can't believe you're my daughter, Krystal Laurence."
She then started walking away.
"I'm going to work. You better deal with this."
Krystal slammed her door shut, crawling into a ball. She didn't feel anything. She wished she didn't. She just felt numb. And empty.

Automatically, she dialed his number.
"Hi, Krys, are you alright?"
A small pause.
"Krystal?"
"Helia I'm really sorry for lying to everyone, why am I such a mess? I just want everyone to be happy. I need you too much. I don't want to feel! I don't want to know, I- I-", she mumbled between sobs.
"Shh, calm down. It's fine. Tell me what happened."
The girl sniffed. She wanted to tell him. So much. But she couldn't.
She hated how he felt so… close. Yet, there was so much she was hiding from him.
"I… I bit my tongue.", she finally let out, drying her eyes until they turned red.
She heard a small chuckle.
"Honestly, I've never met a girl like you, Krystal. You're coming to school, right?"
"Yeah."
"Don't forget about your meeting with Flora."
"I know."
A small pause.
"Helia, please don't do anything to her. Please, okay?"
An awkward silence followed.
"Krys, you don't know what her father did-"
"I do! Please! I'm begging you!", the girl cried out.
"Hey, hey, calm down, Krys. I won't do anything you don't want me to do, okay? We're best friends. But can I ask you, why?"
"I don't know if you'd still want me if I told you the truth, Helia. I'm really sorry. You're too important to me."
We tend to lie more to people we care about, for we want them to see the better of us. We want them to stay forever. Even if that means living in a lie.
"You're really important to me too, Krys."
And with that, they stayed silent for a while.

Helia didn't know what to think. He wanted revenge. He wanted the peace his mother had brought him back. He wanted the safety she gave him. He wanted the trust she gave him. He didn't want to admit it, but… he wanted the love she gave him.

"Shh, Helia, it's fine. Your father doesn't know better. To me, it's a lovely drawing."
The young boy sniffed.
"Here, I'll bring you to my atelier tomorrow, okay?"
"Yes!"
The lady smiled gently.
"Okay… I'll settle things with your father. Go draw some more, huh?"
"Okay!"

He looked down.
"Helia, thank you.", finally said Krystal from the other side of the call.
"Huh?"
"Thanks for not asking questions."
The boy sighed.
"It's alright. But you know, it would be great if you told me more about yourself. I… I care about you, and I-"
"Helia, it's not the moment, okay?"
"Okay."
"See you at school?"
"School. Right."

Maybe that was why he got close to Krystal. They trusted each other. They helped each other up when one fell down. Helia wished he could do more for the girl. He also wished he could understand his feelings for her better. He didn't realize that some puzzles work better unsolved, and some lies are not made to be discovered.