Tale Spinster

EP 1: I'D RATHER DIE THAN BE THE FL

It started with a nosebleed. My sense of smell failed me first, then the intense dizziness came. All I remembered was that I felt so tired, so sleepy. I laid my head on the table.

Just for a while, I said to myself. Maybe after almost forty-eight hours of nonstop studying, I can take a five-minute break and still ace the test that would start in two hours.

I have been pushing myself these past weeks without caring for my own well-being. My sleep cycle was a mess. I rarely ate and drank too. The only food I ate was instant ramen, and that was it.

The reason I pushed myself so hard was that I needed to ace this test to get a 4.0 GPA this semester. I flunk my previous exam and only landed a B+ which made my GPA drop to 3.7! So I really needed this test to be an A. I really needed the perfect GPA.

What was so important about having a perfect score?

Because I wanted to prove to my parents that I am no less than my big brother. For once, when I come home during a semester break, I want my parents to be proud of me. I want our dinner conversation to focus on me, not on my brother's achievement–who was also a medical student, by the way–and why am I not excelling as he is. For reference, he has built his own youth organization, presented one of his medical researches about stem cells at an international conference, and always has a 4.0 GPA every freaking time.

I was tired. Really tired to be compared all the time.

But I just wanted my parents to praise me once. For them to tell me I did the right thing by choosing medicine. They always thought that the field is too heavy for me, they thought I can't do it.

For once, I want them to tell me they were wrong.

So, I studied hard. For every assignment, every exam, I pulled an all-nighter on them. Sacrificing my meals, my leisure time, and my sleep. I did them all for my ego, for my pride. For recognition, for their love and support.

My phone buzzed next to my head. Melissa, my friend, just texted me she regretted partying two days before the exam. I wanted to smile, but even my facial muscle wouldn't budge. Serves Melissa right, I thought. She initially tried to force me to party with her, but my grade was more important. So, when my friends partied, I studied intensely.

My eyelids were becoming heavy. The dizziness had not stopped. And my nose started bleeding again. But I had no energy to move, so I just laid my head, letting the blood trickle out and pooled on the table. The iron scent of blood was the only thing I could smell.

The phone buzzed again. This time, it was a notification from an online novel application. A racy cover picture with the tagline 'You are my property, my slave, and my bedwarmer now,' appeared on my phone screen. It was notifying me that the book I recently read had an update.

I read online novels in between my study. Reading books has been my escape ever since I was little. Because going to the bookstore costs money and going to the library wastes time, I have settled with reading from an online novel app. I can easily download the books and buy the stories per episode. Besides, there are bonus coins, so I can technically read books for free if I am patient. Wherever I go, those books follow me because they are all literally on my phone. It is very convenient and I am glad I have found such an app.

The book I read last was called "Alpha, I'm Not Your Slave." It is a werewolf book with a royalty theme. It is also a dark erotica novel with scenes that made my jaw drop to the ground countless times.

In my defense, I opened the book only because the app shoved it into my face every day. So, I got curious, I kept thinking, what is the deal with this book that made it so popular? I wanted to know why people were raving about it so much.