TRIP TO LIBERTY (FREENBECKY)

Chapter 6

Saint's POV

The dinner had come and gone, leaving a trail of tense interactions in its wake. As the evening deepened, I found myself seeking solace by the edge of the yacht. The rhythmic sound of waves against the hull echoed my internal turmoil.

I could feel the anger coursing through my veins, a steady drumbeat of frustration that seemed to match the waves' rhythm. The events of the day had stirred up emotions that I had long buried, memories I had tried to forget.

FLASHBACK

The classroom was hushed, the air heavy with a sense of tragedy. Mr. Smith, our teacher, was gone. The news of his suicide had hit the school like a tidal wave. I found myself sitting alone in the back, my eyes stinging as I stared at the empty desk in front of me.

The tears slipped down my cheeks, and I made no effort to hide them. The pain in my chest was overwhelming, a weight that threatened to crush me. Mr. Smith had been more than just a teacher—he had been my confidant, my source of guidance and support.

And now, he was gone. A victim of the same judgment and cruelty that had haunted me for so long.

EOFB

I clenched my fists, the memories still fresh in my mind. The day Kitty and Freen had outed Mr. Smith's relationship with me—the day they had torn apart his life and mine—had left scars that ran deep.

I couldn't understand how they had been so callous, how they could have caused so much pain without a second thought. It was as if they revealed in the destruction they had wrought.

The bitterness within me swelled, a storm that mirrored the raging sea before me. My grip tightened on the glass in my hand, and in a surge of anger, I hurled it into the water. The shattering sound seemed to echo my own shattered trust, my shattered sense of safety.

"Damn it!" I muttered, my voice dripping with frustration.

"You alright there, Saint?"

I turned to see Heng approaching, his expression a mix of concern and understanding.

"Just needed some air." I replied tersely.

Heng leaned against the railing, his gaze steady. 

"It's a lot to process, I know."

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. The anger was still boiling beneath the surface, a tempest that threatened to consume me.

"I still can't believe they did that." I finally muttered, my voice heavy with resentment.

Heng's gaze held mine, his eyes reflecting a shared pain. 

"I know. It's hard to fathom."

"It's not just that they ruined his life." I said, my voice tinged with bitterness. 

"It's that they didn't care. They didn't care about the lives they were destroying."

Heng's expression grew somber, his understanding evident. 

"People can be cruel, Saint. And sometimes, they don't realize the consequences of their actions until it's too late."

A bitter laugh escaped me, a harsh sound that mingled with the crashing waves. 

"I doubt they ever realized, or if they did, they never felt sorry."

Heng sighed, his gaze distant. 

"It's a dark side of human nature, one that's hard to comprehend."

I stared out at the sea, my anger slowly ebbing, replaced by a heavy sense of resignation.