Twice The Trouble Book 2 of 2: Twice The Love

Chapter 9: Reality Sucks

Stacy

That same Wednesday, in the evening, I wore my pajamas--pink tank and shorts--whilst sprawled on Sophia's emerald-colored bed.

"What do you girls think I should do?"

Lying on my flat stomach in front of my white laptop, I had opened a group conference Skype call with my girlfriends, Miles and Selena.

Positioned cross-legged next to me is my bespectacled twin sister, Sophia, with her long brown hair tied into a low ponytail and wearing her trademark nightwear: Plain shirt and boxers.

"Do you even need to ask?" retorted Selena from the laptop screen. "Turn that bastard in."

Miles agreed fervently, her wavy raven hair bouncing as she nodded. "Why are you even reluctant to shove him under the bus, Ace?"

There.The million dollar-question. I anticipated it to be Len to ask it, but Miles hit the bullseye.

I was too shamefaced to say it aloud, but yes, I had my qualms about surrendering my proof.

When I first realized that there was a supposedly distinguished professor secretly leering at banks of female students for God knows how long, a wave of empathy washed over me.

Followed by hesitance.

Would have there been a difference had I not found out about this?

Being a victim of sexual assault, I know how badly it feels to want to receive justice. When I was sixteen, I was drug-raped, and my rapist was sent to military school, leaving me empty of vindication. And the year before, I nearly got gang-raped by my own colleagues, who got expelled from Orion way before the new school year started.

Every time I'm alone, with my thoughts, I come to discover that there are other people out there, in different countries, of different gender and origin, who have undergone trauma from sexual assault or harassment.

It had hit me in the face like a train wreck to figure out that nobody ever heals from that kind of pain.

Whether or not I hand over the blatant proof in my phone, this crime wave simply won't stop.

So what if I do this good deed?

There will always be preys and there would always be predators.

I'm not naive. I know I'm thinking wrongly. But if I turn this video in, the harsh gossip would be imminent. The student body would inevitably make me the object of ridicule for the hundredth time.

Why can't a person just do the right thing without being negatively criticized?

Is it my golden hair? My blue eyes? My outgoing personality? My model-thin figure?

Just because I love pink and I'm frequently approached by guys, I'm suddenly a stereotypical bitch. A stuck-up Barbie doll. Pretty blonde girls have feelings, too.

"Ace." Sophia's voice dragged me out of my reverie.

I glanced at my sister, whose brown eyes quietly examined my face. "What?" I asked her.

My brunette twin patted my hand on her green blanket. She held my gaze and said: "Whatever you choose to do, I'll always support you."

I stared at Sophia, at the transparent melancholy in her chocolate orbs. I promised her I would no longer meddle in her romantic endeavor unless she said otherwise, and so far, I've kept to my vow. At the same time, I understood how she needed to grow on her own. Between the two of us, she and I are aware that romantically, I was always the independent one. I've handled more guys than I can count, while she is currently enduring a certain boy's absence.

Nobody knows where Lucas has been for the past week. Not even my sister knows, and it wasn't difficult to see that she was emotionally struggling with his sudden disappearing act.

I gambled so much for them to be together, and what the hell is he doing?

"Yeah." I summoned a smile for her. "I know." I shifted my attention on my laptop again.

Miles and Selena watched me intently with their hazel eyes. They chorused: "When?"

I chewed on my lower lip, my teeth digging into the soft pinkness. "Tomorrow. I'll set up an appointment with the dean." If I prolong the torture,my resolve would crumble like sand.

Sophia

12:01 am.

Thursday Morning.

Across the air-conditioned bedroom, I can hear Stacy's soft snores resonating through the cold air while she slept like a baby, her pink sheets pulled up to her bare shoulders.

I lay on my back on my own green bed, holding up my glowing phone close to my face.

Tapping my right index finger on the bright screen, a deep sigh escaped my lips.

Lucas still hasn't replied to my 10 messages.. and he missed all of my 8 calls.

Don't be clingy.

I shook my head. But the voice inside my head proceeded to taunt me.

You're not even his girlfriend.

And even if you were, you still need to maintain your boundaries.

I've been squinting at my phone's screen for the past three hours, waiting to no avail for Lucas to send me a response.

Was he okay? Is he ill? Did he have to visit a relative out of town or something?

Perhaps his phone got stolen and that's why he can't text me back?

Except.. he knows my number.. and we're friends on Facebook.. and he has my email address.

So how come he hasn't contacted me once?

I shut my phone, tucking it underneath my pillow. I should get some rest. I have a 7am class in a few hours.

As I snuggled into my grass-colored blankets, I nuzzled half my face into my soft pillow, not wanting to believe that Lucas was the reason for my trembling shoulders and the single tear sliding down my cheek.

Lucas

I clicked my retractable pen, my work finally done for the night.

My brown eyes surveyed the tall stacks of paperwork and important documents I had to pore over and sign for several hours.

God, I need sleep.

I reached for my black phone perched atop my desk, turning the power on.

My father had finally returned my small device to me after I finished my last afternoon business meeting earlier.

When my phone glowed white,I studied my wallpaper for a long time, a warm feeling lingering inside my chest.

My lock and home screen is a picture of me and Sophia dressed up as Belle and Beast from Beauty and the Beast.. the shot had been captured on her 19th birthday a few weeks prior.

Swiping left, I opened my gallery and went to my album entitled "Me and Ya." Ya is my nickname for Sophia. If she felt heavy anger towards me, I wouldn't blame her. I've intentionally avoided her and missed her calls so I could concentrate on the manual training my father put on my shoulders.

From now on, I will be doing my internship here since I'm in my third year of college.

It's not Bryce's fault I got stuck with this big responsibility. He elected his own path, taking up Photography while I chose Business Administration, armed with the knowledge that I would become future CEO of D.L.R. Enterprises, one of the most successful and powerful companies in Asia. Our father owned multiple chains of malls, banks, hotels, and hospitals, his largest industry centered on Advertising.

"I'll see you soon, Ya," I told our photo.

God, I hope she forgives me for neglecting her calls and messages.