unruly › peter parker

nine. the unruly one

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FIVE DAYS HAVE passed since the moment Rhea shared with Peter, one that made her start to consider whether she truly wanted him as just a friend down the road. And with the happiness that Peter, Ned and Eva brought her, she thought things would slowly start to pick up. Her friendship with them would develop further, perhaps her feelings for Peter would become clearer, and that she'd finally have enough courage to confront her mother, and turn her in.

But somehow, what she wanted was no longer hers to decide.

She thought things would run smoothly as they have been so far. And she thought a measly Physics group presentation wouldn't be an exception. But somehow, the unruly one always has her way. Rhea was losing herself to the other personality state living in her mind, yet she didn't even know.

All she knew, was that she screwed up the entire presentation, despite reassuring her friends that she was confident. And perhaps, the unruly one might be a step closer to total control.

"You said you were clear on the content! Even the questions Mrs Warren asked during the Q&A segment... they were everything that she has been teaching so far, what happened?" Eva was beyond frustrated, driven by her potentially not meeting her academic goals for Physics. After all, marks for this project would be awarded for how well everyone in the group did.

Rhea stayed silent, looking at anywhere but her own friends and rooted in front of the lockers. The corridor was a cacophony of loud chatter, but somehow, her head always caused a greater racket, buzzing with static and a... subconscious voice she rarely could hear, yet its presence was obvious. That same voice caused her to mess up the presentation in the first place.

Peter wanted to interfere, defend Rhea even, but Eva knew that, so she didn't give him a chance to. "Y'know, even a simple 'sorry' would be enough," she sneered, uncrossing her arms and shoving books into her locker.

Her eyes finally wandered to meet her friends'. Eva was frustrated. Ned was disappointed. Peter... was worried.

But why is she progressively getting irritated? Angry?

"Are you even listening?" Eva began, causing Peter to place his hand on her shoulder, trying to tell her that's enough.

"Why're you defending her?" She glared. Peter knew he had to do something immediately. Eva was hot-headed, that, he accepted. But what he couldn't let happen, was to see Rhea succumb to someone who wasn't her. "I've realised you always go soft on her. It's like every mistake she makes, she doesn't have to own up to it, why? Is she more special to you than any of us are?

With brows furrowed, Peter answered firmly, "Eva, stop it, please." Ned couldn't stand seeing his friends fall out. He too desperately wanted Eva to just cool down.

"Answer me first-"

Eva's locker slammed shut, a millisecond just after she stopped loading books into it. A jarring sound reverberated in the hallway. All eyes suddenly on the group of friends who more than often went unnoticed in everyone else's lives.

Now they're in a temporary limelight. But "Rhea" didn't care. She only thought about how if Eva had continued placing books into her locker, perhaps the impact of the slam could've break her forearm-

-like she intended to.

Too bad the unruly's control didn't last long this time.

Rhea was back quicker than she had gone. She noticed the attention on them. But more than that, she noticed fear in Eva's eyes. Her own friend, afraid of her, even for a momentary second. Oh dear God, what did I do this time?

Turning on her heels, she ran. Many emotions battled for dominance in her heart and mind all at once. Shame. Fright. Distress. But laced through it all was the absolute dread of what she's becoming.

Why did Eva look at her like that? What did she do? Why can't she remember any of it at all?

Who exactly am I?

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qotd !! ;
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