sweet revenge I

Images of the previous day flashed through my mind - the rehearsal that ended disastrously when Camela suddenly collapsed. She had been lying on the floor, motionless

I was lying on my bed staring at the ceiling

I groaned as I scratched my head, realizing I had overslept "Oh, crap! I'm late for wor- Wait... I don't have a job" I muttered, quickly getting up and looking at the wall clock

“4:00pm?” I rubbed my eyes, realizing it was already afternoon

Suddenly, memories of the previous day flooded my mind, including how I had been humiliated by Camela. I groaned inwardly

"So humiliating “I muttered

"Gerald! Your friend, Annie, is here" My mom called out from the other room

Before I could respond, Annie burst into my room, I carefully looked at her from head to toe

Her typical red hair was tied in a bun which is perfect match for her white and black dress with black shoes and socks

"Get dressed; we're going out" she said, rummaging through my closet without asking.

"You've been sleeping the entire afternoon?”

My mind snapped back into reality, and I hesitated before responding

"I guess..."

The unspoken question hung heavy in the air, and I knew the topic of my smashed camera couldn't be avoided

She glanced at me "You better pay me for my camera alright”

I sighed, feeling like there was no point in hiding the truth from Annie.

"I-I'll pay you back," I mumbled, aware of the debt I had to settle.

"Its okay, we’re going to see Camela get humiliated later, anyways” she added with a mischievous grin

She seemed amused, her laughter filling the air leaving me unsure how to feel about it all

"You’re creepy! “I yelled "don't dragged me with you”

"I saw what happened to you yesterday in the internet... I'm sorry, Gerald. “Annie’s said, staring at me

"I heard you got fired from your job" She added, her voice tinged with a hint of guilt as her gaze fixed on the ceiling.

"Don’t worry I don’t mind it at all “I quickly respond

"It doesn't matter who they are; I won't let anyone disrespect you" She continued, her voice firm as she offered me a pair of trousers and a jacket. I took the clothes from her

“Annie..”

I had never seen Annie like this before. Normally, she was always rude and violent toward me

She must have felt bad about what happened

“Are we were going to a bookstore or perhaps a coffee shop?”

My attempt to lighten the mood with a chuckle failed as Annie bluntly replied "I already told you. We're going to see Camela's stage play later tonight."

She forcefully dragged me towards the bathroom, pushing me inside with a harsh shove. Before I could protest, she slammed the door shut behind me, leaving me alone in the bathroom

I guess I have no choice but to dress up

We walked out and I immediately unchained my bike which is parked near our doorstep

"Let's not ride on the bike. I want to walk." Annie suggested,

I looked up at the darkening sky, the cool breeze gently caressing my face.

"Alright," I replied, and started walking.

Annie walked beside me, and as she bumped into me, I responded with a playful bump, and we continued our walk, the crisp evening breeze soothing any lingering tension between us. For a while, it felt like everything is normal

“So camela is a theatre actress huh?”

“Yup “Annie shortly responded

So that's why she had been rehearsing yesterday, preparing for her big show tonight. Yet, I couldn't shake the memory of her collapsing yesterday

I wondered whether she would be able to perform despite her condition yesterday. It felt as though someone was behind her fall

Could someone be sabotaging her performance? That realization made me suspicious.

After a short walk, we arrived at the auditorium

Annie hurried along, while I followed at a distance, taking in the surroundings

I shivered in the cool air, wrapping my jacket around me for warmth. "So cold" I muttered, my teeth slightly chattering due to the chill

“I didn't expect Camela would go so far" She added, as she went to our assigned seat which is close to the stage

,"That’s why I’ve prepared the bucket of paint, ready to splatter it all over that smug face." Annie continued, With a cunning smile

I looked at her in disbelief

“Last night I had "two-stage trap," starting with the paint bucket. “She smirked proudly as she explained, "First, I placed a bucket full of paint on the prop if she steps on a wrong rope it will surely pour paint on her right on the spot. And then, the second part of the plan involved a fragile prop that will collapse as soon as someone steps on it “ she said in a very low voice

I can’t believe Annie had the courage to do so. If ever she get caught she will be in trouble

"I'm not sure if this is the right way to handle this. Setting up a trap just doesn't sit right with me."

"She had it coming" Annie retorted "After everything that happened, she deserved to be humiliated."

“I don’t think she will be able to perform tho” I whispered as I my eyes focus on stage

The red curtain finally open

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, as if a moment they had been anticipating finally arrived. The murmur filled the theater

Soon, the spotlight focused on the stage

Camela appeared on stage, and I was taken aback by her elegance. She wore a stunning red gown that complemented her blonde hair perfectly.

“I saw her collapse yesterday, yet she's performing on the stage now. It's like it never even happened. I wonder if she took anything to keep herself awake or something. “I thought

The lights dimmed as Camela stood perfectly under the lone spotlight. Her performance was captivating, as if she poured herself into every line, every move, and every emotion. Every word she recite was filled with beauty, and her presence was mesmerizing.

I observed her carefully it seems like as if. Her eyes scanned the setup as if she could sense the traps that had been placed.

She moved with a deliberate grace, avoiding the traps with a cautious awareness, as if she knew in advance what would happen if she stepped in the wrong spot.

Though impressed with her performance, a nagging voice in my mind couldn't shake the feeling that something was different about her. I recalled her earlier practice, remembering how full of life and emotion she was, versus her current performance, which lacked the same depth of emotion. It genuinely felt like a completely different person on stage.

"And if the world turned its back on you, I'd trade it all for just a moment with you. I'd sacrifice the world, let it burn, just to hold you close to me." Her eyes grew distant, and her voice softened with a tinge of desperation.

And then she took few steps
"Why does pain seem more comfortable than happiness?"

"Perhaps it's because misery is more familiar, more understandable. We know the way of pain, the predictability of suffering, but happiness, true happiness, is elusive and uncertain,"

“Our eyes, blinded by the veil of lies, fail to see the truth that is right in front of us."

My eyes widened. Yesterday, she had recited those lines precisely as I expected.

Despite having witnessed the rehearsal yesterday, a sense of awe still washed over me in this very moment.

Despite the familiarity, the atmosphere seemed even more magical, as if something had changed, and the anticipation of what was to come only heightened the experience.

It was different from the rehearsal, and I couldn't quite pinpoint why.

The crowd erupted into applause, cheering loudly for the other performers who joined Camela on stage.

She gracefully bowed, and the audience's response echoed loudly, filling the air. The energy was palpable, with the audience eagerly clapping and shouting their approval.

“It’s impossible…how can she able to avoid the trap?” Annie whispered in disbelieve