C2 The price of blind love

The night was heavy with humidity, the air thick like it held secrets. A single ceiling fan spun lazily above a dimly lit room, scattering the heat but doing nothing to erase the scent of sweat and cheap perfume lingering in the air.

Victor leaned back against the pillow, a smirk stretching lazily across his face like a stain. Belinda was sprawled across his chest, tracing her fingers down his torso as though touching something valuable.

“Baby, when am I getting the money you promised?” she asked, her voice honeyed, but the tension beneath it was sharp.

Victor let out a laugh…not loud, but mocking enough to sting. “Don’t you have patience? Belinda baby, come on… I never fail on my promises.” He tugged her closer, fingers gliding down her back. Their naked skin pressed together, sticky with heat. “I’m expecting money from Vivian by the end of the week. I promise…it’ll be a good amount.”

Belinda’s brows pulled together. “But babe, you guys fought yesterday… do you really think she’ll send it?”

Victor’s smirk deepened. He flipped her gently, pinning her beneath him like he was claiming territory. “Why are you acting like you don’t know how dumb she is?” His breath ghosted over her lips. “I can treat her any kind of way, and she’ll crawl back like a lost puppy.”

He said it like it was a fact of life…unchangeable, cruel.

He laughed, a dark, satisfied sound that bounced off the walls.

And then…Ring. Ring. Ring.

Belinda’s eyes flickered to the phone vibrating on the nightstand.

“Speak of the devil,” she murmured, grabbing it and handing it to him.

The screen lit up…VIVIAN 💞.

Victor stared at it for a heartbeat, scoffed, and declined the call with a flick of his thumb, like swatting a fly.

Belinda shot up. “But why would you do that? Vivian’s calling…maybe she’s about to send the money!”

Victor didn’t even look at her. “Relax, baby girl. This will make her even more desperate to please me.” He tossed the phone aside, eyes glinting. “Let’s not ruin the moment… let’s pick up where we left off.”

And like that, he pulled her back under him, rolling his hips with arrogant ease. The sound of laughter and low moans filled the room…careless, filthy, cruel.

******

Across town, in a much quieter room, Vivian sat with her phone pressed to her ear, waiting for a voice that would not come.

“The number you are calling is busy…”

Her hand trembled. “He declined the call,” she whispered, like saying it aloud made it more real.

Cecilia looked up sharply. “What happened? What did he say?”

Vivian forced a shaky smile that collapsed almost immediately. “I think… he’s still mad at me. He declined the call. This is all my fault.”

A tear slipped down her cheek before she could stop it.

Cecilia’s jaw clenched. “Crying over an animal… holy crap,” she muttered under her breath, anger simmering like a hot coil.

Vivian looked up. “What did you say?”

“I was asking why you called him,” Cecilia lied smoothly. She spared her friend any direct insult…for now.

Vivian sniffed, wiping her cheek. “I wanted to ask when we’ll be going to buy our graduation outfits.”

Cecilia blinked. “Oh, Vivian… I thought you were going to go with me.” There was hurt in her tone.

Vivian hesitated. “I… wanted to ask him first.”

Cecilia stared at her. “And who told you he’s even graduating?”

Vivian looked genuinely confused. “Why wouldn’t he? Isn’t he part of our class?”

“He’s been failing since first year. What makes you think his name will appear on the list? Why keep lying to yourself?”

“You’re only saying this because you don’t like him. He’s better than some people in our class.”

“And who are those people, huh?” Cecilia’s voice rose. “Name them!”

Vivian swallowed. “Ceci…”

BANG!

The door slammed open, crashing against the wall.

Vivian flinched.

Her mother, Mrs. Dary, stood at the doorway…eyes blazing, nostrils flared, clutching a phone with trembling fingers. On the screen, a video played…Vivian, disheveled, fighting another girl in public over Victor.

Her name…DARY’S DAUGHTER TEARS CLOTHES OVER MAN…was plastered as the caption.

“What is this, Vivian?!” her mother’s voice thundered, sharp enough to cut air.

Vivian’s heart stopped.

“M-Mom… Mommy….”

“Vivian, what is this?” Mrs. Dary’s voice broke, tears of fury glistening in her eyes. “Do you even think about your family before you act? Do you want to ruin everything we’ve worked for? Do we deserve this shame from you?!”

Vivian dropped to her knees, hands clutching her mother’s skirt. “I can explain…”

“Do not touch me!” Mrs. Dary snapped, yanking her leg away as if burned. “Explain? Explain how you threw away your dignity over some boy who has nothing to offer you but embarrassment?!”

Vivian’s words died in her throat. Her vision blurred with shame.

Mrs. Dary’s gaze shifted, landing sharply on Cecilia. “And you. You call yourself her friend? Part of this family? What were you doing when your friend was wrecking herself? Couldn’t you have stopped her?”

Cecilia lowered her eyes. “Auntie, I…”

“Nonsense!” she spat, turning away before tears could fall. “I am ashamed. Truly ashamed.”

She stormed out, slamming the door so hard the walls shook.

For a moment, there was silence. Cracked, painful silence.

Then Cecilia turned, eyes blazing. “Just look at you.” Her voice wasn’t angry…it was disgusted. “Are you happy now? All this—over one guy. Every day it’s love, love, love. What’s wrong with you?”

Vivian’s lips trembled. “You don’t understand. This isn’t Victor’s fault. I caused all of it.”

Cecilia stared at her like she was seeing a stranger. “Aren’t you ashamed? Look at what you’re saying! What’s so special about him? His puffy face? His wrinkled skin? His dumb attitude?”

“Enough, Cecilia.”

“No. Not enough!” Cecilia snapped. “Let me tell you the truth, Miss Act-Righteous. You’re acting like a desperate girl. You give him money, sleep with him, do everything…and he cheats! And you still run back? Aren’t you disgusted?!”

Vivian’s voice broke. “Get out!”

“I knew you’d say that,” Cecilia hissed. “You want to date a dog? Be my guest. Just don’t cry later.”

“Don’t make me push you out, Cecilia. I mean it.”

“I’m leaving,” Cecilia said coldly. “Maybe when you come to your senses, you’ll understand what I was saying.”

She grabbed her bag and walked out without looking back.

Vivian’s knees gave way.

She crumpled to the floor, sobbing into her hands. Her phone lit up again…the same name. Victor. Hope sparked for half a second.

She called him.

He declined.

Again.

Again.

Again.

A sound tore out of her chest—broken, feral.

She screamed and hurled the phone across the room. It hit the wall with a hard crack and fell lifeless to the floor.

⸻

Across town.

Cecilia gripped the steering wheel so tight her knuckles turned white. Rage coiled in her chest like a ticking bomb.

Her eyes scanned the traffic…then froze.

There, under a streetlamp, stood Victor.

Holding someone’s waist.

Belinda.

They were laughing, like life was a joke and pain didn’t exist.

Something inside Cecilia snapped.

She reversed sharply, heart pounding, and accelerated toward them.

Victor barely jumped back in time.

“Are you stupid?!” he yelled, hurling insults like knives.

Cecilia stared at him through the windshield, chest heaving, foot still pressing on the accelerator. For one terrifying second, she considered it.

Running him over.

Ending it.

But the flash of a police car made her curse sharply and yank the wheel, swerving away.

“Vivian… you’re so blind,” she whispered through clenched teeth, tears stinging her eyes. “This thing you love doesn’t even look human. Disgusting.”

She sped off, fury burning through her veins like fire.

⸻

Morning.

It was too bright.

Too normal.

Vivian stood before the mirror, staring at a reflection that looked like someone else. Puffy eyes. Smudged mascara. A ghost of a girl who once believed in love like it was magic.

She touched her cheek. Cold.

“Everything will be fine, Vivian Dary…” she whispered, voice hoarse. “You just need time.”

She applied concealer like it was armor. Foundation like it could erase pain. Sunglasses like a shield.

Her hands trembled, but she grabbed her bag.

She needed to talk to Victor.

Even if it hurt.

⸻

The hallway felt like a courtroom.

Whispers followed her like shadows.

“Is that the girl from the video?”

“She fought over him? Shameful.”

“I heard she begged him on her knees—”

Vivian walked faster.

“It’s just a video… It’s not that bad,” she muttered to herself.

Lie.

Then she saw her.

Cecilia.

“Cecilia?” her voice cracked with hope.

But Cecilia walked past her without a glance.

Something inside Vivian twisted painfully.

“Are you seriously going to walk past me like we’re strangers?” Vivian asked, voice low.

Cecilia stopped. Didn’t turn.

“When you were yelling ‘get out, get out’ yesterday,” she said quietly, “what did you expect?”

Vivian swallowed. “I’m sorry, Ceci… please. Don’t let it be like this. I was angry. I didn’t mean it.”

A long silence.

Then Cecilia exhaled. “Let’s go. We’re late.”

They walked side by side.

Not as best friends.

Not as enemies.

But as two girls trying to find their way back to the version of themselves they had lost somewhere along the way.