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PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE BENEATH THE STORY.

This chapter is dedicated @Tiffany_McConkey. Thank you so much for your wonderful comment. I'm really happy you think so. 💜

Linda's POV

We all sit in a faceoff or do I say food off.

Esperanza has prepared hot chili sauce and pasta and when I say hot, I mean I eat one fork and never again shall I taste anything else.

The deal here is that whoseoever lasts the longest without water is the winner and gets to deal out whatever punishment they seem necessary to the others.

This is what boredom has led to, us teenagers willing to give up our lives over a silly game. One which the boys suggested and we foolishly agreed to.

I wonder if the winner will need surgery after this or will ever dare to brave the toilet.

Esperanza has refused to take part in our stupidity so she of course is the referee.

Along with Constanza and Miguel and of course the stupid smirking Bruno.

' Obviously not as dumb as you. You chose to kill yourself over Dave's stupidity. Just find me another body before you die. '

Shut up! First of all you cannot have another body because you are me as in moi you know.

' no I don't '

Just stop talking.

' if you think this act of suicide is going to shut me up. It's just gonna be your brain cells and when you end up in a comma, I'll be right there chanting your name. '

I have definitely decided that you are henceforth psycho me.

' na… that's just you. '

" Ugh shut up already! "

I probably shouldn't have said that out loud but then again a certain me is driving me nuts.

Now I have everyone staring at me like I've gone coocoo.

" you know if you're already going crazy just inhaling that poison… " Bruno says dramatically pausing. " maybe it'd be best to quit now. "

I snap my head at him with a glare meant to kill and he puts his hands up as if in surrender.

My grandmother seems a bit worried and she seems to be struggling between discouraging me and whisking me out of there.

" you know if you really are in need of pain, you can always take my offer to train. Trust me it will be both painful and life threatening. " Miguel says looking bored out of his mind.

Well no one invited him.

So much discouragement around me but in the face of trials I shall prevail!

' na you're just gonna get burned. Get that! "

I choose to ignore the crazy rants going on in my head.

" okay now that you're done preparing yourselves can we start now? " Esperanza asks with an evil smile on her face.

Already?! I hate her, she's such an evil witch!

I mean I tried to bribe her but nooo! She just wants to see me in pain!

' you chose this lot now you will carry it! ' psycho me sings in a hymn like tone.

And I shall prevail!

Esperanza starts the countdown.

I and Leah look each other in the eyes and back at the danger in front of us.

If I had the opportunity to give a speech right now it would be this.

Every woman of the world I am here to defend our honour and prove to the world that we have done one useful thing…

Giving birth to boys was a mistake that needs to be corrected so obviously that doesn't count.

…So if I die, on my tombstone please write the woman that mattered.

But I'm not even given that chance because in the next second I find myself digging in and the first thing that happens is the death of my brain cells then it feels like my tongue is on fire.

I force myself to chew each bite and my lips oh my precious lips. Never shall they be small and cute again. Now they shall look like I have been stung right there by bees.

Suddenly the pain spreads. I can even feel it in my eyes. I don't dare cry afraid the tears are made of hot chili sauce. Then suddenly there is a numbness about the pain and God it makes it worse.

I am about to give up but then I look at the boys whose faces are a mixture of pain, actual tears and snot.

So I cry to myself and say I shall prevail.

Leah tumbles to the ground and crawl over to Esperanza to beg for water.

Now I am left alone in this battle.

My insides feel as if they are boiling with acids and I can't help but wonder if this what an ulcer feels like.

My hand shakes unable to take the next fork and the sound of Bruno's laughter causes me to turn to him slowly. But this time I dare not glare because I feel pain in places I never thought I could.

Nikon should try this as a means of torture cause right now I'd spill all my secrets for a glass of water.

When I finally succeed in putting the next fork in my mouth. It is unable to hold it and the food comes pouring out my mouth the sudden need to throw up comes to me. But I hold it in even if the contents of my stomach feel rancid.

I look at the boys and they are the picture of my mental image. They can't even hold the fork right.

I wonder if I die who would mourn me and I come to the conclusion that no one would.

I try talking but my throat feels dry and too painful. So I switch tactics and try to stand up but my legs can't seem to hold me.

Why does it seem as if I have been run over by a truck?

When I see how helpless I am, I result to crying and God even that is painful. " I dus… dus wan warer. Why ruing ris oh me? " I sniff and instantly regret doing so. It feels like my nose is on fire. It provokes even more tears from my eyes. No action of mine is favourable to me. " sunran helm me. "

" sorry Isabella we can't hear you. What was that? " Bruno asks bursting into a laughing fit.

Miguel, Constanza and even Esperanza join in.

Leah looks like she's never going to stand up again.

" warer! Warer! " I say trying to yell. Esperanza brings herself to go get the water still shaking with laughter.

When she gives Leah a bottle water, she grabs at it like a vampire at the scent of blood.

When she gets to me, strength from nowhere comes and I dive for the water. Just when we are about chugging the water down Esperanza stops us.

" you probably shouldn't do that. "

I and Leah look at her with loathe in our eyes and ignore her words and man do we regret it.

The pain subsides for a second and then suddenly it's amplified.

Esperanza starts laughing even more saying we needed milk not water.

And she couldn't just say that before. Evil! Evil I tell you.

The boys finally hold it right and manage to carve some spaghetti on the fork.

I imagine diving at them just to make sure that spaghetti doesn't get into their mouth but it's then I realize I've already lost.

Unable to take the next bite, they end up puking and in a way I feel victorious. I didn't puke!

I force a tiny smile to my face and then pass out.

***

I wake up to a silent room, wondering where I am but I take no time in remembering and soon I stand up and walk to the mirror. I look there a bit confused then I remember the psycho mission I'd gone on.

I bring out my tongue and it feels kinda heavy and looks dark.

When am I going to learn to be wise? Dave's stupidity can be life threatening.

I choose to go find the others and I am on my way searching through the house when I hear some voices in the living room. The sound of Nikon's is quiet and yet kind of echoes out.

I consider eavesdropping but then what good would the information I'd get do me?

At the same time Miguel's warning comes to mind.

So I decide to go away but I'm stopped in my tracks by the words that come clearer to me as I pass by the door.

" she will be getting into the family business. My lawyers are looking into getting her back from that man that calls himself her father. " Nikon says with disgust clear in his voice. " she might be weak like her mother but when she rightfully bears the name that is hers. I will mold her as I deem fit. I will not make another mistake like I did with Imelda. "

My mother was never a mistake. She was more human than Nikon Alonso will ever be.

I feel this rash need to go in there and interrupt his meeting with whoever is in there and I'm about giving in when those tingles start up.

The feel of Luke's hands on mine hold me back from going in. He must have heard what I heard too but his silence soothes me as much as his touch.

I look into his electric blue eyes and I feel safe, calm and assured that everything will be fine.

" what are you doing here? " I ask him wondering how he got here.

" I was eavesdropping. " he says quietly with a slight smile forming on his lips.

" why would you do that you could get killed? " I ask just as quietly.

' you know you could take your own advice. '

Technically I wasn't eavesdropping I was just passing by.

" just wanted to make sure I wouldn't lose you again. " he said with all seriousness.

For some reason I find myself blushing and I wonder if it's as a result of the hot chili sauce.

I try to hide the smile that seems to be forming on my face and put my hand in his wanting to ignore Nikon and his stupidity.

But we seem to have forgotten that we were standing right at the door and must have tuned out the ongoing conversation because the door slides open and I come face to face with a stranger.

I guess Nikon is done with his discussion.

Author's Note

I know the timing of my updates might not be as frequent as you guys want but please bear with me. I would update faster if I could.

But please I beg of you continue to support me.

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Lastly, I want to inform you guys that I will be starting a new book by Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Depends on circumstances. I plan on participating in spirity with that book. So please I beg of you. I need all of your help to win. I believe that with your support it's possible. I will continue updating this book as usual and hopefully even more than usual.

The name of the new book is Burning Hatred; Entwined Destinies. I promise you're going to love it. My friend loves it. I love it. It's a fantasy book with a female lead who is plain wicked and a male lead just like her. It's going to be an awesome book but it will be more awesome with your support. Thanks again 💜