Her sanity crumbles (4)

"Though, I think that boy is sincere. I saw his eyes… his eyes is very sincere when he mentioned your name."

Yeah, I guess I couldn't trust my Grandma for this one. There was no way a man like him, who silently came to my house like a creep, giving flowers to my Grandma while intentionally hiding his appearance, could be called a sincere man. 

But I nodded to my Grandma's words and then guided her to enter the house. I cooked food for her while she sat at the dinner table. 

When I served the food at the dinner table, Grandma pointed at a slim flower vase with a rose in it, "That's the rose. I put it there immediately, so it can persevere a bit longer. Isn't it pretty?"

I stared at the rose and then nodded, "Yes, Grandma, it's pretty. I will take it if you don't mind."

"That's from your secret admirer. Of course, it's yours!" Grandma said. 

After dinner, Grandma asked me to help her to her room. The moment I was about to close her bedroom door, she told me, "Pretty girl needs to be careful, especially with boys, remember that, Em."

"… yes, Grandma."

I put closed the door and then went downstairs to pick the rose from the vase. I returned to my bedroom and sat on the bed with the red rose. 

I stared at it for a good while, maybe it was just my overcautiousness, so I started inspecting the flower full of suspicion.

But it was just a simple red rose… from a boy. 

This had never happened before. The only man who came to this house was my abusive dad in the previous life.

I gritted my teeth frustratedly. I really disliked that I was blind over something even though I had been given a second chance to return for revenge.

It got me restless that someone knew something that I didn't know. It made me suspicious that someone might've conspired behind my back. 

I stared at the red rose and clutched the petals, ruining the beautiful flower with my own hand.

The petals dropped one by one to the ground as I looked down at it and stomped it with my feet. 

What? Do you think I will be that girl whose mind would be clouded in pink after one rose from a boy? I've experienced death, and it was indirectly caused by a popular boy in school. 

I didn't want to be schemed against, and I didn't want to fall in love and get ruined like what happened between my mom and my abusive dad, either. 

I didn't want to lose in this second life. I refused to lose. 

**

After calming myself, I took a bath and then started planning to scheme against my main target right now, Kristen and Cerise.

I called Kristen first, and after few beeps, Kristen picked it up. She said nothing, so I had to be the one who spoke first.

"Hello, Kristen?"

"Hello, Em…" Kristen's weak voice startled me. It was hoarse as well, the sound of someone who had just wailed loudly or at least screamed like a madwoman. 

"What happened with your voice?" I asked obliviously. 

"Hnn… it's nothing. I'm just tired…."

"I see. You should rest first. Though, I'm calling you because I want to confirm few things before I call Cerise—"

"—You've decided to help me?" Kristen snippet immediately, eager to see me helping her to trap Cerise. 

"Yeah, I've been thinking about it. I don't want to see you suffering because of Cerise. But you have to tell me what secret does she have? Why does she want to put the blame on you?"

…

"Cerise convinced our friend in middle school to kill herself. I knew the secret, but she threatens to kill me if I told everyone. So I just did what I can do, to back off and avoid her as much as possible," Kristen said, switching her position with Cerise in her story version. 

"What?!" I acted surprised. "T—That's so malicious…."

"I know, and she tries to put the blame on me by making fake texts. That's why you should help me. I want to catch her and confronted her!" 

"Oh my, I see. She is so terrible, indeed," I added fuel to the fire. "Alright, I will help you. I will call Cerise now. I'll get back at you after this."

"Thanks, Em. You're my most trusted, best friend." 

Sure thing, 'best friend.'

I hung up the call with Kristen and then called Cerise. Cerise picked up the call right away, "H—Hello, Em? How is it? Is everything under control?" 

"Hey, Cerise, everything is under control, and I also have a plan to catch Kristen for the last time."