CHAPTER 26- TRUTH

3rd person's pov

"Come on Alice, I'll just be there from across the road. I want to buy that." Dione told Alice.

"Nah uh, no. don't disappear from our sight Dione. We don't want another kidnapping." Alice rejected. Dione just rolled her eyes and pouted. They are currently in the busy streets, hanging out.

"After what had happened. I highly doubt that I would let you off alone, Dione." Chloe added.

"why is that?" A familiar manly voice that made Dione's heart fluttered and skipped fast.

"Oh, Hi Marco, it's been a while." Alice greeted. Dione looked at him and nods.

"It's been a while too. Why are you here?" He asked.

"We were just hanging out. Are you with someone?" Marco was about to answer when someone called him.

"Marco! Let's go already, it's hot here." A girl suddenly linked arm with him. Dione stared at them.

"This is Penny. See you around." He said and then left. Alice and Chloe noticed that Dione was still staring at the path where Marco and Penny walked off.

"Jealous?" Chloe teased. Dione glared at her.

"I'm not. Why would I?" she snorted. The two just laughed at their friend who is grumpy.

"Anyway, I'll tell you the tea about that after you patch things up with Tina." Chloe told them.

"It's about time for us to go to the precinct to interrogate her." Dione said. Alice fixed her things in the bag, and they were off to the police station.

Several minutes later, they have arrived. Their parents are already dealing with Tina's parents whereas Tina doesn't know what to do, she just sat there and stare at the floor.

"We're here." Alice greeted them to call out their attention.

"Shall we start the interrogation?" Dione suggested. The police officer in charge guided them to the room and also stayed inside for safety precautions. Alice started to question Tina.

"So, why did you have to kidnap Dione just to frame Ari?" Alice asked. Tina snorted.

"I had grudges with Ari ever since we were kids. I always had a plan in mind to take revenge. But what I didn't really expect is that Dione is the one who is walking outside that night. She wasn't really my target because of Elijah. My target was supposed to be you." She pointed Alice. "You were supposed to be my hostage to Paul." Alice was confused.

"What do you mean?" Tina laughed.

"You stole Paul from me. Ari mocked me saying Paul will not look at me as a woman. So, I just want to prove her wrong. If only you were the one who went out that night and not Dione, everything should have been a success!" She angrily said. Alice was quite shocked by what Tina said while Dione is secretly recording it even if there's a recorder.

"Oh, you didn't know. Paul and I were close before you two even became a thing. Because of you, I lost someone who understood me! All of his attention should have been mine! Mine alone!" She added and stood up. The police officer was alarmed. Tina seated again.

"If your target was both Ari and Alice, why did you involve me into kidnapping? You've said that it should have been Alice. But why did you still attempt to kidnap me?" Dione asked calmly.

"Well, it was already given that I would use you into a hostage. I could have use you for a negotiation with Alice." She snickered. "Paul would have been mine if he hadn't met Alice." When she said that, a hand landed on her face. She fell from the chair.

"Dione!" Alice was shocked.

"Don't use people like a pawn, Tina. You might think that you're smart, but you're just a dumb selfish kid whose parents are poor." Dione darkly spoke. "Don't even think that your family will still own you after this." She then walked out. Leaving Alice inside.

After a while, the interrogation with Tina is done, it is time for the detective and a lawyer to interrogate her. Alice walked out of the precinct and head to the car where Dione and their parents are waiting.

"Did you deal with it?" Alice's mother asked her. She nodded.

"I also made sure that her parents will disown her. Negotiating is quite fun." Her mom giggled.

"You also borrowed my connections just to make things work." Dione's mom rolled her eyes. Alice looked at Dione who is currently reading her book.

"Are you okay?" She asked her and seated next to her in the car.

"Yeah." She stopped reading when the engine turned on.

"Let's go out for an outing. I think we deserve it. I'll call Bea. (Chloe's mom)" Alice's mom said.

"Are you sure? You're about to kill her if the police officer hadn't stepped in." She told her. Dione just chuckled.

"Why would I stain myself with blood? That's a sin."

"Yeah right." Alice rolled her eyes.

"I'm just disappointed that she used me as a bait and she hates you. If she loves Paul then why don't she just confess to him instead of doing bad things to you." She looked outside the window.

"Well, that's how love is. You will get blind if you got too obsessed or if you really love that person. It's alright, no one got hurt anyway. Let's move on from it." Alice said to her.

Dione's Pov

I was staring at the sunset. Thinking deeply of how things are turning wild. Love really is a pain. I don't understand why people got their rationality mixed up of doing bad things to someone. Just thinking about me falling in love gives me goosebumps. I didn't realize that someone was beside me.

"Are you alright?" Marco asked me. I turned my head to him.

"How come you're here?" I asked him. He leaned back.

"My parents dragged me out here. I've heard about the incident that involves you." He told me. I just shrugged.

"As you can see, I'm still alive." I sarcastically respond, but in a joking way. He chuckled.

"I've got to admit, it's been a while since we really last had a conversation. I missed you." My heart flutter and I can feel my face becoming warm.

"Uh yeah, it's been a while. How's Penny?" I asked.

"Penny's my cousin. My parents are planning to send me to New York for an internship. Well, they partnered up with the schools it would be easy for me."

Hearing him leaving, I feel sad about it.

"How long will you be there?" I asked while staring at his eyes.

"About 8 months? My dad plans to train me himself to be his successor even though I already made my own company." He chuckled. "You know, I might as well confess to you since the setting is quite nice." He added. I was taken aback.

"What do you mean?" I asked. My heart was already beating so fast that I might choke.

"I like you, Dione. I really do. I want to know more about you." His eyes stared deeply into mine.

"I—I" I stuttered. He pats my head.

"It's okay, no pressure. I just thought that if I won't do it, my chance will be gone because I'll be leaving tomorrow." He sadly said.

"W-well, I don't know what to say. Um- actually, I've been feeling a bit odd when we're together. I don't know what feeling it is. But, I—" he cuts me off.

"Shush, it's okay, no need to force yourself." He told me and he guided my head to lean on his shoulder. "I'm willing to wait for you. Actually, I told your parents that I like you and I will court you. But, they told me that until I return, I'm not supposed to make a move on you. They wanted to test me if I really like you despite the distance. So, I'll prove it." He told me.

"I also don't think you could wait that long, I'm guessing that you only like me because we've met a few times with our friends." I doubt him. He chuckled and caressed my hair.

"I'll prove it to you then, if I did, will you allow me to court you?" He asked me. I looked at him and he was already staring.

"Okay." I agreed. Well, it's not so bad when you also like the feeling, right? Well, I think this kind of agreement won't be bad, after all, we're still young.

I think what I had learned from the events are, love can make you blind and get bad decisions, well, hopefully I won't go down the path like Tina. It's really scary to be madly obsessed with someone who doesn't feel the same way. You also might get infatuated with someone and just end up only being a friend, jealousy can also destroy friendships, unlike ours, it made us strong. Although my trust with her is a little low now since we hadn't mentioned it again. But, it's a big step forward of moving on. I think spring is coming for me. Well, aren't they?

VOLUME 1 ENDED~