9. In need of a psychologist.

After school, Lisa approached me. " We really need to talk, " she said as we left school building.

" Okay, " I said nodding. " Right now? "

" No, in my house, " Lisa said tensed up.

" You are sweating, " I said, offering my Kleenex.

She collected it and wiped her face. " My mom is waiting for us, " she said quickly.

" Yeah, " I can see her, " I said keenly.

* * *

We got to her house. I had lunch with them and then Lisa's mom left home back to her workplace.

I and Lisa went upstairs to her room.

" You wanted to tell me something important. What is it? " I asked, sitting on the bed.

" The fantastic four are planning something dangerous which can ruin you, " she said, pacing the room.

" How do you know? " I asked strictly.

" I heard them talking to Martinez___ "

I interrupted her immediately. " Is this what this is all about? " I asked standing.

" Here me out first, " she sneered as she stopped in front of me. " Before you get your heart broken, you have to save yourself from whatever they are planning. Martinez doesn't love you. I asked George to follow him up and George did___ "

I chimed in. " Who is George? Why will he want to help this girl in front of you? Why will he want to help me? I know you are lying and I just can't believe you will stoop so low. "

" I am not lying to you. Martinez doesn't love you. Open your eyes and see. He is emotionally manipulating you. This is their plan. They want to make you feel crazy, they want to humiliate you____ "

" Enough! " I screamed. " One more word from you and I will never talk to you again. Martinez loves me! "

" Wait, calm down Chloe. I need you to hear me out, please, " Lisa said, holding my hand.

I removed my hands from hers. " Do you even realize what you are doing? You are trying to keep me away from the one person who truly loves me. Unlike you, no on loves me. You can get any guy you want but I can't. Right from elementary school till now, no guy has ever liked me, " I said hoarsely.

" You know that's not true. Everyone loves you. A lot of guys do, " Lisa said, holding my face with her hands. " You know I love you as well. And I feel bad for myself and for you. I started this. I only wanted you to have a fake relationship with Martinez because I thought it was going to help you and make others stop bullying you but I guess I was wrong. The truth is that Martinez isn't who we thought he was. I have a feeling, he is working with the fantastic four. I heard the fantastic four, talk about ruining you in the ladies. I was in the toilet when the fantastic four came out of another toilet and I am certain they were talking about ruining you. . . "

" All my life, I thought you were different. I thought you loved me, I thought you understood me, I thought you had my best interest at heart but no. . . you are no different. You know what? " I paused. " I hate you! " I screamed, grabbing my school bag. " I hate you for this. You don't want me to be happy. "

" Chloe, listen to me____ "

" No, you listen to me. If I told you George wasn't who you thought he was, would you believe me? I never ever tried to break your relationship with George, so please do not try to break mine, " I began to go. I stopped shortly. " One last thing, I never expected you could stop so low but now I know, good bye. And I hate you, " I screamed and left.

" Chloe, " she called, coming after me.

I didn't stop. Instead, I increased my pace.

* * *

I didn't go home straight, with fury rising in me, I decided to go and see Martinez, not to confront him but to let him know he was right after all. Lisa WANTED to break us up. SHE didn't want I and Martinez to be together.

" Hey darling, " Martinez said, after he had opened the door.

" Hello, " I said smiling wryly.

" Is everything all right? " he asked, taking my hand.

" Yeah, " I said, coming in.

He closed the door and walked behind me. He reached me and dragged me closer to him. " I hate seeing you sad, " he said, touching my cheeks. " Let's dance. "

" I don't want to, " I said.

" If you love me, then you have to, " he said, holding my waist.

I held my breath.

He placed my hands on his shoulders. We began to dance to the beating of no music. Just echoes of silence. During those moment of silence, I realized how much I really loved my boyfriend, Martinez. I trusted him with my whole heart, with everything in me.

He slowly began to caress me. He smacked my butts and played with it. He began to pull off my clothes. Starting from my shirt to my navy slacks. I only had an underwear remaining.

The doorbell rang interrupting the both of us.

" You should answer that, " I said slowly.

" No. I don't care who it is. I just wanna be with you, " he said, touching my undies.

The doorbell rang incessantly.

" That must be important, " I said promptly.

" This special moment, shouldn't be ruined darling, " he said smiling viciously.

I nodded.

But the ringing of the doorbell persisted.

" I feel uncomfortable with___ "

" It's fine, I will answer it, " he said, and kissed me. He went to the door and opened it.

I heard a voice which sounded exactly like Lisa's voice.

I walked to the door.

" Your cousin is here, " Martinez said with a frown. " Before you speak with her can I speak to you? "

" Yeah, " I said and followed him as he began to walk away.

When we reached a place I am sure Lisa couldn't listen in on our conversation, Martinez began to speak.

" How did she find out I stay here? " he asked randomly.

" I guess, she must have followed me, " I said scarcely.

" Make her leave right away, " he said. " And. . . put on your clothes. I don't want her judging me. "

I nodded.

I put on my clothes and went back to Lisa.

" Why did you follow me? " I asked.

" I think that can wait, " she said, as she raised her phone to me. " Take a look at this. You may as well recognize the person in the video. "

" I am not interested, " I said, folding my hands.

" I guess you have to be. Because, you are the one in this video and as I am speaking to you, this video is circulating social media. Your mom has seen it. My mom has and your dad too. Everyone in school too. . . "

I grabbed the phone from her hand. I watched the video on shaky legs. I couldn't believe my eyes. I was in the video completely baked and begging for sex. The guy in the video was discreet.

" If he loved you, then why isn't him in the video? Why isn't his face clear? This was all their plans. I'm sorry, I put you through this. . . "

I had my hand covering my mouth as I stood with disbelief.

" Aunt has asked her lawyer to file a document whereby Martinez cannot be seen anywhere around you. He is to maintain a distance of about five metres from you. "

" You told Mom? " I asked.

" I had to. You wouldn't listen to me, anyways. Aunt is waiting for us in her car, " Lisa said, holding my hand.

I withdrew my hand from her grip. " I don't care what is going on in that video, all I want to let you know is, I am not leaving Martinez. I know, he can't do such a thing to me. I love him. . . "

" You mom has also gotten you a psychologist, " Lisa added.

" I am not mentally ill. I am mentally stabled. I don't need a psychologist____ "

" Of course you do, " Lisa said tentatively. " The psychologist will help you to recover from this loss, faster than you can. "

" I am not leaving Martinez, " I snarled and began to go in.

" Mom and her lawyer are here. I don't want them barging in. We have to go. Martinez is a bad person. He doesn't love you, " Lisa screamed.

I met Martinez in the sitting room. " I'm going home, " I said, grabbing my bag.

" Is it because she asked you to? " he said, walking to me.

" I am sorry but I have to go, " I said and began to go.

" If you leave me right now, you will lose me forever, " he said threateningly.

I turned to face him. I felt like I was in between the blue sea and the devil.

I didn't know what to believe, who to believe, what to say, where to go, what to do. At this point I felt very helpless. I have never in my life felt so helpless as I felt at the moment.

My life, my reputation was on stake. And so was my relationship. Gosh! I hate myself, I hated to do this but at the moment, all I felt was running away from everyone and every damn troubles.

" I love you Martinez, " I said and went to the doorway.

Lisa took my hand and led me to the car. I was so ashamed to look at mom. Everything seemed like a dream. For close to a month, life had been the best for me. No bullies, a lovely relationship. How did everything change? Now I would be a topic____

" You must be proud of what you have become. Famous! Very famous. Most famous. I should clap for you, " mom said angrily. " I did everything just for you but look at you, such a shameful thing___ "

" Aunt, there is a misunderstanding___ "

" I have always let you have her back, but you can't continue supporting her and making her not see her wrong. I should spank her face, right now. You are ready for sex, huh? You can never be ready when you do not have sense. I regret giving birth to you. . . "

" I don't care what you think mom but I love Martinez, and he loves me. You will love him mom, " I cried out. " If you love me, then do not come in between us, or I won't hesitate to kill myself. "

" Why don't you die? " Mom began to say. " It's obvious, you have lost it. You have lost your sense. You are seeing a psychologist. "

" I am not mad, " I sneered.

Lisa hugged me. " Everything will be fine, " she assured but at that moment, I forgot she was once my best friend, sister, cousin, mom and dad. She looked no different from a stranger.

" Martinez is not to come anywhere near you. I know you both are in the same class and it will be hard for you to avoid him but it is for your own good. Immediately after your classes, you will come home to meet with your psychologist. The sooner you get that Martinez guy off your mind and become normal again, your psyche classes will be over as soon as possible. . . "

" I am not having any psyche class with anybody, " I cried out.

" My decision is final, " mom snapped.

" I hate you mom. You are the reason for everything happening to me. You are either belittling me or asking me to be like Lisa. Lisa is this, Lisa is that. And I am not good for you. I'm not good at all. Maybe, if you can, for once in your life be w good mom, then I wouldn't have to be a laughing stock always. . . "

" Shut your trap, " mom screamed. " I don't know what I am to do with you. You are so useless, but not anymore. You are not to see Martinez again. You are grounded from using your phone, answering calls, missing classes, staring or talking to Martinez, going anywhere that isn't your home and from going to Lisa's house too. . . " Mom paused. " I still can't believe you would stoop so low, by staying at a guy's house for a complete week, when your mates are going to school. "

" Aunt, " Lisa called. " She was suspended from school. "

" You are supporting her again, " mom said angrily. " Please, don't. "