Petal's Fall

With her mentioning the past, Rose's eyes narrowed.

'So that was it? Are they really…?'

In this body's diary it was written that one day during a competition in the middle school, she felt regretful that someone she met did not make it as her paper sculpture was destroyed. Iris became happy when she saw her father came to watch. Little Iris won while her new found best friend became the runner-up. She wrote that she easily clicked with her friend given that they were interested in arts. After the competition though, it was reported that somebody intentionally destroyed one contestant's piece and a hair clip was found. It was revealed that it was Iris' to which she denied her involvement. Her father who was there at that time got wind of what happened and came to solve the situation. The organizers present dismissed the scene as a simple misunderstanding but it was then rumored that they simply had to do it to curry favor to her father.

My eyes darkened as I recalled what I've read. This body's experience is too much for me. Too many jealous people surround her that it's becoming hard to move.

"I'm sure there's a misunderstanding somewhere.." I said meekly as my eyes were downcast. This made them believe that their conjecture was correct.

"Ladies, that was so long ago. You're all acting like grandmas who were recalling their bitter past." Noah said after a period of time. He kept shaking his head as he sighed.

If I may, I wanted to give the guy thumbs up. It's fine if she hated me when we were young but we're now adults. If they got brains then they would understand the whole story and not blindly listen to whispers.

Rose pursed her lips as she said, "As you've said. It was too long ago that I've started to forget." She reluctantly sat back down when people started to look at our group. Amara unwillingly followed her actions.

The emcee once again got up on stage and announced the winners of the raffle draw. The names were drafted from the registration form and put in a fishbowl. Unexpectedly Rose got called for the third place and won a laptop to which she donated to the school. Second prize went to someone two years our senior. He won a brand new car and was determined to keep it. Grand prize winner of the night was Lily. She won a luxury vacation for two; all expenses paid.

"Wow, the heaven's sure knows who were kind and who's not," Amara stated. I did not pay her to mind. What is she being proud of when she hasn't won herself?

Up at the stage, Lily's eyes widened as her hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my gosh. I-I don't know what to say. I'm happy that I got pick?" She said as the emcee asked her feelings.

"Then how about telling us with whom you'll go to your vacation?" The emcee asked as the crowd cheered excitedly.

Her cheeks and even her exposed skin flushed a reddish hue giving her much allure as she answered, "I-I don't have anyone in that kind of relationship."

The crowd booed and she looked at our direction. "I'll just share it with my friend." She finally said.

"Now that's a bummer." The emcee commented on her side. "But who's the lucky friend? A guy? A girl? Can we expect a little?"

"The whole school knows that I've got only one best friend." She replied with her eyes still on us. The crowd also glanced at us and then started to whisper.

Lily came back to our seat after the emcee told her to go back. We were served light dinner and more drinks as they rented a singer to entertain us with her music while we're enjoying the night.

The last part of the program was a slideshow of memories. Instead of using the 50-inch monitor in front, they opted for projectors so that even the people from the last row can see.

It started with a picture of the old school with the founder in black and white then with the first students and teachers. There were few texts that read the school's history.

They also dedicated a portion of it to their old teachers and classmates who unfortunately had not lived enough to this day. Some cried as they remembered their faces.

Then it showed our seniors from their first year till they graduated. The prom and school festivals. They even showed the pictures of the most outstanding students during their time which earned more admiration.

"Wow! If they did not show it then I might've forgotten how smart you were." One senior patted his seatmate's back.

"True. Just look at this" one of their tablemates rolled his sleeves and showed his arm. "I'm having goosebumps!"

"But no matter how well he did, it's nowhere near Ellis." One girl from the next table said while the other girls nodded in agreement.

"D*mn, my popularity's been buried." The guy said helplessly as they all laughed.

Then our school year showed up and photos from our graduation book where shown.

My face in the picture was even younger and sweet looking. I had my hair lowered as I smiled at the camera.

The screen suddenly became black and after two seconds it came back with new images. It was a footage of the school, a girl wearing uniform took out a letter from her locker then read it. The scene changed to a place near the school field as a guy was seen speaking to the girl and the girl shook her head and bowed. It looked like a confession and rejection. Then came again another one, this footage showed clearly the girl's features. The girl went inside a classroom then the footage change to another angle as it showed what was inside. The girl was looking straight as a male was seen on the other end; it was the guy she rejected from the previous slide that has his pants lowered and stroking his thing.

"Stop it!" Luke roared at the person in charge of the slide. The person in charge quickly unplugged the device. But it was too late; the entire alumnus had seen that face.

It was me.