DIRTY PICTURES

"Poor Erin!"

Zoe whispered under her breath as she saw the down-and-out situation of her friend.

She had just come back from the café.

She even bought her the sandwich that she liked.

"I wanted to chat with you about what happened earlier."

Koby didn't came back after that phone call.

But he informed her through text that there was an urgent matter he has to attend to.

"I met my mortal enemy in advance."

But her body was splayed on her bunk bed with a folder covering her face.

She was still with her working outfits and her stilettos were still on her feet dangling from the edge.

"She was even lying crosswise from her cradle!"

Zoe slowly removed her shoes and took care not to disturb her.

She just went for her blanket and covered her with it.

After that, she took a quick bath and changed to her sleepwear.

But before she lied down to sleep, she looked outside her king-size window and gazed at the stars.

"I may have acted confidently on the outside. But I am conscious of something horrible deep within me."

This was this undying fear of meeting the people who have once destroyed her life.

She knew Savannah was just being nice a while ago because they were in the presence of Enzo.

But she knows how villainous she could be.

She sat down and drank her antidepressant as she recalled her moments with Enzo.

****

"Hi, Zoe!" Enzo greeted her.

She was about to go home from school, when Enzo stopped her in her tracks.

Zoe smiled at him.

But she had no intention to prolong their conversation, she lifted her bag and walked forward.

"Wait!" Enzo ran after her.

He was wearing a jersey apparel.

Perhaps he was just finished with their basketball practice.

But Zoe didn't mind.

She has more important things to attend to. She didn't stop at her pace.

But Enzo outran her.

"I was just about to give you this."

He stretched out his mitt and offered her a bottle of Gatorade.

Zoe narrowed her eyes on him.

'I knew that you're a fun-loving guy. I even heard some rumors that you played pranks on your friends.'

Even though this is not the first time that Enzo approached her, she was still being wary with him.

Seeing the apprehension in her face, Enzo cleared his throat and sounded serious.

"There's nothing in it, I promise."

He cracked his own bottle open and drank from it to prove that he has no ill intentions.

As he did so, a mysterious man from nowhere bumped into him, spilling the juice on her white uniform.

Zoe froze on the spot.

"I knew it!"

Zoe grunted as she threw daggers at Enzo with her eyes.

Like a scalded kitten, he grabbed a clean towel from his sports bag.

He was about to wipe the stain on her chest part with it, when he realized that it was more humiliating.

Zoe was now giving him a death stare.

"This is embarrassing, but I really didn't plan this whole thing."

Enzo replied apologetically with his shoulders hunched over and his lips twitched downward.

As if a bulb lighted up in his brain power, he held her hand and took her to the sports hall.

"What are you doing now?"

Zoe tried to shake her arm off, but he was stronger than she.

She just decided to let him take her with him and just ran as soon as he loosened his grip on her.

When they got to the gym, he went straight toward the men's locker room.

Zoe's eyes widened at where Enzo was taking her.

"Why are you taking me here?"

She struggled with all her might to remove his grip.

She had an idea that Enzo had a liking in her.

There were numerous times that he displayed his interest in her.

But she can't believe he would go this far.

When Enzo felt Zoe's fear as she pulled her arm aggressively, he loosened his clutch on her.

"I'm not going to harm you."

Still, he drew her to the place.

When they were already within the walls, he finally let go of his clasp.

She was about to run when Enzo explained himself behind her back.

"I had spare clothes in my locker."

Zoe heaved an unfathomable sigh of relief.

"You should've told me at once!"

She hissed as she turned her back to get to grips with him.

"Sorry," Enzo replied to her as he scratched his head.

"I just don't want you to waste any second in that sticky mess."

He opened his locker and brought out a spotless t-shirt.

"Here,"

He extended his arm and offered her his clothes.

"Change your get-up. I won't peek."

He quickly said and swiveled.

"Are you serious? I'll just go to the female area. Geez,"

She started walking away, but Enzo's counter left her no option.

"The women's room is already locked. I happen to have a reserve key in this turf so... "

Enzo beamed as he jingled his keys in front of her.

"Besides, I should be here to make sure no one would peek around and see you naked, right?"

Zoe drew in a chasmic sigh.

"Alright, alright. But stand behind the door and don't come in until I say so."

"Sure,"

Enzo grinned and came to heel like a puppy.

As she was undressing herself, she suddenly heard clicks from a camera.

"Aaah!"

At lightning speed, she screamed and covered up herself.

Enzo quickly turned around and scrambled inside to find the person who was sneaking up on her

But it was too late.

Like a squeaky bird, he jumped up to the high window of the room and disappeared.

"Are you alright?"

Enzo swiveled back to Zoe who was trembling, still half naked, with his shirt covering her front.

"Turn back!" Zoe screamed.

At a quick pace, Enzo rotated like an obedient soldier.

Zoe wore the shirt in a fraction of a second and sat herself on the bench, still shivering from what just happened.

"Don't worry, we'll find that culprit."

Enzo assured her while his hand balled up into a fist.

After that incident, a picture of her circled through their classmates' inbox.

And there were comments that Zoe was now using her body to seduce men after being left a penniless orphan by her parents.

Enzo defended her and explained what truly happened then.

Some of them believe him that she would never do that. Mostly do not.

Later on, Zoe learned that the man who bumped into Enzo and took her pictures was hired by Savannah.

Zoe crushed the container medicine merely by the anger seeping through her fist.

"You will get your own fair share of damage very soon."

She whispered through clenched teeth.

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Only someone with no character would find joy in destroying other people's lives through defamation of their character.

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