The Scandal

I was thrown back from my bed by a series of knocks that disturbed my sweet sleep. I stayed up late last night with a lot of paperwork at school, so I fell asleep exactly three am in the morning. My plan was to get up at eight o'clock in the morning, after all, my school was at ten o'clock.

"Just a moment," I answered sleepily while looking for one of my slippers that seemed to be under my bed.

"What the hell, I”m still sleepy," I complained to myself.

But all my lethargy were blown away by Claire’s slap.

"You are shameless! Thief!”

My cheeks were swollen and my eyes widened in surprise at what happened. My sister and mom were holding my cousin, Claire, who slapped my face without saying a word first. I winced at the force of his palm as if my soul suddenly separated from my body.

"Claire, don't cry." They're pulling her away from me. And stop her from hurting me again.

"No auntie, don't take your daughter’s side anymore." her voice was full of authority which I didn't like. Claire is three years older than me but even so, we are still close to each other. We often go out together, go for walks and eat out. I can say she is a friend.

"Claire, what's wrong with you?" I don't like the several times she screams and raises her voice to my sister and mom too, that's why I asked her what her problem is.

"You do not know? Or, are you starting to pretend, now?” I can see from the widening of her eyes and the grinding of her teeth that she is fuming with anger. "What, still acting innocent, aren't you?"

"You know what, just tell me the problem, so we can talk it out," I replied, but inside I was already feeling nervous. I'm afraid that what happened to me may have reached her side. Did she saw the video? I asked myself.

Claire shook her head a few times more, then turned to my mother and sister, holding back her words. Until her tears flowed completely to her pretty face.

"Claire..." mom rubbed my cousin's back.

"Auntie, S-Selene betrayed me..." she stammered between her sobs.

"Claire, let's now talk, alone" I said. I knew what was happening that's why I tried to approach her, held her hand assuming she will hear me out. My family doesn't need to know what happened, I don't want them to feel sorry for me.

"No!' she pulled my hand away which caused me to let go of her and she slapped me one more time. "Now you're just going to comfort me? So, you've figured out what my problem is, Selene? You are my problem! What a fool you are, how did you do this to me? I thought we were sisters, friends? But, why my fiancee?"

Boom!

It was as if I had been splashed with boiling water by Claire's statements, my hands were shaking with fear. Their eyes were on me, waiting for my answer.

"What do you mean, Claire? What about your fiancee?” my sister asked now.

I wanted to stop them, but my legs couldn't move. My chest filled with fear, the scenario that happened that night came back. I can not do it.

"Aunt, Drake and I are done, there will be no marriage because your good daughter has destroyed my dream family. You will ask how I said that? Here, look." Claire handed over her Cellphone which contained the evidence for her story. But I want to cut it and say that I didn't mean it, I didn't like what happened and I'm not at fault.

My knees trembled when I heard my own voice in the video she showed my mom, my moans were full and even the strange sound that came from our bodies because of that hot scene was present.

"Mom, listen to me first, it's like this," I stuttered, but I did not have a chance to explain more when my mom slapped me on the cheek. 

"And…”

"What is this, Selene? Did you have sex with your cousin's fiancee? Is this how I raised you? To destroy others life? My God, Selene.” Mom couldn't take it anymore and she fainted from being so angry. My sister guided mom to her room and informed us that she will be back to make everything clearer.

So when Claire and I were the only ones left, I apologized to her every minute, I tried to explain but she didn't listen to me. I can tell her everything that happened that night, how we had a video of his fiancee and why I slept with Drake. It all started with fear.

But Claire didn't give me a chance to clean myself up. After his threats to our friendship, he shamelessly posted the video scandal that I was involved in on his social media account. It started spreading three days ago, but because it's already on the wall of his famous account, people who know her will always see the video. Because of that, my world and personality are ruined, and I can't do anything but cry and fight with myself.

…

A few weeks passed and the School Council decided to drop me out because of the embarrassing scandal I was involved in. I lost almost three years of hard work in college, actually all the years I spent studying disappeared like a bubble. Surely there is no school that will just accept me.

Sobbing, I faced my mother and sister, they were also silent. There are only three of us in life, so I don't want us to have any more misunderstandings. But I hurt them on purpose, I have to accept it. Solen just turned to me with tears on her eyes, but mom's face was serious, there was no trace of pity or tears in her.

"Go away, we don't need you here anymore. After all, you are old enough to be able to support yourself. Just like when you decide to seduce a man."

My tears flowed even more when mom said that, she was rejecting me as her daughter. "Mom.”

“Don't push it anymore Selene, you ruined all my dreams for you. You have defiled our name. If only I had known, I wouldn't have picked you up on the road before and taken care of you," Mom testified without hesitation. What is she saying that she wish she hadn't picked me up?

"Mom, enough," sister reprimanded her firmly. She supported our mother on the other shoulder, her eyes were on mine. Solen and I talked last night and she explained to me the decisions made by mom, it's hard to object but what can I do? I don't want mom to be hospitalized again because of hypertension.

"Mom, please-"

"Look, and don't call me your mother, because you’re not your child! I don't have a child like you. Get out!”

I clung to mom's leg as a plea for her to take back what she said, I ignored the scraping of my knee on our cold cement floor. My goal is for mom to talk to me and tell her that she won't push me away.

“Mom,” my tears are all over my face. I can’t do this without them in my life.

"Just help her get her stuff out, Solen." Mama got up and was about to go up the stairs when I chased after her and hugged her from behind.

"It's not my fault, mom. Please.” My mucus and tears are mixing, I can hardly say the words properly that come out of my mouth because of the fear of what mom said. 

But mom didn't even give me a little consideration, she left me, didn't look back or even take back what she said.

I left home without knowing where to go.

…

"Liset, it's good that you came?" I hugged my best friend after she showed up at the park where I was waiting for her. I am asking for her help to find any place where I can stay this night.

"Patrick and I have broken up, he doesn't want to listen to me. Liset, it's not my fault, right? You know that," I tearfully told my friend. But,I was very happy that at least there was a friend who was willing to empathize despite other people's judgement of me.

"Leave it alone, sissy. If he really loves you, he will definitely pursue you. Don't worry, I will talk to him for you." Liset gave her all so I gave her a smile back.

"'Maybe not, after all I'm already dirty. I will let him find the woman that is really for him. But while what happened is still fresh, you should take care of him first, until everything is okay," that was my last plea to Liset, besides asking for her time to look after my family. Mom and then Solen.

"Don't stress yourself out, I'll take care of it. But how are you know? Where are you going?" she adjusted his glasses that were slightly falling down the bridge of hernnose. Liset is just a small person but she hides something beautiful, and she is also smart and we clicked as friends.

I told her everything, even about theplace I need. But sad to say that she didn't know any room that was available nearby, what she suggested to me was his aunt in Manila who was looking for a waitress in her dining business. I had no other option so I grabbed that opportunity. I took a bus that would go to the address given by Liset. I was even more emotional when she handed over some cash that would help me survive. In addition to the money that my sister gave me before I left home.

I sadly waved to my friend while my ride was moving, I will miss her, actually, all of them that I love.

In a moment of contemplation, a call registered on my cell phone.

Calling Claire’s Fiance…

"Drake..." I stammered.

I didn't answer the call, instead I turned off the phone, removed the sim card and then threw it away. I need to stand on my own two feet. I wiped the tears that once again flowed from my eyes.

"I will clear my name, I can't erase that video, but I can still show them that I'm innocent," I calmed myself down, let out a breath and adjusted my seat.

Maybe Manila will change my destiny.

… 

On the other hand, Dreyk, the twenty-five-year-old starting CEO in their company had been trying to dial Selene's number for a while. He learned from a friend who was in their area what happened to the woman. Because after the incident, they were not able to talk anymore. As for him and his soon-to-be wife, Claire, it's over, there is no personal closure but Claire has closed theirs through social media and via call.

He tried to fix it, but Claire didn't want to. It hurts but he respected her, because she is also really wrong. Claire deserves a better man, and that's not him.

But Selene, he needs to save her. She was naive and innocent.