The Kiss that Sparked it All

“Do you seriously think your lies are bulletproof? More than a few classmates have told me they’ve spotted you around campus, and they even sent me photos. Wanna see?”

Victoria pulled out her phone, and Mara’s face fell instantly, only to be replaced by a dazzling smile the next second.

“Victoria, stop pulling my leg. I spent the whole afternoon in the library, buried in books. I even checked out a classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale collection I’ve wanted for ages. If you still don’t believe me, feel free to ask the librarian.” Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

With such composure, anyone would have thought she’d really spent her entire afternoon at the library. Victoria couldn’t help but feel a chill run down her spine at the sight of her sister’s cunning.

“Do you think I’m bluffing like you? If I say I’ve got proof, then it’s legit. I bet you wanted to tag along to my school today because of Balfour, right? I was at rehearsal and missed the drama you caused. But you made such a scene, and it’s all over our school forum now. Everyone’s pointing fingers, and you’re feeling the heat, aren’t you? That’s why you’ve found a hole to hide in. What I don’t get is why drag me into your mess? I’m your sister. Why would you bad-mouth me to Dad?”

Victoria’s words turned Mara’s complexion even more sour. “What are you talking about? What forum? I don’t know anything about that.

“It’s an internal student forum, of course you wouldn’t know. But let’s not change the subject, Mara. Why did you lie to dad? You weren’t at the library at all, and you had me searching the entire campus for you!”

Mara looked like she was about to explode, desperate to see what was posted about her on that forum. Were her embarrassing moments caught on camera and spread online?

“Does it even matter? You left me behind anyway,” Mara snapped, moving closer, trying to snatch the phone from Victoria’s hands.

“Let me see what they’re saying about me! I didn’t do anything wrong, so why would someone post about me online?”

“Fine, now you’re admitting it. It seems, in your heart, I’m not even as important as that stranger, Balfour.”

Victoria looked genuinely hurt, but Mara couldn’t care less. In her mind, she couldn’t even begin to compare herself to Balfour.

“I said-hand over the phone.”

Mara reached out, her hand trembling with urgency, but Victoria slipped the phone into her pocket.

“What if I don’t give it to you? Consider it your punishment. You have to face the consequences of the lies you spread today. Sure, you’re my sister, but you need to understand-you have to bear the weight of your own mistakes.”

Victoria couldn’t shake off the feeling that Mara was hiding something, perhaps even orchestrating the whole scenario. Why hadn’t she even apologized? Now she was acting all high and mighty, demanding to see the forum posts.

The more anxious Mara was to see that post, the less Victoria wanted to let her anywhere near it. Mara was on the brink and couldn’t bear the thought of being humiliated before she even had a chance to confess her feelings.