Chapter 3

The laughter around them grew louder. Someone bolder asked, “What if this… devoted follower… hears us and runs off, Julian? Aren’t you worried?”

I watched Julian slowly take a drag from the cigarette offered by the girl next to him, then slowly exhale.

His voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear enough for me to hear: “Don’t worry. You couldn’t get rid of her even if you tried.”

My heart plummeted.

He was right. How pathetic I was, sacrificing my dignity to repay some old kindness.

I pulled out my compact mirror, seeing the slight redness in my eyes, and tried to compose myself.

Pushing the door open, I found an empty corner and sat down. No one noticed me.

The center of this party would always be Julian and Julian alone.

As the party ended, Julian suddenly called out to me, a lazy smile playing on his lips.

“Cassie, go grab me a pack of cigarettes from the convenience store, would you?”

I nodded, more than eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere.

Next to the club was a deep, narrow alley, often where drunk people passed out.

On my way back, I ran into a few drunk men emerging from the alley. I tried to avoid them, to walk around, but one of them grabbed my arm anyway.

My body trembled slightly, and I instinctively slapped his hand away. A powerful wave of nausea churned in my stomach, and for a moment, I was back in the orphanage, pinned against the wall by the director.

The stench of alcohol wafted over me, making me wrinkle my nose, and my legs trembled even more. I yelled out, “Don’t come near me! I’ll call someone!”

But the drunk men didn’t care, still trying to lay their hands on me.

“Look at this little slut, coming out of the club. What, you can serve the rich but not us? How much for a night?”

As they shoved me, I used my bag to push the three men away and ran into the alley. But they followed close behind.

I quickly pulled up Julian’s contact on my phone. The ringing tone sounded like a countdown to my doom.

*Please, Julian, pick up my call.*

Just as the call was about to disconnect, Julian finally answered. From the other end of the line, I heard the whistling of wind and the distinct giggling of a woman.

That familiar giggle immediately brought her owner to mind: Serena. She was back.

*Julian is with Serena right now? But she wasn't at the party earlier?*

Before I could process the chaotic thoughts in my head, Julian spoke first, cutting me off: “You’re taking too long. We already left. Forgot to tell you.”

“As my girlfriend, you should be more understanding, shouldn’t you?”

I didn’t answer Julian’s question. Instead, my voice choked with tears, “Julian… help me… I’m being…”

Julian scoffed, “Alright, Cassie, what are you trying to pull? That trick doesn’t work on me.”

“You’re just mad I didn’t take you along, right? Do you really need to be so dramatic?”

“If you want to stay my girlfriend, don’t annoy me. My patience has limits.”

With that, he hung up, not giving me a chance to reply.

The abrupt dial tone buzzed, sending a chill through my fingers.

My limbs remained stiff, stuck in the position of holding the phone, but my hand slowly dropped, powerless.

Serena was back. I was no longer needed.

That was Julian’s answer.

Despair seeped into me. Looking at the dress I was wearing, I suddenly had an urge to rip it to shreds.

I hid in a cardboard box next to a trash can in the alley, surrounded by garbage and debris. Stains smudged my pure white dress.

Terrified, I huddled in the dumpster, fearing they would find me any second.

The narrow alley echoed with the three drunk men’s lewd jokes about how they would “split” me once they caught me.

I don't know how long passed before they finally left.

Curled up, I spent the night there. The intense focus of my fear finally relaxed, giving way to extreme exhaustion.

At dawn, I dragged my weary body back to my apartment, covered in the stench of rotten garbage.

Lying in bed, I sobbed uncontrollably.

This time, the person who saved me from my childhood trauma wasn't someone else. It was me.