Maelis sat on the edge of her bed, her nails digging into her palms as she replayed Kelvin's words in her head. "Maelis can wait."
Her jaw clenched. Wait? Was that all she was to him? Just a childhood friend who could be pushed aside whenever that boy snapped his fingers?
She stood abruptly, pacing across the room like a caged animal. The laughter she had shared with Kelvin earlier now felt hollow, poisoned by the sight of Dave swooping in and stealing the attention she deserved.
"No…" she whispered to herself, her voice trembling with anger. "I won't let him treat me like some forgotten friend. I'm the only one who's been with him since childhood. I'm supposed to be the one by his side, not that—" She bit back the word, her eyes glinting with rage.
Her breathing quickened as a dangerous thought crept in. If kindness couldn't win him, then pain would. If Kelvin wouldn't notice her willingly, she would make him notice.
A bitter smile curved her lips. "Let's see if he still runs to Dave when he thinks Dave's the one hurting me."
With that, she turned toward the mirror, determination burning in her eyes.
Two weeks later...
The house had been quiet, but Maelis' silence was the most dangerous of all. She had worn smiles at the right times, laughed when needed, and kept her distance just enough to avoid suspicion. But beneath the mask, every glance at Kelvin and Dave burned her deeper.
Tonight, she decided, the game would change.
She sat before her mirror, the soft glow of the lamp casting sharp shadows across her face. Her reflection looked calm, but the storm inside her eyes betrayed the truth. For two weeks, she had waited, studied, and prepared.
Now, the mask of the sweet childhood friend was ready to shatter.
Maelis reached for the small shard of glass she had hidden carefully beneath her pillow. She turned it in her hand, watching the sharp edge catch the light. Her lips curved into a smile that was anything but gentle.
"This will hurt…" she whispered, dragging the glass lightly against her skin without cutting. "But it will hurt him more when he sees me broken—and when I tell him who to blame."
Her grip tightened. She pressed the shard into the tender skin of her arm, just enough to break flesh. A thin line of red bloomed, trickling down her pale skin. She hissed softly, but her smile widened through the sting, she slapped herself across the face several time until her face was marked with blood trickling down her mouth.
"That should do."
Wrapping a cloth around the wound, she mussed her hair deliberately, ruffled her clothes, and even smudged her own cheeks to look as though she had been crying.
When she was done, she looked nothing like the polished girl she had been minutes ago. Instead, she looked wounded, fragile—pitiful.
With shallow breaths and tear-filled eyes she forced herself to sob, then hurried out of her room, stumbling down the hallway. Her voice cracked as she cried out, "Kelvin!"
Her timing was perfect. Kelvin had just stepped out of his room, and his eyes widened at the sight of her.
"Maelis! What happened to you?!" he exclaimed, rushing forward.
She collapsed against him, shaking, the cloth on her arm already stained with blood.
"It's… it's Dave…" she choked out between sobs. "He—he grabbed me. He's hated me since I got here… I think… I think he wants me gone…"
Her tears soaked his shirt as she clung to him desperately.
Kelvin froze, shock flashing across his face. "Dave… did this to you?"
Maelis buried her face deeper into his chest, hiding the triumphant smirk tugging at her lips. "I didn't want to say anything, but he's been cold to me all this while… I don't know why he hates me so much…"
Her voice broke, soft and trembling, as if the words themselves were painful. "Kelvin… I was so scared."
And just as she planned, Kelvin's arms tightened protectively around her.
"Dave… did this to you?" Kelvin repeated, his voice trembling with disbelief.
Maelis clung tighter to him, biting her lip as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. "Please don't be mad at him… I just… I just don't understand why he hates me this much."
Kelvin's chest tightened. He couldn't even process the thought of Dave laying a hand on her, but the wound on her arm and her broken sobs left his mind spinning.
The sound of footsteps echoed from the stairs.
Dave appeared in the hallway, his brows furrowed, clearly on his way to find Kelvin. But the moment his eyes fell on the scene before him—Kelvin holding a trembling Maelis, blood staining her sleeve—his expression twisted in shock.
"What the hell is going on here?" Dave demanded, his voice sharp.
Maelis flinched dramatically, clutching tighter to Kelvin as if seeking protection. "Don't let him near me!" she cried, her body shaking.
Dave's jaw dropped. "What?!" His eyes darted from Maelis to Kelvin. "Kelvin, what is she talking about?"
Kelvin gently eased Maelis behind him, his gaze hardening as he faced Dave. "Dave… what did you do?"
Dave staggered back, stunned. "What did I do? You can't seriously believe her! Kelvin, I've been minding my business all day—I didn't touch her!"
"She's bleeding, Dave!" Kelvin snapped, his voice sharper than it had ever been with him. "Explain this!"
Dave's chest rose and fell rapidly, anger and disbelief mixing in his tone. "I don't know how she got hurt, but I swear it wasn't me! She's lying to you, Kelvin—she's been after you from the moment she stepped in this house!"
Tears streamed down Maelis' face as she shook her head violently. "He's twisting everything! Ever since I came here, he's hated me! He's jealous of me and now—now he's trying to turn you against me!"
Dave's fists clenched, his voice trembling. "You're insane! Kelvin, open your eyes, can't you see what she's doing?!"
But Kelvin, torn between them, raised his hand. "That's enough, Dave!"
The words cut deeper than any blade. Dave's lips parted, his chest tightening painfully. Kelvin had never spoken to him like that before.
His eyes stung, but he forced himself to keep his voice steady. "So that's it? You'd rather believe her than me?"
Kelvin faltered, guilt flickering in his eyes, but one look at Maelis' tears hardened his resolve again. "Dave, I—"
"Save it," Dave snapped, his voice breaking. He turned sharply, storming past them, his footsteps heavy as he headed for the door.
Kelvin instinctively took a step after him, but Maelis grabbed his sleeve, whimpering softly. "Please… don't leave me alone."
Kelvin froze, torn in two. And in that split second of hesitation, the front door slammed shut behind Dave.