Hell University-Chapter 48 - 47: Favor

Zein’s Point of View

What feels right seems wrong. I only had two choices, yet I chose the most painful one. Even though it hurts, I have to accept that we can never be together.

I know, we will never be the same again.

What makes it even sadder is that everything happened on the night of his birthday. The pain will always be remembered, and the scar will always remain inside us. I’m sorry, I had to give you up. I hope that someday, the pain will fade along with the feelings.

I don’t even know how I managed to take a shower, and now I’m already dressed. I know I’m late for my next subject since I also woke up late. They didn’t wake me anymore, knowing that I needed proper rest.

I fell asleep quickly last night after crying so much. I cried over every scene, every moment we had, moments that will always stay with me. I don’t need to forget everything; I will never forget what we shared. It’s already embedded in my heart.

My chest tightened again, so I decided to push everything away. I am so tired of tears.

When I stepped out of the dorm, a strange aura greeted me across the entire campus. The surroundings were unusually dark. Though nervous, I kept walking, until someone suddenly grabbed my arm.

"Don’t go out of the dorm yet."

Confused, I still managed to stop Mia as she tried to pull me back inside.

"Please,"

"What’s going on?" I asked, bewildered.

The seriousness in Mia’s eyes was replaced with worry. Only then did I realize that people were already surrounding us. Damn.

"Where are you taking that bitch?" Roxane said, her arms crossed, addressing Mia.

Mia didn’t bother to answer. Instead, she tightened her grip on my arm. I wanted to ask questions, but I didn’t even know where to begin. What happened now? I thought everything was over after what happened last night. Why do they look at me like this? There was disgust in their eyes, seething, burning.

"Come on, Zein." Mia tried to pull me again, but several students stepped in and blocked her.

My lips remained tightly sealed.

"Seems confused, huh?" Roxane said with a smirk, as if she had read my thoughts. "Well, the entire campus already knows about what happened between you and Supremo. About the exemption he made for your rule violation."

I let out a laugh.

I smirked and shook my head. "Then, congrats," I replied, making her grimace.

"Such a slut. I’m sure she seduced our Supremo."

The girl who spoke stepped back when I turned to look at her. I raised an eyebrow. "I’ll take that as a compliment. At least I managed to seduce Supremo, how about you? Can you?" I said with a laugh, making her jaw drop.

"See? She seduced our Supremo! Are you really going to let this pass?" Roxane said, clearly pleased as she gained the crowd’s sympathy.

Pathetic. It’s pitiful how she can’t face me on her own and has to beg for everyone else’s sympathy. Well, everyone already knows anyway, why should I hold back now?

Some of them stepped closer to me, ready to rush me all at once. I remained standing, unmoved, even as Mia’s hand trembled where it gripped my arm.

"Wait..." I stopped them. "I just want to ask something." I let out a soft laugh. "Do you know what the punishment would be if you hurt me?" I asked, and they all froze.

Roxane grimaced, clearly not expecting those words to come out of my mouth.

"I am the Queen of this University, the current 4th Highest. The Supreme Student Government Secretary. So tell me, what punishment do you want?"

Some lowered their heads, while others simply stepped back. What is the purpose of the power I have if I won’t use it? They treat me like a disgusting whore, when in fact I am one of the highest in this hell. I could even be the devil in their nightmares.

"Don’t be scared!" Roxane shouted.

"T-This is wrong. We can’t hurt her." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"I can’t do it either."

"I’m out."

In an instant, all the students surrounding us disappeared. Only the three of us, Mia, Roxane, and me, were left. She was trembling with anger, but it was pitiful that she couldn’t bring herself to hurt me.

"I’m sorry to tell you this, but you will never be an exemption to the rule."

She smiled at me before gradually bursting into laughter. I didn’t know why, but suddenly the dark aura surrounding her seemed to vanish.

"Samantha,"

I froze at the sound of that name again.

"You know what? I’m annoyed at you. From the start, I’ve been angry at you."

I kept my lips sealed and focused on her.

"Because you are insecure," Mia said.

She let out a soft laugh. "Maybe, but I get annoyed when I see her in you. I get annoyed that every time I see you, she’s the one I remember. I see in you someone I used to consider a friend in this hell," she said.

I didn’t show that I was surprised by her words. I knew exactly who she was talking about, Samantha, but it was shocking to realize they were friends. She was annoyed at me because she saw her former friend in me.

"A friend who also left me in this hell. I thought she wouldn’t leave me, but I was wrong." She quickly wiped away the tear that slid down her eye.

"S-She didn’t leave you, she was kil-"

"I don’t care! She still left me alone. I hate her! I hate you! I hate all of you!"

She ran away from us, leaving Mia and me standing there in shock. I didn’t know she felt that way. Somehow, I understand her now, it feels like she’s rebelling. Maybe we really shouldn’t judge people based on what we see, because we never know what’s going on inside them, just like Roxane.

But that still doesn’t mean I’ll start seeing her as an angel. Psh.

Mia and I went our separate ways since she had classes, and I, with mine coming later, decided to head to the SSG Office first.

From a distance, I immediately saw Supremo standing at the door of the SSG Office. Anxiety hit me fast, but I steadied myself.

I still couldn’t fully face him, but I couldn’t run away either. I had to confront what I did and prove that I could stand by the decision I made.

I’m now standing at his side, but his gaze remains distant, as if he’s somewhere else. I can’t bring myself to enter because he’s blocking the way.

I cleared my throat to catch his attention. I wasn’t disappointed, he came back to reality.

"We’re being called to the Admin Office," Supremo said.

He walked ahead while I stayed frozen, staring at his back. I expected him to be cold toward me, but I still couldn’t help feeling hurt. I wasn’t used to this.

I took a deep breath and mustered my courage before following him. When we arrived at the Admin Office, Madame Violet, Francisco, Teacher Kath, and Vice Ty were already there.

There were two empty chairs, clearly reserved for Supremo and me. I sat down first before he took his seat.

I was nearly out of breath. The air felt suffocating and tight, made worse by all the eyes on the two of us. I lowered my head slightly to avoid their stares, though I could feel that none of that seemed to affect Supremo, he simply leaned back in his chair, calm and unbothered.

"This is happening again," Francisco started. "I already warned you, Supremo."

"I won’t make this long. I called you here to say... I am stripping Supremo Ace Craige of his authority," Madame Violet said.

My gaze shot up, and my mouth fell open slightly. I wanted to protest, but I didn’t know how to begin.

"T-That’s too much!" Teacher Kath said.

"You know the rules! An SSG President shouldn’t get involved with anyone! Emotions are just a hindrance, and President Ace broke that rule!"

"We don’t have enough evidence that anything really happened between them. What if it’s all just assumptions?" Teacher Kath continued to argue.

I’m so grateful to Teacher Kath for standing up for Supremo and me. My tongue almost retreated, I was still shocked by what Madame Violet said. I had already ended what happened between Supremo and me, so they had no right to do this.

"Assumptions?" Francisco half-laughed, staring at us. "Is it true?" he asked.

Everyone looked at us, especially me. My chest tightened again. It wasn’t just assumptions, we truly loved each other, but I couldn’t shout that out in front of them. Doing so would make all the pain and sacrifice meaningless.

I wouldn’t let everything fall apart.

"I’ve seen the way you look at each other. I know there’s something going on between you," Madame Violet insisted.

My whole body shook.

"You saw... There’s no sense in hiding the trut-"

"Stop it!"

They were startled by my shout, and I knew Supremo had looked at me, that was why I felt like I couldn’t breathe at all. I gasped, trying to draw in the air.

All of them were staring at me, so I had no choice but to meet their gaze.

I will do anything for you, even if I have to hurt you over and over again, I will. Supremo, I know you will hate me for this, but I’m sorry. You can’t stop me.

"Supremo and I were never together. There was nothing between us."

I lowered my head after saying it. A deafening silence filled the four corners of the room. My chest felt unbearably tight.

I lied.

"T-That can’t be! I always see you toge-"

"Because I am his secretary. A fucking secretary in this hell!"

In denying everything, I knew I was hurting him again. I knew that no forgiveness could truly heal all of this, but I still hoped for it.

Forgive me, my love. I love you so much. There’s no need for anyone else to know, because it’s enough that I know it’s true in my own heart.

"One question, one answer... Did you ever love Ace Craige?" Francisco asked.

FUCK!

"No."

I closed my eyes as I heard the chair beside me crash to the floor, and the door slam open and shut. I smiled absentmindedly.

I denied everything.

I wanted to run after him and ask for forgiveness, but I couldn’t. Even if I wanted to, this was something I truly wasn’t allowed to do.

"That should be enough to say that none of this is true," Teacher Kath said.

I couldn’t process anything anymore. All I could do was bite my lip to stop the tears from spilling.

Why did everything have to come to this? Maybe love really wasn’t meant to bloom in a place like this.

"Alright," Madame Violet said as she stood up. "Still, Supremo Ace Craige is suspended for one week."

That was better. At least it was only one week. I quickly ran out of the Admin Office.

I scanned my surroundings, hoping I might see him, hoping I could at least say sorry, but he was nowhere to be found.

I hate myself. I know you do too.

Absent-mindedly, I went to the secret garden and sat on the root of a large tree there. I hugged my knees and lowered my head.

I’m exhausted. I want to give up, but I can’t.

"You know what hurts the most than being left alone?"

I remained curled up, my head resting on my knees, not daring to lift my gaze. Hearing his voice makes my heart shatter into pieces.

"Being denied by the girl I am willing to scream the most."

I could only close my eyes as my tears finally fell. I tried to suppress my sobs, but I couldn’t stop my body from trembling. It felt like I was about to collapse right then and there.

Even while shaking, I forced myself to speak. "Just leave me alone. I don’t want to hear your voice anymore," I said.

Sorry. I have to hurt you so you can wake up from this nightmare.

"Is that really all there is?"

"YES!"

I stood up and met his gaze. Maybe I shouldn’t have done this, especially not now, when I can see his tears falling nonstop, quickly wiped away but never stopping.

"D-Did you ever really love me?"

"Love?" I laughed, even though it felt like my heart was being torn apart. "Who would ever love you? You’re such a poor, pathetic, heartless man. How can you expect someone to love you? You’re a devil!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

Even as I trembled, I forced myself to stay strong, but my knees nearly gave out when I saw his smile... a bitter smile.

Should I now nominate myself as the world’s most notorious liar ever?

I heard his bitter laugh. Every forced chuckle that escaped him felt like something sharp piercing straight through me.

I shut my eyes tightly. "Stop it, Ace. You’re just a pain in the ass." I took a sharp breath before saying what came next. "I am contentedly happy without you."

No one spoke after that. The only things I could hear were the loud pounding of my heart and the pain that had already wrapped itself around my entire being.

"Can you do me a favor?" he asked. "Just this one."

I kept my mouth shut, knowing I no longer had the strength to speak. I simply waited for what he was about to say.

In one swift move, my heart stopped beating. All I could feel was my body shaking — my mind, my soul, my heart.

He kissed me.

"Fight, Zein. I want you to fight, not for me, but for your friends, and most especially, fight for yourself. Don’t worry, I’m still breathing, and a promise is a promise. I am still your knight, your bulletproof, and no matter what happens, you are still my Queen."

He turned his back on me, and I could do nothing but watch him until he disappeared from my sight.

I’ll fight, but not just for myself or for my friends. I’ll also shed every drop of blood I have for you, until I drown, and until I die, my King.