When they got to Arlie's house, she told Naila to get in the shower. Not because she was sticky, but because she needed time alone.
As soon as Naila got in and the water hit her, she bawled. The sadness she felt wasn't from her sister resenting her, no, she could live with that... it was from knowing that she ran away and didn't look for her.
"Shula... Shula... Shula! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Those scars, that traumatic experience, it should've been me. WHY COULDN'T I TAKE YOUR PLACE? It's not fair! You had so much going for you. IT SHOULD'VE BEEN ME!! She thought as she cried.
After about an hour she got out the shower. "Well? Feeling any better Naila?" Arlie asked.
"A little bit... but, why... are you... being so nice to me Arlie?"
"Huh? Remember, I could be nice if I want to be."
"But... I don't deserve your kindness, I mean, I couldn't even look after my sister properly."
"Hey. Look at me! That wasn't your fault Naila. It was that Dune guy's fault. He's the one that told you she died right? He wanted to rip your sisterly bond and make enemies out of you two. So whatever do, never come to hate her as much as she thinks she hates you. Okay?"
"Wow!" She said in surprise. "I had no idea you were capable of saying such kind words, Arlie!"
"Ha?! Do you want me to hate you too?"
"N-no!"
"Then shut up!" Arlie said as she jokingly pushed Naila.
"Haha! Hey!" Naila laughed as she pushed her back.
"Heh. I'm so glad we're friends Naila."
"Huh? We're... friends? Really?" Naila said happily.
"Oh? Well... I guess if you don't like that idea we don't have to be friends." Arlie said in a playful manner.
"NO, NO, NO! I want to be friends with Arlie!"
"Ha... AHHAHAHA!" Arlie laughed. "I was joking!! Obviously, we're friends! Call me whenever you need me okay?"
Naila started crying.
"Wow! You cry a lot you know that? How do you have so many tears?" Arlie teased.
"I drink a lot of water?" Naila said sort of seriously.
"Oh... Ha... my gosh! HAHAHA!! Were you serious just now? I was just teasing you! Lighten up! It's okay to have fun sometimes!"
"Heh. Really? Cause it hasn't felt like that till I met you, Arlie." She said with a smile.
"What? Naila... what exactly have you gone through to make you feel like that?"
"Me? Hell. I've been through hell. Mila and I were... more than friends but less than lovers? We just had a fling, and because of that, I'd get jumped by girls at school in the bathroom... day after day. At first, I had a friend who'd come help me fight them, but as time went on, she slowly started to join them... and then, I was alone. Getting beat up every day just because of a boy. Heh. Pitiful huh? Well, after they got tired of beating me, they spread rumors saying I was easy. After that, I got harassed for the remainder of my high school life, and never had another friend after that."
"I... had no idea that being with him was so hard for you. Well, to be completely honest I had no idea y'all had a thing going on,"
"Haha. We stopped after that incident with Dune. As I'm sure he's told you about it. Actually, let me elaborate on how Dune found me. You know how that rumor about me being easy was spreading right? Well, word got to Dune, but along with that came my address. Luckily, Shula wasn't around at that time. She'd gone out with friends. Although I still don't know how he got inside. Dune and his friends raped me and made Mila watch. They even recorded the whole thing. I know you knew that part, but did you know, that the girls that beat me up asked him to do it? And the main one that asked was the friend I thought I had? Oh! And do you know what they did with the video?! They showed it to the whole school. Yep, it was on every tv monitor. And... you know what else? They laughed... THEY ALL LAUGHED AT A FELLOW STUDENT GETTING RAPED. ALL OF THEM LAUGHED. Even... even the teachers laughed. You know what it feels like to be degraded by your teachers? To be harassed by them too? What about sexually assaulted? Or maybe even being jumped in the middle of a damn class?! While the teacher stares at you and smiles... it was hell. I'd sometimes try to take days off from school so I wouldn't get beat up, but even when I did, I'd get a text from unknown numbers calling me derogatory names and such. I couldn't escape it... no matter how hard I tried."
"I haven't even told Mila about that part."
"Huh? You mean... he never knew about this? Wait... y'all didn't go to the same school?"
"No... I couldn't find the courage to tell him. I mean, what was I supposed to say? 'Oh... hi Mila! You know... they beat me up and bully me at school because I'm in relation with you. And the teachers don't care what happens to me either.' Do you know how bad he'd feel? I couldn't add on to the stress he already had to deal with." She said.
"Well... it's all in the past now. What's done is done... but you know, I'm glad Mila has you. He can't face this alone, and he would've broken by now if you hadn't been there for him... so, I... I'm really thankful to you Arlie." Arlie stared at Naila with a surprised but touched expression on her face. She hugged Naila tightly and whispered, "in glad we're friends!" In her ear.
Shula and I got to a park and she sat on a bench.
"I can't believe she'd just go with whatever Dune said. Who would believe that fool but her?!"
"Mila... she just believed a rumor that her little sister was dead, and the one that told her was her sister's supposed killer, and didn't even bother sending a search party to find my 'dead' body. Did she even cry?!"
"She cried. She was so devastated that she couldn't eat for a month, and she was so angry that after that month she went out and beat up everyone that looked like they could be a suspect. Only to find out that the one who did it was the one who raped her."
"What?!"
"Oh!" I said as I covered my mouth.
"She... was raped… by… Dune?! Is that what you just said?!" Shula asked.
"And how do you know this?"
"I... I was there when it happened."
"HA?! AND YOU DIDN'T STOP IT?!"
"I couldn't... they tied me up and made me watch."
"They... they made you watch?!"
"Yeah. They made me watch while Naila cried in pain. I mean, I cried too."
"Oh my God! WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?!"
"While you were with your friends."
"Oh no!"
"Mila... what if she really thinks I hate her? I was only angry at her, I could never really hate her!"
"Yeah. I know! You'd always follow her around like she was your idol or something."
"Hey! Shut up! She was always cool to me. I always respected her."
"Yeah... I know you did. But for now, keep up the act of hating her."
"Huh? Why?"
"Because if Dune tries something, I need her to be on guard, although Arlie will be with her most likely."