Karma did hit the last second before Mandy claimed victory. She was a thumb away from witnessing the high and mighty Caress Aragon yield or much better, kneel and beg for mercy.
How fast tables turned, really!
"Excuse me for a while, Mayor. Deputies from the Anti-bullying Division arrived just now on the Administration Office." Ms. Sanz declared.
Don't leave, she wanted to beg the old hag. However, the door was closed the next second.
Arnaldo fixed his attention on his phone ignoring her sneaking glances and presence altogether. The veins protruded on his forehead as he contacted his secretary, lawyer and anyone relevant to cover the disaster waiting to ruin his political career.
"Daddy, believe me. You have to because I'm innocent! Whatever evidence Aster presented is fake. It isn't surprising that she connived with Care to frame me up. Daddy, you have to belie----"
He slammed his phone on the table automatically muting her gibberish talk.
"Silence! I can't bear to listen or look at your face. I had my doubts when you first called about Care. I was certain that her, a well-bred lady, wouldn't sink that low. On the other hand, you, look at what you've done?!"
The blaming portion just began but the urge to puke already rose to her throat. She was nauseous after hearing Simeon Salvador, her father, washed his hands clearly due to the fact that things went awry.
"Why are you speaking as if you're a noble, upright father? You were the most delighted when I accused Care since you're gonna bag a greater sum of campaign funds in exchange for settlement! And you dare belittle me by blatantly stating I'm not half as good as that obnoxious brat?" The words hung at the tip of her tongue.
Spit that to his face, a little voice in her mind appealed.
Truly, she would trade any price to possess courage to speak her thoughts out loud. Growing up, the repressive control of his father to their family was ingrained in her system. She could not talk back even by impulse regardless if it suffocates the hell out of her. Thus, why she lets out her pent up feelings through a nasty way --- bullying Aster.
"On top of that, you were being the big bad bully in school?! I provided you everything! Do you perhaps desire to compare your comfortable life now versus life behind bars, child? I'm ashamed of you!"
She was about to burst in tears when suddenly the door opened. Lark barged in, panting. Before and up to that moment, he always was the little crevice in her boxed up world which allowed her to breathe.
"Thank goodness! Be here at my stead, son. I'll need to meet my staff ASAP. The last thing I'd like is this blowing up on the news tonight." Mayor Salvador remarked then bolted out of the POD office.
She wallowed in sorrow because of his Daddy's presence. Nevertheless, his absence caused her longing. When will her heart learn to unlove the man who never cherished her as much as he valued his political ambitions?
Before she loses wits for a simple question with the simplest answer, Lark crouches in front of her. She abruptly averted her gaze.
"You aren't entitled to trample others just because your father trampled your love. Do you even need the lecture? You know what you did was horribly wrong. It was a conscious choice and the Mandy I've known would never commit those things or was I wrong? Were you not the person I thought you were? Tell me." Lark questioned in a fantastically calm and steady tone unlike the rain of insults Simeon Salvador gave her earlier.
"What for? You would still forsake me! You should run to Care and apologize rather than lecture me here." She dismissively replied.
"Your little faith hurts big time, Mands. You are my family! I'm here to stay, heck, I'll even plead forgiveness alongside you." Lark said with certainty then embracing her in his arms.
A tear escaped her eye. The one who really treated her family has no drop of blood relation to her. Her Daddy and Lark's mother married while they were around junior high, that is their sole connection. Nonetheless, in his perspective, she was a precious younger sister which always annoyed her to the extremes.
The door creaked open. A fake cough from Ms. Sanz broke them apart. The old lady wore a grim expression, an indication of bad news.
"Kindly leave, Lark. I need to talk to Miss Salvador in private." She politely addressed the gentleman.
He gave her back a little comforting tap before backing away. Mandy nodded to him since he appeared unwilling to leave.
"You don't need to grovel for repentance with me, silly." She was about to say if not only for her strong urge to cry at the moment.
Yes, she wished Lark could stay with her but this is the cross she must bear alone. Hence, she forbade her eyes to follow him exiting the door. Since Ms. Sanz glued her attention to her, she also did the same.
The old woman crossed her arms as she sat on the opposite chair.
"This rebellious phase of yours, who do you think suffered the most? Your father, Aster or you?" She asked, provoking her right off the bat.
Keeping her lips sealed, Mandy regretted her decision on staying. She should have known this was another sermon from an adult trying to be empathetic yet failing miserably.
She scoffed and added, "Geez, your generation is quite a handful, wasting away your lives and inconveniencing everybody. It's troublesome, you know. If you like to fall into a pit of misery, don't go dragging other people."
With clenched her fists, Mandy pounded them on the table. The hag sure hit a sensitive spot.
"You don't know anything!" She lashed out affirming the youth's impulsiveness Ms. Sanz referred earlier.
"Then, stop venting out your anger on Aster, Care or anyone else for that matter because they don't know and aren't responsible for your heartache as well. It's sickening how you recklessly followed the example of the person who hurt you by causing pain to others."
Tears welled up her eyes until they streamed down her cheeks. She no longer could not contain her sobs filled with remorse, despair and exhaustion. There was no undo button to press for a clean slate. The realization is more than enough to trigger breakdown.
I deserve retribution yet I'm reluctant to take the fall, she admits heartily.
"Your broken dreams for a happy family... A loving father figure isn't the only driving force for you to live. There's so much more for you, young lady. The world is vast, there are billions of people and various experiences awaiting you. Just go on until the heartache your father gave you will just become a tiny part of you, not the definition of your existence."
"I've still caused irreparable damage. What do I do?" She whimpered, desperately.
Absorbed by her own pain, Mandy did not notice when old Ms. Sanz reassured her with a younger soft voice saying, "Confess your sin and I'll take care of the rest."