It was the third vigil night already. Lay was sitting in a chair and staring at his Dad's casket. He's reminiscing about his laughter while teaching him how to bake a cake when he was just a kid and how amused he was every time he asked naive questions.
"Dude!" Fiona tapped Lay's shoulder because he seemed so lost and didn't even notice that she had come and was already sitting in the chair next to him.
"He didn't even wait for my graduation ceremony!" Lay immediately said; his tone couldn't be more sad. "I worked so hard and tried to survive for him and for..." He stopped himself from saying his ex's name. "It really hurts!"
Even Fiona doesn't know what to say or how to comfort him, so she just pats his back. "I'm still here! I won't leave you!"
Hearing those comforting words just made Lay sadder. He wanted to cry, but he had no tears to shred anymore.
He glanced at her and smiled bitterly. "Thank you!"
Fiona couldn't help but notice that the smile to which she used to be very attracted has no trace on his face. His smile looked so bitter and didn't tingle her, but seemed to have crushed her heart. Seeing him miserably in pain just made her feel twice as hurt.
Cheska came with Jeo and is now in front of the casket. As Lay saw them together, he couldn't help but clench his fists and stare at them angrily.
Fiona saw everything, and she simply doesn't understand how painful she currently feels. She just stared at Lay, who was glaring at his ex.
When you're in pain but can't scream or show it. You want to cry, but you have to be strong and comfort others. When your heart is breaking but you have to smile just to hide it. When you love someone but he loves someone else. It must be one of the most painful kinds of feelings, and nothing is more painful now than what Fiona feels.
Lay was about to stand up, but Fiona immediately grabbed his arm and made him sit again. "Don't do it!"
Lay gritted his teeth while gripping his hands on his knees. He wanted to confront the two, who seemed to be flirting even in front of his father's casket.
"How dare they show up here!" Even the crazy system can't be quiet in his head anymore.
"I will spend all the money to make you kneel in front of me soon," Lay mumbles.
After a few moments, Cheska and Jeo started to walk away from the casket.
Cheska even dared to stop in front of Lay and sighed. "You looked totally pitiful. Please accept my heartfelt condolences, ex!" She said in a sarcastic tone.
Lay just glared at her and didn't reply.
"If you have nothing else to say, you can leave us now," Fiona calmly said.
Jeo sniggered upon seeing how angry Lay was but could do nothing. "Useless boy!" He said, holding Cheska's arm. "Let's go, baby. Don't mind these losers!"
Fiona just rolled her eyes and looked at Cheska, who was smirking while staring at Lay. "What are you waiting for, cheater? Leave!" Her tone was so irritated because of her hatred towards Cheska.
"Oh!?" Cheska shifted her gaze towards Fiona. "What an ugly round face you have. Who are you again?"
Fiona's eyes suddenly darkened because of her insult. She stood up. "Will you leave us alone now, or I'll make you disappear from my sight?"
Her height is just 5 feet, while Cheska is 5'6 and obviously taller and bigger than her, but she looked completely fearless as she clenched her fists and stretched her neck left and right, which even caused a rattling sound.
However, Cheska just laughed and found her actions amusing. "Oh, I'm so touched. You're so cute." She sniggered.
This time, Fiona smirked and was about to strike her with a right-hand uppercut, but Lay moved so swiftly that he caught her arm and pulled her towards him.
"I haven't given you a score yet for cheating on me, but causing trouble and disrespecting my father's night vigil—" His tone sounds so cold that it obviously hit Cheska's nerves. "Get your f***ing as*** away from my sight, b***tch!"
Cheska was obviously stunned and was just left staring at Lay, especially when he cussed; it just made her jaws drop. She had never heard him cuss before.
"Geez! Alright, that's enough. Let's go!" Jeo said. He held Cheska by her waist, and before she could react, they were already walking away.
"Did he really just cuss on me?" She asked Jeo.
After they left, Lay took a heavy breath and puffed. As much as he wanted to beat his stepbrother and confront his ex, his respect for his father just prevailed and helped him control his actions.
Even Fiona was stunned when Lay cussed just a while ago. They've been friends since they were kids, but she's never heard him cuss before.
The thing is, he often cusses inside his head too and blurts it out sometimes when he's just alone, but never in front of anyone. He's not acting or faking to be good and kind, but just a great controller of the demon he's hiding inside because his father disciplined him very well and he was raised up tolerating all the insults and enduring too much pain.
"Sorry!" Lay immediately said when he noticed that he was still holding her arm. He immediately let go of her and sat down again.
Fiona had just recovered from a long shock, too. She faintly smiled, but Lay just gave her a cold glance. "Don't mind them!" She said, and she sat down again too.
"Tomorrow is dad's burial already. You've been here for three straight nights too with me. Go and take a rest now, Fiona," Lay said.
Fiona bitterly smiled. He didn't even call her "Bess" now but by her real name. Lay was slowly changing, and she noticed every little change in him.
"I'm fine, dude. Don't worry, I'm resting during the day anyway because I have passed all the rest requirements at school already, but you." She sighed.
But Lay just faintly laughed. "I just want to be with him before I never see him again."
Even though Fiona was already worried about his health because he's not eating much or sleeping these past few days, she can't force him to do anything either.
"I'll just help out some guests then. Just call me when you need anything, okay?" Fiona said, and Lay nodded!
Later on, just after the clock hit midnight, someone came, which seemed to have stunned everyone. When Lay saw who had arrived, his small, silvery, grayish eyes just dazzled a bit.