The Next Day
MONALISA
I sat still even after the class had been over. Even though it had been long hours after the incident happened last night, I still could not shake myself out of it.
The more I thought of it, the more it made me shudder. I had done so much in my room while that teddy was right there, staring at me.
I had changed, I had danced naked, I had even masturbated! The one time I had done so while moaning ‘daddy’.
“Heavens” I groaned and shut my eyes tightly in embarrassment.
“Hey, you have been staring at that wall for quite a while now. What’s up with you? That bored with the lecture?” Francesca asked, plopping down beside me.
“Something happened last night” I started and turned a bit in my seat to face her.
I saw her brows crease in surprise.
“What happened? Did something bad happen to you? Did you get hurt?” She asked and I shook my head in a negative response.
“At least not physically.”
“Oh my! Don’t tell me things didn’t work out between you and Bryant?”
“That’s not the case, Francesca. The teddy bear you gifted to me two months ago, I found a camera in it” I said to her and saw her brows lift up in clear shock.
“What the hell?! How could that be?!”
“That exactly is my question, Francesca. How could that be?”
“Don’t tell me, Lisa… Don’t tell me that you think I put that in the teddy” she said and I shook my head.
“I trust you. You could not have done that to me. You are my best friend and would never do that to me but I want to know who did that. Where did you get it from? What store?” I asked her and saw her panic a bit.
“Wh-what happened? Where did you get it from?” I had to reiterate the question when I saw the guilty look on her face.
“I am really sorry, Lisa. It must have been that pervert!”
“What pervert? Who are you talking about?” I asked her and she sighed softly.
“Actually, two months ago. There was this guy who kept on pestering me to date you but you were in a relationship with Leon back then so I didn’t want to tell you about it. But then he kept on pestering me and asked me to give the teddy bear to you. I thought it was just a harmless gift so I gave it to you. I am very sorry, Lisa” she apologized.
“Oh my god Francesca!” I groaned.
“Do you know what you have done?”
“I am really sorry. I feel like beating myself up right now, Lisa. I am very very sorry” she apologized over and over again.
“Who is this guy? I am going to charge the bastard to court!” I said firmly.
“He is out of the country already. I heard he travelled a week ago” she replied.
“Jeez… I still want to find that guy! How could he have been…”
“It’s okay, Lisa. It’s all my fault” Francesca took the blame, taking my hands in hers.
“It’s not your fault, Francesca. It is only the fault of that terrible guy”
“Please just let it be, Lisa. I will take the blame and try to make up for this in any way I can”
“Francesca” I called her name softly.
“It’s all my fault” she repeated and I couldn’t stand her blaming herself anymore.
I pulled closer to her and wrapped my arms around her.
“It’s alright. I will just let it go. I just hope that Bastard meets with karma. I hope worse happens to him! That bastard!”
“He definitely will” Francesca assured me and after a few seconds, she pulled away from the hug.
“I hope you are not mad at me?” She asked.
“I am not mad at you at all” I assured her and flashed her a smile. It wasn’t too genuine but it was enough to let her know that I wasn’t mad at her.
“Thank you so much but how did you find it?” She asked.
“My dad’s friend noticed it. I don’t know how he noticed it so quickly but he did”
“He is back in the country?!” Francesca asked with bright eyes.
“Yes, he is” I mumbled, trying to close the topic. I didn’t want to have to talk about what he looked like and the kind of relationship we had together.
“That must be so awesome” she cooed lovingly.
“I guess so. My mum traveled out too. Want to come hang out with me at home? Probably spend the night over at my place?” I asked her.
“Sure! I love being in that mansion of yours! The beauty of that place”
“It’s not ours and you know it.” I rambled.
“It’s yours. He gave it to you guys and that man is very rich. I am sure he has no need for it anymore.”
I glanced at my wristwatch and gasped.
“I have a lecture I need to attend as soon as possible” I said to her, gathering the two books on my table and shoving them into my bag.
“Bye. Let’s meet up at the cafe later” I hurried out of class and had walked for a minute before I bumped into someone.
It was Irene. We were in the same department but she always kept to herself with a mean look on her face. She was that one person that barely anyone associated with.
“Oh, sorry. I was in a hurry” I apologized to her and was about to walk past when she called my name.
“Monalisa”
Being called my full name always felt a little bit weird but I was even more surprised that Irene knew my name.
“Yes?”
“Bryant is your boyfriend, right?”
“Uhm… Yes” I replied.
“Francesca is your best friend, right?” She asked another question.
“Yes, she is. Why did you ask though?” I asked her.
“She shouldn’t even be a distant friend to you let alone a best friend” she said and my brows arched in confusion.
“What do you mean by that?” I questioned.
“She is not a friend to you.” Irene said and before I could ask more questions, she was walking away.
I stared at her walking away from me with confusion written on my face. What in the world was Irene saying? Why would she say Francesca is not a friend to me?
Irene had to be wrong.
I had known Francesca for so many years and she was the perfect best friend for me.