Saving the Villain

When Luke and Cosette returned to the classroom, Cosette noticed something as she sat down in her seat. Sarah was looking back at her, shrugging at the silent question in Cosette's eyes.

'What's going on here?' Cosette wondered, gazing to her side where Luke was sitting. Fay next was next to him, so she had to lean over the desk to see Fay.

Fay was still like her usual self. She was already reading the book for their next class, engulfed with invisible flames of determination as if she would compete for the nationals. Cosette's eyes then veered to Amie, who was sitting next to Fay.

Amie was always the quiet type in the class, but she could be silly whenever it was just them. Cosette remembered telling Sarah to stop babying Amie so the latter could learn how to speak up for herself. But now, her aura was even gloomier and depressing.

'Is it just me?' Cosette wondered, looking back at Sarah, who had her attention on Fay and Amie. 'I was too busy with other things that I didn't notice something is going on with my friends.'

A deep exhale slipped past Cosette's lips before the teacher for the next class entered the classroom. Cosette already felt something must've had happened. However, she still wanted to confirm this. Hence, she waited until lunchtime, when everyone would gather around to eat.

Although Amie and Fay still joined them for lunch, they didn't talk to each other. Fay would still contribute to the usual conversation the entire lunch, but she never once talked to Amie. That only made Cosette's assumptions. Hence, Cosette dragged Sarah to the restroom.

"So?" Cosette leaned her side against the sink, facing Sarah squarely. "Did something happen to Amie and Fay? They're not talking to each other the entire time."

"Well…" Sarah let out a deep exhale. "Fay asked her to break up."

"What?"

"Fay doesn't want to be friends with Amie anymore, that's what she said. She even said Amie was just holding her back from doing things she wanted…" Sarah explained the details to Cosette with a heavy heart.

Since that day Fay voiced out her thoughts to Amie, things were never the same. Cosette, Luke, and Maxen had been busy recently that they didn't notice. But for Sarah, things had been especially awkward since Amie and Fay still shared the same circle, and both weren't distancing themselves from others for their personal reasons.

"I see…" Cosette frowned, letting out another deep exhale as she thought about it. "That's harsh, but I can't blame Fay."

"I know." Sarah was also sporting a frown. "I can't blame them, but it's concerning. They'd been friends for a very long time, and I might sound like I'm siding with Amie, but they'd been friends since middle school. It's hard for her."

Cosette gazed at Sarah, and the latter shrugged.

"I know Fay is also having a hard time, but just not showing it. I don't know what to do, to be honest."

"Me too…" Cosette huffed helplessly, reaching for the faucet to wash her hands. "But I think we don't need to do anything."

"What?"

"You said it yourself, Sarah. They'd been friends since middle school, so I'm sure they will be fine." Cosette paused, lifting her eyes at Sarah's reflection. "We'll see what happens for now. I mean, I really want to help. But I learned just recently that there were certain reasons people do things. Their decisions might be what we call stupid and unpractical, but sometimes, I think we're like that because their decision just made us uncomfortable."

She faced Sarah after drying her hands. "They will be fine. They are our friends and we know better they can do better. I'm sure they will smoothen things out even if we don't step in. Let's just put our trust in them first."

"I hope we're doing the right thing, Cozie."

"Me too." Cosette smiled subtly. "I hope I will not regret this."

Dealing with Olivia's case was a strong reminder to Cosette there was a limit to giving help. Even though her intentions were good, there was just a certain help people didn't want, even if they needed it. Ever since waking up over a decade prior to her 'death,' Cosette had been dead set on rewriting everyone's ending.

First, it was just Maxen and Conrad. But with every passing second, her desire continued to grow. She wanted to help Luke live a better life out of Asher's shadow and somehow leave room for Asher and Luke's reconciliation.

Now, even Remo's future was changing from being Maxen's hellhound. Although Remo had started showing a sign of loyalty toward Maxen, she knew their path wasn't the bloody path they had walked on before their deaths.

In other words, Cosette's desire to over-involve herself in other people's matters was just a part of her obsession for everyone to give everyone a happy ending. She helped Olivia one way or another, but Cosette had also realized this had been slowly evolving into an obsession.

It was good she realized it early.

Hence, even though she could feel the slight awkwardness and gloominess between Amie and Fay, she didn't force the two to talk it out. Instead, Cosette told herself to just be their friend and treat them equally. Being there for them as friends, even though Amie and Fay weren't particularly on good terms at the moment, was enough.

Yes. Enough. And Cosette had to be satisfied with the word enough, instead of being greedy.

"Are you okay?" Cosette was snapped back to reality when Maxen's voice caressed her ears. "You've been a little distracted."

They were already walking out of the school building on their way to the school gates. With them were Luke and Remo. Unlike usual, Luke wasn't walking beside her, but with Remo a step ahead of them.

"Of course." Cosette smiled at him. "Why wouldn't I? Things are being dealt with, and I don't think those delinquents had the time to do anything wicked with the police scattered around."

"I mean your friends," he returned.

"You noticed too, huh?"

"Everyone does. It's just no one wants to point it out since it's none of their business. But they're your friends."

"I know." Cosette peeled her eyes from him to look ahead. "But well, I have to trust them, right?"

Maxen smiled slowly as he nodded, raising a hand to plant on her head. "They will be fine, Cozie. Don't worry too much about others."

"A habit."

"I can't say it's a bad habit." He retrieved his hand. "That habit saved me, after all."

Cosette slowed down, keeping her eyes on his side profile. Her eyes softened as her heart warmed up. For the past few days, Cosette had only felt she was being too nosy. Hence, his words, although simple, somehow touched her heart.

​ "Should we buy ice cream on our way home? I didn't ask driver George to fetch us." Her lips stretched from ear to ear, throwing her worries at the back of her head.

"We can. Your treat, though."

"No problem." She chuckled, gazing ahead, only to furrow her brows.

Maxen, Luke, Remo, and Cosette slowed down as they exited the school gates. The reason was that some students were flocking to the school gates. When Cosette caught the reason for this, her mouth fell open.

Over there, outside the school gates, stood a charming young man beside a car. He didn't pay attention to the attention he was getting from the female students, looking around as if searching for someone. When he met Cosette's eyes, his expression brightened up.

'Holy shit!' Cosette cursed inwardly. 'What is this guy Ezekiel doing in here?'