STILL A FLASHBACK

Krystal POV

Before 7pm/Jessica's incident at the club

“D-did your helper just went inside of that place?” Amber finally asked after a long silence and self battle whether to believe or not what we had discovered. Her eyes and mouth wide opened and her brows furrowed. It wouldn't take long for anyone to guess what's really going on in her mind.

I was as shocked as her, to see Jessica dressed up in a beautiful and alluring clothes, and twice my shock to unexpectedly witness her went inside a not so decent place around. My heart felt like it stopped beating right after that moment, I was scared of what's really going on.

“Did Jessica really went inside that strip club?” My thoughts exactly.

There's actually an answer to this and Amber's question inside my head, but I dare not to believe my automatic conclusions right away. I don't want to and I don't think I would want to either.

Still gazing the club's entrance from Amber's car parked near the frontage, I nervously rubbed both of my palm on my lap to wipe the sweat away. The car's air-con seemed to be working just fine but it suddenly feel so hot and I'm so unease.

“I-I'm going inside. Are you coming?” I said suddenly out of nowhere to which gathered Amber's attention and eyes on me.

“Are you insane? We're completely minors, those big thugs on the entrance wouldn't let us in for sure.” She said to me as a matter-of-fact, but I won't settle for this as an answer.

“Fine. I'm going in myself.” I started unlocking the passenger seat but Amber immediately stopped me from leaving. I was ready to attack those bouncers standing at the entrance of the strip club and it was honestly distressing how she's withholding me in making actions.

“There's no way you're gonna pass those body builders, Krystal. And seriously, we shouldn’t get ourselves in trouble just because of your helper. I swear she's damn hot wearing makeup and such dress, and I think it's her tactic to allure the folks but still, let her be. She has her own way of life to make a living.” With that being said, it came to me the thought that Amber didn't know the truth yet that Jessica and I are sisters. How stupid I was! Of course she wouldn't understand how I feel.

And her thoughts... her thoughts were really a match to the conclusion that popped out automatically in my head. There's no way Jessica's working as a stripper or e right? I panicked at the realization.

I swayed Amber's arm away and left the car immediately. I stomped my feet as I'm nearing the bouncers but Amber yet again pull my arm and turned me to look at her with force. I'm beginning to get pissed off because of her behavior. The only thing in my mind right now is to know what exactly is going on from Jessica's own explanation. I need to know right away because, I swear, the blood that circulates around my body is concentrating all in my head and I feel like I'm going to explode any minute. I'm anxious as hell and I don't think I could turn back into thinking normal without knowing the truth.

I don't want to jump in a conclusion of Jessica as a stripper right away, because it'll all end in a fact that I may also be responsible of what's really going on. The thoughts about her doing this all because of my demands for a better life can never be ignored. The horror creeps up to me, and I wouldn't ever forgive myself any longer if this is really the case. That's why I'm so tensed up and impatiently wanting to hear out Jessica because I don't know till when I could deny this conclusion that's becoming so vivid as time passes by.

“Stop it, Amber! I need to get in there right now no matter what's the case!” I shouted at her realizing the tension building up within me.

Looking at her, I know exactly that she's quite amused and confused about my strong reaction towards this new discovery. And I can't help but feel guilty because of my terrible lies from the past.

“Why are you so concerned about her anyway? I get the fact that she's your helper and all, but this is insane Krystal. You're absolutely making me so worried now”

“Sorry Amber, but truth is... Jessica isn't just our family's helper. She's my sister by blood. She's a family!” I paused a bit because my voice started cracking up, and my emotions are catching up on me again.

“S-she's the only one I have now.” I continued in tears, and I noticed that she flinched at my revelation. It's not surprising though.

The time stopped for about a minute that felt so long. I was just crying in front of Amber because aside from my anxiety today about Jessica, I don't know where to start either on explaining myself to her. She probably has several questions in mind including what urges me to lie about Jessica's existence to my life. I can't any longer reveal that I hated her so much before because right now, as if miracle happened, I don't feel the same anymore. And the feeling is as if, I never really hated her. I'm puzzled, I don't know where to start and how to resolve this problem I have caused. Come to think of it, every problem I'm handling right at this moment was all linked to me. The source of every problem that grows a few branches already, it has always been me from the start.

“So Victoria unnie was correct. Damn, I lost from the bet.” She said, and that completely sent me to oblivion. I was perplexed while she's acting up like she had gotten the idea already before, though still in denial.

“Victoria unnie? W-what are you talking about?” I finally asked, my tears stopped.

“Remember when she first came to pick you up at school before, but you ended up being harsh and threw your bags at her?” She asked and I feel like punching her in the face immediately for making me remember how stupid and cruel I had been. My emotions are entangled and mixed, now she's adding more to it.

I just glared at her and she took it as a sign to go on. “Victoria unnie wasn't convinced that Jessica was just a nobody but a helper to you right away. She told us about it and made us think twice too. So we ended up making a bet, Victoria, Sulli, Luna and me. Vic and Luna are on one team and Sulli and me on the other.” She finally unveiled and I was literally jaw dropping.

“W-wait?! Luna knew?!! But...” I asked almost shouting because Luna was the one stressing out all the time that Jessica's just a helper which totally pissed me off all the time by the way.

She laughed at my sudden burst as if expecting my reaction already. “Yeah, that's Luna for you! She said she'll make a bait for you to fall in and your reactions were always priceless so that made us believe more of Vic unnie's speculations.”

I'm still amused how their brain could actually work correctly at times like this. I feel a bit relieved, that saves me from explaining so much and where to start. “Wow, I underestimated you guys.” I said with all honesty.

Then she laughed again hysterically and managed to reply back. “We may be young, naive and worthless at times but we're still your friends. Don't tell me you forgot that, you belong to us Krys. We know you so well now.”

I feel like crying. All this time I thought we're just friends out of fame from school, I completely shielded myself from them and hid my problems within me. I thought they wouldn't understand, because I always ended up believing that they won't without even trying to actually tell them my situation. I really did judged them right away, just like what I've did Jessica. I'm the one worthless all along. Speaking of Jessica, I need to hurry now and get my way inside that club. I need to kno