บท 30: Malicious secret (2)

[Warning: Disturbing Content.]

"Oh my god, this is crazy!" I commented. "I didn't expect Kristen to be this evil!"

"Yes, Em… Kristen is that malicious," Cerise said. "I've lived under that evil for a while now."

I reread the chat history between Kristen and Helena. I just couldn't believe someone could be this evil.

—

*Helena: Kristen… everything feels empty… I don't even want to wake up from bed.*

*Kristen: Oh no, what's wrong, dear?*

*Helena: You know… my parents. They keep fighting, again, and again, and again. They've been fighting every night. I can hear my dad beating my mom. I can also hear my mom cursing my dad for cheating.*

*Kristen: That's too bad. I'm sorry to hear that, dear.*

*Helena: Kristen, do you think there will be happiness for me? I've lost count on how many times my mom wants us all dead…*

*Helena: She said I am the reason she hasn't divorced my dad. She said that I'm the reason for her suffering…*

*Kristen: Oh, I'm sure you're not, dear. Your mom is just tired.*

*Helena: No, Kristen, I feel like she is serious about it… she really wants me to die. She wants her own daughter to die.*

*Kristen: Oh, don't think about it. I will miss you if you die.*

*Helena: You will miss me?*

*Kristen: Of course!*

*Helena: T—Then, do you think my mom will miss me if I die as well?*

*Kristen: Hm… I'm not sure, since you're convinced that she hates you, maybe she won't miss you when you die. Maybe you should try it out.*

*Helena: You think I should die?*

*Kristen: Oh, no! Of course, I don't want you to die, remember that I will miss you, right? I cared about you a lot, Helena.*

*Kristen: I'm just saying. Don't you want to know your parent's reaction if they found out that you killed yourself?*

*Helena:…*

—

My hands trembled when I reread this over and over. It was so gentle but so malicious at the same time, definitely Kristen's style. And this was just one screenshot.

"This is just one. Do you have more screenshots of their chat history?" I asked Cerise, who went quiet all of a sudden. The atmosphere between us was tense, or maybe it was just me because Cerise seemed calmer than I expected.

As if she had accepted everything.

"I have more," Cerise replied. "There are a lot, but I will try to narrow it down to the most important ones."

"Narrow it down? You can just send me all of them, you know," I said. I didn't want to miss a thing because it might affect my judgment.

"They chatted a lot, so I will just narrow it down for you, Em…." Cerise refused again.

…

Something clicked in my head, but I refused to believe it, at least until I could gather more evidence. I wouldn't be rash in my judgment. I knew that I couldn't pressure Cerise anymore, so I just accepted it.

"Okay, please send me some more. I need to see more," I asked.

Ding!

Cerise sent another screenshot for me. I opened it and start reading:

—

*Helena: Kristen, my mom, she starts beating me when I'm going home. She pours all her rage and depression to me. I can't feel my body anymore. I don't want to live if I will only be my mom's trash can for all her rage…*

*Kristen: Oh no, that's bad, I'm sorry to hear that, Helena.*

*Helena: It's okay, Kristen. You're the only one who wants to hear me. I don't want our friends to know…*

*Kristen: You can always talk to me. Remember that I care a lot about you.*

*Helena: Kristen, you're my best friend. I know that you will give me the best advice. So please, tell me, what should I do?*

*Helena: I can't go on like this. I want to die. I want to end everything. I want my mom to regret ever beating me. I want to know if she will regret my death.*

*Kristen: Oh no, but what about me? I will be sad if you're not around anymore…*

*Kristen: But… I don't want to see you suffering like this, Helena.*

*Kristen: If you think that's the only way out, then I will support you. Because I just want to see you happy and in peace.*

—

"Utter bullshit…" I mumbled. I gritted my teeth after reading this. I just couldn't stomach how crazy this was. How could someone be this fucked up?

Even someone like me, who was a stranger, in this case, felt the rage and hopelessness in Helena.

Yet, Kristen played with her with that 'I'm your caring friend' card.

"I will send you the last one, the day when Helena… took her own life…." Cerise said.

Ding!