Class Villainess

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xx: Do you like the red rose?

—

My eyes widened instantly. I didn't expect the perpetrator would take the initiative to chat with me first. And he didn't even hide his number by putting it as an unknown number or something. 

And he just casually asked me whether I liked his red rose or not? Of course, the answer is no! You damn creep!

Thus, I texted him back;

—

Emmy: Who are you? And what do you want from me? 

Emmy: You're acting like a creep, you know? Sending red roses to my Grandma without giving a name.

Emmy: I've just crushed the red roses you sent me!

—

I texted out of anger and pressed send on everything. I hated to be the one in the dark because it reminded me of how hopeless I was. 

After a while, I got another text from him,

—

xx: Why are you so hostile? I just want to show my love for you, Em. 

xx: I've loved you for so long, you won't believe how long have I keep this feeling for you.

—

I gritted my teeth. This man didn't exist in my previous life. I never had one, and I would be glad if he also didn't exist in my current life. 

—

Emmy: You coward! You can't even show your face, and you have the guts to say love? 

Emmy: Don't come anymore. I don't have time for your stupid fantasy. 

xx: Stupid fantasy? But we're living in a fantasy, dear Em. What happened to you is stuff came out of fantasy, right?

—

Blood drained out of my body once I saw his last text. 

No way, there was no way he knew about me returning back in time for revenge. 

—

Emmy: What do you mean? Who are you?

xx: Don't be so guarded. I'm not going to hurt you or anything. Don't act like Kristen, okay? 

xx: By the way, what you did to Kristen is marvellous. I like it so much. She deserved more than that, honestly, but I will follow what you want.

—

Oh no. 

No.

This was too sudden. Did he also know about my scheme against Kristen and Cerise? 

Was he the one who sent the police to catch Kristen immediately? 

There were so many questions in my head right now, and it got me creeped out, knowing that he might also be a rebirth like me. 

—

Emmy: Seriously, who are you?

xx: I can't say much for now, but I remember this.

xx: I love you, and will always love you, Emmelyn Jones, my Em.

—

That was the last text he sent until I waited for about half an hour. I texted him once, but it didn't seem that he wanted to reply to me back.

I was about to press call, but I hesitated. 

My finger hovered on the green call button, contemplating whether I should call him or not. 

I was scared that he might pick up the call, and I didn't know how to confront him.

Then a notification came in, someone had sent me a text, but it wasn't that creepy man.

This was an entirely different number who texted me, and it was Mason.

—

Mason: Hi Em! This is Mason Hall. Please save my number, okay?

—

I stared at Mason's text for a while. The realization hit me quite hard because, in my previous life, I often fantasized that I could have Mason's number and chat with him personally. 

Maybe we could have a cute chat, romantic, or even spicy one. 

Maybe we could have a Friday night phone call, talking about random stuff until one of us got sleepy. 

It was all just a fantasy though, I had nobody's number except Chrissy and Cerise back then. 

After that red rose man chatted me, Mason became some sort of relief. At least, I was chatting with someone I knew. 

—

Emmy: Yeah, I'll save your number. 

—

I replied short. I didn't know what to say next. I felt awkward. 

But Mason stroke up the conversation first,

—

Mason: I'm so glad that I can chat with your right now. Thank you so for giving me your number!

—

Yeah, that was because I got scared by your eyes. 

Maybe I got too used to seeing Mason with his warm gaze and gentle, perfunctory smile. So when that smiled vanished, I got scared.

—

Emmy: No worries. 

Mason: Uh… about our date to the cake shop this weekend. Do you want me to come to your house? Please give me your address, so I can come.

—

Huh, I thought he already knew my address since he had my student ID before. 

But then again, why would he try to remember my address? 

I guess I just got a bit too excited, thinking Mason was interested in me since our first meeting. 

—

Emmy: no need, just tell me the cake shop's name, and I'll come by bus. 

Mason: Ah, I can borrow my friend's car if you want me to pick you up, you know…

Emmy: No, don't. Let's just meet in the cake shop.

—

Yeah, I had to avoid that one. There was no way that I could let him borrow his friend's car just to come here. It'd be huge news to the school.

Agreeing to come with him was already a risk on its own. But I had to agree under that gaze.

…

That gaze he gave me, I wondered if he showed that gaze to anyone else because I almost pissed myself when I saw it. 

It was so cold, devoid of emotion. But maybe I was just shocked because I never had a chance to talk with Mason in my previous life. Maybe he had always been like that.

—

Mason: Okay! I'll see you on Saturday morning. I've saved enough money to treat you! 

Emmy: Okay…

—

We ended the chat just like that. I still couldn't believe that I chatted with Mason Hall, the school idol. The dreamy prince that everybody wanted. 

But everything felt too sudden and too suspicious. I didn't want to be the fool who got played by men. 

I wasn't a man-hater, but when you got beaten by your dad, catcalled by those boys for something you can't help, and turned into a bet by a scum man and his group, you were going to be cautious over everything. 

So far, Mason had been so kind to me. He also unintentionally helped me to ruin Kristen's reputation forever by holding that security guard. 

If…

If I could imagine the unimaginable if Mason actually confessed to me…

"No, you can't, Emmelyn," I shook my head, trying to remind myself that men… or boys, were nothing but trouble. I didn't need anyone to hinder my plan, and Mason was definitely a big red flag. Because of his popularity, he would attract way too much attention. 

And about that red rose, man… 

My feet went cold when I reread his texts. Although he didn't say it directly, his words signalled that he knew everything I did, including that I was a rebirth. 

I had many speculations in my mind, but everything led to nowhere. That red rose man came out of nowhere and entered my life just like this.

"And he said not to worry because he loves me… Heh, what a load of bullshit."