239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctGoXK0UZa
They weren’t friends.239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCi6o1mzUV
They weren’t enemies.239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRXiC3D7uL
They were something worse—two girls who understood each other too well.
The school trip was supposed to be uneventful.239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTJPTg0s4S
A three-day leadership retreat in Tagaytay.239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsekkM6aroN
Team-building games. Campfire circles. Trust falls.
Ruthie didn’t trust anyone enough to fall.
And Marian?
She liked watching people drop.
By the second night, everyone was exhausted.239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLj7G9Qwqua
The sky threatened rain.239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9mzEukGZUS
But the facilitators still insisted on outdoor reflections by the bonfire.
Ruthie sat on the edge of the group, hoodie pulled tight, headphones in.
She wasn’t listening to music.
She was listening for trouble.
And trouble always finds Marian.
It started when Marian wandered off after lights out.239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbxZEzwXfW
No one noticed.
Except Ruthie.
She saw the flicker of a flashlight.239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZjmWAhCN1
Saw Marian follow one of the male upperclassmen behind the mess hall.
And Ruthie’s gut screamed.
Something’s off.
She stood. Followed. Quiet as breath.
Turned the corner—and froze.
Marian’s back was against the wall.239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vLwrvRRs3
The boy—Kiko, varsity swimmer, all charm and arrogance—had one hand beside her head. The other creeping up her thigh.
“Akala ko ba game ka, Marian?”239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgb59U9kGk1
“I just said—stop muna.”239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnvuxQDowR
“Eh kanina, landi-landi mo.”
“Kiko,” she said, voice cracking. “I said no.”
He didn’t move.
Ruthie did.
“Bitawan mo siya.”
Kiko turned, startled. “Ano ka ba—”
He didn’t get to finish.
Ruthie grabbed a fallen broomstick and swung. Hard.
It cracked against his side. He doubled over, cursing.
Marian gasped.
“Umalis ka na,” Ruthie said.
And Kiko, stunned and humiliated, did.
For a moment, it was just them.
Two girls. One shaking. One still burning.
“You okay?” Ruthie asked, chest rising and falling.
Marian didn’t answer. Just looked at her with something unreadable.
Gratitude? Shame? Fury?
“You’re welcome,” Ruthie muttered, turning to go.
She thought it would end there.
But the fox always has another trick.
The next day, rumors spread fast.
“Narinig mo ba? Marian almost got attacked last night daw.”
“Who saved her?”
“Si Jay! Sabi nila, siya raw ‘yung dumating in time.”
Ruthie’s spoon froze mid-air.
Jay?
That’s not what happened.
She confronted Marian by the wash area.
“Really? Siya raw ang sumagip sa’yo?”
Marian turned slowly, lip gloss flawless, eyes smug.
“Bakit? Gusto mong ipagsigawan na ikaw ‘yung hero ko?”
“Hindi ako naghahanap ng credit. Gusto ko lang ng totoo.”
Marian leaned in, voice like poison in silk.
“Sometimes, truth ruins the story.”
Ruthie clenched her fists.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“You should’ve let him touch me,” Marian said softly. “Then maybe I’d owe you.”
Ruthie stared at her. “You do.”
“No. You chose to get involved. That’s on you.”
“He could’ve—”
“But he didn’t.”
Silence stretched between them like a blade.
Then Marian smiled sweetly.
“Besides, you said nothing. No one knows. That makes you just like me.”
And that was it.
Ruthie walked away.
Marian walked taller.
Back in her bunk, Ruthie wrote in her journal:
“I didn’t save her to be thanked.239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7R2X18y7m
I saved her because no one else would.239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUjYzrD6en
But I won’t forget this.239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9RuAvmsGP
The fox only looks cute until it draws blood.”
That night, Jay found her watching the stars alone.
“You okay?”
“Do I look okay?”
“You look like you want to burn the place down.”
Ruthie didn’t answer.
Jay sat beside her.
“They said I saved Marian last night.”
“You didn’t.”
“I know.”
“But you didn’t correct them.”
Jay looked away. Guilty.
“Didn’t want to make it worse for her.”
Ruthie let out a bitter laugh.
“You really believe she’s the victim?”
“I believe you care more than you admit.”
She didn’t deny it.
But caring doesn’t mean forgiving.239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXExAqf3ih
And silence isn’t the same as peace.
Later, when everyone else slept, Ruthie stared at Marian’s tent.
Inside it slept a girl with nine lives and no conscience.
And Ruthie?
She wasn’t done yet.
ns216.73.217.22da2“You owe me, fox.239Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlV2hDbY4o
You just don’t know it’s already collecting interest.
and then Add to home screen.