Chapter 6
The first snow of the season drifted down gently, catching in her long lashes as she sat on the frozen bench. Her hands, tucked into her sleeves, clutched a small box wrapped carefully with a ribbon she had tied herself. Inside was the gift she had saved up for months to buy—something simple, but chosen with all her heart.
It was his birthday. And she wanted to be the first person to make him feel loved.
The park was quiet, only the crunch of snow under distant footsteps breaking the silence. The place held memories—this was where he had once leaned close, grinning shyly, and whispered, "Be mine." She had replayed that moment so many times, it had become her sanctuary.
So she waited.
The clock ticked past one hour. Then two. By the fourth hour, her body was trembling, her lips pale from the cold. Still, she refused to move. Every time she thought of leaving, she whispered to herself: He'll come. He promised.
Snow gathered on her coat, melting against her flushed skin. Her fingers were stiff, yet she kept holding the gift as though it were her lifeline.
The fifth hour struck. Her hope had thinned, but it wasn't gone. It couldn't be gone.
Finally, with unsteady steps, she decided to find him.
His house was glowing with warmth. Laughter spilled into the night, clashing cruelly against the icy silence she had endured. Through the window, she saw him—bright, smiling, surrounded by friends and classmates.
And beside him, her sister.
Her sister's hand brushed his arm casually, like they belonged together. The sight pierced her chest so deeply she almost couldn't breathe.
She pressed herself against the wall, hoping she was wrong, that her mind was tricking her. But then she heard the words.
"The bet worked."
"She's such a fool."
"Who would actually love someone like her?"
Her ears rang. The box in her hand slipped, landing in the snow with a dull thud.
She staggered inside, her breath shaking, her vision blurred with unshed tears. Every face turned to her, but no one looked surprised. Only entertained.
Her voice cracked as she asked, "Is this… true?"
For a fleeting second, he looked startled. His smile faltered, guilt flickering across his features. Her heart leapt, hoping—please, tell me it's not true.
But then, with a mocking smirk, he said the words that shattered her world:
"Of course it's true. It was just a game."
Laughter erupted around them. She stood frozen, her body numb—not from the cold anymore, but from the sharp sting of betrayal cutting her deeper than any knife.
She thought she had finally found someone who saw her. Someone who loved her. But tonight, under the cruel winter sky, she realized she had only been a joke.
And as she turned and walked away, leaving footprints in the snow, she carried not just the pain of that night—
but the first seed of a darkness that would one day consume her.