"You must be very happy since you're now a Cinderella" The Sixteen years old Weiyoung said to Sara as they both strolled at night.

It was the same night after they both attended the dance class.

Weiyoung had followed Sara home as usual because she didn't want to stay home by herself since she was quite sure her parents wouldn't be around.

The entire day, she had been giving Sara an indifferent attitude. Not interested in whatever she was saying or giving a noncommittal response to her.

Weiyoung hadn't bothered to raise the issue when they were in Sara's Father's restaurant but she felt since Sara was seeing her off to where she would get a taxi, it was the best time to ask Sara to give it up.

"I'm so so happy." Sara twirled around in her short gown.

"Did you see my Father's face when I told him about it? He must have been so proud because there's something I can do in school now. He has always been worried about my school life" Sara said excitedly before clinging onto Weiyoung.

"I hope I can also be a real life Cinderella one day like I've always wished for. How exciting would that be"

Weiyoung tried to pull away from her clinginess but Sara held her firmly.

"Sara." Weiyoung called her gently.

"Hmm.. What is it?" Sara turned her head to look at Weiyoung who stopped walking.

"Don't do it. I mean the dance. Tell Leo you're not interested" Weiyoung ordered.

Sara looked at her in surprise and confusion before she slowly pulled her hands away from Weiyoung's.

"What do you mean? Why shouldn't I?" Sara asked in confusion.

Weiyoung looked at her angrily "You said you were my friend. You came to this school because of me. So why can't you do something as simple as this? Or is it that you like Leo?" Weiyoung accused.

"No! How could you say something like that? I'm only doing this because it felt refreshing earlier and I liked the feeling"

Weiyoung scoffed at her statement before walking into a dark and empty alley by the corner.

"That's not the way... Where are you going to Wei?" Sara took hurried footsteps to catch up with Weiyoung and held her arm to stop her from moving further. "Why are you going there?"

"I'm just strolling around. Go home!" Weiyoung said dismissively.

"I can't go home and leave you here. Let's leave here. It's too scary" Sara pleaded.

"I am sad and when I am sad, I do this...." Weiyoung opened her school bag and took out a pack of cigarette. You don't want me to be seen by people when I do this or do you?" Weiyoung cocked her head to the side and gave her a questioning look.

"What is this?" Sara widened her eyes in shock and forcefully snatched it from her "How can you have this? What is a young girl like you doing with this?" Sara threw a string of questions at her. It really shocked her to see Weiyoung with something like that.

"Give it back!" Weiyoung demanded angrily and tried to take it from her but Sara refused. "What do you want. Why are you doing this?" Sara asked pleadingly.

"I already told you. Tell Leo you don't want to do it and we'll continue being friends"

"Why are you being like this? I already told my father and even called my aunt. Does it make sense to just back out just because you do not like it?"

Weiyoung felt a sharp pain in her heart when Sara said that. It was the first time Sara had actually refused to do something for her.

She was going to say something when a deep voice startled the both of them.

"High schoolers are very annoying" A dirty looking man came out of a darker corner that was close to them and stood in front of the two of them.

He was probably in his late thirties or early forties. His clothes were dirty and torn, his hair was so messy and his eyes were very red. Although the place was dark, the street lights from afar helped them see a bit.

"Piss off. No one talked to you" Weiyoung said to him in anger and pushed past him but to her shock, he held her arm tightly.

"Say that again you dirty little thing" He demanded.

"Sorry sir. She wasn't referring to you" Sara pleaded and tried to smoothen things but Weiyoung opened her mouth to worsen the situation... "The only dirty thing I see here is you. Let go of me this instant!"

The man chuckled like the entire thing was amusing to him "So what if I don't? You really do know how to run your mouth" He used his other hand to pinch her chin which caused her to cry out in pain.

"Do you want to die? Do you know whose family I come from?" Weiyoung asked with angry eyes.

"Let her go!" Sara used force to push him off her and they were all surprised that it actually worked. The man guessed she must have been taking fighting classes.

"Let's run" Sara said and held Weiyoung's hands to run together but the man held Sara back and refused to let her go.

"I think I am more interested in you now" He laughed maniacally.

Both girls thought he was probably a crazy person who escaped from the psychiatric hospital. Everything about him creeped them out.

When Sara tried to fight back, he held both of her hands firmly and swiftly dodged her attacks. When he got an opening, he hit her straight on the guts which caused her to fall flat on the ground and spit out blood.

Weiyoung instantly got goosebumps all over her body. She screamed at the top of her lungs when she saw him attack Sara. She knew she was going to be next.

The man turned to look at her and said "You should go hide somewhere for now. If I need you I'll call you" He said to her before flashing her his entire brown teeth.

"..R..un.. Go.. g...get help..." Sara managed to say to the frightened Weiyoung who was just standing there with wide eyes.

Weiyoung knew there was nothing she could possibly do to help out. Since her path was clear and the man was only interested in Sara, she had no other choice but to run.

Once she got to the side of the road, she received a call from her mother who told her to return home that instant.

"It was her fault. I wouldn't have gone in there if she had listened to me. I was not here. I don't know what happened." She assured herself in fright before stopping a taxi.

***

Weiyoung's entire body shook as she remembered that incident years ago. She still had nightmares about it because it had been so scary.

She looked at the opposite seat where Dexi had sat down. He had long left the place but she remained there deep in thought. She hadn't bothered going into more details about what had happened that day. There was no way she would tell anyone she had gone home that day instead of the story she told them about her getting into an accident when she was running out of there.

Thankfully, her mother had supported her and had even asked for her to be admitted in the hospital so that her story would be even more believable.