, dragging the sound to make it look sassy as she snapped her fingers up in the air. Her purple dress flowed beautifully around her. Her hair was up in a messy updo that fitted her. She had placed a butterfly-shaped clip on top of the bun. "Do you know what I just found out?" She asked, her eyes wide and alarmed. I raised my eyebrows.

I was wearing a gold-coloured dress, with a heart neckline. Auden bought it for me and I loved the frills around the hem. The elegance was bouncing off the dress and I felt like a queen. My hair was let down, curled and it bounced beautifully whenever I walked. "What did you find out?" I asked.

She neared me, her shock was still present in her eyes from whatever news she had just heard. "Vanessa is gay." She said. My eyes became wide with alert. Not due to shock, because I already know. But, how does she know?

"How did you know?" I asked, surprised.

"I heard her talking to Victoria just now." Shira shrugged and I glared at her. "I know. It's rude to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help it and my feet were refusing to walk away." She gave me a lame excuse and I pursed my lips. She scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "But, I still don't get why she wanted to sleep with Theo," Shira said and I looked at her with sympathy due to her lack of piecing things together. She shrugged. "Whatever. As long as Theo is mine, I don't care about her." Shira rolled her eyes just as a man came to us with a silver metal plate with glasses filled with champagne.

All the while, I was thinking of what she was saying. Vanessa was talking to Victoria about her being gay? Is that a good thing? What are they talking about? Will her problem finally be solved?

My imagination ran wild and my eyes met the devil herself. She was walking away, her face red and her head down. She seemed tired and I realised that it didn't go well as it should have been. My eyes met Victoria to see her sending daggers at me. My eyes widened. She kept glaring at me for a few more seconds before walking away. I sighed. The dinner party was getting tiring already.

I drank a little from the champagne in my hands and looked at Shira who was playing with her empty glass. Soon, we were called to sit down at the huge dining table right in the middle of the huge hall.

Did I mention that we were in the house of the association itself?

Man, it was beautiful. It was huge, almost the size of a manor. There were small fountains and statues of naked ladies surrounding the front garden. The garden was decorated with roses, tulips and lilies. The aroma filled the air as I stepped in. The floors were made of glass marbles. Everything screamed posh and wealth. It was intimidating and luxurious. It felt like even the house was an old judgemental lady who was looking down upon me. And, the house wins this time. It was just too beautiful and I felt like a kid wearing rags even though I was dressed in a very expensive dress. The house was royal.

My heels made sounds as I walked towards the dinner table, me being the last because I had to urgently go to the bathroom. The dinner table was huge. It could hold at least fifty people. It looked too grand. It was glittering under the light of the chandelier hanging from the ceiling. I was afraid that the chandelier was going to drop on my head any second because it was directly above me. I took my seat right beside Auden and rubbed my hands nervously. Everyone seemed to be glancing my way. Auden immediately grabbed my hand, interlacing it with his before giving me a soft decent peck on my cheek.

The entire atmosphere seemed to shift all of a sudden. Not because of Auden but because of the others. It was tense. Everyone was looking at me and some were looking at Victoria. My eyebrows furrowed and I looked towards Auden who was giving me a reassuring glance. His eyes held anger, not for me but something else. He seemed to be furiously calm.

So, something did happen which I don't know about?

"I am not sitting here to dine if she sits here." A sharp voice said, silencing everyone in the hall, even the air which seemed to still with pin-drop silence. Auden squeezed my hand, telling me that I can handle it. I looked up to see Victoria glaring my way. Confusion etched my features. I didn't know what was going on.

Sometimes, I need background music in my life to tell me how to react to a situation. What should I do? Get angry or just remain quiet?

I looked at the others who were looking at their feet, some uncomfortable and some pity, some angry with Victoria. I looked towards Vanessa who I thought would be looking at me but she was looking elsewhere. I frowned. Victoria was angry with me because she thinks that I have somehow manipulated Vanessa? Is that it? Vanessa must have told her about me for sure.

"Victoria, hush," Mila said, her voice comforting.

"I am not going to dine," Victoria replied stubbornly.

"What's wrong?" Another woman, who I didn't know the name of, asked. "What's wrong if she sits here?" The woman was met with silence as Victoria crossed her arms above her chest. How did people choose her to become the president of the association? Someone else was going to interrupt when I cleared my throat as Auden squeezed my hand. "I can leave. I'm completely fine. I'm not hungry." I said calmly and stood up. Auden immediately stood up with me, pulling me towards him and I was glad to have him beside me.

"You should sit." I whispered to him to which he raised his eyebrow as if asking me, 'Do you think I would sit? Your problems are my problems.' I smiled, before both of us left the hall silently and I could feel the stares behind my back. We reached the kitchen where some ladies were cooking. They looked up at us, their eyes filled with confusion at the sudden intrusion.

"Oh, do you lovely couple want some food?" A kind lady asked as she wiped her dirty hands on her apron. I shook my head and Auden smiled.

"No thanks," I said, politely. "We just want to hang around here for a while. We will leave if we are a disturbance." I said and the lady shook her head.

"Oh, not at all, young lady." The lady said before pointing toward a basket filled with biscuits. There were several other baskets on the table. "You can have some if you like." The lady smiled before walking away deep into the huge kitchen. It was hot and the heat seemed to calm me down.

"Fine?" Auden asked me.

I shrugged. "Of course." I smiled at him. "What happened?"

"Vanessa stood up and said she was gay. Victoria denied it. Audrey stood up and supported Vanessa. Victoria got angry, threw a fit — mentioned your name and called you a 'manipulative bitch'. I got angry, told her off and Shira handled it next. Then, everyone was shutting up Victoria. The whole area was a ruckus." My eyes widened at the news and my jaw dropped. "You entered the hall. Everything just became silent."

I stilled, processing the news. Vanessa accepted who she was? I felt happy for her. So, I was right? Victoria is angry with me because she thinks I manipulated Vanessa? I sighed and pursed my lips before looking up at Auden who was looking at me curiously.

Just then, footsteps walked in, at least twenty people or more walked in, standing beside me and Auden as they talked among themselves. Shira came straight to me and took a biscuit from the basket. "We decided to join you." My jaw dropped at her statement and I scanned the crowd before feeling my heart warm up happily. Some of them were smiling at me, some of them gave me a thumbs up.

"Aren't you hungry?" I asked Shira and she shrugged.

"Hunger can wait," Shira said, taking a generous out of another chocolate chip cookie in her hand.

I looked towards the crowd and couldn't help but feel happy. I didn't even know these people and they were supporting me. More people started walking in and I started to worry for Victoria. I know she will get angrier. What if she bursts out and tries to harm Vanessa? Should I go back and solve things with her? Auden squeezed my hand and kissed my forehead. "People support well. You are good. Too good even. That's why they are standing here. Don't worry." Auden whispered to me and I looked up to him, melting in his gaze and let out a sigh of relief.

"Hey."

I looked up to see Vanessa standing there and the entire kitchen quietened down.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know she would take it this way." Vanessa said and disgust filled the faces of others. They glared at Vanessa and she seemed very vulnerable now that the secret's out. She gulped. "I'm sorry I'm gay." She spoke and I felt pity for her as tears flowed down her face.

Auden seemed to be frozen too. I guess he had never seen Vanessa broken before. It must be a huge shock to him.

"Vanessa," I spoke, holding her shoulder comfortingly before I hugged her towards me after letting go of Auden's hand. "You did it. You told her. She has no choice but to accept it now." I reassured her and she let out a sigh before wiping her tears away.

Audrey neared us, before hugging Vanessa to herself. I smiled at the sight and I'm pretty sure everyone else now understood the situation she had been going through.

"You!" Victoria shouted from across the kitchen, pointing her hand at me. Before I could say anything, Vanessa turned to her sister, a furious glare towards her.

"Stop Victoria. It's not her fault and you know that." Vanessa shouted back, momentarily stunning Victoria who seemed shocked at her sister's outburst. "She helped me when I needed your help," Vanessa said, her voice getting soft and Victoria's eyes seemed to soften a little, showing the love for her sister. It was gone in a second. Victoria marched forward, looking at everyone in the room who was glaring at her and cowered. Throwing a glance towards her sister, she walked away, her eyes making loud sounds as she went away. There was a moment of silence.

"Will she be fine?" I asked Vanessa much to everyone's dismay.

"Who cares?" Someone asked. I frowned.

Vanessa turned around to give me a soft look. "You are too good." She said and a blush crept up my face. "She will get over it."

Soon, the dinner party began again, without Victoria this time and everyone was back to the way they were, acting as nothing happened at all just a few minutes ago. Some went to talk to a shaken up Vanessa who never went away from Audrey's side. Audrey seemed happy. Too happy that a permanent grin was etched onto her face. Shira approached Vanessa, asking her why she had tried to sleep with Theo and I couldn't help but laugh at Vanessa's face. Shira just doesn't let go that easily. But, in the end, they both hugged each other and walked away.

It was time to announce the head of the association. Rosetta announced my name with a smile. I couldn't believe my ears and she kissed my forehead when I was on the stage. Auden seemed so proud of me, he was jealous of all the stares I was receiving from the boys. He never left my side as people congratulated me and boys who daringly flirted with me in front of Auden who was glaring at anyone who glances my way. I couldn't help but find his reaction funny.

With a new position in my hands, both of us left for home with a happy smile dancing on our faces.

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I wiped a sweat rolling down my face and looked up to see a sight that I had always wanted. Randa getting arrested. It was a beautiful sight for me. She screamed and cried, but the cops held her hand tightly as they dragged her out. They dragged her to a place that she deserved. A place where she can count bars. Her children were charged with two years in jail for abuse.

It was a good feeling watching everything fall into place. I was nearing peace and I couldn't be happier. Justice had been finally declared to my parents. I wonder if they were proud of me?

I looked over to see Auden, his eyes teary as he looked up at me. I didn't know tears were flowing down my face. I touched my wet cheeks as I got down from the stairs. I hugged Auden tightly, closing my eyes as tears of happiness flowed down my cheeks.

"I am so happy," I said, grinning while crying and he stroked my head lovingly before kissing the top of my head. I could see Uncle West behind Auden and I mouthed a 'Thank you' to him. He seemed happy. Mila was crying her eyes out with happiness as she looked at me in happiness. I smiled at her. Shira and Theo were there too. Shira's eyes seemed teary and Theo was grinning.

Auden pulled away and held my hand tightly as he wiped my tears with his other hand. He kissed my forehead gently before pulling us out of the court, where I have finally let my past settle. My past is finally gone. As I stepped out of the building, I felt a weight go down from me. I felt a huge burden flying away from my body. I felt free. I felt free this time. My past is never going to haunt me ever again.

Media swarmed me and I answered some questions politely before Auden pulled me away gently. All I could feel was happiness.

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