Poison Rose of Avalon

Silvia was halfway to her ballet lesson. She was dressed in tight white leggings and a sky-blue leotard, with a tight high bun, and her bag was casually slung over one shoulder. She was mentally rehearsing her dance steps when her phone buzzed, startling her.

The screen lit up with Caspian's name, sending her heart racing with excitement as her fingers fumbled to answer.

"Caspian?" she exclaimed, her voice showing surprise and eagerness. She didn't bother hiding the excitement that coloured her tone.

"It's always a pleasure hearing your voice, Silvia," came the voice from the other end of the phone call. He spoke smoothly, wrapping her in a sweet embrace with his dark charm that sent a chill down her spine. "How's my favourite ballerina today? If I'm not mistaken, it's time for your lesson, right?"

"You remembered?" Her lips parted in disbelief, eyebrows arching in surprise. She told him about her ballet schedule two years back, and he still remembers it! The idea that Caspian, out of all people, still remembered her schedule—such a trivial matter—felt utterly unfathomable.

"How could I not?" His voice was warm and inviting, yet underneath lay the sweetness of manipulation, an undercurrent she wasn't meant to uncover. "I haven't forgotten any of your actions or your schedule until now, Sil..via."

Caspian's alluring words grabbed Siliva's heart, weaving a spell that made her heart pulse race and catch her breath. She gripped the phone tightly; each word he spoke felt like a drop of intoxicating poison. His undivided attention was a dream come true, and she yearned for even more.

Caspian continued his toxic manipulation, "I am planning to make a trip to bail." This came from out of nowhere, catching Silvia off guard and pondering why Caspina had brought this up.

"Would you do me the immense honour of gracing me with your presence on a delightful trip to Bali?" His question slid through the line like a promise wrapped in silk.

"Just imagine sun-kissed beaches, the gentle whisper of the waves, and the two of us basking in a paradise that feels tailor-made for romance. What do you say?"

His invitation ignited a flutter of excitement in Siliva's chest. The thought of exploring a tropical haven with him sent her mind racing through a daydream of possibilities she had only imagined until now.

"Bali, you say?" she echoed, her heart thundering in her chest. Disbelief mixed with a growing elation. "How could I possibly say no to such an irresistible offer?"

Siliva feigned a thoughtful pause, allowing a playful smile to dance across her lips as she relished the moment like savouring a fine wine.

"Well, it would be rather rude of you to deny me the pleasure of your enchanting company," Caspian smirked, a playful glint dancing in his voice. "After all, what's a paradise without the person who brings it to life?"

Caspian's eyes darkened with an intensity that hinted at depths she couldn't quite fathom over the phone. "Then it's settled!" He declared.

It did not take long before his tone shifted from warm to colder. "But first, continue the project, Liora," he began.

His instructions were precise: "Push her buttons. Make her snap. And when I give you the signal, bring her to the school terrace."

'Liora?' Silvia hesitated as Liora came into view. She felt a jolt of disappointment, as she had just stepped out of a paradise only to find herself confronted with one of the pests from her school. Moments ago, she had been in bliss, and now she was back in the town where the garbage was dumped, leaving a foul smell that quickly soured her mood.

Silvia struggled to understand why Caspian was so intent on making Liora's life difficult. She never questioned his motives and always followed his orders without hesitation. Now that she thinks deeper, what had Liora ever done to Caspian to deserve this? she wondered.

Caspian seemed hell-bent on making Liora miserable at school. Silvia didn't want to end up in hot water with the school authorities again, but the thought of disappointing Caspian felt even worse.

His approval was like an addiction she couldn't shake, no matter the price. Caspian was her first crush—the kind of infatuation that made her heart race and thoughts spiral into fantasies.

Getting to go on a Bali trip with him was like a dream that had become all-consuming. She would do anything for him, even taking drastic measures for the sake of their connection.

She gave a little thought before speaking, and it dawned on her that no one would be around to challenge her actions toward Liora with the trio having left the school.

"Of course," she finally said, the words tasting bitter even as she spoke them.

"And Silvia?"

"Yes?"

"Make it hurt."

A thrill coursed through Silvia, deepening the shadows in her eyes. She despised Liora, and now she could turn her life into a nightmare once more.

"I won't disappoint you, Caspian."

"Good Luck!" The line went dead, and the phone still pressed to her ear.

After that fateful phone call with Caspian, Liora's life retook a dark turn in her school life, which she thought was left behind in the past.

Silvia began orchestrating a campaign of harassment against her, including male friends. It didn't escape Silvia's eyes how Liora's entire body trembled slightly whenever a male student walked a little too close after the camping night incident. And that favoured Silvia in many ways.

The incidents began subtly—with a mocking comment here and there and an occasional shove—but they quickly escalated.

To make matters worse, one day, a phone call came in for the classroom teacher, informing her that Daran had been in an accident, breaking one leg and one arm, which would keep him out of school for at least a month.

This left Liora to face the bullying on her own. As if that weren't enough, Caspian started cutting back on texting and calling her, making her feel even more isolated.

Liora gathered the notebooks for her classmates, walked over to the teacher's office, and dropped them off at the teacher's desk.

She was heading to her classroom, avoiding the cafeteria to prevent becoming an entertaining channel for Siliva and her friends. Their mockery was like vultures circling a carcass, and she refused to let them feed on her today. Her pockets were stuffed with protein bars to keep her stomach from the hunger strike.

Her heart burned with anger as she replayed Silvia's taunts in her mind.

'One day, Silvia, it'll be your turn to run, and I won't stop chasing you.' The thought was bitter, her nails digging into her palms until the pain grounded her fury.

She was steps away from her classroom when a hand grabbed her wrist, yanking her back with brute force.

"What the—" she started, but before she could even scream, the fabric was yanked over her eyes, plunging her into suffocating darkness. Another strip was pulled tight against her mouth, silencing her voice. Her hands were tied behind her.

Her heart slammed against her ribs as her body froze, every nerve alight with panic. She twisted and struggled, but whoever had her was strong, dragging her down the hall with a purpose that made her stomach churn. The smell of mildew hit her nose just as she was shoved through a door and into a cold, cramped space.

She stumbled, her knees hitting the ground hard as laughter erupted around her.

"Perfect," Silvia's voice sliced through the darkness, cruel and sharp. "An abandoned little room for an abandoned little Pest."

The others laughed, their mocking tones bouncing off the walls, trapping her in their malice.

Liora's breath hitched, echoing louder than their taunts in her ears. No… not...Not again.

The memories hit her like a storm—camping under the stars, Kevin, Hanuel, Andreas, and Ronnie's laugh came crashing at once.

Her chest tightened with every breath of a fight as panic clawed its way through her. Sweat trickled down her spine, cold and unforgiving, as if the nightmare had crawled out of her past to suffocate her all over again.

The door slammed shut with a deafening finality, the lock clicking into place like a coffin lid sealing her fate.

"Silvia, are you sure she'll be okay?" Lisa's voice wavered, hesitant. "I mean… she didn't look good."

Lisa's words carried no sympathy—just cold pragmatism. Liora wasn't a person to her, but if anything happened to her, it would risk her spotless record if things went too far.

"Relax, Lisa." Silvia's voice dripped with disdain, her indifference cutting like glass. "People like her? They don't die easily. They're made to take it. Beaten down, humiliated—it's practically what they're born for."

Their laughter rang out again, harsh and grating, before fading as their footsteps receded.

Liora's hands trembled as she clawed at the floor, her nails scraping against the cold, gritty surface. Tears burned her eyes. The darkness around her wasn't just the absence of light—it became alive, pressing against her, suffocating her, dragging her back to a place she'd tried so hard to forget.

Her breath came in shallow gasps, and her heart pounded as if it were trying to break free from her chest due to immense suffocation. Vivid, horrifying images flashed through her mind, threatening to overwhelm her. She struggled to maintain her composure, feeling all her strength drain away like water down a drain. She attempted to call for help with a muffled cry, but no one came. After feeling drained and gasping for oxygen, she finally lost consciousness.

She was later found by a janitor who had been tipped off about Liora's whereabouts. He immediately took her to the infirmary, and Amara was told nothing again.

Another week had passed, and the wind had changed its direction; as if something dark was coming, Liora stood facing Siliva without her wicked minions by her side, staring right into Silvia's eyes on the school's terrace.

A day before (Flashback):

Silvia strolled through the shopping corridors when her phone buzzed relentlessly in her purse. She reached for it and saw Caspian's name lighting up the screen, making her flash a smile.

The curtains were almost set to close on the last performance of the Caspian's theatre piece.

"Sil..via," Caspian's voice oozed a dangerous charm again that could send chills down anyone's spine, though Silvia was immune to its warning. To her, it was a melody of power. "Tomorrow, get Liora to the terrace and let your magic trick her," he instructed her in a melodious tone.

Her pulse quickened, not from fear but anticipation. His speech was so calculated and poised that it was impossible not to be captivated.

"Just you and her," he continued like a puppeteer pulling strings. Make sure no one sees. "And when you're alone with her, remind her..." He paused, his voice dipping low with a menacing hum. "Her fate will be just like her father's."

Silvia's smile curved into something wicked, mirroring her inner thrill. He didn't need to explain. The imagery of what he suggested was a picture painted in blood.

"As you wish," she replied with a honeyed sweetness, though her heart thrummed with a darker excitement. He always had this way of manipulating her, turning her into the perfect accomplice without so much as lifting a finger.

"Good girl," Caspian murmured, his approval like a drug she craved. "I knew I could count on you."