Chapter 5

Bea's POV

Oh, what a mess I am in right now. I feel utterly screwed, completely overwhelmed by the situation I find myself in. I let out a frustrated sigh and bury my face in my hands, running my fingers through my hair in agitation. Anger boils up inside me, and I can't help but express it by forcefully tossing the pillows off the bed. "Bea, have you lost your mind?" I mutter to myself, reproaching my own actions. "What do you think you are going to do now?"

The word "slave" echoes in my mind, and I can't help but roll my eyes in disbelief. How can someone think of me as a mere object, a plaything for their fun and control? The audacity! "Serve me for a hundred days," I mimic his words, making a silly face to underscore the ridiculousness of the demand. "Just who does he think he is? What a jerk," I curse under my breath, allowing my frustration to find an outlet.

As I wallow in my self-pity and mull over my next move, my phone suddenly rings, startling me. I glance at the screen to see the caller ID displaying the name 'Master.' Confusion washes over me as I wrack my brain, trying to recall who this 'Master' could be. I don't remember saving anyone's number under that name. This whole situation is starting to feel like a bad joke.

With a hesitant swipe, I answer the call, intending to ask who it is, but before I can utter a word, a voice on the other end speaks urgently. "Hey! You!" The abruptness of the greeting catches me off guard, making it clear that this person means business.

"Who—" I begin to ask, trying to ascertain the identity of the caller, but my words are once again cut short.

"You will be starting tomorrow. Make sure that you come early, or else... you will be doomed," the voice warns ominously before abruptly ending the call, leaving me hanging in suspense. There is no doubt in my mind anymore. I know exactly who is behind this nonsense. He is truly a lame and annoying individual.

Facepalming in frustration, I quickly changed the contact name to 'Monster,' not willing to give him the satisfaction of being called 'Master.' But just as I make the alteration, my phone rings again, displaying the uninvited call from the same person.

"What now?" I answer, exasperated by this continuous interruption.

"One more thing, you stupid. Don't you dare change my contact name on your phone, or you'll be dead," he threatens menacingly before abruptly ending the call once more.

Feeling a mix of irritation and disrespect, I changed his contact name back to 'Master,' but this time, with the addition of an eye roll emoji to better express my true feelings towards him.

—

As the piercing sound of my alarm clock jolted me awake at the ungodly hour of 4 am, I groggily acknowledged the fact that I had to rouse myself at such an early hour in order to avoid being late for class once again. Mornings were always a struggle for me, as I tended to move at a snail's pace while preparing for the day. It took me a solid hour just to get myself ready and out the door.

Reluctantly, I reached over and hit the snooze button not once, but three times, desperately clinging to those last few moments of blissful sleep. Eventually, I managed to drag my drowsy self out of bed and stumbled my way to the bathroom. I mechanically brushed my teeth, bracing myself for the shock of a frigid shower to jolt me awake. With my wet hair hastily blow-dried, I quickly threw on my uniform, trying to hasten my morning routine.

As I bounded down the stairs, a stark reminder that I was living on my own greeted me - the need to prepare my own breakfast. With a swift and efficient grace, I whipped up a simple meal before tossing my books into my bag and grabbing my coat. Finally, I made a mad dash for the front door, hoping against hope that I had managed to make up for lost time.

Glancing at the clock, I realized it was already 6 am. "Well, well, Bea," I smirked at my reflection in the hallway mirror. "I didn't expect you to be this early."

Suddenly, a thought struck me. Would I still arrive earlier than the school guards if I left now? Ah, an idea dawned on me. "How about riding a bike?" I mused aloud, snapping my fingers in realization. "It's not only a good exercise, but it could also help me beat the morning rush."

Adjusting my knapsack and dusting off the cobwebs from my trusty bicycle, which I had neglected since my sister's untimely demise, I embarked on my pedaling adventure. Plugging in my earphones and cranking up the volume, music filled my ears as I began to pedal along. Lost in the melodies, I even found myself singing along, unable to resist the infectious rhythm. For a fleeting moment, I closed my eyes, blissfully surrendering to the euphoria of the moment.

However, my musical reverie was rudely interrupted when I opened my eyes, only to find a car looming ominously just a few meters ahead of me. Panic gripped me as I desperately clenched the brakes, my hands trembling from a surge of nerves. Unfortunately, my trembling proved to be my downfall, quite literally, as I lost my balance and succumbed to a rather ungraceful fall.

My belongings scattered haphazardly around me, and my phone and earphones flew in different directions. As I assessed the damage, a concerned voice broke through my daze. "Are you okay?" the driver of the car called out, rushing towards me. "I'm so sorry, I honked, but you must not have heard-"

Raising my hand to halt his apologetic ramblings, I interrupted, "No, it's okay. It was my fault. I was being careless, and I'm truly sorry," I admitted, my eyes still fixed on the stinging wound on my knee.

"Can you stand?" he asked, concern etched across his face. But as I attempted to rise, a searing pain shot through me, instantly knocking me back down. The pain was excruciating. Luckily, the driver was quick to react, swiftly catching me before I took another tumble. "Should I take you to the hospital?" he questioned, worry lacing his voice.

"No, I'm okay," I replied, trying to hide my excitement. When I finally got a chance to take a good look at him, my jaw dropped. His face was truly a living sculpture. I couldn't believe my eyes. He was undeniably good-looking.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked, interrupting my thoughts and bringing me back to reality. I blinked rapidly, unable to speak due to the awe I was feeling.

"Oh, I guess we're going to the same school," he mentioned casually, catching my attention. I noticed that he was wearing the same school uniform as me.

"Yes," I replied softly, still amazed and grateful that he was holding me.

"Come on, hop on. I'll give you a ride since you can't pedal right now," he said and effortlessly lifted me up bridal style. My heart skipped a beat, and I couldn't believe what was happening.

Oh my goodness, my heart is going crazy.

As he opened the door with his free hand, I continued to gaze at him, unable to look away. He guided me to sit beside the driver's seat and fastened the seatbelt for me. His proximity made me feel both nervous and exhilarated.

I could hear the sound of my own racing heart, and I couldn't help but wonder if he could hear it too. The thought of him hearing my heart pounding was incredibly embarrassing.

Once I heard the click of the seatbelt indicating that it was securely fastened, I finally allowed myself to take a breath. I stole another glance at him, only to find him smiling back at me.

Please stop smiling like that, it's making me lose my mind.

"Just wait here, I'll go get your things," he said before closing the door behind him.

As I watched him walk away, I placed my hand on my chest to feel the rapid thumping of my heart. "What is wrong with you, Bea?" I whispered to myself, questioning my own reaction.

Suddenly, the opposite door opened, revealing him again. "Don't worry about your bike, I've already called someone to take care of it," he reassured me.

"Oh, thank you," I blushed, offering a shy smile.

He chuckled unexpectedly, causing my eyebrows to furrow. I wondered what was so amusing.

"You know, you don't need to be formal with me. We're the same age," he remarked as he climbed into the car, leaving me wondering how he knew that.

"Here's your phone," he said, handing it to me with the earphones still attached. "It doesn't have a password, so I've saved my number, if that's okay with you."

I politely declined and reassured him by gently shaking my head, "Ah, no. It's alright," I uttered, emphasizing that his actions or words did not bother me.

As I was on the brink of asking for his number, suddenly an unexpected realization dawned on me. I found myself in a state of surprise, uttering, "Wait, what?"

In that moment of astonishment, he took the opportunity to introduce himself. With a friendly gesture, he extended his hand for a handshake, saying, "By the way, I'm Josh." His full name followed, as he proudly shared, "Joshua Aron Mariano."

Caught slightly off guard, I hesitated before accepting his hand. My stomach filled with tiny flutters, but I quickly reassured myself that he seemed like a decent person. Finally, I reciprocated his gesture by shaking his hand and softly responding, "I'm Bea. Beatrice Chloe Mendoza. Nice to meet you, Josh."