Chapter 3 · Kissed By Fire

"When I'm with her, I can relax. I don't have to worry about saying something that'll make you feel bad," Frank said.

The candle finally went out, a thin wisp of smoke drifting into the air.

I looked at him, the man I paid for with half my face and a body covered in scars. Suddenly, he felt like a total stranger.

Tears poured from my eyes. Frank's lips moved, but no sound came out.

But Frank seemed to forget that I used to be outgoing, never caring what anyone thought of me.

Back then, I was the most popular kid in the neighborhood.

And Frank?

He was always bruised up, brooding in the corner like a mouse that belonged in the dark.

Those bruises were all because of his dad, who was always drunk and swinging his belt or fists.

I was the first one to find Frank then.

I patted his shoulder, and he winced from the pain. "You'll be my buddy. Stick with me. I'll protect you," I told him.

From that day on, he followed me everywhere, like a little tail.

At first, he was timid and quiet, but gradually, he started to smile for real, and his eyes sparkled.

But during the winter when we turned ten, a fire happened.

Before Frank passed out from the smoke, he used the last of his strength to shove me away. "Eva... Go..."

But I stayed.

I hoisted him onto my back.

When a burning log came down hard on my head, and everything went black. My knees slammed into the floor, and my face was covered in blood and sparks.

The pain was unreal.

But I never let go.

I swore I'd protect him.

When the firefighters finally dragged us out, the right side of my face and body were a mangled mess of blood and flesh.

Frank got off with just a few minor wounds. When he woke up and saw me wrapped head to toe in bandages, he stared at me like he'd been struck dumb.

After that, everything changed.

I didn't dare look at myself in the mirror, or at anything that showed my reflection.

And Frank? He stopped following me around like a shadow. Instead, he started walking ahead of me.

He blocked all the strange looks, fought anyone who mocked me, and did whatever he could to help.

He said, "Eva, from now on, let me look out for you."

He said, "I'll always have your back."

He said, "Nobody wants this messed-up life of mine, except you."

*****

My parents called from overseas. "Eva, happy birthday!

"Now that you're an adult, you can get the reconstructive surgery. Let us know when you're ready, and we'll make it happen."

I forced back my tears. "Winter break, then."

Winter break was a week away.

"Alright, I'll book tickets for you and Frank," Mom said gently.

"No need to book a ticket for Frank. He... he's got something going on," I replied.

There was a brief silence on the other end.

"Alright, Eva, take care of yourself. If you ever feel upset or something's bothering you, tell us, okay?" Mom said.

I said "okay" and hung up.

My parents had spent years working hard overseas so I could get that surgery. Every year, I'd see more wrinkles and gray hairs on them. I couldn't let them worry about me anymore.

I had to learn to protect myself now. I didn't need Frank to look out for me anymore.

*****

The next morning, as soon as I walked through the school gates, I could tell something was off.

Everyone's eyes were glued to me.

Some people snickered as I passed by, and others whipped out their phones to snap pictures of me.

I quickened my pace, head down, and made a beeline for the classroom building.

Two girls stopped me in the hallway.

They were Janelle's friends.

One of them, the one with short hair, waved her phone at me. "The coming-of-age ceremony last night was quite the spectacle, wasn't it?"

My heart sank.

The other girl turned her phone screen toward me.

It was a hot post on the school forum, showing the video they shot last night and a photo of Janelle with Frank.

The post had already racked up over a thousand comments.

[Being a homewrecker is shameful, but the dude's suffering too. Staring at that disfigured face for seven years? I'd bail too.]

[The girl in the video is so pathetic. She got humiliated in front of everyone but didn't speak up.]

[Janelle might be ruthless, but she's way hotter. No wonder Frank went for her.]

[Is it possible to fix that face? Looks like something straight out of a horror movie.]

My fingers were ice-cold, and my blood felt frozen.

"Stunned, huh?" the short-haired girl sneered. "Janelle said this is just the beginning. If you know what's good for you, stop clinging to Frank and stop being an eyesore."

I ignored her, shoved past them, and kept walking.

Frank, pale as a ghost, pulled Janelle, whose eyes were red and puffy, right up in front of me.

"Janelle, apologize to Eva. You promised me you'd only film it, not post it," Frank demanded.

Janelle bit down on her lip, refusing to say a word.

I looked straight at Frank. "I'm calling the cops."

Chapter 3

"When I'm with her, I can relax. I don't have to worry about saying something that'll make you feel bad," Frank said.

The candle finally went out, a thin wisp of smoke drifting into the air.

I looked at him, the man I paid for with half my face and a body covered in scars. Suddenly, he felt like a total stranger.

Tears poured from my eyes. Frank's lips moved, but no sound came out.

But Frank seemed to forget that I used to be outgoing, never caring what anyone thought of me.

Back then, I was the most popular kid in the neighborhood.

And Frank?

He was always bruised up, brooding in the corner like a mouse that belonged in the dark.

Those bruises were all because of his dad, who was always drunk and swinging his belt or fists.

I was the first one to find Frank then.

I patted his shoulder, and he winced from the pain. "You'll be my buddy. Stick with me. I'll protect you," I told him.

From that day on, he followed me everywhere, like a little tail.

At first, he was timid and quiet, but gradually, he started to smile for real, and his eyes sparkled.

But during the winter when we turned ten, a fire happened.

Before Frank passed out from the smoke, he used the last of his strength to shove me away. "Eva... Go..."

But I stayed.

I hoisted him onto my back.

When a burning log came down hard on my head, and everything went black. My knees slammed into the floor, and my face was covered in blood and sparks.

The pain was unreal.

But I never let go.

I swore I'd protect him.

When the firefighters finally dragged us out, the right side of my face and body were a mangled mess of blood and flesh.

Frank got off with just a few minor wounds. When he woke up and saw me wrapped head to toe in bandages, he stared at me like he'd been struck dumb.

After that, everything changed.

I didn't dare look at myself in the mirror, or at anything that showed my reflection.

And Frank? He stopped following me around like a shadow. Instead, he started walking ahead of me.

He blocked all the strange looks, fought anyone who mocked me, and did whatever he could to help.

He said, "Eva, from now on, let me look out for you."

He said, "I'll always have your back."

He said, "Nobody wants this messed-up life of mine, except you."

*****

My parents called from overseas. "Eva, happy birthday!

"Now that you're an adult, you can get the reconstructive surgery. Let us know when you're ready, and we'll make it happen."

I forced back my tears. "Winter break, then."

Winter break was a week away.

"Alright, I'll book tickets for you and Frank," Mom said gently.

"No need to book a ticket for Frank. He... he's got something going on," I replied.

There was a brief silence on the other end.

"Alright, Eva, take care of yourself. If you ever feel upset or something's bothering you, tell us, okay?" Mom said.

I said "okay" and hung up.

My parents had spent years working hard overseas so I could get that surgery. Every year, I'd see more wrinkles and gray hairs on them. I couldn't let them worry about me anymore.

I had to learn to protect myself now. I didn't need Frank to look out for me anymore.

*****

The next morning, as soon as I walked through the school gates, I could tell something was off.

Everyone's eyes were glued to me.

Some people snickered as I passed by, and others whipped out their phones to snap pictures of me.

I quickened my pace, head down, and made a beeline for the classroom building.

Two girls stopped me in the hallway.

They were Janelle's friends.

One of them, the one with short hair, waved her phone at me. "The coming-of-age ceremony last night was quite the spectacle, wasn't it?"

My heart sank.

The other girl turned her phone screen toward me.

It was a hot post on the school forum, showing the video they shot last night and a photo of Janelle with Frank.

The post had already racked up over a thousand comments.

[Being a homewrecker is shameful, but the dude's suffering too. Staring at that disfigured face for seven years? I'd bail too.]

[The girl in the video is so pathetic. She got humiliated in front of everyone but didn't speak up.]

[Janelle might be ruthless, but she's way hotter. No wonder Frank went for her.]

[Is it possible to fix that face? Looks like something straight out of a horror movie.]

My fingers were ice-cold, and my blood felt frozen.

"Stunned, huh?" the short-haired girl sneered. "Janelle said this is just the beginning. If you know what's good for you, stop clinging to Frank and stop being an eyesore."

I ignored her, shoved past them, and kept walking.

Frank, pale as a ghost, pulled Janelle, whose eyes were red and puffy, right up in front of me.

"Janelle, apologize to Eva. You promised me you'd only film it, not post it," Frank demanded.

Janelle bit down on her lip, refusing to say a word.

I looked straight at Frank. "I'm calling the cops."