Saving the Villain

When morning came, most of them were grunting, complaining about their headaches. Others were hungry and thirsty. While some weren't fully sober yet, still feeling groggy from all that drinking they weren't used to last night.

"Ugh... Mommy... I'm dying..." Fay groaned, crawling on her bed. "I'm dying..."

"That's what you get..." Sarah bit her tongue when she glanced at the bed next to Fay.

"My head hurts..." Amie was sobbing with no tears, dragging the pillow over her face to cover her eyes. "... I will not drink again."

'That's what most people say the very next day after a party.' Sarah shook her head before catching the figure sitting up next to her bed.

There, Cosette was sitting upright with a blank expression. Sarah's brows furrowed. Cosette had been sitting up almost the same time as her, but she hadn't spoken a word until now. Unlike Amie and Fay, who returned to their room dragging each other like a zombie, Cosette didn't drink too much.

However, Cosette slept early and had a bit of a drink.

"Do you have a hangover, Cozie?" asked Sarah, considering Cosette was a lightweight.

"I wish," Cosette answered with a hoarse voice, but she didn't even look back at Sarah. "I should've drunk more last night."

"And regret it just like those two?" Sarah chuckled, glancing at the two zombies groaning on their beds. "Goodness... talk about drinking moderately."

She could not help but shake her head mildly. Well, Sarah wasn't in any better shape than them. She had a sprained ankle and would have to limp to go places. But since everyone had fun last night, she was certain their plan for today was canceled. Too bad since this was their day two and tomorrow was the last day of this summer trip.

Yet, Sarah smiled. Their first day was fun, and relaxing today was not a bad idea.

However, just as Sarah accepted that everyone would cancel their itinerary today, her heart pounded against her chest when someone knocked on the door. She turned her head towards the door, watching it open slightly, only to see a female classmate peeking her head in.

"It's breakfast time," said their classmate, making Sarah nod.

"We'll join you guys later." Sarah pointed her thumb at the beds across from hers. "They hadn't sobered up."

"Ohh... won't you guys join in going to the city today?"

"Huh?"

"We had a plan to tour the city today. Some, who were like them, were not going. We're doing a count, so we know who will go and who will not."

"I'm going to pass." Fay waved her hand, her face still buried in the pillow. Meanwhile, Amie also raised her hand weakly, saying, "same."

Sarah then gazed at Cozie. "Cozie, are you... going with them?"

"Huh?" Cosette snapped her eyes listlessly and finally set her eyes on Sarah.

"They are still planning to continue the tour today. Are you coming? Fay and Amie were dead, so they will pass. I don't think I can enjoy walking around with this sprained ankle," Sarah explained, moving her foot to show Cosette her dilemma. "What about you?"

It took long seconds for Cosette to respond, gazing over Sarah and onto the door where their other female classmate was peeking her head in.

"Who is coming?" she asked with a hoarse voice. The female student furrowed her brows, but she still named everyone who had confirmed would come. Maxen wasn't on that list, Luke as well. So, it was just them and the tour guide and they would ride the bus they rode on their way here.

It wasn't a bad plan. Luke should be in charge of the school trip next school year.

"I'll go." Cosette smiled, making Sarah look at her.

"Great! We'll be leaving in three hours!" said the female student while Cosette nodded in agreement.

"You're coming?" Sarah inquired as soon as the door closed.

"You don't want me to?"

"No, I mean, if you're alright, why would I stop you?" Sarah replied in a knowing tone. "I'm just worried you still had a hangover, that's all."

"Ahhh..." Cosette chuckled awkwardly, flinging her legs out of the bed. "Yes, I still have a hangover."

She confessed under her breath, pushing herself up and standing in between her bed and Sarah's. The latter's already knitted brows furrowed even more at her response.

"You should take some medicines..." Sarah trailed off when Cosette shook her head. She watched her bend over the bed, planting her palms on the mattress and leaning her face closer to her.

"Wh — what?" she stuttered, fighting herself from drawing back as their faces were only a palm length away from them.

"My hangover isn't from the beverage last night," Cosette confessed with a deep sigh. "It's about the kiss."

Sarah's eyes instantly went wide, recalling her little accident where she got this sprained on her ankle.

pAn,Da n<0,>v,e1 "You mean... that?" she awkwardly asked.

"Sarah, can you be honest with me?" Cosette fluttered her eyelashes slowly. "Was it good?"

"What?"

"The kiss," she stressed. "Was it good?"

"..."

Sarah looked at Cosette, unable to answer that question she was asked last night. The only difference was that the person asking that same question last night was Maxen. But both Maxen and Cosette were asking with the same exact curiosity in their eyes.

Just what was going on?! Was this a curse in that accident? Did she really have to answer that question?

"Come on, Sarah," came Fay's rasped voice after several seconds of silence. "I want to know too."

"..." -> Sarah.

"I want to know too," Amie chimed in groggily. "I need to think about it to forget my headache."

"..."

"So?" Cosette's brows raised after glancing at the two, who were paralyzed on their respective beds.

"Do — Do I really need to answer that?" Sarah stammered, rattled to the core.

"No." Cosette shook her head and closed her eyes briefly. "You don't have to answer if you're not comfortable about it. But, it does matter to me. I want to know what my lips feel like."

Sarah looked at her in conflict, studying the pure curiosity in Cosette's eyes as if her life depended on it. What did she think of Cosette's lips? Their kiss was an accident and a weird turn of events. But aside from those, Sarah pursed her lips and averted her eyes.

"It was..." she cleared her throat, trying to hide her blush of embarrassment under a straight face but failed miserably. "... soft and hot. It's strange, but at the same time, good."

Cosette pressed her lips into a thin line while nodding. "Really?"

"Mhm."

"I see..." Cosette pushed herself away from the bed, still nodding. When she was about to saunter off to the bathroom for a shower, she stopped when Sarah spoke.

"Why?" Cosette looked back at Sarah when she raised a question. The latter's face was red and her chest was moving heavily, clutching the blanket over her lap.

"Why did you ask, Cozie?"

"Mhm... feedback," answered Cosette and flashed her a smile. "I was curious what the other party feels about the kiss."

With that being said, Cosette resumed and went to the shower. Meanwhile, Sarah could only look at the bathroom door in a daze. Even Fay and Amie, who heard Cosette's response, pulled their pillows, only to glance at where Cosette went.

"Cozie is becoming bolder every single day we're with her," Fay commented approvingly before closing her eyes to rest. "Ugh... I promise I will not drink that much. Luke is frustrating."

"I don't know who to ship Cozie anymore. Maxen and Cozie, Luke and Cozie, or Sarah and Cozie." Amie shook her head and glanced at Sarah only to sigh. "Cozie is the ship, I guess."

"She's starting to worry me too," Sarah mumbled, pursing her lips into a thin slash. She deeply wanted to forget the sensation that was still lingering on her lips, but whenever she thought about it, she couldn't help but remember how Cosette's lips felt against hers.

"Goodness... I feel like I will go crazy," she added under her breath, shaking her head to get that memory out of her head.

Little did Sarah know that a particular individual was having the same dilemma as her.

Maxen was sitting on the edge of the bed, face buried in his palm. Although he didn't drink last night, he was just as groggy as everyone else. He didn't sleep a wink! And it was all Cosette's fault.

"I feel like I'm going crazy," he mumbled for the umpteenth time. "She's crazy."

The more Maxen told himself not to think about what happened last night, the more his brain would keep rewinding it nonstop. Therefore, he couldn't forget the taste of her lips, its soft texter, and the electricity that ran through every fiber of his living body.

"Did she even remember it?" he wondered, spreading his fingers to show his sharp, dangerous eyes. Just the thought of losing sleep because of her and Cosette not having to remember didn't sit well with him.

"She better..." he breathed out, grinding his teeth in irritation. "Or I will remind her what she did to me." — and maybe, ask her to take responsibility.

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