2
514words
Now that I was living a second time, I refused to have anything to do with them.
I silenced my phone and booked a flight for tomorrow to another state. I planned to pack up and leave before they could show up.
But the next day, while I was still packing in my dorm, the door suddenly burst open.
BAM! The door shook violently, barely hanging on its hinges.
I jumped out of my skin.
When I looked up, I was face to face with Chloe's mom, furious and ready to explode.
“You little trash! How dare you scam Chloe into taking out loans! Give us back our money!”
“My Chloe used to be such a sweet, obedient girl! Look what's happened since she got involved with you!”
“She kept saying her monthly allowance wasn't enough. I had to pressure her before she finally admitted she'd been giving all her money to you!”
“You took advantage of her kindness, her soft heart! And when she had no more money to give, you tricked her into online loans! You're disgusting!”
I froze.
Last time, her parents showed up two days later.
This time, since I hadn't answered their endless calls, they came two days early.
Her mom charged at me.
“Luna, who do you think you are, treating my Chloe like this?!”
Cursing, she grabbed my hair and yanked me up from the floor.
I tried to fight back, but Chloe's mom worked construction—her hands were strong from tying rebar all day. I couldn't break free.
The pain in my scalp grew worse, and I remembered last time when she'd torn out chunks of my hair and skin, blood dripping everywhere.
There was a pair of scissors on the desk—I'd been using them to trim loose threads. But now, they'd serve a different purpose.
Just as I grabbed them to defend myself, someone suddenly rushed in and shoved Chloe's mom off me.
Caught off guard, she actually stumbled back.
It was the dorm's security guard, Betty.
I often saved empty bottles and boxes for her, so we'd gotten pretty close over time.
“What do you think you're doing, barging into a dorm and attacking a student? Get out now, or I'm calling campus security!”
Betty shielded me tightly, guarding me from further attacks.
Chloe's mom lashed out:
“You old hag! Who do you think you are? I'm here to get my daughter back!”
“Move, or I'll beat you too!”
Then she slapped Betty hard across the face.
Betty fell to the floor, dizzy and seeing stars.
Seizing the moment, Chloe's mom lunged for my hair again, reaching for me with rage in her eyes.
The trauma from my past-life beating haunted me.
Without hesitating, I raised the hand holding the scissors to protect my head.
Slash!
She ran right into them—her palm now had a deep, bleeding gash.
“Ah! You little b**ch! You cut me?!”
Her eyes red with rage. I knew things were about to get worse. I bolted out of the room.
