Chapter 2 : sin and naked

Elizabeth was amazed that she was still under the campus tree.

Her dream was so real, she couldn't believe it—but she had to.

She had an odd feeling, as if someone had touched her, but no—she was okay. Her clothes were still the same as they were. She stood up and left the campus, heading straight home.

"Nice, nice, I love the way you walk... I adore your ass," drooling like a hungry lion ready to cut down its prey, he continued, "It makes me happy that I've seen what's under that skirt of yours," he said, looking at Elizabeth as he took a picture while she was walking home.

"Very soon, I'll know where you stay, my little toy," he said, following Elizabeth while keeping his distance.

He was wearing a black hoodie and carrying a camera, recording Elizabeth's every movement.

Elizabeth arrived home and her body felt exhausted—at some point, she thought she would fall.

Her legs were about to give up on her.

There was no one home.

She didn't even bother to notice and went straight to her bedroom to lay down and think about how weird her day had been.

She had a lot to think about, even how she felt physically, so she decided to take out her diary from her wardrobe.

She sat at her study table and started writing.

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Dear Lizza,

Today was another exhausting day.

I'm worried about Lusion—he must've waited for me, but I wasn't there. I'm not sure how I'll face him tomorrow.

I had a very weird dream.

I followed Chris.

When I woke up, I felt as if someone had taken a bite on my… I hope nothing bad happened to me while I was asleep.

I really wish I could get my memories back.

Now that I think about it, my mom doesn't know about this.

I should tell her.--When Elizabeth finished her diary entry, she was extremely tired and fell asleep at her study table.

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Morning, 29 July 2020

She woke up in her bed, which she didn't question because her mother might have been the one who put her there.

"It's a Saturday," she said to herself, remembering that she had to go to extraclasses.

She got ready, took her lunchbox, and left.

On Saturdays, the school bus doesn't pick up students, so she had to walk to school.

Lusion was waiting for her outside.

Elizabeth thought maybe he was angry or disappointed—she was panicking but didn't show it.

Lusion was standing there as if he was about to kill her on the spot. But then he greeted her.

"Hey, Elizabeth." She greeted back, "Hey," unable to look him in the eyes.

"I can't take a no for this," he said, holding her hand.

"I want to take you out on a date."He smiled.

Elizabeth looked him in the eyes and had no choice but to accept."I don't mind."

Morning, 27 July 2020

An alarm dragged her out of sleep, grating and relentless.

She groaned, sat up, and looked around. Strangely, her room was clean, though she remembered it being messy and untidy.

She didn't have time to question it. A shower, warm water cascading over her—heavenly, brief—and then she was in the kitchen, the house eerily quiet, as if no one else was home.

She blinked. Her mother was already there, snapping her fingers in front of her face.

"You're late for school!" A lunchbox pushed into her hands. Her little brother hurried past, though oddly, she couldn't see his face. She followed him out to where the school bus waited.

The bus took them to Arcus Academy, a massive institution buzzing with students.

The sheer presence of so many people overwhelmed her. Their loud, careless conversations irritated her.

"I heard Tiffany has a sex tape." "Last week was a bomb, we should do it again!"

The words floated around her like noise from a chaotic radio. She blinked, and she was already in class, the teacher not yet there, the room still noisy.

"Hey," a voice said next to her. It was Lusion—she hadn't even noticed him sitting beside her. His presence was calming, and suddenly the noise seemed to fade.

"Are you okay today? You seem... irritated," Lusion asked, leaning a little closer.

She gave a faint smile, though her expression remained cold. "Just annoyed by the noise."

"Ahh, yeah, the noise," Lusion repeated, nodding.

"It bores me too. For a second, I almost called the math teacher to come shut everyone up," he said proudly.

Elizabeth wasn't amused. She definitely didn't want the teacher to come in.

We all know how that ends. Still, Lusion seemed fun to be around.

"If you don't mind, meet me at the school gate after school," he said, standing, winking at the math teacher who'd just entered the room.

Elizabeth sighed.

The class was about to begin, and she was already exhausted.

At lunch, she left the classroom and headed for her favorite spot—the biggest tree on campus, her sanctuary. But today it wasn't the haven she hoped for. A boy was already there, sitting quietly in her spot.

What a disgusting scene, she thought.

"Hey, you... this is my spot," she said, her voice full of dominance, expecting him to move.

He looked startled, shy, almost scared.

"I... I'm sorry. I didn't have anywhere to sit in the cafeteria, and I'm new," he said nervously.

She noticed he was sweating.

He awkwardly offered his hand.

"I'm Chris Evans," he said with a forced smile.

Elizabeth saw through it but shook his sweaty hand anyway.

"I'm Elizabeth Cross." She sat a little farther away, keeping her distance.

"Just don't bring anyone here," she said, eyeing him from the corner of her eye.

She noticed he was sketching a woman in his notebook.

Afternoon came.

At School Chris Evans was looking for Elizabeth in every class, walking around and asking people until he found a girl who knew Elizabeth.

He found out she hadn't been in class.

This made Chris angry—furious.

He wandered around, thinking of a lot of scenarios of what Elizabeth might be doing wherever she was.

He hoped it wasn't sex.

At the Park

Lusion was sitting on a bench with Elizabeth, both eating ice cream.

Elizabeth was happy—smiling.

She seemed to be enjoying herself, and this pleased Lusion.

It made him happy.

"You're a wonderful girl. Your innocence fills me with great warmth. Your smile makes me smile. Even though I lack emotions, it's as if I feel once again," said Lusion, looking at her.

"I like you too, Lusion. You make me happy," said Elizabeth, blushing as she looked away.

Lusion continued, "I'd take over the world for you and make a palace in the center of the world, where you'll look down on everyone while your innocence is bestowed upon them."

Elizabeth wasn't sure if he was joking or pretending to be a movie character, but she nodded as Lusion continued, "Everyone will be under you... you'll be at peace, a goddess."

"What if you destroy the world in the process?" Elizabeth asked him, looking at him with suspicion.

This question made Lusion flinch.

Simultaneously, a patrol truck crashed into a car nearby the park, and the explosion was huge enough to burn some of the trees.

Lusion protected Elizabeth with his own body, but luckily the fire didn't reach them.

They left the park and walked back to her home.

"I hope it wasn't a bad date," he said, looking at her.

"It was a wonderful date," said Elizabeth.

This made Lusion smile.

"I'm glad... this is where I leave," he said, getting close to her—close enough that their noses were nearly touching.

He leaned in further and whispered in her ear,"Your happiness brings light into a burnt world, and keeps this one alive."

Then he left, leaving Elizabeth confused.

When she entered in the house, she found her mother in the kitchen, stressed, even crying while holding her phone.

When she saw Elizabeth enter, she was happy to see her—she even went to hug her.

Elizabeth was confused about why she was this happy to see her.

"I thought you might have gotten hurt by the explosion at school," her mom said, looking Elizabeth in the eyes and even touching her face as she smiled.

At School Chris Evans was outside, watching the entire campus burn down to ashes with a smile on his face.

"Elizabeth, let's hope you control yourself... or else I'll take everything you have," he said as he sniffed Elizabeth's panties.

"What a delicious smell."

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It was night.

Elizabeth had finished eating and was cleaning up the kitchen with her mother.

Now she was about to sleep, when suddenly her phone rang.

She got a call from a contact named Boyfriend.

She was surprised—she didn't remsember having a boyfriend, but she was curious enough to answer the call.

"Lizza, are you okay?... I heard there was an explosion at the campus," he said smoothly."Yeah... I wasn't at the school," she said, trying to recognize the voice.

It wasn't Chris, nor Lusion."I'll see you tomorrow then... I love you. Sweet dreams, my little Lizza