What's Wrong with Miss Bratty?

Yvienna sat in the living room, her legs tucked under her as she scrolled absentmindedly through her phone. Suddenly, a pillow flew through the air, smacking her square in the face. "You! Who gave you permission to race on the highway?!" her mother's voice boomed, startling her. Yvienna glanced up, wide-eyed, as her mother stormed into the room, another pillow already in hand. Before it could be launched, Yvienna scrambled up from the couch and approached her.

"I'm so sorry, Mommy! I won't do it again—please forgive me!" she pleaded, her tone uncharacteristically soft.

Her mother froze mid-motion, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. Behind her, the household staff, including the driver and maids, stood motionless, their expressions a mix of shock and curiosity. Yvienna frowned, confused by their reactions. Had she said something strange?

Her mother pressed the back of her hand to Yvienna's forehead as if checking for a fever. "What did you eat? Are you feeling okay? Are you sick?" she asked, her questions tumbling out rapidly.

Yvienna chuckled, gently brushing her mother's hand away. "I'm fine, Mommy. Is it so strange for me to apologize?"

Her mother shook her head hastily, though her eyes betrayed her disbelief. "No, there's nothing wrong with it... but I'm just not used to it. You never apologize, so this is... shocking."

A sheepish smile spread across Yvienna's face. "I'm sorry if I've never apologized before. I'll try to do better. Anyway, I'm heading upstairs." Her mother nodded, still looking slightly bewildered, as Yvienna made her way to her room.

Once inside, Yvienna placed her bag on her desk. Her gaze fell on the brown paper bag Kyle had given her earlier. Curiosity flickered in her eyes as she picked it up, turning it over in her hands.

Why had he given her a present?

She sighed and opened the bag, her breath catching when she saw its contents. Inside was her favorite book, the one she'd been wanting for months but could never find. Her lips parted in disbelief.

"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed, jumping in excitement. She clutched the book tightly and spun in a circle, a delighted scream escaping her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Kyle!" she whispered fervently. The euphoria dimmed slightly as her thoughts drifted back to earlier. He'd called someone "baby" during their car ride. Who was that? Did he really have a girlfriend?

Her smile faded as doubt crept in. She placed the book on her desk and sat on the edge of her bed, staring blankly at the wall. If he had a girlfriend, why would he give her a present?

Her jaw tightened. "He's probably just a playboy," she muttered bitterly. "They're all the same."

Memories of her ex-boyfriend's betrayal flared in her mind, and she clenched her fists. Boys were cheaters, every single one of them. She threw herself onto the bed and closed her eyes, desperate for sleep. Instead, Kyle's face materialized in her mind, unbidden and persistent.

"Ugh, what is wrong with me?!" she groaned, sitting up abruptly. Her hand pressed against her chest. Her heart was pounding, and it frustrated her to no end.

Needing answers, she grabbed her phone and dialed Tiffany's number. Her best friend picked up on the second ring. "You brat! Did you tell my mom I was racing on the highway?!" Yvienna accused. "I'm sorry, bestie! My tongue slipped when she asked about your driving," Tiffany admitted, her voice sheepish. Yvienna sighed. "Fine, whatever. Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. What's up?"

There was a pause before Yvienna whispered, "Why does my heart race whenever I'm near Kyle?"

On the other end of the line, Tiffany burst into laughter. "Oh my gosh, Yvienna! Are you seriously asking me that?"

"What's so funny?!" Yvienna snapped, her irritation growing.

"Okay, okay, calm down," Tiffany said, still chuckling. "The answer is simple—you're in love with him."

Yvienna froze, her breath hitching. "R-really?" "Yup! Anyway, gotta go. Bye!" Tiffany hung up before Yvienna could respond. Yvienna stared at her phone in disbelief. Was Tiffany right? Was she in love?

Unable to sit still, she wandered down to the kitchen, her thoughts racing. She flicked on the light, grabbed a pitcher of water from the fridge, and poured herself a glass.

"Hey!" a voice suddenly called out behind her.

Startled, Yvienna jumped, the glass slipping from her hand and shattering on the floor.

The noise drew her mother to the scene. "What's going on?!" she demanded, descending the stairs.

"I-I'm sorry, Senora," stammered Yaya Mirna, one of the maids. "I didn't mean to scare her."

Yvienna waved off the maid's apology, more concerned with the mess. But as she took a step forward, pain shot through her foot.

"Ahhh!" she cried out, looking down. Her bare foot was bleeding, shards of glass embedded in the skin. "Yvienna!" her mother screamed, rushing to her side.

The sight of blood made Yvienna dizzy. Her vision blurred, and the room seemed to spin. She heard muffled voices calling her name, but they grew faint as darkness closed in.

Then, everything went black.