When I got back, L was still lying on her bed.


    It seemed like my overwhelming frustration was obvious. L sat up and moved closer to examine me. "What happened to you?"


    "It''s nothing," I replied. I was utterly exhausted as I flopped onto my bed and closed my eyes. All I wanted was some peace.


    L took two steps closer and yanked me off the bed. "Get up. There''s no way it''s nothing. Just look at how awful your expression is!"


    Seeing her concern, I finally sat up and told her everything that had happened today.


    I did need an outlet for all the emotions that were building up inside me, and L happened to be a willing listener. After recounting the day''s events, I began to sense something unusual.


    L looked furious as she said, "What a disgusting pair! Serena, how could you just keep quiet after suffering through all this? If Alex hadn''t helped you behind the scenes this time, then the consequences..."


    She started to choke up slightly. "I don''t even want to think about it."


    Looking at how frustrated and concerned L was, I let out a softugh. I grabbed a tissue and wiped her tears. "It''s alright, L. I''m fine, aren''t I?"


    But saying that only seemed to flip a switch inside her. She started to cry even louder.


    I pulled her into a hug. Having a friend like her sort of made up for all the bad luck


    I had suffered. I felt touched as I looked at her tearful face, and I couldn''t stop myself fromughing.


    L looked up in disbelief when she heard myughter. When she saw that I was actuallyughing at her she immediately stopped crying. She shoved me and said, "Serena, you''re so heartless. How could youugh right now?"


    Looking at her angry face, I quickly said, "I was just thinking, L, that having a friend like you must be the universe''s way ofpensating me for all that I suffered through."


    L froze for a moment before she turned to look at me. Her eyes were filled with joy, and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips, but she still feigned disdain and said, "Ugh, that''s so corny!"


    I hugged her and said, "Is it that corny? Well, I''m only corny for you."


    After a while, she started to calm down. Then, she looked at me and asked, "Serena, are you really going to let those two get away with this? I can''t help but feel unhappy about that."


    I shook my head. "L, don''t you think there''s something oddly fishy about this whole thing?"


    "What do you mean?" L asked in confusion.


    "Just think about it. Kevin is


    someone who skirts on the edge of


    thew. He lives in the shadows. He''d avoid the police like the gue and wouldn''t easily expose himself to outsiders, especially in situations that might lead to trouble. Wouldn''t I have won instantly if I had just called the police earlier?" I mused.


    L said with a frown, "That''s true. How much money did Elena pay Kevin?"


    I held up three fingers.


    "Thirty thousand dors?" L''s frown deepened. "That''s hardly worth it for Kevin to take such a risk. If you had called the police just now, he would definitely have been caught."


    "Exactly." Thinking back to how Kevin acted earlier, I grew more concerned. "I can''t shake the feeling that Kevin isn''t as simple as he seems."