97 AND THERE WE STOOD ARIEL’S POV Now here I was, standing still, and staring at Luke, who was also staring at me across the road. The anger within me was quite clear, and I just wanted to sove him, and kneel his balls, or something. But some other mind told me to not do anything stupid. And Luke was really stupid, acting crazy continuously. So, I too needed to do the same, so I could handle him pretty well. As the Ava Max song goes, sweet but a psycho. I’m so going to show this man how crazy I could get. As Luke’s intense gaze continued to bore into me, I couldn’t help but wonder what thoughts were running through his head. Was he angry? Confused? Why was he going to be angry anyway? He was the one who did shit. If someon was to be upset around here, it should be me. And confused? Nah, he obviously knew what I had in mind right now. But whatever it was in his head, I couldn’t deny the urge to speak my mind and let him know exactly how I felt. I knew it would probably start an argument. Yeah, it was definitely going to start an argument. Well I was sick and tired of his goddamn demeanor. It was just so galling. Tongue -lashing him was something I was planning on carrying out, right here, right now. But now, I just couldn’t. I couldn’t flaunt the rage within me, and I felt frozen for some reason. With the gaze still on, I felt like a statue. And looking into his eyes, I could recall the past conflicts between us. EIGHT YEARS AGO Sitting on the bed, I felt the weight of my tears as they trickled down my face, each drop carrying the weight of my despair. Trying to keep myself composed, I braced for Luke’s approach. He was clad in nothing but a towel, a sight that made my heart race faster with fear. His expression was so menacing, so full of an inexplicable intensity, that I couldn’t help but be petrified as he steadily closed the distance between us. In that moment, the air felt thick with worry, and every step he took seemed to echo in the room, each one bringing him closer to where I sat, feeling smaller and more vulnerable than ever. The sight of him, coupled with his piercing gaze, left *me trembling in anticipation of what might come next. It felt like the walls were closing in on me, and I was frozen in place, unable to escape the impending confrontation be drew neat, my mind raced with a mix of emotions: fear, confusion, and a growing sense of helplessness. I tried to summon the strength to confront him, but his intimidating presence seemed to suffocate any courage I had left. His eyes bore into mine, and I found myself unable to look away, trapped in a silent battle of wills. The sound of my own ragged breathing filled the room, a stark contrast to the controlled and deliberate movements he made. In that moment, it felt like time had slowed down, each passing second stretching into an eternity of uncertainty and dread. I desperately thought of a way out, a way to break free from the paralyzing grip of fear that held me in place. The seconds ticked by, each one feeling heavier than the last, until finally, he stood before me, his presence casting a long, foreboding shadow over the room. I braced myself for whatever was to come, my heart pounding in my chest as I waited for the inevitable. “You good–for–nothing fool.” He glared at me, moving his face closer to mine.” What a golddigger you are. You want money right?” Luke pressed my jaws forcefully, causing me to wince in pain. His grip on my jaw was tight and unyielding, causing a sharp pain to shoot through my body. His expression remained dark and brooding, his hatred for me evident in his eyes. Despite my attempts to reason with him all these times, he seemed determined to inflict as much pain as possible, his anger consuming him completely. I could only hope that he would eventually come back to his senses before he decides to do anything baleful around here. Because at the moment, he was under the influence of alcohol. “Isn’t this what you want, huh? To live in wealth? Is this not what you want?!” Luke snarled, angrily pressing against my face. His grip on my jaw was tight and I could feel the pain shooting through my entire body. I wanted to scream, to fight back, but I knew it would only make things worse. So I closed my eyes and tried to block out the agony, hoping that it would be over soon. “You and your worthless family. You guys came to my life miserable. So why shouldn’t I do the same? Why shouldn’t I make your life miserable?” His tone was bitter. ““Speak!” He bawled, his grip on my jaws tightening. I could feel his frustration and anger mounting as he demanded for me to speak. But no matter how hard I tried, his force on my face was too much, preventing me from uttering a single word. It was as if my lips were glued shut, and I could see the desperation in his eyes, and the anger still lingering there, with his malevolent glare stuck all around his face. I wanted to tell him something, to break the silence that had fallen between us, but his strong hold on my face had rendered me speechless. “You’re not going to say anything?!” Luke barked, his grip on my jaws tightening before forcefully letting go. I gasped for air, my body wracked with pain, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak. Instead, I glared at him, my eyes filled with anger and frustration. How could he treat me like this? I thought to myself, my jaw still throbbing from his rough handling. I knew I should say something, stand up for myself, but I was too afraid of what he might do if I did. Because right now, that alcohol had full control of him, and he could just transfigure into a mad dog, or something worse. So I remained silent, my gaze fixed on him, daring him to try and hurt me again. I swear, I wouldn’t hesitate to find anything that would help me in making him unconscious. I wasn’t going to care what the consequences may be. “Okay then, suit yourself. Be silent all you want.” Luke got up, and as he turned around, he stumbled, falling down, all because of the intense alcohol he had taken. I thought about helping him get up, but I decided not to, because of the pain he had caused me. At least this was going to teach him some lesson tonight. s way to He made the bathroom, while I stood up, the glare still etched on my face, and what just took place was still on my mind. Although Luke displayed so much hate, spitting hurtful words, breaking me so much tines, he had never been this aggressive before. I wondered why the scumbag had to go and get tiddly. But anyways, he should suffer for his actions tonight.
