CRACKS IN CONTROL
1062 Words
Aria’s POV
I didn’t sleep.
Again.
At this point, I wasn’t even sure what sleep felt like anymore.
Every time I closed my eyes, it was the same thing—
His voice.
His face.
His words.
“Stay away from him.”
I turned on my bed, pulling the pillow over my head like that would somehow block everything out.
It didn’t.
Nothing worked.
---
By morning, I looked exactly how I felt.
Drained.
Restless.
Broken in ways I couldn’t explain.
---
“Wow,” Nina said the moment she saw me. “You look terrible.”
I gave her a look. “Good morning to you too.”
“I’m serious,” she said, grabbing my arm and pulling me closer to the mirror near the hallway. “Look at yourself.”
I did.
And I hated what I saw.
Dark circles.
Tired eyes.
A face that didn’t look like mine anymore.
---
“I told you something is wrong,” she said softly this time.
I swallowed.
“I’m fine.”
Even I didn’t believe that anymore.
---
Before she could say anything else—
“Aria.”
That voice again.
---
I didn’t need to turn to know who it was.
Ethan.
---
I forced myself to look normal as I turned.
“Hey.”
He frowned slightly the moment he saw me.
“You okay?”
Why did everyone keep asking me that?
---
“I’m fine,” I said automatically.
---
He didn’t look convinced.
“Are you sure? You look like you haven’t slept in days.”
Close enough.
---
“I’ve just been busy,” I said.
---
A lie that was becoming too easy to say.
---
He hesitated for a second.
Then—
“Come with me after class,” he said.
---
My heart skipped.
---
“Where?” I asked.
---
“Just… somewhere quiet,” he replied. “You need a break.”
---
Before I could answer—
“Aria, we’re late!” Nina called, dragging me away.
---
But I felt it.
---
Ethan’s eyes following me.
---
Something about the way he looked at me…
It felt different now.
Stronger.
More intense.
---
And for a strange reason—
It made my chest tighten in a way I didn’t understand.
---
---
After school, I almost said no.
I should have said no.
---
But I didn’t.
---
We ended up sitting at a quiet spot behind the campus.
Far from noise.
Far from people.
---
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
---
Then—
“You’re really not okay,” Ethan said.
---
I let out a small breath.
“I guess I’m not doing a good job hiding it.”
---
He shook his head slightly.
“No, you’re not.”
---
A small silence fell between us.
---
“You can tell me,” he added.
---
I looked at him.
Really looked at him.
---
There was something in his eyes.
Something steady.
Something safe.
---
And for a second—
I almost told him everything.
---
But I couldn’t.
---
“I just have… family stuff,” I said instead.
---
He nodded slowly.
“Family can be complicated.”
---
If only he knew.
---
“Yeah,” I whispered.
---
Another silence.
But this one felt… softer.
---
“You don’t have to carry everything alone,” he said.
---
My chest tightened.
---
“I’m used to it,” I replied.
---
He frowned slightly.
“You shouldn’t be.”
---
Something about that hit deeper than it should have.
---
And before I realized it—
My guard slipped.
Just a little.
---
“I don’t even know what’s happening anymore,” I admitted quietly.
---
His expression softened.
---
“Then figure it out one step at a time,” he said.
---
Simple.
But somehow…
Comforting.
---
“Yeah,” I whispered.
---
And for the first time in days—
I felt like I could breathe.
---
---
Until I got home.
---
The moment I stepped inside—
That feeling disappeared.
---
“Where were you?”
---
My heart dropped.
---
I froze.
---
Damien was standing there.
Waiting.
---
“I was at school,” I said.
---
“And after school?”
---
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
---
“I went out,” I replied.
---
“With him?”
---
My breath caught.
---
I didn’t answer.
---
And that was enough.
---
A shadow crossed his face.
---
“I told you to stay away from him,” he said.
---
“You don’t get to tell me what to do,” I snapped.
---
Big mistake.
---
Because in the next second—
---
He was right in front of me.
---
Too close.
---
“You think this is a game?” he asked quietly.
---
My heart pounded.
---
“No,” I said.
---
“Then stop acting like it is.”
---
His eyes locked onto mine.
Sharp.
Unforgiving.
---
“You don’t understand what you’re getting into.”
---
“What does that even mean?” I asked.
---
A pause.
---
Then—
“He’s not who you think he is.”
---
My breath caught.
---
“What?”
---
Something flickered in his eyes.
Gone too fast.
---
“Just stay away from him,” he said again.
---
“That’s not your decision,” I replied.
---
His jaw tightened.
---
“You’re making a mistake.”
---
“So are you,” I shot back.
---
Silence.
---
Heavy.
---
Dangerous.
---
Then—
“Maybe,” he said quietly.
---
“But I’ve already made mine once.”
---
My heart skipped.
---
“What does that mean?”
---
He didn’t answer.
---
Instead—
He stepped back.
---
Creating distance.
But not enough.
---
“Just remember this,” he said.
---
My breath caught.
---
“Not everything is what it seems.”
---
A chill ran down my spine.
---
And for the first time—
---
I felt it.
---
That something bigger was hiding beneath everything.
---
Something I wasn’t ready for.
---
Something that was already pulling all of us in—
---
Without any way out.
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