The Only Rule

Chapter 5a: Emporio

“T’es sérieux?! Dire au professeur que je suis en galère? Mais qu’est-ce qui ne va pas chez toi?! Maintenant, je risque de me faire expulser, tout ça à cause de toi! Dis-moi, c’était quoi ton plan après ça, hein?! Me regarder échouer et te marrer?!”

“Wow,” Dominic began, his hands raised in mock surrender, “okay, calm down—”

“You don’t get to tell me to calm down!” you snapped, arms flailing in frustration. “Because of you, I’m stuck in this nightmare!”

He raised an eyebrow, clearly confused by your outburst. Folding his arms across his chest, he gave you a look that spoke What the hell are you talking about?

“Because of your big mouth, that professor heard—everything! He’s about to expel me if I don’t get into any club! And if I actually lose my scholarship—guess what? It’s all. because. of you!”

He blinked a few times, scoffed while shaking his head. Flying his hands in disbelief, he grunted, “Why blame it all on me! Yeah! Sure, if it could cure your psychomaniac tendencies.”

“You seriously have no. shame, do ya?!”

“You really think I care enough about you to plan something like this? Get over yourself, Renata.”

Your jaw clenched so hard you thought you might crack a tooth. You know he’s technically right, but—still, you need someone to blame. So you continue your barking session. Anyways, gaslighting is the easiest thing to do, right?

“Get over yourself?! You are so full of yourself—”

“Gotta love yourself, right?” he shot back, a familiar smirk was back, eyebrows doing that—annoying raise thing.

“Oh, that is so not what it means,” you seethed, throwing him an exasperated glare.

Dominic leaned in slightly, secretly enjoying this way too much. “Oh yeah? Enlighten me, then—”

“Loving yourself means being kind—to yourself, to others—something you clearly don’t get,”

“Damn what are you? Cinderella?” he smirked and you immediately shut your mouth, frowning. “We all have our definitions, don’t we? Maybe yours just.. a little too soft,” he shrugged while gesturing with his fingers.

You struggle to contain the urge to throttle him since his smug face only seemed to fuel your frustration. His cocky stance grated on your nerves, didn’t seem bothered in the slightest—in fact, the more annoyed you got, the bigger his grin grew.

“And I wonder how humanity got to its lowest point.”

“You think?”

Dominic sneered, this time, his tone losing the earlier amusement. His eyes narrowed, and that smirk had turned into something more serious as he probably had finally lost patience. He leaned against the wall, frustration showing.

“Funny listening to you barking around while you’re the one being here in the first place.”

“If you made a proper poster, I wouldn’t have walked in here in the first place!”

“Holy—stop shifting blame on anything you could think of would ya—”

But the screen of your phone on his face stopped him. Seething through his teeth, Dominic rolled his eyes while closing his eyes—before throwing his head back to his bandmates. Exhaustion written all over his face as he glared at each of them—and a boy pointed his finger at someone who seemed to be the drummer.

“Who told you to make it like that?!” he complained, voice dripping with frustration—and secondhand embarrassment.

“You did!”

The drummer quickly defended himself while pulling out his phone, showing a scribbled mess that was clearly Dominic’s awful handwriting (believe me, you know) looking exactly like the poster.

Dominic groaned, skidded to him, and flicked him on the forehead. “Dan you moron, what I meant—” he muttered under his breath before fuming, “Goddammit! This explains why no one's here—!”

But before he could finish, there was the sharp clack of high heels from the back door—the only thing could be described as hope—a fresh recruit. Dominic and the other guys perked up, a spark of excitement flashing in his eyes for a split second—only to wither the moment he saw who it was.

“Hey guys! I heard you needed—”

“Oh, it’s Ana,” Dan muttered.

”—a singer!” Ana finished, beaming. Until.. she spotted you standing in front of Dominic, when her smile dropped into an immediate scowl. “What is she doing here?!”

“Kick her out.”

Dominic’s voice roared through the bar. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as if the mere act of dealing with her presence was giving him a headache. Your awkward face somehow stumbled upon Dan—who cringed.

Ana blinked, panicking. “But wait—”

“Kick. her. out.” Dominic barked, voice sharp like he ordered a pizza he didn’t want.

“Dom I love you!”

And what was once silence went dead. Dominic visibly cringed, recoiling from her declaration. Even one of the other bandmates, looking like he was about to offer his own commentary, quickly bit his tongue, hand recoiling from reaching out. Meanwhile, you had to purse your lips, holding back a laugh—

“I love you..”

When the bassist whispered in a smitten, causing everyone to snap their heads to him in different expressions. Ana’s the one cringing now. Dom’s eyes narrowed as he snarled, “Out. Kick. Her. Out.”

Dan somehow leaned in and whispered, “But bro, she’s, uh.. kinda prettier than this one—”

“HEY!” you yelled—

“OUT!” Hunt shouted, cutting off any more conversation. “Kick her out, NOW!”

And Ana was swiftly.. and awkwardly ushered out while protesting dramatically in the guys’ arms. Dominic turned back to you, exasperated. He ran a hand through his hair, still clearly annoyed but with that irritating smirk returning to his face.

“Okay,” he began, stepping closer, “you’re here. So I’m guessing no other club would take you.” You clenched your jaw but stayed silent. Dominic smirked wider, knowing he had you cornered. “Even with that garbage poster, you’re desperate enough to still show up? Nahh,”

Dominic stepped closer, his grin growing. “Here’s the thing. You need us, right? No matter how much you want to throw a tantrum, your scholarship—your future? It’s all in our hands now. So maybe stop barking like an angry little Pompom and start thinking?”

You shot him a glare, fists clenched, but you stayed silent. He had a point, and you hated it.

“We don’t need you,” Dominic continued, leaning back to the table behind him to flex his dominance. “I mean—we’re fine just with me as the solo. So if you continue being a brat,” he gestured to the exit with a smug grin and said,

“Go ahead. Door’s right there.”

The silence hung heavy in the air as the other two just got back from outside, striding carefully at the newest scene. And as for you.. standing there.. your brain turned upside down,

Fuck, I have no choice.

So, gulping the bitter truth, you muttered, “Ok. Please. If you guys could accept me—I.. need this, okay? I could sing.”

”Yeah I mean—we saw you the last time you’re here,” Dan turned his head to the others to ask for backup, “she’s good you guys—right, Val?”

Reluctantly nodding, Val agreed, his eyes on you, “Don’t think we need another test drive, just need you to back up Hunt here for the band—you know, like in The 1975—and.. we’re good!”

The first relief in a million years. A little light came across your face as you gave a reluctant nod, and the bandmates let out a collective sigh of relief, clearly happy that the drama was ending—

“Beg.”

When The King of Arrogance, with a smug grin plastered on his face, had declared. Even his friends looked uncomfortable as they straightened their bodies, their faces painted a Dude, what the hell?

Scoffing, you glared at him. Your eyes widened, his audacity scrunched the strings of your face. There was no way you’d stoop that low—not for him though—and with a tight jaw, you spun on your heels, walking out of the bar without another word.

Dominic smirked—but it quickly faltered, his eyes never moving from where you were. When he finally turned, his bandmates glared at him, arms raised in bewilderment.

But suddenly, a thud echoed through the room. All eyes snapped toward the door, and one of Dominic’s bandmates gasped, eyes wide. Dominic’s gaze followed, eyebrows shooting up in surprise as he let out an amused scoff—and his charming grin returned in full force.

There you were, kneeling on the floor.

And Dominic didn’t waste a second.

He strode over to you, confidence radiating off of him. But as he’s right in front of you, for a moment, he hesitated, eyes flickering with something unfamiliar. Reluctantly reaching out, he lifted your chin. You flinched, recoiling slightly—before you gave in, glaring up at him. He then lowered his body, leaning down.. and in a low voice, he whispered,

“You can beg, huh?”

Your breath caught in your throat, pulse quickening. For a split second, you didn’t know what to say, your mind blanking. His smirk deepened at your startle, eyes scanning your flustered self as you looked away, heat creeping up your neck. Hands start to sweat as you hide the trembling between your fingers.

Somehow your reaction did something to him—his eyes darkened as he pulled his hand back, eyes lingering on you for a moment longer. But quickly regaining his composure, the blondie recoiled as he observed you from above.

“Well, well, well,” he said, with a voice almost too melodic coming from an arrogant beast like him. Before almost casually, the impudent smirk formed on his face.. and he extended his hand to you.

“Looks like we’ll be working together after all, love.”