VELVET RED: BEGINNING

EPOCH 4

NOA:

I'm sitting here all snug and warm, engrossed in my book "Siren" by Tiffany Reisz, but the sounds of arguing are interrupting my reading. It's a cold Sunday, and I can hear every angry word through the thin walls of my neighbor Casey's house. I glance up from my book every now and then, hoping that the argument will die down, but it seems to only be getting worse. The tension outside seems to be a stark contrast to the peacefulness inside my little reading nook. It's moments like these when I'm grateful to have a cozy spot to retreat to on a cold day like today.

As I read my novel, I suddenly hear Gray's voice coming from Casey's house. I can't help but perk my ears up and listen more closely. What is he doing over there? And why is he arguing with Casey so early in the morning? I can't quite make out what they're saying, but their tone is certainly fiery. I can hear objects being moved around, and the sound of vases breaking fills the air. Curiosity gets the better of me, and I stand up to peek out the window. I see two moving figures in Casey's living room, and the clattering and crushing sounds continue. What on earth could be causing such a heated argument at this hour? My mind flashes back to the kiss Gray and I shared in the restaurant bathroom the night before. Could that have something to do with this? I can't help but feel uneasy as I continue to listen to the commotion next door.

As I'm watching the commotion next door, suddenly I see Casey emerging from the house, shielding a handsome guy who is holding his clothes in his hands. They're both disheveled and seem to be in a hurry to leave. Casey looks distressed, and her voice is trembling as she speaks to the man. Before I can figure out what's going on, Gray appears from the front door, following them. His expression is a mixture of confusion and disappointment. He seems surprised to see me watching from my window, but quickly turns his attention back to Casey and the man with her. It's clear that something big has just happened, and I can't help but feel like I'm in the middle of it all. My heart races as I try to process what I'm seeing, and I can't shake the feeling that my kiss with Gray may have been the catalyst for all of this drama. As the drama unfolds before my eyes, Gray confronts Casey, begging her to explain what's happening. "Why are you doing this to me?" he asks, his voice laced with desperation. Casey looks him square in the eye and delivers a crushing blow. "You're a cheat, Gray. I know about your affairs," she says coldly. My heart sinks as I realize the gravity of the situation. Gray is a cheater? Was I just his latest fling? Suddenly, I feel exposed and vulnerable, like someone might have seen Gray and I kissing passionately in the restaurant bathroom. I can't help but wonder if this is some sort of divine retribution for my own indiscretion. My mind races as I try to make sense of it all, and I can feel my whole world about to come crashing down.

My heart skips a beat as Casey glares up at me from the street below. Her eyes are filled with anger and betrayal, and for a moment, I'm afraid she might come after me. Gray seems to notice her hostility and looks up at me, his eyes pleading with me to stay inside. "Why are you looking at her like that?" he asks Casey, his voice tinged with fear. Suddenly, Casey's demeanor changes, and she bellows up at me to come down. "Noa, get down here now!" she screams. My blood runs cold as I realize there's no way out of this. I take a deep breath and try to steady myself before making my way down to face the music. As I step out onto the street, my knees feel weak, and my heart races with fear. What will happen to me now that everything is out in the open?

As I slowly sloth towards the scene of the fight, I see Gray gazing at me with an eye that implores me to go back inside the house. But I can't help myself. I need to know what's happening. As I get closer, I take a closer look at the handsome intruder, appreciating his looks despite the fact that he's the cause of all this chaos. Suddenly, I find myself standing before a fuming Casey, who seems ready to explode. I can feel the intensity of her anger as she turns to face me, and I can't help but ask, "Why am I being called into this fighting ring? I'm not a referee, you know." Casey's eyes narrow as she looks at me, and I can tell she's not in the mood for games. "You know why you're here, Noa. You're part of this mess, whether you like it or not." I feel a knot form in my stomach as I realize there's no escape from this. I'm in this fight about whether I want to be there or not.

Casey's voice is dripping with fury as she turns to face me. "Have I done anything to deserve this, Noa?" she asks, her eyes fixed on mine. I can feel the anger and pain radiating off of her, and I know that there's no way I can talk my way out of this. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen," I say weakly, feeling the weight of guilt settle into my stomach. But Casey isn't having any of it. "You know what you did," she hisses, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. "You knew that this would hurt me. And yet you still did it." I can see the hurt and betrayal etched into her face, and I know that there's nothing I can do to make it right. The only thing I can do is stand there and take the blame. And so I do, feeling the weight of Casey's anger bearing down on me like a ton of bricks.

Casey starts attacking me. She's pulling my hair out, and I'm screaming. Gray is just standing there, watching. He's not doing anything. I'm so scared. I don't know what to do.

Casey is still attacking me. She's scratching my face, and I'm bleeding. Gray still isn't doing anything. I beg him to help me, but he just stands there.

Suddenly, Gray grabs Casey and pulls her away from me. He's yelling at her, but I can't hear what he's saying. I'm just relieved that he's finally doing something.

Gray drags Casey away, and I collapse on the lawn. I'm shaking and crying. I can't believe this is happening.

Gray comes back a few minutes later. He helps me up, and we walk to his car. He doesn't say anything about calling the police. He just gets in the car and drives away.

I'm still in shock. I don't know what to think or feel. I just want to go home and forget this ever happened.