My Fiery Mate

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟺: 𝚃𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚃𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝

As Lireal walked down the stairs, her heart heavy with the weight of the day’s events, she spotted Willow lounging on the couch, watching television.

Summoning what little courage she had left, Lireal approached her cousin, trying to maintain a calm composure despite the hammering of her heart. “Willow, can I talk to you for a minute?” she asked, her voice barely audible over the blaring television.

Willow glanced up from the TV, her expression indifferent. “What do you want?” she replied, not bothering to lower the volume.

Lireal took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before speaking. “I just... I don’t understand why you hate me so much,” she began, her voice barely above a whisper. “We’re cousins, we’re family. Why are you doing this to me?”

“Why?” Willow repeated, her voice cold and mocking. “Because it’s fun, Lireal. It’s fun to see you suffer.” She laughed, the sound grating on Lireal’s ears.

“But why me?” Lireal asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “What did I ever do to you?”

“Nothing,” Willow replied with a sneer. “You’re weak, you’re worthless, and you deserve everything that’s coming to you. I hate you, and I’ll make sure you’re miserable for the rest of your miserable life.” She turned her attention back to the TV, clearly uninterested in continuing the conversation.

Lireal stood there, stunned by the harshness of Willow’s words. She knew her cousin was mean, but she never expected such cruelty. Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to maintain her composure. She wanted to run away, to find somewhere where she could be alone and away from the constant torment. But she knew there was nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. She was trapped in this hell, with no one to turn to for help. Not even aunt Nova...

The next day at school, Lireal sat silently in her class, her head bowed over her desk as she focused on her work, trying to block the taunts and whispers of her classmates. She felt as though a dark cloud had settled over her, obscuring any glimpse of happiness or hope that might have once existed in her life. She was tired of being alone, tired of being afraid, and most of all, tired of being miserable.

But her attempts at concentration were shattered when the classroom door burst open, and Willow stormed in, her eyes fixed on Lireal.

“I need to speak to Lireal,” Willow announced loudly, her voice echoing through the classroom. Everyone turned to look at her, and Lireal felt a mixture of fear and anger surge through her. She slowly raised her head, meeting her cousin’s gaze. What did Willow want now?

The teacher glanced at Lireal before turning to Willow with a smirk. “By all means, Willow,” she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Take your little pet with you.”

Lireal hesitated for a moment, her heart racing as she rose to her feet. She glanced around the classroom, searching for a friendly face, but everyone seemed to be either ignoring her or looking away. She felt a lump form in her throat as she followed Willow out of the classroom, the click of their shoes echoing down the hallway.

As they walked through the empty hallway, Willow’s grip tightened on Lireal’s arm, her nails digging into her skin. Lireal winced in pain, but dared not struggle or cry out. She knew that would only give Willow more pleasure.

Finally, they reached the bathroom, and Willow shoved Lireal inside, the force of her push sending Lireal stumbling onto the tiled floor. Before she could regain her balance, Willow grabbed a fistful of Lireal’s hair, yanking her head back with a painful jerk. Lireal cried out in agony, her vision clouded by tears as she tried to free herself from her cousin’s grip.

“What are you doing? Let go of me!” Lireal pleaded, her voice muffled by the pain in her scalp. Willow only laughed, her breath hot against Lireal’s ear. Willow dragged Lireal’s head into the filthy toilet bowl, forcing her underwater. Lireal gasped and sputtered, the taste of sewage filling her mouth as she struggled to breathe.

Lireal tried to fight back, but Willow was too strong. Her lungs burned from the lack of air, and her vision began to cloud. Just as she thought she was about to pass out, she felt a sharp pain in her ribs as Willow kicked her. She gasped for breath, coughing up water as she struggled to pull herself back up. Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the snot and blood that now coated her lips.

Willow looked down at Lireal with a mixture of disgust and satisfaction, a cruel smile playing on her lips. “You know, Lireal, I really enjoy seeing you like this. So pathetic and desperate for help. It’s really quite amusing. But you know what? I’m feeling generous today.” Willow said before turning on her heel and strutting out of the bathroom, leaving Lireal alone in her misery.