Chapter 8
1141 Words
Tiara’s POV
Sofia didn’t believe me.
I was going crazy.
Buzz.
I stretched my hands and picked up my phone.
Jeff: Babe
Jeff: I need to talk to you about something.
The audacity.
Jeff was wicked, and I wondered why I was still in a relationship with him. I was tired and wanted a break.
“Are you awake?” Sofia asked, peeping through the door.
I smiled.
“Yes”
“You got me worried last night; I didn’t know what to think”, Sofia whispered
“I’m sorry. I’ve been thinking about many things lately, and it’s been affecting me”, I lied.
I didn’t want Sofia to get worried or anything.
“Are you sure?” Sofia asked, looking unconvinced.
“Come here”, I replied, pulling her in for a hug.
Sofia chuckled, and we stayed there for a few moments.
“We need to go for lectures,” I said softly
“Right, I need to get ready.”
——————————————————
Jeff came to me in class with a frown.
“Have you been ignoring my messages?”
I fidgeted at the sound of his voice.
“No, I—
“Leave her alone, Jeff.” Sofia interrupted, and I sighed in relief.
Jeff snapped at Sofia, and I could feel my hands shaking.
I ran out of class the moment the lecture ended.
As I walked towards the library, I had a lot on my mind. I could remember my encounter there, and it felt real.
Jeff.
I froze.
“Come here” he commanded
My legs obeyed instantly.
Jeff pulled me tightly, and I struggled to get free.
“Let me go,” I whispered to avoid attention, but Jeff ignored me and dragged me to the back of the building.
“I see you’ve grown confident”, Jeff spat
I snatched my hand off.
“What do you want?” I retorted with confidence.
Jeff gave a sinister laugh, and I immediately regretted talking back.
“The money,” Jeff said, stretching his hands
My body began to shake in anger, and I felt like a tool for extortion. I was tired and wanted out.
“Did you keep money with me? You dare to ask me for money after how you treated me the last time?”
I scoffed.
“Tiara—
“Hold it, and I don’t need to know what you want to say. Look at me, Jeff; I am no longer interested in this so-called relationship. I’m done!” I yelled
Jeff struck me in the face.
I held my face in shock. It was the second time Jeff was hitting me in the space of two days, and I could feel the sting on my face.
“Do not speak to me like that in your life”, Jeff yelled as he spat on the ground.
Tears flowed down my eyes, and I wiped it quickly.
The library was quiet, and I was glad I didn’t have to speak to anyone.
“Hey,” a familiar voice said, and I jumped in shock.
Nathan.
“You”, I muttered, then cleared mu throat. “Hi”
“Can I sit with you?” Nathan asked.
I hesitated for a while before nodding.
Nathan took a seat, and I could smell his perfume. It sweetly called to me.
“Are you okay?” Nathan asked calmly
I looked at Nathan, wondering why he was asking me such a question. I wasn’t fine, but I didn’t want to discuss it.
“Why do you care?” Tiara asked.
“Because you deserve someone who does”, Nathan replied
I chuckled in disbelief.
Nobody cared about me except Sofia.
Silence.
“How come you are always around?” I asked, breaking the silence.
“I like books”, Nathan explained softly. “And I like you.”
I gasped softly; I couldn’t believe my ears.
Nathan liked me.
I wasn’t sure about how I felt, but I was sure he made me feel safe.
“You don’t even know me,” I muttered.
“I think I know enough”, Nathan replied, staring at me.
I suddenly felt like I could trust him. I opened up to him without thinking about it.
“I don’t know what is happening to me; I don’t understand any of this”, I whispered
“What’s happening?” Nathan asked
“I keep dreaming of fire and hallucinating”, I explained.
I wanted to tell him more, but I didn’t want him to think I was crazy.
“I feel the fire calling to me, and when I wake up, it feels real.”
“Maybe you are just under a lot of stress,” Nathan said dismissively.
I was hurt. It took a lot to come out and tell him just to be dismissed.
“Stress?” I asked, disappointed.
“Yes”
Nathan could be right; Jeff was giving me enough problems.
“Or maybe I’m going crazy”, I replied with a laugh.
I wanted it to end. Everything.
“You are not going crazy”, Nathan blurted out.
I felt assured. Nathan was only looking out for me, and it felt genuine, unlike how Jeff treated me.
“Thank you”, I whispered, holding back a smile.
Nathan’s hands touched mine, and I felt goosebumps all over.
I wanted to fall into his arms, and it felt wrong.
“I need to breathe,” I blurted out as I ran out of the library.
I was in shock; I felt the chemistry.
Nathan was attractive, but I didn’t expect to react that way to his touch.
“You always run away,” Nathan said from behind
I turned to see Nathan step out of the shadows, hands in his pocket and eyes as soft as ever.
“You followed me”, I muttered.
“You’re predictable”, Nathan shrugged.
I raised a brow.
“In a beautiful way, Tiara” he added quickly.
I blushed hard and tried to cover my face.
Nathan came close, close enough that our bodies touched.
The warmth of his body seeped through my clothes.
“This feels unreal.”
“This is real”, Nathan replied, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.
My breath caught. The moment slowed, and I swallowed hard.
Nathan’s fingers brushed my cheek and lingered.
I couldn’t move. It felt like I was burning from the inside out.
“I’m scared; I can feel my insides burn”, I whispered.
“That’s not fear. That’s power,” Nathan whispered, his eyes darkening.
- Writer
