You crouched low behind a bush, nerves showing as you and Dominic scoped out the scene from your hideout. The two of you peered out cautiously, just enough to spot.. Raymond—sitting by the fountain, fidgeting anxiously. Your heart rate picked up at the sight, hands tightening around your phone.

Seeing you swallowing hard, Dominic smirked, "So you're using me, huh?"

"Isn't that what we agreed to? We use each other?"

Trying so hard to hold in his laughter, Dominic leaned in close, whispering in your ear, "Remember how I said to stay cool, love?"

"Cool, yeah, sure. I can barely walk right now," you panicked, glaring at him.

He rolled his eyes at your exaggeration, playfully nudging your shoulder. "Hey, just remember our chant,"

"How's our attachment have to do with anything—"

"I'm flattered, but no. Not that one,"

"Which else—" you started in protest, but just as you quickly realized, both of your eyes locked in a knowing look, narrowing in seriousness. Together, the two of you finally chanted,

"If he texts you after dark, you're allowed to block. If he tries to touch, you're allowed to slap the shit outta him—"

"And the last one?" Dominic asked in amusement, a hand landed on your shoulder before you urgently whispered—

"If he's wearing anything gray—run!"

"But it seems like he's not wearing any, so—all chill," and he quickly shoved a pair of AirPods into your ears and dialed you through his phone. "I'll be guiding you from here. Just follow what I say, alright?" But before giving you time to respond, he pressed the call button—and shoved you toward the fountain!

"Fuck—!" you stumbled forward, holding in another curse as you noticed Raymond snapped his head to you. Hearing Hunt's held in laughter from behind the bush, you hold the urge to strangle him with your bare hands. Gathering yourself, you finally heaved a heavy low groan, trying to dissipate the seething annoyance.

"Good. Just—breathe, Ren. Remember, no gray sweatpants are a good sign," he instructed through your ears.

Rolling your eyes internally—not—you started striding to Lee, putting on a tough face. As you got closer, you could fathom his face lit up with a nervous smile.

"Never thought I'd say this but his smile's creepy,"

"You're just hallucinating—"

"I lied, he's the man. I mean—look at his full white teeth, damn."

"Ohmygod are you fanboying right now?! Talk about picking the worst place—"

"Just so you're not nervous, I'm that good—"

"Shut up—"

"What..?"

Raymond blinked, confused—and your eyes widened, realizing you're already in front of him—before shutting your eyes in agony. From behind the bush, Dominic was choking on laughter. "Oh, you are that dorky. This is gold."

But also realizing Raymond's the one you should be talking to, you blurted, "No—no! Nothing I'm just—talking to myself."

Receiving a nervous laugh from Lee, you notice him lowering his head and—you quickly utilize the moment, turning to Hunt, narrowing your eyes with a head tilt. "Are you helping me or destroying me?!" you urgently whispered—before rapidly turning to the front once more with an exaggerated fake smile.

"Don't worry, love, luckily, I'm you for the day. Ok, say hi—"

"Are you.. ok? Did I just see you coming from the bush?"

But before he could salvage the moment, a situation already occurred. With a panic, you felt a sweat fall from your temple to your cheeks—

"Just say I tripped and fell, bro,"

"I tripped and fell," you followed, nodding—trying to convince the man of the hour.

Raymond squinted his eyes, but then he shook his head, dismissing his own suspicions. "Oh—yeah ok,"

"Okay, now hit him with something direct," Dominic instructed. Straightened up, you gathered your A-game, and shot,

"What do you want?"

Raymond's eyes darted nervously before he let out a resigned sigh. "I just.. I just want to say that I'm sorry about what I said—" he paused, reaching out to grab your hand, his voice softening. "We've known each other for all our lives.. I thought I have you all figured out in five seconds—"

"He's an idiot, I figured you out in two—"

"—turned out.. you're full of surprises, Ren."

"Slap away his hands!"

Without thinking twice, you followed, swatting Lee's hand dramatically.

"Say, you're so.."

"You're so weird. You can't just barge in whenever it's convenient for you while when I want you—you can just decline whenever you like!"

"Listen, I never thought you'd actually change for me."

The corners of your mouth twitched, fighting the urge to cringe. Instead, you turned away from him, giving the performance of your life—when it's just an excuse to glance toward the bush. Just as predicted, Dominic peeked out, an eyebrow raised in mocking disbelief.

"Are you sure he's worth your revenge?" Dominic whispered, his tone laced with amusement.

You couldn't hold back the giggle that escaped your mouth, though you quickly turned it into a cough—and you turned back. Raymond looked concerned, taking a step closer as Dominic chuckled, "Ask him about the girl."

You cleared your throat, putting on your most challenging face. "What about your wife—"

"She's not my wife—"

"Yet." you sassed, voice dripped with sarcasm as Raymond shut his mouth. Raising an eyebrow, you taunted, "How's the wedding preparation? You know, I feel bad for her, really—she's just one of your pawns, right?!"

"Hey—"

"You keep doing things like this—"

"You can fuck me all over but don't drag her into this!"

And you went silent.

Silenced.

Feeling your heart dropped to the lowest pit of despair. Dropped to the lowest pits of hell. You haven't expected this. You haven't readied yourself for this. To be disrespected—to this extent—you hadn't expected him to protect her. To be this quick to defend someone new.. over you.. someone who'd shared his life for years. You didn't even mean to insult her—you only meant to put him in his place—to put him down. But somehow..

It was you who was kicked to the shallowest part of the earth.

"I didn't even mean to talk down about her—I was—"

"Leave her out of this! She didn't do anything wrong!" Raymond threatened, huffing as his eyes bulged from the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Defensive.

You fell silent. But this time, out of frustration. From the other line you can hear Dominic growl, "Love, if you want me to step out of this damn bush I'm fucking ready—"

"No, it's ok—" you muttered to him unintentionally—before snapping back your head to Lee. "Ok. I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything to put her down whatsoever. So you're happy now, huh?"

"Yeah, I'm happy. So happy—"

"THEN WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU HERE?!"

You shot back, voice shaking. Raymond winced, taken aback—before momentarily looking away. Dreaming of punching him in the face, instead, you punch him with reality.

"How the fuck you use people so easily when you know damn well you haven't moved on—let alone—you're marrying her?!" And at this, his serious eyes pierced into you, but you glared back, "Uh uh! Stop lying. How they keep coming for me out of nowhere—you haven't moved on from me—!"

"It wasn't. like. that." he growled.

Anger surged, you feel the adrenaline crushed throughout your veins as you look at him in suspended rage. "It wasn't like that—?!" you scoffed in disbelief, "How could you say 'it wasn't like that' when you threw it in my face how your parents wanted you to marry her when they know damn well of my existence—you couldn't even say a thing about being with me! After all this fucking years!"

Raymond inhaled sharply, his eyes closing as he grunted his teeth in dismal. On the line, you can only hear Dominic's breathing, holding back, not daring to interrupt the matters of the heart.

"I always knew you're a mama's boy—" you snapped, "but that's just it! We didn't work out because your parents don't like me! And because you're a coward!" Ray flinched, eyebrows knitting as he scoffed—but you seethed, "I never thought you'd turn the narrative into how I'm in the wrong—saying how I'm ugly—"

"I never said you—"

"You even said to your friends I cheated on you?! Like—what. the fuck?!"

Ray stilled, and in a serious tone, he fumed, "Who told you?"

"It doesn't. matter! What matters—is you fucking. spread lies about me!"

Through the call, Dominic's voice broke in with a growl, "Wait what—? Do you want me to beat the hell out of him right now? Cause I will fucking end—"

Ignoring Hunt, you glared directly at Lee, voice trembling with conviction. "You know, when I'm with you, I'm always in fear. Always on guard. Always anxious. It doesn't give me security. You just don't. Even your words are all bullshit! What you said isn't what you turned out doing—and—and—I feel manipulated by you! But you know what? There's someone who accepts me, who likes me for who I am! I could be accepted for who I am—and to that I will never. Ever. forget about what you did."

As the long speech hung in the air, you felt yourself steady—feeling your ragged breathing.. the slight tremble on your hands.. the helplessness, the power—the rage. All in one.

Behind the bush, Dominic held his breath, his right arm rested on his bent knee in a relaxed manner. He glanced over at the building.. before shifting his gaze down to the stone paving beneath him..

And a small smile perked on his lips.

Meanwhile, Raymond, taken aback, retreating with dismay on his face. But then he stopped—like a sudden realization hit him. He slowly tilted his head, retracting his head in a questioning gesture.. before he laid it bare on the ground.

"Is.. is this because of that baseball guy?"

"Baseball guy—the fucking audacity—!"

Hunt's voice crackled through the AirPods with a low, irritated scoff—but you couldn't focus on him. Your eyes were locked on Lee. You witnessed his jaw tightened—and you scoff. Right. The fucking audacity to still be jealous?!

But you noticed his trembling hands.. his ragged breathing..

You reluctantly stepped away. His fury took a toll on him, an edge to his stance that you recognized all too well—

Suddenly, he lunged at you! His lips crashing into yours with a force. Your body stiffened as your hands instinctively slammed against his chest—shoving him hard! But he's too strong—his hands gripping your arms—preventing you from walking away! His kisses—he's eating you, lips devouring yours in desperate urgency you can't even fight back. You want to scream, but Raymond's desperate voice cuts through in ragged breaths.

"I can't have you with somebody else—"

"Ray—! Stop—" you tried to protest, but his thin lips didn't stop. As if all the longing.. the pent-up frustration—was unleashed in a reckless wave.

Maybe it's something about the familiarity. Maybe it's his scent—maybe it's just.. him. The warmth of his kiss.. the way his hands held you—and you're back in the past, and it felt.. normal. This familiarity—fuck this familiarity. You feel yourself falling back into the same old patterns. Into a strange comfort that came from years of being with him. But still.. your mind screaming that this is wrong.

This. Again.

This never-ending cycle.

Thank you for reading! Don't forget to vote, comment, and add to your library!

Check out some additional content on social media:

Cecylia Costania @rcpcs

You can elevate your experience by also listening to songs I added to this story's playlist! I'll reveal the Playlist by the end of this story, so.. Stay Tuned!

The song that matches this Chapter's vibe:

Silenced.

https://youtu.be/eGg0w8ecxY0