Without hesitation, you grabbed the mic right as the next line of the song hit—and took the lead! Startled for a moment, Dominic's eyes quickly went ablaze as he mouthed: You're dead after this.

In an instant, Dominic lunged to steal the mic back, but you were quicker. You shoved your-once-mic towards his face, making him nearly stumble back as he reached for it. He jumped back into the song, trying to sing his lines—but his voice barely carried, muffled through the backup mic. You smirked, feeling a twinge of satisfaction at the way he struggled to keep up, still trying to steal the mic back.

From the side of the stage, Talia had her face in her hands, clearly mortified by the display. Meanwhile, not far from her, the boy with slanted almond shaped eyes stood frozen, watching the chaotic scene in utter confusion.

In front of the crowd, stood two people with tired eyes, their heads drooping with fatigue. Liam sighed, casting a sideways glance at Tyler, "Is this like.. their thing or what?"

A once civil flash mob quickly became another diss battle. By the time the song ended, both you and Dominic were out of breath. For a moment there's a still silent from the crowd—

Until you hear the crowd erupted into applause, louder than you'd ever heard! You looked around, dazed—as students rushed forward to scan the charity code. Val and Dan gathered around, beaming as they pulled both you and Dominic into a group hug, ecstatic with how the performance had turned out.

Val shouted, "Keep the diss tracks going, bro and sis! Yeah! I can't believe this!"

As if just woken up from the utter confusion, still catching your breath, you and Dominic exchanged awkward glances—before you shouted, "No way—"

"Especially for the festival!" Dan added, wrapping an arm around both of you.

"What—what festival—"

Before Dom finally interrupted, "Oh, fuck no—!"

"No buts," Dan grinned, gesturing toward the crowd that was still buzzing with excitement and scanning the charity barcode. He tightened his hold on you both, and whispered right in your ears, threatening, "You two are doing it. Or I swear, I'll kill you for real this time for ruining our performance."

He let go, leaving both of you standing there, speechless. Dominic gulped, glancing over at you. You met his gaze for a brief moment—before the two of you quickly looked away, turning on your heels—

When a soda was slammed before you! You stop dead in your tracks, hands up in a startle. For a moment.. you paused, until your curiosity took over and you looked up—to find a girl, standing there, face twisted in fury.

"What in the fucking—"

"You bitch! You think you can steal my man?!" the girl shouted, her voice rose with every word, hand shook as she pointed directly at you.

You stood frozen, hands flopping to your sides as confusion quickly turned into disbelief. "What are you even talking about?"

Before the girl could fire back, someone pushed through the crowd. His cap was pulled so low that his face was barely visible—but you'd know him anywhere.

And your heart fell.

Now you know what. Now you know why.

He rushed over, clearly flustered, whispering in a hush, "Pop—stop!" His face was drained of color, the girl, however, wasn't done. She yanked her arm out of the huge boy's grip and glared at you. "You will never—" but before she could finish, he grabbed her again, this time more firmly, quickly dragging her away from the scene despite her protests.

Around you, the buzz of conversation filled the room as people whispered and stared. Val, who had been standing nearby, approached you cautiously. He gently touched your arm, face full of concern. "Hey, you okay?" When Talia popped up, her hand briskly clasped yours. She rubbed your arms, trying to calm you down while sighing a knowing sigh.

"Girl he's messed up.."

The band had just finished rehearsing, and you sat silently in the backseat of whatever this car is. Hunt laughed giddily with the others—however, from the rearview mirror, he kept sneaking glances at you. He watched the way you stared out the window.. an elbow rested on the door, your chin cupped lazily on your hands.. eyes unfocused. But suddenly, you shifted in your seat.. and your eyes met his.

Awkwardly, he looked away, stumbling to shift his focus back on the wheel. Normally, you'd scoff at him—or maybe you'd.. chuckle bashfully.. But tonight, you couldn't bring yourself to feel anything at all. You just feel.. numb.

Finally, the car pulled up to your stop. You and Val got out, saying your thank yous to Dom and waved your goodbyes. "Catch you later," Val said before walking the opposite way—and you nod. But as you started walking away from the car—

"Ren!"

Someone called you from behind. In startled confusion, you turned around.. to see Dominic, leaning out of his glossy red Mustang with 2 black stripes. Resting his elbow on the window, his eyes locked on yours. He almost closed his mouth back shut—but after a moment of reluctance, he shouted,

"There're far better things ahead than what we've left behind!"

You blinked, confusion washed over you as a few thoughts came into mind. But as you tilted your head, he muttered, "Some people don't change. Some people cannot be fixed." And without another word, he bounced his eyebrows nonchalantly.. ducked back into the car.. and drove away, leaving you there in the coldness of the night.

The dim light from the setting sun barely illuminated the room, casting long shadows across the space. You sat on the edge of the bed, your hands fumbling with the buttons of your shirt, each one feeling heavier than the last. The air in the room felt thick, suffocating. Your chest tightened with every breath, mind swirling with emotions. Stumbled into this hell hole again. Back to this routine.

At the far end of the room, a guy stood with his back to you, head bowed, buckling his belt with slow.. deliberate movements. His bare back was slick with sweat, the tension evident in the way his muscles clenched and released. His shoulders were hunched, defeated, as though the weight of their situation was crushing him too. He hadn't even turned around yet, but you could feel his reluctance.

You knew he'd walk over eventually—he always did.

The oriental features painted on his beautiful face as he moved towards you slowly, as though trying to drag out the inevitable. His steps were soft—but it felt loud in the heavy silence of the room. When he finally stopped, you kept your gaze firmly on the floor, not wanting to see the look in his slanted eyes—the look that would undo you completely.

"I told you I don't want this anymore,"

You whispered, voice trembling, barely above a breath. Your hands gripped the edge of the sheets, knuckles turning white as you tried to steady yourself, as if holding on to the bed would keep you from falling apart. "I told you I don't want to hurt anyone anymore, Ray—"

"Ren—"

"I told you—" you repeated, louder this time, the pain in your voice unmistakable. "How do I move on if you—" The words caught in your throat as tears welled up, blurring your vision. You blinked rapidly, but it didn't help. The quiver in your lips betrayed you, and the burning in your throat became unbearable.

His hand reached out, trying to cup your tear-streaked cheek—but you slapped it away, body trembling with hurt and anger.

"You're so mean."

Voice breaking, you pushed him away.

"You're so mean."

Your fists pounded weakly against his big chest, each hit more desperate than the last, your screams barely holding back the sobs that threatened to take over. He didn't fight back, didn't even try to stop you. He simply kneeled in front of you, letting your rage and sorrow crash over him like waves.

"Ray why are you—"

You pushed.

"Why are you so mean to me!"

And pushed—

He caught your wrists firmly this time, his grip strong but gentle, holding your hands still. You tried to shake him off, to hit him again, but he wouldn't let you.

"Ren—stop." he muttered, voice strained, but you couldn't stop. You didn't know how to.

"Why are you so mean to me, Ray?"

Suddenly—Ray pushed you back onto the bed, capturing your lips in a desperate kiss. Your hands flew up, trying to push him away, but he was too strong. Unexpectedly, his kiss wasn't rough—it was soft, tender, as though he was trying to communicate all the words he couldn't say. When he finally pulled back, you stared at each other, both breathless, both teetering on the edge of something too big to name.

Your face crumpled, fresh tears spilling over as you sobbed openly, the weight of everything too much to bear. Ray's arms wrapped around you, pulling you into a tight embrace as he knelt before you. His voice broke as he murmured against you, "I'm sorry—I'm sorry—"

For a long moment, the two of you stayed like that, locked in your shared grief. When Ray finally pulled back, the silence between you felt suffocating. He stared down at you, eyes full of regret, as if the words he was about to say would destroy you both. And it did.

"They forced me to marry her."

His voice barely a whisper, yet it sounded like a sledgehammer to the chest. "This.. this would be our last time, Ren, I promise."

You froze, unable to process whatever shit he had just said. "What?" you whispered, your voice trembling, barely there.

"I know," Ray's voice was thick with guilt as he said, "we've said goodbye so many times, but—"

"AGAIN?!"

You screamed, your whole body shook with fury.

"I know!" Ray's voice cracked, his frustration evident. "I want to move on too! You know how I avoided you! But every time I see you on campus—I just—" he choked, frustration painted his face—but then resolute washed over as he wished, "But I really hope this would end—"

"You're so full of bullshit! You've said this before—you've said it over and over! I begged you to—please—Ray, help me would you? Please cease contacting me—and every time. Every. time you feel like you have too much time in the world—you call me! You showed up at my door—it was all good! Okay?! You were gone. Good! You have someone new—good! But again—a girl almost killed me—I don't know why you couldn't just—do you—do you actually have a problem with her?! Fuck! Or are you just using me to fulfill your high libido—"

"If only you could dress better!"

He blurted—and the second the words left his mouth, he froze. It was too late. Your heart stopped. The air seemed to vanish from the room. Your voice was so quiet it was almost a breath. "What..?"

Ray looked away, hurt flooding his expression, but he didn't take it back. "If only you'd get rid of those baggy jeans—that—ugly Birkenstocks—be more presentable?! I wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen with you in front of my friends! And your hair—God! I could—I would've taken you home—introduce you to my parents without being afraid of feeling judged by them!"

You tried to garner the courage to speak, but you stood still. Those hurtful—aggressive words echoed in your mind. Was that just his defense mechanism or—so—

So.. all this time.. it's been bothering him? Did—did this—did you bother anyone either—? Talia—and.. that—that damn Dominic..

So what he said is all true..?

You gulped, eyebrows knitting. Reluctantly, you lowered your head to check on yourself—but you rapidly looked away, not even daring to look at yourself now. Ray turned away with pain in his eyes, his trembling hand went to his forehead but he briskly lowered it—not knowing what to do now. After everything he said. After every.. hurtful thing he said about you. There's no going back. There's no taking back the hurt he could feel lingering in your eyes.

"I love you, Ray.."

The moment you spoke, his eyes widened. "You were my best friend.. if only you knew how I missed the way we were before we—before all of this happened.." you paused, the hole in your chest seemingly getting larger and larger, "the only thing I ever wished for is for everything to go back to the way it used to, but after—" you choked, your face scrunched as you held the burning fire of shame on your throat.

"I love you—" you gasped again, and Ray took a sharp inhale before deciding to take a step closer—but you recoiled, making him stop in his tracks. And as your eyes finally found the courage to meet his—as supposed to be the last time.. the last words rolled in your tongue as bitter as it tasted.

"But I guess you didn't deserve it anyway." 

Val and Dan seemed to be playing with their toys as the music thumped through the house, lights flickering in sync with the bass. The Mediterranean-style decor was the perfect setting, its sprawling spaces filled with laughter, conversations, and the occasional clink of drinks. Across the room, Tyler and Liam were talking when Tyler's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, and a bashful smile spread across his face, couldn't be contained.

Liam raised an eyebrow, groaning playfully. "Ugh stop—it's gross,"

Tyler just grinned, ignoring him as he typed a message. Dom only stole a glance before letting out a slight smirk. Until Tyler finally looked around the building and beamed, "Em would love this."

"Right. She's got a thing for Mediterranean houses, huh?" Liam chuckled.

"Well, your house," Tyler added.

Before Wyatt could respond, a voice called out from behind, "Hi guys!"

Dominic froze mid-sip. He'd know that voice anywhere. Slowly, he turned around.. and there she was—Emilym looking effortlessly stunning, her smile too bright to be true. Her hair was pulled up into a casual bun, and she seemed lighter, happier. Much happier than before.

Tyler and Liam were caught off guard, but Tyler quickly beamed and rushed to her, wrapping her in a hug. "What are you doing here?!"

"Surprising you," she laughed softly, leaning in for a kiss which was responded eagerly by the love of her life.

Liam made a face, "Oh God, get a room!"

"You're not happy to see me Wyatt?!" Emily laughed, playfully swatting Liam's arm before her eyes landed on Dominic, who was sipping from a red cup. And it certainly brought out a few memories. Her smile faltered slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. "Hi, Dom."

Dominic raised his cup with a detached smile, "Welcome to Stanford," he muttered before downing the rest of his drink in one go. The tension was palpable, cutting through the noise of the party.

Tyler, feeling the awkwardness settle in, exhaled sharply. His face tightened for just a moment, but he forced a smile, determined not to let this ruin the night. The others in the group noticed the tension but brushed it off, just the usual.

Emily smiled politely before Tyler led her away, their backs disappearing into the crowd. But Hunt's lingering gaze fixed on her back as his memory flooded with memories. Sucks that it's mostly the good ones—while it lasted, though.

Liam noticed, and so as soon as their bestfriends were out of earshot, Liam approached him, clapping him on the shoulder, "Bro, you can't still be looking at her like that."

Dominic let out a fake chuckle, though his eyes gave him away. "You know—I'll—" he jerked his thumb toward the door, his face scrunching in annoyance. And without waiting for a response, he walked out of the house. Leaving Liam exhaled a heavy sigh, now to be the one chugging his drink till it's empty.

At the party, it finally dawned on you. How no one had looked at you, how every guy seemed to ignore you—brushing past as though you were invisible. There was even that one guy who'd given you a quick glance, looking you up and down—before turning away like you weren't worth a second thought. You usually don't care, but—it stung even more now. Thoughts raced as you frantically scanned the room, and that's when you saw him.

Dominic.

He was standing alone on the balcony, his back leaning against the railing, eyes scanning the party unfold through the open doors of the sorority house. His posture was relaxed, cigarette hanging from his lips as he took in smoke.. and exhaled. The smoke blurred his line of sight, but after a moment, you're there.. right on his gaze. And his lips curled up.

Something snapped inside you. Adrenaline surged through your veins, heart pounding in your ears. Without much thought, your legs moved, and you found herself walking—no, marching—straight toward him. Your eyes fixed, sharp with purpose. You didn't even blink as you closed the distance between you and him. Dominic's gaze never wavered, his smirk widening as he took a drag from his cigarette, blowing the smoke lazily into the air as you pushed open the door to the balcony.

As soon as you stepped out, Hunt exhaled the smoke right in your face. Normally your instinct was to brush it away—waving the cloud aside, but that wasn't why you came. The smoke didn't fucking matter. What mattered was the burning question that had taken root inside your chest, a question you needed an answer to.

"Are you such an asshole to me because you think I look like shit?"

Dominick knitted his eyebrows—for it looked like he was confused—but then his smirk deepened, eyes glinting with that usual cocky arrogance. And as he slightly put away his cigarette from his mouth, he leaned forward slightly.. before with a voice dripping with amusement, he professed,

"Why, of course I am."

And it hit you like a punch in the gut. You had expected them, though. You didn't know why the hell you're hurting yourself further like this. Maybe you just needed another asshole—an overly honest one—to K.O. you to the filthy ground. Ray—Anderson, Hunt—you just couldn't take it anymore. After a moment of shock and inevitable despair, you nodded, your lips pursing in a thin line as you finally looked up.

That's when Dominic noticed the glassy eyes. His light faltered, the smirk slowly fading from his face as he straightened up, lowering the cigarette from his lips. His expression turned serious, concerned, almost like he regretted saying it.

"Of course," you muttered under your breath, voice thick with resignation before you exhaled a trembling breath. You rapidly turned around, your back to him, walking away as though the conversation had never happened.

Dominic stood there, frozen, watching your retreating figure. His hand gripping the cigarette so hard the ash crumbled to the floor. Turning away, blinking, he tried to shake off the lingering guilt gnawing at him as he put the cigarette between his lips—but your face suddenly surfaced in front of him. The way your expression changed playing over in his mind like a bad reel of a horror film, again and again—

"Fuck."

He cursed under his breath, dropping the cigarette to the railing—which unfortunately landed on someone's head. But the scream didn't bother him. Without hesitating, he spun on his heel and rushed after you.

You had already reached the doors when he caught up, hand grabbing your wrist and pulling you back with enough force that you almost stumbled. Facing him with your limp body, he noticed your void emotion. Gone was the fire that had driven you to usually confront him. Gone was the anger—the frustration. What stood before him now was someone.. cold.

Numb.

Dominic stared at you, unsure of what to say, of what to do—his mind raced for an apology—an.. explanation. But before he could speak, your voice cut through the silence. Your numb face now turned steely, and your cold eyes bored to him as you asked,

"Sleep with me."

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:

"Girl he's messed up.."

https://youtu.be/Ju9X2HMMid4