Despite their silent war going on, Friday wasn’t any different from the other days. Adrien didn’t step up his game but also didn’t let Raven be.

  They were like mountains in a storm — unwavering and unrelenting while Raven’s little twist acted as an enhanced anchor.

  The rules were the same, yet the player had adjusted.

  ‘Even if Adrien would never know the real difference, it was the same like a cough drop for a sore throat,’ thought Raven —

  Her eyes, pulsating yet sharp, persistently followed a little bird — flickering between the wind, swooshing around the branches carefully, even patiently eyeing a worm —

  softening at the swift catch of the quiet predator, tongue tingling sweet.

  ———————————————

  Nonetheless, as the day went by, the sugary taste dispersed slowly, a lingering note staying on the tip of her tongue, ready to amplify if needed.

  The only thing that particularly stuck out was the foul smell of garbage that carried up Raven’s nose,

  overpowering any kind of flavor but foulness as she passed by Adrien’s set of friends.

  Joselyn, Derick, and Tyler. The Devil’s Trio. Snakes draped in gold.

  If treachery was a human, it would be Tyler. Tyler and her weren’t particularly close before, but he was someone Raven had respected and considered a mutual friend.

  She hadn’t expected much, but what he did was so much worse.

  It was a known fact that even before, Raven hadn’t considered many people her close friends.

  Sure, she knew people and people knew her.

  But thinking you know someone and the person actually letting you know them — not that you ever truly knew someone — wasn’t the same.

  Some people were just acquaintances.

  People that usually didn’t owe you anything, yet their open disregard for you still stung,

  leaving patches of soreness all over you that, seen individually, didn’t have much impact on you,

  but combined left a big, ugly yellow-blue bruise, brand-marking you.

  But Tyler… he wasn’t just an acquaintance. No, he was Adelaine’s ex — someone Raven held dear.

  He was someone who acted as if his kindness and respect — his humanity — was a small spark, easy to obtain and reserved for everyone,

  not a full-blown, heated and burning, leathering fire awaiting to burn anybody he deemed as useless or unworthy.

  And unworthy were those who didn’t laugh when he talked, didn’t beg for him to glance at them.

  Unworthy were those who didn’t act his and his friends’ way but their own way instead.

  Unworthy were Raven and Adelaine — anyone who dared to associate with her.

  The old memory burned fresh in her mind as if it was happening right now — vivid, alive.

  Adelaine crying in her arms after a party that Tyler invited her to.

  Clothes in disarray. Her top corset half open. Jeans barely closed.

  Big, ugly tears dropping out of her once-shining, coffee-dipped pupils. Each drop telling a story that should have never been told.

  That night was the first time Adelaine didn’t speak herself but let her body speak for her.

  Marks on the formerly white canvas — her skin scarred, bruised in blue and yellow, signed by force. Similar to those Raven wore.

  The only difference being Raven didn’t obtain hers by hormone-driven, drunk teenagers but a grown male.

  The memory felt the same as the moment that night — surreal, numb — while the constant ringing and sounds of sobs and uncontrollable shaking of shoulders, head, legs, arms, foot, and fingers…

  Reminded her it was very much happening. The stinging hid itself behind Adelaine’s tight arms around her

  — a touch that felt hot with every second it lasted, painfully throbbing on her tender skin.

  The following days were a pure living nightmare.

  Adelaine took just three days before she smiled again. The smile shot right to Raven’s core.

  It was too much, too intense, too happy. It made her heart thump strong, tightening harder and harder around itself.

  She couldn’t breathe anytime Adelaine gifted her a smile that time.

  Each normal gesture left Raven with a sensation of burning that didn’t want to leave.

  Her nerves were all over — she wanted to help. She wanted to erase what happened.

  Raven wanted scar for scar, yet she couldn’t. And there wasn’t much that felt worse than the feeling of being unable to help — the feeling of powerlessness.

  But the worst days were the days Adelaine shrunk away from touch and eyes, where she couldn’t pretend that the night didn’t happen.

  Where she went to school, and her ex-boyfriend — the snake draped in gold who took the happiness of one person for his own — looked right past her as if he didn’t leave burns, chars.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Yet it took Adelaine weeks to be able to touch again without flinching, months to be able to look and smile without looking like a beautiful yet tragic doll.

  Being alive was truly humans’ worst curse and gift — a sour-sweet candy wrapped into promises of happiness.

  But the grand finale was yet to come — the final piece that bound Raven once again to the long list of bills she would never be able to repay.

  A guilt Raven would never free herself of.

  The day Adelaine opened up her locker…

  It sprung open, letting a letter fall out.

  It was small, folded, and seemed so insignificant.

  The moment Adelaine shrugged off her first moment of shock, she unknowingly picked it up and opened the neatly folded paper.

  Raven wanted to burn herself and Tyler alive as her eyes locked with the typed words.

  It took her seconds to realize what was written — for her eyes and brain to connect, to comprehend that this was their reality.

  It took her moments to notice that her friend was in a state of shock, where the only reaction of her being alive was her heavy, irregular breathing

  — her chest rising and sinking at an unimaginably fast tempo, breath ragged, and knuckles tightening so hard on the note that they started to turn white.

  Just three short sentences. No signature, but it wasn’t needed. The lingering smell of rotten garbage was indicator enough.

  The font was Arial, as if it was just your everyday message.

  “Consider what happened a reminder of what happens when you choose the wrong side. You brought this on yourself. I’m done with you — stay in your lane, or next time, I won’t be so nice.”

  ‘That little fucker!’ The anger was still burning and nurtured well inside Raven’s walls even after all this time.

  There was no sorry, no apology, not even an ounce of remorse. Not that it would have changed anything, but this was worse — so much worse.

  He would rather justify his inhumane actions and blame Adelaine instead. Not only him. Not only her.

  But Adelaine — the probably gentlest person living.

  Someone who would bite herself so you could feed yourself.

  Dry eyes started to prickle.

  Her body remembered every reaction, every moment, every second.

  Raven’s voice was soft, fragile — afraid to break more — held together by burdens way too old for someone her tender age. Raven was merely 17.

  “Ade… Adelaine, do you hear me?” Her voice trembling with every syllable she spoke. It was so quiet.

  Raven understood her friend was in shock, so she delicately touched her shoulder, trying to take her with her as gently as she could.

  She had done enough damage.

  But they couldn’t stay in the hallway full of people who acted as if she and Raven were the newest anime movie of the Ghibli Studios

  — beautiful yet sad, with a hunch of deeper meaning than it seems.

  So Raven took Adelaine with the most softness she could muster out of the school.

  Before that, she faintly closed the locker, took Adelaine’s schoolbag on top of hers while guiding her with one hand out.

  She tried to be as subtle as possible, mindful of the eyes on them.

  When they finally reached their place, Adelaine fell out of Raven’s grasp and trance — breaking.

  Breaking into one of the most gut-wrenching sounds Raven had ever heard.

  Punching Raven all over again, each shudder felt like another hot, piercing punch.

  Her eyes swam in rivers of tears, and Raven just fell, following her.

  This was the first and last time Raven and Adelaine cried together.

  Clutching each other as if it was their last lifeline, their grasps and sobs running after each other’s rhythm.

  They were tired of months of pretending everything was alright, as if all of this was okay.

  This moment was also one of the last times Raven cried. She was never a big crier, but after learning that your tears fuel your monster, you stop what you can.

  It was also the day Raven swore to herself there would be no more Adelaine. No him or anyone else. She was done.

  She tried — she really did. So if she could help it, there wouldn’t be any more victims or white knights in her name.

  ‘I’m sorry, Blondie. Monsters don’t deserve company nor friends. Annoying, fake or not — not worth it.’

  So they cried for themselves, they cried for each other, and they cried till they had no tears left.

  They probably looked like crazy girls, sitting on the ground, deeply entwined with each other.

  Because they knew there was no hope in their situation. No light — just the drive for survival.

  They both didn’t exactly know what the other was going through, but they understood that they truly only had each other in this school — and probably in general.

  There was a pain only the injured understood. And they were bleeding.

  So they laughed like there was no tomorrow. They looked like maniacs — dried tears, crumpled clothes.

  Helpless and tired — but not defeated.

  Never under their hands. This satisfaction wasn’t reserved for them, not if they had a say in it.

  A broken sound without any amusement in it — just desperation and survival.

  Their current situation wasn’t just tricky — it was basically hell.

  Tyler was not only an asshole, but he was a smart one too. He knew how wealthy and known families in their community acted.

  This matter wouldn’t see the light even if they wanted it to. Not that his letter didn’t leave enough of an impression.

  But their families wouldn’t risk it. It was bad press for them and the whole community — including the school.

  They would rather talk about this behind closed doors. It would be a business transaction. Politics, not justice.

  Raven didn’t know for sure Adelaine’s connection to her family,

  but Adelaine’s slight flicker of a smile when they talked about their families,

  and her lack of want to include them in anything, told Raven enough.

  Her family probably never knew that something had happened — and would probably never know.

  Another fact was Raven couldn’t risk it. Her life wasn’t hers only.

  Any action of hers was reflected on her.

  Her father’s wrath was unimaginable.

  Two scandals involving the Great Storm Family — the family of the Great Police Chief Andrew Storm — unforgivable.

  So this matter became their little secret.

  The secret of three.

  A secret held together by the heavy weight of what could be — fear.

  And Raven hated herself for it. His power and her lack of it.

  Logically, she knew she never forced him to do it, but the voices — the whispers who told her what the letter already stated —

  they… he hurt her because she chose Raven.

  Someone who inevitably hurt everyone around her, one way or another.

  Only because of her the accident happened.

  Only because of her, Rashta and the Doc were involved with her father — a man who could make the mouth of the Devil water.

  Logically, she knew it wasn’t just black and white, but it still stung, burning her from the inside.

  The sound of the teacher trying to silence the class brought her back to the present, tearing her eyes away from the scene before her.

  ‘I can’t await the weekend,’ resigned Raven inwards, her hands clenching, nails digging into her palm,

  awaiting a familiar pain to settle in before she sighed, giving attention to the almost forgotten exercise.

  ——————————————

  When the weekend settled into Raven’s week, it wasn’t anything unusual — work and some rest if possible. A break.

  The only noteworthy thing was that her father wasn’t here, so her mind and body could actually have some time to rest.

  It was quite normal for her not to see her father for a few days. He was in law enforcement, after all.

  But he usually had set times when he was there or wasn’t.

  And depending on his mood, he even would give her a heads-up.

  Not because he cared, but because he could — and loved toying with her, confusing her from settling into a routine.

  ———————————————

  As Monday rolled in, it was one of the rare days Raven ever felt truly refreshed after the weekend.

  Sadly, it didn’t last long.

  Raven usually preferred being a few minutes earlier than the rest of her class. It gave her enough time to mentally prepare herself for classes.

  She liked how quiet and alone the classes seemed. Sometimes there were students before her, but usually it was just her.

  That’s why when she remembered seeing Adrien on Friday early in class, it wasn’t a surprise.

  It made her eye twitch once, but nothing more.

  Maybe it was just a coincidence, but the following classes they had together this Monday, he was also early

  — which made her stumble slightly. Not enough to be seen, but enough for her to acknowledge it.

  Okay, now Raven was suspicious. Once or twice — but thrice at similar times wasn’t normal, right?

  Like Wednesday Addams said: when something happens more than twice, you have a case.

  And before Friday, sure, they met once or twice before class started. But today it was in each class they shared together.

  Sure, they only had two to this point today, still goosebumps arose over the back of her neck.

  She couldn’t put exactly her finger on what it was, but it felt weird. Like — like he was timing it.

  But he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t, right?

  Another thing that Raven seemed to notice was he didn’t talk to her much during classes.

  But before they started, he sat beside her and talked like there was no tomorrow.

  Raven didn’t know what to do and took out her book required for English Lit and started reading to blend him out

  — which proved to be harder than she thought.

  But what made her really bite her tongue was the fact that he moved to other seats in classes they had with his friends — and it was not mandatory for him to sit near her.

  However, her hands twitched when he was near, so she had to do something with them before it got noticeable, and his eyes still lingered way too long where they shouldn’t.

  But the action that made all his weird behavior pale in comparison was when they met in the hallway and he didn’t try to talk to her or stop her.

  He just sent a quick glance and a nod so unnoticeable she thought she imagined it, as he went his way and she hers.

  The subtle change in behavior was actually unnerving.

  ‘It’s like he is adapting while still being the same annoying him.’

  And just when Raven thought she saw everything he could show her…

  He surprised her again — acting all buddy-buddy with her under the disguise of sportsmanship.

  He was just so confusing. He demanded way too much attention of her and gave her way too much.

  At the end of the sports lesson, her left eye was twitching almost every second.

  ‘He is going to drive me crazy.’

  Little teaser:

  “Scrutiny wasn’t just hate or judgment; it was born from jealousy, disbelief, and dissatisfaction—wherever society failed, scrutiny thrived.”