Muse [18+] • REVISING

19 | Stand Still

V E R A

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A Year Earlier

"You think this is some kind of game? That wall in your room? The hundreds of pictures of me? When I was in the shower? When I was sleeping? Following me everywhere I fucking went?"

As I confronted the man sitting behind the glass divider, rage settled in. Despite him being locked up, I couldn't get rid of how violated I had felt. All he did was stare back at me, not a look of remorse in his eyes.

"Do you have nothing to say to me? You spent the last eight months making my life miserable, all because—what, because I broke up with you?"

"I did everything only because I care about you," He responded, in an attempt to manipulate me.

"Spare me your fucking sob story, Luke. We dated for five lousy months until I told you I couldn't do this anymore. And why couldn't I do it, huh?" I questioned, clenching my jaw.

I wanted him to tell me everything he had done to me but I knew he wouldn't have given me what I wanted.

"Turning my friends against me, smashing my car windows and slashing my tires so I had no choice but to rely on you to go anywhere for months, hiding in my dorm while I slept, breaking into my fucking home where my family lives, at what three in the morning just because I wouldn't answer your calls? Not to mention the multiple times you cheated on me. Lying in my bed while you had just spent the night fucking someone else,"

"I had to get a restraining order against you because you wouldn't fucking leave me alone, but oh wait? That didn't stop you either, did it? You're nothing but a psychopath, Luke,"

"How could you say that to me? All I ever did was love you," He shot back in a calm voice.

Spitting at the glass dividing us, my anger started to build as the expression on his face remained blank. Although he had no one way of touching me, it felt like his presence remained on every part of my skin.

"Fuck you," I spat out.

"Despite the bullshit sentence they gave you, I hope you fucking rot in here."

Hanging the phone back onto the wall, I stood up and relished in him being behind bars one last time. As one of the guards placed handcuffs around him, a chuckle escaped his mouth before yelling a few choice words that only heightened my rage.

"See you in five years, Verani."

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Present

"What? How is that even possible? He's only been in there for a little over a year," Eli questioned on the other line.

It sounded crazy but the man I had assumed was behind all of this, came from money. All it took was some hush money and a few strings could have easily been pulled for the court to write him off as someone released on good behavior. Without even realizing it, they would've only further proved that Lucas Ramirez was a dangerous man.

"I don't know, Eli, but when I went to see what was happening at the museum, I found a piece of that keychain they give you at CCA's orientation. I mean, what are the fucking odds?" I replied, anxiously.

"You're telling me there's the possibility that he got out and took a plane all the way to Paris?"

Hearing my theory out loud only made me feel like I was going insane.