FALLEN: A New Adult Romance (First of the FALLEN Trilogy)

Darkest Before Dawn

"And you do? Have you seen his hair falling on his face like a girl? It was a joke." He rolls his eyes at me and leaves the room.

I sit on the bed and try to compose myself. That was sexist, and I really can't stand it. It quickly makes me think of Marcel. It makes me smile that he is a proud feminist and so upfront about equality and actively fighting for it. He bloody dedicated all his thesis to it. He is freaking remarkable. He seems so kind and extraordinary compared to my boyfriend. Boyfriend...

It has been a long time since something like that happened. He bullied me all my life. I was the crazy one to choose to give him a chance when he was suddenly infatuated by me. I'm the masochistic woman who tolerates staying in a relationship with a man who treats me like that. It's all I have ever known. For four years, almost five, I lived with it, thinking I was the problem. He might be really sweet when he wants, but now that he seems to bully me again, I don't want to take the risk that he gets used to treat me like that again, more often than he already does.

He leaves me in the room alone, and I'm glad. I get to feel my emotions freely.

I breathe in and out, getting more comfortable on the bed, and press my palms on my eyes to stop myself from crying. I mustn't. I have nowhere to hide here. I need to go back out there and face what I have done and see if they told or will tell Steeve about last weekend. I can't imagine the wrath of anger that will come upon me when I break up with him.

Oh my God...

I get up and collect myself. I breathe in and out again and exit the room. I swipe my thumbs under my eyes just in case one last time and walk into the living room. I look at them, awkwardly sitting on their couches, Sophie and Lucas together, and Ash and Stee have their own.

I can hear the little devil in my head asking me which one will I choose to sit next to. After what just happened, I want to sit next to Ash. I want to feel protected. But I must do what is expected of me and head to Steeve. I know if I don't, he'll get angry at me again.

"Why don't you come to sit with me?" The beautiful sound of the drummer's voice comes to my ears. "If you are going to live here, we are better to get to know each other right now." He smirks at me, his hazel eyes piercing mine as I welcome his invitation more than he knows how.

I step towards him and sit dangerously close, not enough to draw any suspicions but enough to feel the warmth of his body against mine. He puts his arm on the back of the couch behind me before he starts his interrogation.

"We were talking about going to the pub tonight," Sophie says, but I'm more focused on the whispered voice in my ear.

"So? You have a boyfriend?" Ashley asks, and I feel my heart sink to my heels. He barely knows me, so literally, the only thing he knows is that I'm unfaithful.

"I do," I whisper back, trying my best to be subtle.

"And you kissed me?" He says as if I was a mean person when I'm actually just stuck in a poisoned relationship.

"I didn't. You kissed me, and I was drunk." I slightly turn my head to him to make sure nobody sees or hears us.

"What about the texts?" He asks, and I feel a sweetness in his voice, and I can't help but remember all the excitement he made me think, and I still feel. I need to be truthful.

I turn my head completely to him, and our eyes gaze into each other. I felt giddy again and stressed about being caught, but there was no way for Steeve to know if nobody told him. I really didn't expect this weekend to turn out this way, but part of me is glad to see these new friends more often.