Morozov

Chapter 12

The birthday has been going on for three hours already and 'tired' didn't even come near what I felt about it.
Nothing really happened other than Gabriel glaring at me from the end of the table, Niveen's aunt flirting with me and one of the uncles talking about how to make business, as if I didn't already know that.

"Tell me, Jack," auntie addressed me, interrupting my conversation once again. "How often do you work out to look that fabulous?"
Her wrinkly hand snaked up my arm to squeeze my bicep and I shifted away from her awkwardly.
You learn to sail on old ships but that was definitely too old for me. She was probably in her fifties.

"Aunt Mary," Niveen started, saving me from my misery. "Why don't you leave Jack alone, hm?"
"But he's so sexy," she cussed, training her hungry eyes on me once more.
"Okay," my fake girlfriend exclaimed, slamming her palms on the desk as she got up abruptly. The expensive tableware rattled, making everyone startle anf turn their attention on us.
Niveen grabbed my arm and pulled me up as well.
Well, she was tugging at my shirt, symbolizing me to get up.

"Excuse us for a minute," she said politely. I could tell she was boiling. Heading for the front door, she pulled me with her with our fingers intertwined.

Just like a couple.

Only when the door fell into its lock, I felt able to breath again.
My muscles relaxed a little and I rolled my neck, cracking it to release some more tension.

Niveen's fingers were still between mine. I hadn't even noticed until I saw the way she looked down on them. She had this look in her eyes, I couldn't quite decipher what it was but she looked different. Not as happy and positive than she normally was.

Did she know what I was about to say?

I separated my hand from hers, an immediate feeling of emptiness spreading from the spot her skin was touching mine only a second earlier.
I brushed it off.

"Something tells me you're angry," I teased with a smirk on my face, attempting to cheer her up.
"They're so fucking annoying," she responded through gritted teeth, then threw her head back, frowning loudly and out of anger.
"Wait until you get to know mine," I joke but then it hits me.

"Niveen, about yesterday," I started, feeling hesitant.
Her eyes snapped up to mine immediately, dull with fear.
She knew.

"You don't have to say anything," she started but I cut her off, wanting to get this off my chest.
"I just don't want you to think that it meant anything." Instantly, I regretted my previous words. I wanted to take it easy on her, having thought about how exactly to phrase it for way too long.
Only when the statement left my mouth and it was too late did I realize just how cruel that sounded.

Hurt flashed across her face before it went emotionless. Her eyes, that were normally sparkling with life and temper, have become even duller.
And then she hit straight back....and struck like a bullet straight to the heart.

"You thought it might've meant something to me? We were drunk," she huffed out a laugh and her eyes flicked to the side for a split second.
I looked at her for a moment, contemplating whether to address my doubts or not.

The human's eyes flick upward to the right when they're lying. It's a subconscious thing because they can't stand looking the person they're lying to in the eyes. They probably feel less bad about it then, or at least that's what their brain tells them.

It's all in the eyes.

Niveen
I felt my heart was ripped out of my chest, squeezed until all the blood was drained out of it, torn into a million pieces, sewed back together in the wrong way and then put back inside my chest, plugged in only to keep me functional.
And what was even worse was that Jack did it to me.

What did I expect? He was way too old for me. He had an affair with both Vera and her mom. That should've made all the alarms in my head go off.
Yet, I still let it happen.

It wasn't even his fault. I think if I had just stopped, if I wouldn't have tested how far he'd go, this could have been prevented.
But I didn't. And now I had to face the consequences of my own actions.
You reap what you sow.

The front door opened, revealing my uncle - the one whose birthday we were celebrating.
"Oh there you are," he said as he staggered towards me and his arm snaked around my waist. The stench of alcohol was nearly unbearable.
"I thought my favorite niece had already left."

I gave an awkward smile, wanting to politely shift out of his grasp and tell him to respectfully piss the fuck off, when he tightened it, sliding his hand down to my ass.
"What the hell are you doing-" I exclaimed in shock, stepping further toward Jack but the pedophile grabbed my arm, yanking me back harshly.
I let out a whelp, immediate panic flashing through me.

Jack's eyes darkened severely, his posture straightened.
"Let go of her," he demanded in a dangerous tone.
"That's none of your fucking business, little boy."

That was enough to send Jack's fist flying straight to his face.
He jerked back, stumbling down the stairs backwards and hitting his head on the plaster.
I gasped in shock, rushing after him.
When I saw blood pool around him, coming from a laceration at the back of his head, I backed away. I slipped and was sat down on the staircase by gravity.

"Jack," I whispered in shock, my hand flying over my mouth and tears stinging the backs of my eyes. When he didn't answer I repeated his name, this time a little louder and more urgent.
"Get up," he demanded, grabbing me by my arm to pull me on my feet.
"Jack you killed-" he hushed me, guiding me to dodge the blood pooling on the ground and dripping into the edges between the plaster.

"We need to leave," he said, reaching for his car key in his pocket. "I can't leave I need to-" "What the fuck do you wanna do, Niveen? Do you really think your father won't blame you as well? How are you going to explain this?"
"But-" "Keep it together," he demanded, shaking me by my shoulders and a severe look on his face.

I closed my eyes, thinking before I made a split second decision.
I could either go back in and probably get myself beaten to death, or I could go with the guy who just broke my heart.
The latter sounded way more fortunate to me.

I nodded my head, my knuckles turning white and bloody half moons building on my palms because of how hard I pressed my nails into the skin.
"Let's go then."
Jack didn't waste any time. He put his arm around me, rushing me to the car.
In a matter of seconds, the engine was roaring and we drove off into the night.

I'm SO SORRY about the long wait and the short chapter!
I hope you still liked it.
Have a great day/night!❤️