Tempting Darkness

Chapter 11

I am so sorry for all the late updates😭 Just so busy with studies. I'll try my best to upload the next chapter ASAP (hopefully on Tuesday with no delays).

***

Isabelle

23 Days Later

I was finally going home. I finally have my chance to escape this horrible life of mine. Once I am done with my exams, I'll escape. I'll go somewhere so far away, no one will ever be able to find me and I'll finally have a better shot at life. 13 days, from today, I'll be free. Exams start tomorrow and a few days after that, graduation.

We will be landing in 3 hours and then which ever hotel we'll stay at, I'll start to plan my escape. I've all the things I'm gonna need along with the bag in which I have my parents and sister's things, luckily they aren't too many to cause any suspicions.

***

I stepped out of the car, standing in front of my school.

I am back.

I never expected to be after everything but here I am.

You are not going to draw any attention, you'll quietly go inside, give the exam, and then leave once its time to go. The voice in my head said to me.

"Isabelle, wait." Danielle called out getting out of the car as I was about to leave.

"Yes?" I replied.

"I am coming with you." My eyes widened

"W-why?"

"To make sure you don't get bullied." How did she even know I used to be bullied? 

"Okay," I said with a sigh.

I was about to walk into the examination hall when someone called out to me. "Isa?!" Lucy said as I turned around and she pulled me into her embrace.

"Luce," I said in a low voice as tears streamed down both our eyes.

"God I missed so much."

"Me too." I wiped my tears from the back of my hand.

"Someone's back in town,"  I heard another voice say from behind me in a mocking way. Ivy. I grabbed Lucy's hand and we walked right past Ivy, clashing my shoulder with hers, followed by Danielle. I could feel Ivy burning with rage as I ignored her, I didn't care. I wasn't letting her bully me anymore.  Dani had been teaching me self-defensive moves, and all the training in the past one month, I've grown stronger than before.

"Damn what happened to you?" Lucy asked as we walked towards our examination hall. She was shocked and amazed at how I ignored Ivy back there. I chuckled. I had never ignored or stood up to Ivy before, hell, I had never stood up to anyone. I was always just so scared of them. "I...honestly have no idea. It just felt right, you know." I replied. "God, how I missed you." I hugged her tightly and she did too.

"Come on, it's almost time for the exam to begin." She said rushing me into the class while Dani waited outside. We went to our respective seats and sat down, and soon after, the invigilator entered.

I didn't realize how the hours slipped by. My French exam went amazing and I was so proud of myself. I and Lucy walked out of the hall as we discussed how our exams went.

"How was it?" Danielle asked in her british accent when we met her outside the hall. "Amazing." I replied with a huge grin on my face. She smiled back at me. "That's good. Are you two hungry?" Luce and I looked at each other and then back at Dani and nodded our heads. "Alright, let's go and get you two something to eat. It's anyway almost lunch time." She ambled out of the university and into the car as we followed. Danielle drove over to a bistro near the university. We strolled inside and sat down at a seat by the window.

I spotted Ivy with my uncle and aunt and another guy who had his arm around her neck. Michael. Memories started to flash into my head and my eyes started to water. My breath hitched. Ivy glared over at us in anger and hatred, and so did aunt and uncle. I tried to ignore it as much as I could. Noticing their glares, Michael turned his head and smirked when he saw us, me.

"What the hell are you doing?" I said to the guy in front of me trying to push him away. Tears streamed down my eyes as he kissed my neck. "Let me go. Please." I begged but his grip on my butt tightened. "Michael, please. Why are you doing this? You're even dating Ivy. Please, leave me alone. Please —." He cut me off by placing his lips on mine, biting and sucking them roughly. I kept trying to push him but it was all in vain.

Suddenly the door to my room entered and Ivy walked inside. Her eyes widened when she saw her boyfriend kissing me. She was burning with rage. "Ivy, something is seriously wrong with your cousin. I was just walking past her room to go to the washroom and she suddenly pulled me inside and started kissing me," Michael lied and my eyes widened and my mouth parted. But before I could say anything, Ivy slapped me across the face and I fell to the ground. "Mom! Dad!" She screamed as they came rushing into my room. "This bitch is trying to steal my boyfriend. She pulled him in her room and started to seduce him."

"I-I did not. H-he is lying to-to you. I s-swear." I stuttered as I tried to tell them the truth. My uncle just took off his belt and started to hit me with it. I screamed and yelled in pain and Michael's mouth formed a smirk. "How dare you lie about him. You know I hate lies, don't you." My uncle said to me. If he hates liars so much, why is he one. I thought.

After beating me with the belt, he made me stand outside all night long in the rain. Loud thunders filled the sky, and with every single thunder, I flinched badly.

"Isa!" Lucy called out shaking my shoulders, bringing me out of my thoughts. Tears kept going down my eyes. I just felt like I was reliving that memory.

"Are you alright?" Danielle asked.

"No." I whispered. Micheal looked over at us again. I could feel his intense gaze on me. It made me feel disgusted. "Ca-can we go somewhere else." I said looking at Michael. Dani ans Lucy looked over their shoulders and then back at me.

"Yeah, sure. Why not." Dani said and I strode out the door and Danielle and Lucy followed me.