𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐄
𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒂𝒔 : 𝒆𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒅𝒆 𝒔𝒊𝒙 - 𝒂 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕
𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒘𝒐
Riven had a bad feeling when Beatrix had woken up.
Some gut feelings told him that it wasn't her, per say, but the person who had manipulated her: Rosalind. He glanced at Dane ─ the glint in his eyes told Riven that the dark-skinned boy was ready to abandon the school's values and join Rosalind. But uncertainty tainted Riven's face as he stood up, stretching his back. "We should head back."
"Wait." Beatrix said, sharply yet in a soft, imploring tone. She looked tired ─ yet determination ignited her dark eyes. Deep down, she knew Riven was head over heels for Circe. Everyone knew that. But some silly, hopeful spark tugged her insides at their shared past. "Rosalind will be here soon. Just hear her out. Her and my dad have a plan, and you two could be part of it. It doesn't have to end here."
"Your dad send you here?" Dane asked with a raised eyebrow.
Beatrix tilted her head. "He's not technically my dad, but he'll know what to do."
"It's been a long time, Beatrix." the trio remained quiet. Rosalind had entered, rendering the two boys without any possible escape. The elderly woman had grey hair in her blonde bun, cold blue eyes analysing Beatrix's companions. Unnerved, Riven shifted his weight, cerulean eyes darting around as Rosalind's eyes stared at him. "Friends?"
Beatrix nodded meekly. "They're willing to join us."
No, we're not. Riven wanted to say, but kept quiet, glancing at Dane. Or at least, he himself didn't want to. The eager glint in Dane's eyes told Riven otherwise.
Rosalind tilted his head, slowly analysing the boys. "I'm sure they know what will happen if they dare to cross my path."
The threat was evident in her voice, sharp as a dagger, making Riven gulp. His mind darted straight to Circe ─ hopefully she was okay. But now he worried he was in too deep with Beatrix and Rosalind. If he backed out now, it would look as if he would tell someone about them. Most likely, they would threaten his closest loved ones to make sure he kept quiet. And Riven couldn't let anything or anyone hurt Circe.
Perhaps satisfied, Rosalind nodded sharply, turning around. "Alright. We should get going."
Expecting that the rest would follow, Rosalind exited through the back door. The cold night air pushed itself inside, clutching Riven with a shiver made of dread. But a plan started to plan itself in his mind. He could be a great spy . . . make sure that none of Rosalind's plans threatened to hurt anyone.
Nodding as if to reassure himself, Riven went to follow Dane and Beatrix but the door opened behind them. Dread settled itself and made a nest inside of Riven, face falling as he watched Circe stop breathlessly, eyes wide as she stared between him and Beatrix. Confusion masqueraded on her face, gnawing on her bottom lip.
Beatrix lifted her hand, electricity sparkling behind her purple eyes. But Riven frowned, standing in front of Circe. "Stop. I won't let you hurt her."
"But you are joini-"
"Let me talk to her." Riven muttered. Beatrix opened her mouth to protest, but Dane tugged her sleeve, dragging her outside to give him and Circe a moment. Sighing, Riven rubbed his face tiredly, as anger started to bubble inside of Circe. "Cirs, I─"
"Cut the bullshit, Riven." he turned to stare at her, unsurprised by the tone of her voice, blonde hair tied behind. "What the hell? What are you doing with Beatrix?"
"If you let me explain─"
"I'm not letting you join her, or Beatrix. It is stupid, and reckless, and dare I say extremely dangerous─"
"I know what I'm getting into." Riven snapped, immediately regretting as hurt flashed across her face, before Circe masked it by straightening her posture. He sighed, pressing his fingers to his temple. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."
A physical distance separated the two as Circe rubbed her hands across her arms, the cold air gripping her limbs. The blonde stared at her boyfriend, a sudden wave of panic, as if she were drafted into the middle of the ocean and was drowning inevitably. Suddenly, she wished she could turn back time, just a few hours back, were everything was fine. Now, there was this feeling at the bottom of her gut that the road the two were going down was one Circe did not want to travel.
"I don't get why you have to play the hero. Surely, there are others that are more capable to handle Rosalind and Beatrix."
Riven clenched his jaw. That was it. During most of his life, he was seen as someone incapable of doing acts of kindness, of doing good. And for many years, Riven allowed them to continue thinking as such by being rude, and breaking almost every rule. But things were different now ─ he had Circe, and he loved her.
He loved her.
Awaiting an answer, Circe took a step closer. "Don't keep pushing me away, Riv, I love y─"
"Don't." Riven interrupted, turning his back towards her. What he needed to say was for the best ─ if Circe looked at his face, she would know he was lying. "Please don't say that . . . you're making everything harder."
Circe's bottom lip slightly trembled. She knew what he was doing, and she was praying ─ begging ─ he wouldn't continue. Did he not think he deserved love? She didn't understand. "Riv, remember when you told me you would protect me? You said you would never let anyone hurt me." Riven remembered, wincing slightly. "You're hurting me now. Don't do this. We can solve this together, like always."
"Things are different─"
"None of this will matter if you're gone. You want to run away? Fine, we can do that. You want─"
"I want you gone."
Riven had never felt like such a liar. It was different with white lies ─ he felt no remorse. They carried no weight. But saying something, so against what he truly meant, was painful. Even more so because he knew he was hurting the one person he loved the most, the one person who actually loved him back. But it was for the best. At least, this way, Circe was far away from harm.
"What?"
The gut-wrenching pain Circe felt was the worst she had ever felt. Not because of the words ─ she knew Riven better than anyone. He didn't mean it, not really. But it pained her to realise that Riven felt this need to prove himself, that he must redeem himself to be deserving of love. Circe blamed herself; maybe he would himself be far away from Rosalind and Beatrix if he didn't care for her, and continued his selfish ways.
She sighed. There was no changing Riven's mind. She only could hope he knew what he was doing. "Is that what you really want?"
"Everything was just temporary. This was just one of those things."
Circe winced. That one stung. "Fine." she walked away, giving Riven a last sad look as he avoided her gaze. "I hope you know what you're doing."
And with that, Riven and Circe were no more.
circe be streaming 'sour' for the next month or so
one more chapter left!