《Selena Arabella Calos》
I don't know how long we have been here. It could be anywhere from a week to a month. There's no sense of time in this place. I miss my life. I miss the fresh air- or however fresh the air can be in a metropolitan city. I miss the sun and the moon. And most importantly I miss not being tortured constantly. The one thing I'm grateful for in this horrid place is Daniel. If he wasn't here, I would be paralyzed with the memory of being tortured in those few moments that I am not being tortured.
We actually made this rule a while ago, in which we said that when we are inside this room, we aren't allowed to think or talk about everything that happens to us outside of this room. And that rule is probably the only thing that has kept both of us sane all this time. Inside this room, we just pretend like everything is normal- or as normal as it can be.
I move out of Daniel's hold to get up and walk around the room but before I can stand up, Daniel wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me back.
"I want to walk," I tell Daniel, struggling to get out of his hold. Instead, he does the opposite of what I said- he tightens his grip on me and pulls me even closer to him, resting his chin on my shoulder.
"Stop moving," he whispers in my ear and I groan.
"I'm bored."
"So?"
I turn my head to look at him. "Don't be arse, either let me go or entertain me."
He smiles. "How would you like me to entertain you?"
"I don't know, tell me a story or something about you."
He closes his eyes and rests his forehead against mine. "You know everything there is to know about me."
"Come on, you have to give me something. What's your relationship like with Francis?"
"Very interesting," he replies and I raise my eyebrow. "We're very different, so a lot of the times there is a personality clash but he's still my twin. We love each other even though it might not seem like it considering how often he calls me 'asshole'.
"Why 'asshole'?" I ask before he can continue. Daniel looks at me with a confused expression.
"What?" He asks me.
I roll my eyes. "There's a litany of insults that he can call you, and yet he chose 'asshole', which is like the least creative one. So why does he call you that?"
Daniel laughs. "That's because asshole is what he thinks describes my personality best."
"I can give him some suggestions," I say and Daniel glares at me. "That's not going to affect my answer," I tell him.
"Yes, it won't because you don't have one."
I smile at him. He doesn't know what's coming to him. Just because I don't swear as much does not mean I don't know how to. "Well, for starters, there's prick, twat, jackass, di-" Daniel puts his hand over my mouth before I can continue.
"Is that what you want to call me or are those just suggestions?" Daniel asks me.
I smile mischievously. "Depends."
He narrows his eyes. "On what?"
"If you continue to be an as-"
"Finish that sentence, I fucking dare you," Daniel threatens into my ear. I shiver. The power this man holds over me is unreal. When I stay quiet, he says: "That's what I thought."
I roll my eyes. "Why did you wake up so soon?" I ask Daniel, changing the topic.
"No reason," Daniel replies, putting his chin on my head.
"Did you have a nightmare?" I ask him, but he doesn't respond. I'll take that as a yes.
"Yeah, I did," he replies finally, but his voice sounds strange. I pull away from him and look into his eyes. He looks scared, sad and mad at the same time.
"What happened in it?"
He closes his eyes and rests his forehead against mine. "You were in it, and I couldn't save you."
I blink in surprise. That was definitely not what I was expecting. How am I even supposed to reply to that?
"And then I woke up," Daniel continues talking. He sounds angry and broken at the same time. "And you weren't in my arms, and I thought that the nightmare was real and that I really lost you."
I bring my hands to his face and slowly start drawing circles on his cheeks with my thumbs. That is the one thing that calms him down when he's feeling anxious. "I'm sorry. If I had even the tiniest idea that you were having a nightmare, I wouldn't have moved."
"It's not your fault," he reassures me as he leans into my touch.
But it is my fault. Ever since I found out that Daniel had nightmares, I would sleep close to him whenever he slept because that way, according to him, he felt less anxious. He also told me his nightmares weren't as bad when he knew I was close to him. Sleeping close to him helped me sleep peacefully too. I felt safe and protected when I slept in his arms- like no one could harm me as long as I was there.
"I'm not going to die," I tell him. "I promise."
His eyes snap open. "Don't do that. Don't make promises about things you have no control over."
"Okay, then. I promise that I'll try my best to survive anything that happens to me. Does that work?"
Daniel considers it for a moment, then slowly nods. "Yes, it does."
"Can you promise me something?" I ask him, and immediately he looks skeptical. Wow, thanks for trusting me so much. "If given a choice between your life and mine, I want you to promise me to choose yours."
He let out a short, derisive laugh. "There's no chance in hell that I'll ever agree to that."
"Why not?" I ask him angrily as I try to pull away from him. Every time anyone threatened to hurt me here, he literally begged them to hurt him instead. Sure, I did the same, but I'm sure when the time comes, they'll give him a choice, not me.
"Because your life is worth much more for me than my life will ever be."
"Your family loves you. They need you," I argue.
"So does yours," he replies, and I sigh. Why can't he just listen to me for once?
"They don't love me. I was the child they never wanted."
He doesn't try to argue with that, and for that, I'm grateful to him. I don't want anyone telling me lies about how my parents actually love me. I know they don't, and I don't care anymore.
Daniel pulls me even closer to him, and my breath hitches in my throat. If either one of us moves even a little bit, our lips will be touching. "I love you, cara," he says, then moves his face and kisses the side of my lips.
I freeze in shock. Did he really just-
"Don't say things that you don't mean," I warn him, and his eyes flash with anger. I'm screwed.
"Are you fucking serious? Do you really think I'd fuck with you like that? Jesus, I never say things I don't mean, especially something like telling someone I love them. I can't-"
"I love you too," I tell him before he can continue. He blinks in surprise.
"Are you just saying that-"
"No, I'm not. Like you would never say it lightly, neither would I. I really do love you more than I've ever loved anyone in my life, and that's why I need you to pick yourself. If something happened to you, I wouldn't be able to survive, Nico," I tell him as tears start coming out of my eyes.
"But you promised me that you'll survive anything that happens to you," he argues as he wipes my tears away.
"That promise means nothing if you aren't here with me."
"And if anything happens to you, I'll just be living my nightmare for every single day of my life after that."
We have reached an impasse- neither of us will stand down and let the other win because we both believe that our arguments are more valid than the other's argument. That's what happens when two of the stubbornest people in the world try to argue.
"Selena-" Daniel starts, but he's interrupted by crashing notices from outside.
No. No. No. Please not again. I don't think I can handle any more of their torture- be it mental or physical.
Daniel and I jump up.
"Here we go again," I mutter.
"No, we don't. Something is different," Daniel tells me. "Listen."
Both of us walk closer to the door and try to breathe as quietly as possible.
Daniel was right. Something is out of the ordinary. It sounds like someone is firing guns outside.
"What's that?" I ask Daniel, but he ignores me, looking alert.
"Go inside the bathroom and don't come out, at least not until I say our code word," Daniel instructs me. When I don't listen to him, he starts dragging me towards the bathroom.
"Stop manhandling me," I tell Daniel.
"Stop being difficult," he says as he pushes me inside the tiny bathroom. Rude. He closes the door and I think he is holding the handle because I can't open it.
"I can't just leave you out there alone!" I argue, suddenly panicking again.
"I'll be fine, cara. What's our code word?"
"Purple."
"Good, remember it. Now close your ears and lean against the door."
"How will I hear you then?"
"When you feel three knocks, uncover your ears and if I say the code word then and only then should you move away from the door and come outside."
I do as told. Every moment I stand there, I feel closer to panicking. My heart is beating so fast right now that I can barely hear anything else. I'm so scared- not for myself but for Daniel. What if something happens to him? What if something has already happened to him?
After what feels like forever, I hear three knocks on the bathroom door. I uncover my ears and press my ear against the bathroom door and hear Daniel say: "Purple."
I sigh in relief and I get out of the bathroom before Daniel decided to lock me in again. But I freeze when I see what's going on in the room. There are close to a dozen masked people in the room- none of them are wearing what the guards at this place wear, so I assume that they're here to save us.
"Hello, cara," Daniel says from behind me, and I jump in surprise. I hit his arm lightly after I recover from the shock, not wanting to hurt him too badly.
"Don't sneak up on me like that!" I say angrily.
"Am I to assume that you're mad at me for something else too and not just because I snuck up on you?" He asks me, and I glare at him.
"Yes," I reply simply and look away from him.
"And what exactly might that be?" Daniel whispers in my ear.
"You called me difficult," I reply.
He shrugs. "I call it like it is."
I narrow my eyes at him. Francis was right. 'Asshole' fits Daniel perfectly.
"We have to go, now," one of the masked men tells Daniel as he hands him a gun.
Daniel glances at me before taking the gun and replying, "Give me a minute."
Daniel looks like a natural with the way he's handling the gun, like he's used one before, and to be completely honest, I'm not entirely surprised.
"You are going to go with the man who just gave me the gun."
I narrow my eyes at him. "What about you?"
"We're dividing into two groups, so I'll go with the other one."
"Why?"
"I have some unfinished business with Lucien Marcello that I need to attend to before I join you."
I shake my head. "No. You can get caught, and then they'll definitely kill you."
"I won't get caught. Lucien has already been captured. I just need to have a chat with him," Daniel tells me, and I look around desperately, trying to find a way to convince him that his idea is terrible. But I can't find any inspiration. I try to argue with him, to say something that will change his mind but before I can, Daniel wraps his arms around me, pulls me closer. "Can I kiss you?"
"Yes." The word leaves my mouth before I have the time to process his question. He doesn't wait another moment before pressing his lips against mine- giving me a quick, soft kiss that leaves me wanting more.
"I love you, baby," he says as he pulls away from me, but all I can do is stare at him in shock, still processing the kiss- my first kiss. Not just with him but with anyone.
It may seem surprising to people, but I have never really been kissed. I never really liked any of the guys that I went out with. I only ever went out with them, so people didn't bother me about not dating anyone. I didn't ever feel the need to waste my first kiss with any of them. I always assumed that my first kiss would be with the man I eventually married because that's what was expected, I guess. My parents in this sense are very conservative. At one point, I even expected my first kiss to be with Alex, because he is the only person I had the tiniest bit of romantic feelings for. But then came Daniel. My feeling for Alex couldn't possibly even hold a candle to my feelings for Daniel, despite how short I've known. I love Daniel in a way that I never loved Alex.
The kiss felt like nothing I've read about before. I can't even begin to describe how it felt like. Even though it was short and sweet, it was all-consuming.
"Cara," Daniel whispers and I snap out of my reverie. "I'm glad to see what kind of effect I have on you, but you need to leave."
"Okay," I say, in a daze, then kiss his cheek. "I love you too."
Daniel bites his lip, trying to suppress his smile, but it doesn't work. "If I had known that kissing you would make me listen to me this easily, I might have done it sooner."
I narrow my eyes at him. "You really are an ass."
He narrows his eyes at me. "I-"
"We need to leave now, Ace," the same man who gave Daniel the gun before says.
Daniel nods. "Selena, go with Stefan and no matter what happens, don't leave his side. I'll see you soon."
Before I can say anything else, Daniel nods at the man, Stefan, and he practically drags me out of the room. The thing I hear is Daniel giving a group of people orders that I'm too dazed to understand.
-
The hallways seem to be part of a maze. We've been walking for a long time, and we're still not out of this place.
"How are you doing?" Stefan asks me, and I smile through my pain. I'm pretty sure walking has reopened my wounds. I'm in so much pain right now I feel like I'm going to pass out.
"I'm fine."
The corridor looks like the interior was taken straight from an episode of Pretty Little Liars. The corridor we are walking down has flashing lights lining the lower parts of the hall, illuminating the floor. The walls seem to be made of concrete, and pipes are running along the walls. The only thing missing is the siren. And we also know who are A is in this case.
I'm so tired that this thought makes me laugh. But it isn't like my normal laugh, it's short and derisive.
Stefan looks at me. "Let's take a two-minute break," he announces to the other people who are with us.
Stefan hands me a bottle of water and I look at him gratefully. "Thank you."
"Not a problem."
It takes about a minute for me to catch my breath.
"We need to climb that ladder," Stefan says, pointing at a wall-mounted ladder 10 meters away from us. I look up, but it's so dark that I can't see how long the ladder goes.
I resist the urge to scream. I don't think I will be able to do it; I don't have that much strength in me. "Is that the only exit?"
"No, but it's the safest. We don't know what to expect outside the major entrances. There might be people waiting for us there," he says, then studies me for a moment taking in my condition. "Is climbing the ladder going to be a problem?"
Stefan looks at me like he is indirectly giving me a choice. But we don't really have a choice because this might be our only way out. "No, it isn't."
Stefan nods and tells a guy, Sebastian, to start climbing the ladder. "Both of us will start climbing in the middle after half of the others do, just so we can make sure it's safe outside. I'll help you climb."
"What was the weather like today?" I ask him.
Thankfully, he doesn't look at me like I'm crazy. "It was good- warm and sunny."
I can't wait to feel the sun shine on me again. My skin, although still tanned, is a shade lighter now than it was before.
"Was it the day or night?"
"It was day," Stefan says, then glances at his watch. "But it's probably night now."
"Oh," I say disappointed and I think there's a hint of a smile of Stefan's face.
"It's very clear outside, so it will probably be a starry night," Stefan says, in an effort to bring up my spirits and I'm grateful for it. "Come on, it's our turn now."
I look up at the seemingly unless ladder and sigh. This is going to be a bitch. I hold onto the highest rung I can and pull myself up. I flinch at the sharp pain I suddenly feel throughout my body, making me see black for a second.
It's okay. You can get through this.
I take a deep breath and start climbing, trying to ignore the excruciating pain coursing through my bones.
I stop and rest my head against the rung closest to my head about halfway up the ladder. My vision is getting darker by the second, and I can barely breathe properly, making my chest feel tight. My arms feel numb from the pain. On top of that, I can also feel the blood from my open wounds starting to soak my shirt.
"Selena," Stefan calls out, sounding worried.
"I'm sorry," I say, trying to catch my breath. "I need a quick one-minute break."
"It's alright, take your time," he replies, sounding a bit relieved.
I close my eyes and take deep breathes. I can do this; I think to myself as I start climbing again. I concentrate on each rung at a time as I try to numb the pain in my body. After a long agonising climb, I finally reach the top.
Someone helps me get off the ladder and onto solid ground. For a second, I think I've lost my sight, but then I realise it's just night. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, and Stefan is standing beside me by that time. We're in the middle of a clearing in the woods.
"Look, there are stars in the sky," Stefan mutters from beside me, I can hear the smile in his voice. I look up at the stars and take in a deep breath.
I am finally free. I am free of all the torture and the mind games. I may be in the middle of the woods, possibly surrounded by dangerous animals, but I am free.
And the thought of being free is enough to make me start laughing. People around me look at me, and I can't see the expressions on their faces, but I'm sure they think that I've gone insane. But I don't care.
It's so nice to finally breathe in the fresh air. I feel better already. Not physically better but mentally.
"There's another clearing about half a kilometre from here where we need to go," Stefan tells me when I have calmed down a bit.
Half a kilometre may not sound so bad for most people, but it is when you're in as bad a condition as me. But considering the fact that I just got an adrenaline boost, I think that I might be able to do it.
"Is that where Daniel is going to meet us?" I ask Stefan, and he nods.
"That's the decided rendezvous point."
-
We reached the rendezvous point a while ago, and there's still no sign of Daniel, which is starting to worry me. According to Stefan, he should be here by now, and the fact that he isn't means that something happened.
"Don't worry, Selena, he's going to be here soon," Stefan says, trying to reassure me, but it sounds more like he's trying to convince himself. Despite his seemingly unworried exterior, I can tell he's starting to panic.
"We need to leave," Sebastian says.
"No!" I argue.
"There's no way that I'm leaving him behind," Stefan tells Sebastian angrily.
"If he's not here by now, that means something went wrong. By wrong, I don't mean he was captured or killed, but maybe he decided it would be better to go somewhere else," Sebastian tries to reason with us. We will not leave him behind. If he said that he would be here, he is going to be here. "If-"
"I'm in-charge here, not you," Stefan tells him coldly.
Sebastian's jaw clenches. "I-"
A deafening sound stops him from continuing. Everyone turns to look at the source of the sound, and my heart stops when I realise what it is- huge flames are emanating from an area about half a kilometre away.
There's a sudden flurry of movement all around me, but I can only stare at the fire. He couldn't have survived that. Even if he got out moments before the explosion, he couldn't have survived it.
I suddenly feel numb, dissociated from my body and all the pain I have endured for the past few weeks. He's dead.
I look at Stefan, and he hasn't moved. He's staring at the fire too, and he looks scared. He, like me, knows that Daniel couldn't have survived that.
He's dead. My head starts spinning, and my vision starts blacking out. He's dead. I close my eyes as my body starts getting heavy. He's dead. I feel myself falling as my mind starts shutting down. He's dead. I hear Stefan say my name before the world completely fades away.
-
A/N
The chapter isn't edited, too tired to do that rn.
Half way done with my exams, hopefully will be able to finish this book soon (hopefully within a month or something).
Bye bye✨
Edit: I forgot to tell you guys that this is the mid-point of the book.
Edit part 2: Lmfao, this is not the mid-point anymore, the next chapter is. I just planned two more chapters.