Victim of Circumstance | UNDE...

By stephen__higoam

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[BOOK ONE (1) of THE CIRCUMSTANCE SERIES] "It takes the heart of a Lion to become an ultimate conqueror." Sh... More

Victim of Circumstance
Cast
Synopsis
Prologue - To Hope & To Wish
Chapter 1 - Wet Dreams & Lil Bro's
Chapter 2 - Retentions & Wrangles
Chapter 3 - Clingy & Dotty
Chapter 4 - Fight & Flee
**Chapter 5 - Bruised Egos & Contused Trunks
Chapter 6 - Backslides & Aftereffects
Chapter 7 - Squalls & Dread
Chapter 8 - Triumph & Power
Chapter 9 - Tried & Unsuccessful
Chapter 10 - A Friend & A Foe
Chapter 11 - Not Ever & Again
Chapter 12 - Love & Hate
Chapter 13 - Life, Death & Memories
**Chapter 14 - Day In & Day Out: Rehash
Chapter 15 - Day In & Day Out: A New Dawn
Chapter 16 - Day In & Day Out: Adaptation
Chapter 17 - Day In & Day Out: The Brothers
**Chapter 18 - Day In & Day Out: The Aquarium
Chapter 19 - Day In & Day Out: The Date
Chapter 20 - The Awakenings Of... & Attempts To...
Chapter 21 - One & One Equals One
Chapter 22- He Started & Didn't Stop
Chapter 23 - Second & The Last Straw
Chapter 24 - Said & Unsaid
Chapter 26 - Woes & Disclosures Of The Promenade
Chapter 27 - The How & The Why
Chapter 28 - The How & The Why: Conclusion
**Chapter 29 - Right & Wrong Doings
Chapter 30 - Bravado & Its Pitfalls
Chapter 31 - I'll Move Heaven & Earth
Chapter 32 - Abductions... & What The...
Chapter 33 - Always & Forever
Chapter 34 - Explosions, Gases & Revelations
Chapter 35 - You & I
Chapter 36 - The Curtains Opening & Closing
Chapter 37 - It'll Be Long & Laborious
Chapter 38 - Valeria & Pius
Epilogue - The Morning After & The Night Before
Author's Note
SEQUEL IS POSTED!

Chapter 25 - Back & Forth

77 7 3
By stephen__higoam

||Valeria||

“Xander, I swear to God I’ll castrate the living day lights out of you—“My rambling is cut short by the screech that leaves my mouth.

He didn’t just throw a bucket full of water—cold one—on me, did he? I feel my already cranky mood escalating. I send Xander one of my intense fierce glowers, letting him know just how pissed I’m.

The idiot looks at me from head to toe and burst into another of his laughs, totally ignoring me in my glowering glory. To say, that I feel like screaming and just throwing one of those spoilt bratty tantrums will be a downright understatement.

I take in a huge breathe and look down at my body, perfectly attached to my caramel-brown skin in its sloshing bullshitty glory. I don’t try to make a move from the position I’m currently occupying. Just enjoying the sound of the water as it drips down my sloshed clothing, making a puddle at my feet’s.
Ann also joins Xander in his laughing charade. I catch a glimpse of Pius passing by me, joining the senior riot with one of his signature smirks directed at me. I scowl at him with all hatred and venom I can garner that sends his smirking into something along the lines of hurt. But for what? I brush off the idiot and refocus my attention on the two clowns laughing their rectums out. I throw another weighty glare, not finding their wit in the situation. That sends them over the edge and into instantaneous silence.

Good.

You’re probably wondering what in the hades of hellhole is going on? Oh, lemme clear the fog for you. Do you remember me saying something about a senior riot earlier? Probably you do. Probably not but to answer the question, it’s exactly what’s going on right now. Riot because the senior class just change the school environment into an utter disorder. Apparently it’s their way of celebrating the end of their high school life. How exactly? By doing what the grey-eyed devil pouting in front of me like a damn five year old did. They’re playing sorry water in the school corridors. And believe me it’s a mess, because everywhere you go you’ll find a sprinkle or more of water.

“Jesus, I hate it when you being a cranky bitch.” He mumbles under his breathe along with other incoherent profanities of how much of an enemy of fun I can be with my snappy and rude comments. And to be honest with you, I’ve been exactly that. Snappy, cranky and rude.

“What did you just call me now?” I narrow my eyes at him.

“Nothing.” He mumbles yet again pouting like a four year old.

“I didn’t hear you clearly. Could you repeat that again?” I gathered my eyebrows in a bitchy way. “I’m not being an bitch you asshole.” I hissed at him breaking the dramatic-ness.

“See. That’s exactly what I’m talking about.” He flails his arms in all directions. He turns towards Ann. “Ever since when does Valeria use profane words again?” he asks her.

Ann scoffs dramatically and turns towards me with her arms across her chest, hips cocked out and one brow raised a twitch. Xander copies her exact actions minus the cocked out hip. If these was another day and I wasn’t as cranky and moody as I’m today, I would’ve laughed at their childishness, but since it’s not, I just run a frustrated hand down my face, moving my wet clothes off the skin they attached to. God this is so god damn annoying.

“Since never. Like—“

“God, I get it. Will you shut it now?” I cut her off. “I’m being a hard-ass bitch. So what? Am I not allowed to be that after the stun you just pulled? Huh?”

“Oh, you were already like that missy. Don’t try to put the blame on us. In fact, if my memory serves me right you’ve been like that for the rest of last week. And we thought since home economics is like your all-time favorite subject or whatever you would cheer up. But we were gravely wrong. The only thing you’ve been doing for the last week is being irritable bitch. Snapping left, right and center at nothing and everything. It’s…” Xander trails off with the shake of his head.

God, have I been that bad? I didn’t even realize it. No wonder Ndeshi has been avoiding me like a plague. The pregnancy is kicking in hard. The dreams are becoming more aggressive. Everything is just weighing me down. And there is Pius. As much I don’t want to think about him or anything that involves him, I can’t help it. It hurts every time I think about it. I don’t want to feel anything. I don’t want to be affected but I can’t help it. It’s like every time I close my eyes it’s either the dreams that haunt me or his annoyingly beautiful face doing all sorts of uncharacteristically nice things, in contrast to what’s in the real world and I don’t know what to do.

The morning sickness, the cravings, the moodiness and everything is just spiking up and I hate it. The morning sickness is the reason I changed the venue I’m meeting Chantel to a small coffee shop in the city centre because I crave for their cheese burgers like cray-cray alongside cucumber salad dressing. I called Chantel yesterday and told her I want to meet. We agreed on meeting at The Brew after my exams.

“So I’ve been a hard pain in the arse?” I ask them quietly. They both relax their hardened shoulders and expressions to something along the lines of sympathy and understanding.

“Not really that bad, but pretty much.” Ann tells me.

“I’m sorry.” I whisper the apology.

“God, you’re annoying sometimes but we still love you.” Ann laughs, pulling me towards her…

“Hey, I’m wet—“

“Who cares?” Xander chuckles as he pulls us both into a bear hug. “We’re all already wet.”

“True.” I agree with him, chuckling at my stupidity.

“And,” he starts. “We are officially unemployed guys. We made it.” He laughs.

“I can’t believe we made it until the end of the line.” I say softly.

“Believe it sweetheart, because you damn well did it. Didn’t ask you, how was home eco by the way?” he looks at me and Ann, retracting from the hug.

“It was home eco. That’s how it was.” I laugh. “It was awesome.” I tell him honestly. It’s like one of my favorite subjects because of my love for cooking and all. I finished the final exams in a bang. Something I never thought I’ll be able to do. After everything I’ve been through. The pain, the tears, the struggles, I never thought I would be saying I finish my school in spite of everything. I can give myself pat on the back because I did the first part well. The one of surviving. I survived high school through all its ups and downs, haven’t I?

“Let’s get going.” I tell the two idiots looking at me with expectant eyes. They nod their heads with smiles, starting to move their legs one after another towards the parking lot.

We spot Pius and Natasha in a heated argument as we leave the school building. His eyes snap up to us, connecting them. He seems aggravated by something because his demeanor suddenly changes into something sordid. He narrows his eyes into slits glazing them in our direction in nothing but pure ire.

Okay? What’s his deal? And Ann seems to be having the same thought.

“What crawled up their asses?” She frowns not moving her eyes from them.

“More like him.” Xander scowls. “Dick.” He mutters.

“Touché.” I agree.

Xander revs the car out of the parking as soon as we’re in it. He stops the car at the intersection, inspect and drive off into the main drive. Ann switches on the radio which immediately blasts out one of Lil Wayne’s tracks. I immediately groan as the two clowns share conspiratorial looks and burst out singing along. God, I hate this song or more like the singer. I’m sorry but it’s not necessarily that I hate the artist but I’m just not a great fan of him.

Looking at the two basking in the lyrics as they belt them out in their not-so-adept voices, makes me remember Pius and I’s. Pius… Not him again. And just like the past week it will start off light and later turn into something frustratingly annoying and foreboding or something along the lines. But I can’t help but think back to that day. How care free and just overly joyous I felt. I felt at ease, completely in my own, feeling utter completeness and that in my world is something rare, because throughout my life I’ve felt like there’s something missing. I know I’m being overly-presumptuous and stupid but I think Pius somehow mends that. I don’t know how. He’s…

“Noooo…” Ann’s voice cut my reverie short with her screaming.

“Wait, what the hell?” I raise my voice at them with raised eyebrows.

“Oh, sorry. Didn’t realize you were still here…” Xander trails. Oh, god he just didn’t. I feel genuinely offended and hurt. I open my mouth to say something but shut it close shortly after, not believing. How could they… You know what, its fine. Before God, I don’t know why them forgetting my presence offended me so much probably the hormones taking over again but it somehow did. I feel brushed aside. I assume after the look on my face…

“Valeria—“

“It’s fine. Just drop me off at The Brew.” I cut him off curtly and look outside the window. I’m currently seated in the back seat with them in the front.

"I know you’re hurt, and—“

“I said its fine, so just drop the god damn story.” I snap at Ann that spoke. “It’s not the first time someone’s has done that anyway.” I whisper. More to myself than them. They share a look and their faces morph into remorse and pain.

I ignore their solemn looks and focus my attention on the passing cars and buildings. The atmosphere in the car is heavy and tense. Uncomfortable will be the perfect word choice. It’s like we all—them, more—don’t know what to do. Xander suddenly blurts out something that downs my anger and frustration in a flash.

“We kissed.” He suddenly blurts out in a rush, flushing red.

“WHAT?” We—Ann and me—yell out in unison.

“Why…” Ann starts. “I was supposed… Xander—“

“Can you quickly fast backward to what you just said few seconds ago?” I ask Xander. They kissed and I don’t know anything of this.

“It wasn’t planned or anything.” He says in panicky voice. “It just kind of happened…”

“Now how the hell am I only finding out about this now?” I ask this question looking at Ann. She looks mortified and tongue-tied. So, Xander being a gentleman and all saves her bum.

“She didn’t want anyone finding out about it.” He cringes. “That’s kind of the reason why we started arguing—“

“With me inside the car?” I draw my brows together.

“Yep. Totally forgot you were also inside. For the record, it’s the songs fault because it kind of rouse feelings…” he gulps. Does he want to tell me the song turned him on or what?

“Oh…” I say swallowing the question that’s at the tip of my tongue. “Like while you were driving?” I ask dumbfounded. Ann is still completely silent as if she’s not part of the conversation under discussion.

“Hmm.” Xander hums, stopping in front of The Brew. A laugh escapes my lips, regarding Ann’s humiliated flushed face. I step out of the car after slinging my back pack over my shoulder. I poke my head down, looking through the window at the passenger’s side with mischievous grin plastered on my face.

“All good. No need…” The car suddenly lurches forward before I could finish that sentence. They speed off down the road and take a sharp turn, totally disappearing from my sight. That means Ann is not the only one affected. And affected more like embarrassed and all.

I chuckle at the thought of a blushing Xander. I take in a deep breath and step into the coffee shop. The door tingles, signaling the arrival of a new customer—me.

The interior of the place is mind blowing. It’s decorated with yellowish-brown mahogany wooding from the tables, the door to the elongated counter. The wood is mixed with a vast of white that encompasses all surfaces that are not wood covered from the ceiling to the oval shaped seats. The light brown to white tiles compliment the overall décor.

I spot Chantel in the far corner immediately. I nod my head at the boy at the counter making my way towards the table where Chantel is seated.

“Hi.” I greet pulling the chair out.

“Hey.” She smiles brightly. “You look better like good…great.” Chantel compliments as I take my seat.

“I feel better…good I guess.” I smile at her unsurely.

“I can see that.” Chantel forces a smile. She looks down at her hand on the table sighing deeply. She looks anguished. But for what? We sit in uncomfortable silence for a while before she breaks the silence.

“You wanted to talk.” She finally speaks up. It’s not a question but a heavily weighted statement.

“Yeah.” I mumble fiddling with my fingers. I don’t know why I’m suddenly so nervous.

“What do you wanna know?” she looks up at me.

“Everything.” I tell her.

“Okay.” She sighs repeating the ‘everything’ under her breathe again. “I don’t know where to start really. Like I literally feel blank right now.” She takes in a deep breath and rub her eyes.

“What are the Hoards?” I question her. That’s one question that has been boggling me from the first day I found out about their existence. Who and what are they? How are they involved in my parent’s death?

“That I can answer.” She says. “Uhhmm… Hoards? What do you know about the word itself?”

“What word? Hoards?”

“Yeah.”

“Not much. Only that it has something to do with saving up something for future use. Chantel what the hell has that got to do with anything?” I ask her with furrowed eyebrows.

“You asked what Hoards are and that’s exactly what I’m trying to tell you.” She says sighing deeply. “When you gave the definition of Hoards you omitted the fact that a secret store of valuables or money is also referred to as a hoard.”

“Uhm, that’s because I didn’t know.” I quirk an eyebrow.

“Yeah. Okay, so… Hoards are a conglomerate of powerful people in Namibia that call themselves the secret store.”

“What?” I frown.

“They’re like the most powerful group of individuals you’ll find in this region that’ve an aggregated wealth of close trillion Namibian dollars. They…” she trails off as a beautiful young waiter arrives at our table to take our orders.

“Hello.” The girl greets moving her eyes from me to Chantel. “What would you like to order?”

“I’ll have the cheese burger and fries with added ketchup and mustard.” The girl raises a skeptic brow at the mention of that like is-she-being-for-real? She looks at Chantel who shakes her head in turn with a soft chuckle, telling her in a not so soft whisper that its cravings and what-what. Something flashes through the girls face.

“Oh, God. You’re her. Oh, my god. Oh, my god.” She flips completely forgetting the fact she’s on duty.

“What do you mean I’m her?” I ask her.

“You’re Valeria, right?”

“Yeah?” It’s more a question then it’s a statement.

“Oh, my god. Its—“

“Okay. What the hell is going on here?” I cut her off. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, sorry. There are a group people that believe in your innocence and are fighting for—“

“Wait? What innocence?”

“The murder accusations and stuff.” She says. “I’m part of them. We’re like a Valeria Jaarson fan club. Only we’re not fangirling or anything. We work for a better course.”

What the hell is this girl talking about?

“Okay, sorry but I don’t understand a single thing you’re saying. Like I’m completely lost. What’s your name?”

“Yolanda.” The girl responds.

“Yolanda can you give me your number than we’ll talk after these. I need you to explain to me what you just said now because—sorry for saying this but—it sounded like gibberish and I didn’t get a single thing, yeah? Can we do that?”

“Yeah.” Yolanda laughs.

“Good.” I exhale heavily. We quickly exchange our numbers. “Now can I have the cheese burger and fries with extra ketchup and mustard alongside cucumber salad dressing please?”

“Yeah. Sorry. Noted.” She scribbles down. She looks at Chantel which I realized have been oddly quiet through the whole ordeal. Chantel places her order with ease.

“You’re quiet. Why?” I ask her after Yolanda leaves.

“No particular reason.” She smiles.

“You’re a natural. No wonder the Hoards are so afraid of you.”

“What do you mean I am a natural and what? Hoards are afraid of me?”

“You’ve authoritative influence.” She states.

“What? And you deduced that from… what? Five seconds of conversation with some…”

“Valeria that’s more than enough time. You took charge of that and showed her you’re in control. Not everyone can do that.” She tells me. I feel my cheeks heating up at the comment. I might still be mad at her but that doesn’t mean I don’t miss our sister convo’s we used to have.

“Do you understand what she’s saying?” I ask her after a while.

“What do you mean?” she questions.

“I mean like… do you believe her?”

“That you’ve a fan club that works for you? Yeah. I think that’s one of the reasons the Hoards are afraid of you.”

“Yeah, right.” I say skeptically. “You were talking about how they—the Hoards—have an aggregated total of trillion Namibian dollars? How did they amass all that?” I ask my curiosity getting the best of me.

“There’s—“

“Hold on.” I stop her. “Before you answer that, how do you know so much about the Hoards?”

“That’s because I’m one of them.” She deadpans.

“What?” I shriek, drawing unnecessary attention to me. “Sorry.” I apologize to the people that’ve stopped their conversation because of my dramatic outburst. It doesn’t take long for them to go back to what they were doing. I bring my attention back to Chantel. What the Holy Mary is she talking about?

“You… Wha… how?” I finally settle on the ‘how’.

She sighs deeply. “My parents.” She answers. “That’s how.” What?

“Okay, I’m like totally confuse. Like off the charts lost. Again, what are we talking about?”

“My parents are part of the Hoards Valeria.” She tells me. “That’s how I have all the information. And I would appreciate it if you don’t mention these to anyone, like absolutely anyone. If they find out I told you about them they’ll have my head. Hoards are a group of ruthless people that uses element of surprise as their primary tool to behead their targets. They’ll do anything and everything to get what they want. They’ve killed, taken over big companies, companies that’ve some controlling interest in the whole SADC region. And they’ll stop at nothing to get what they want.”

God, give me a break. I feel so dense right now. I can’t seem to absorb all these information. Okay, if they’re so powerful and what-what, what do they want with me. Like I’m just the poor old me.

“Again, what has this got to do with me? Like Chantel have you seen me—“

“Again,” Chantel looks at me straight in my eyes. “You underestimate the power your parents possessed Valeria.”

“My parents? What do my parents have to do with this?”

“Because they’re targeting you because of your parents. Like I told you before, your parent’s death wasn’t an accident. It was a meticulously planned out murder staged as a car accident.” Yolanda arrives with our food. Thank God. I feel like I gonna lose my sanity because these Hoards nonsense are killing me. Like literally.

She places them on the table.

“Buen provecho.” She says with a smile and takes her leave. I dive into the meal immediately. I’m ravenous.

“It was an inside job Valeria.” She takes a sip from her coffee. “The Hoards are the ones that killed your parents.”

“What?” I frown between chews. I swallow the food in my mouth before I speak up. “Okay, this is all new and confusing and… I don’t know. I feel like my head is gonna explode anytime from now. Why would they do that?”

“Because your father was the next in line and there were some that didn’t want that. More like they just wanted his fortune and him out of the picture. What other better way is there?”

“Kill the person and his wife since she’ll obviously be the next one in line.” I answer softly as realization finally sets in.

“What has my aunt got to do with the Hoards or whatever they’re?” I query.

“I don’t know, really.” She shakes her head no. “That’s one question I can’t give a proper response to. All I know is that she’s somehow involved in how your parents died. I don’t know how.”

“Okay, and me? Why do they want me gone?”

“That… they thought that they’ll be able to work around the law to cut you out of everything like make you something like nonexistent to your parent’s fortune and all. But the measures your parents put in place are unbridgeable. And they can’t do anything while you’re still alive and they can’t also kill you because it’ll raise suspicion. And there’s the fact that everything they do backfires.”

“Oh, my god. My head hurts like it feels like it’ll split in half from all these information.” I whine, finishing up the food I’ve been eating for the last thirty minutes. I throw the napkin back on the table and take a sip from the fruit juice—natural. “So the fact that you’re here means that they found a way around whatever my parents put in place?”

“Not really but it’s in process.” She says.

“God… Okay, now what’s the end result for all these? What do they want?”

“That’ll be discussion for another time. For now just know that, if they succeed Namibia will not be the same like ever again.” She looks at me.

“And I heard something about you being present at the Sea Bridge.”

“I was wondering when you gonna ask me that.” she laughs dryly. “Am sorry. When I found out what the Hoards were planning to do with you, I immediately realized I made a grave mistake not believing you that day. I found out that my parents were nothing but two face… God, sorry. Uhm… I started formulating my plan and the first step of that plan was to approach you and tell you what was happening but I was too nervous and ashame of myself. I knew how I hurt you. I hired someone to follow you around because by that time you were already working at the Dine Inn and had a place so I didn’t have to worry about anything else. His job was to make sure you’re save at all times and report back to me. He called me that day and told me you were planning on doing something but he wasn’t sure what. So I told him to have the ambulance and paramedics on standby—“

“Standby? How—“

“Perks of—“

“…being a Stewe.” I end her statement dryly. “How could I forget that flashy detail?”

“You make it sound like it’s something bad.” She looks at me sadly.

“That’s because it is.” I tell her. She regards me for a moment and ignore my statement, carrying on with her story.

“Like I was saying, when you arrived at the Sea Bridge that’s when we knew what you were planning on doing. I couldn’t let the Hoards win by letting you die, because like that you were just playing into their hands. I arrived shortly after Pius—“

“Pius?” I breathe out softly.

“Yeah, Pius. Your boyfriend.”

“He’s not my boyfriend.” I can feel a blush creeping up my neck.

“You say that now.” Chantel wiggles her brows in a suggestive manner. “You never know.” She says in a sing-song voice.

“Chantel, please. Focus.” I snap at her, but she just breaks out laughing.

“Oh, my god.” She throws her hands over her mouth. “You like him.”

“No I don’t.”

“Yes—“

“Chantel.” I raise my voice.

“Oh, sorry.” She says getting herself back into form. “Where was I? Oh, yeah. I arrived a short while after Pius, because the last time Vernon—the hired bodyguard slash protector—contacted me, he told me you were alone but when I arrived I found Pius crying, drunk beyond control. They took a while but the rescue team arrived with diving squad and all. They were able to locate your body in short period of time and that’s how you survived.” She ends.

“Wow, so you’re like my saving angel or whatever?” I ask in a soft voice.

“Something like that.” Chantel smiles unsurely.

“Thank you.” I tell her. “For having my back. I know we still have a long way to go before full forgiveness but this is a start, right?”

“Yeah, I guess it is.” She laughs.

We spent the following hour or so talking in the café, before I declined home. All the information Chantel shared with me were too much and the more what she told me sunk in the more irritated and cranky I got. I can’t exactly describe how but lemme just say I needed a stress reliever and I did the last thing I was supposed to in my state. I called Xander to find out if he was in for a night out. He wasn’t okay with it in the beginning but I convinced him otherwise. Ann couldn’t come because she had babysitting duties and all.

Before I could discern what was happening, I found myself sitting comfortably in one of the booths with a beer in hand, inside a blasting nightclub with the latest tracks over the rooftop.

We’ve been here for forty minutes now, meaning I had time acclimatize to the environment. I’m already at my second beer, signifying I’m already tipsy. The club is fully packed to capacity. Everyone is in their place. There are those one’s swaying their bodies to the beats. Those one’s ogling the one’s dancing. And those one’s sitting and drinking in their booths. The lighting is blinding as the red-blue-green lights rove through the whole setting, creating a drunken-ing atmosphere.

“Valeria, please…” Xander plead-shouts over the loud music already feeling the effects of alcohol. He took two consecutive shots in one take. He’s been trying to let me give up the drinking so that we leave the bar and go somewhere but considering how off he was when he picked me up, and the way he took the shots immediately after we arrived, I would say there was something bothering him. It’s like he’s trying to forget or erase whatever it is with alcohol. Something I realize I’m also doing. How I wish my life was just ordinary and I wasn’t in a messy situation. It darn pisses me off how messed up my life actually is. I feel like screaming, yelling or just beating the crap out of someone’s child to let these pent-up frustration lose.

“How many times should I tell you I’m not stopping?” I shout over the music, narrowing my eyes at him. Something that comes off very much energy consuming. “I’m not listening to you. At least not tonight. I need to get drunk and forget every shit in my blasted life.”

He doesn’t speak immediately. Just regards me silently taking a sip from his beer with heavy pained eyes. His face morphs into an anguish frown displaying the internal brawl and struggle.

He suddenly says, “Let’s go.” Pulling me up from my seat.

“What? Where are we going?” I ask Xander over the music as we weave our way through the crowded place. He doesn’t answer me. He keeps going completely ignoring my question. We round into a long dark corridor, with him still having my hands firmly in his. He takes the lead going up the stairs. I frown but doesn’t comment since he ignored me the first time.

He lets go of my hand as we arrive on the rooftop, overlooking the night view of the picturesque Swakopmund. Cool air weave through my hair, as I hesitantly find my way towards Xander standing against the railing taking in the vastness of the city.

I position myself next to him.

“What is it?” I ask him softly. I don’t like the image I’m beholding. He’s not his usual exuberant, jubilant self. He looks very troubled and inflicted by whatever that’s going on.

“My parents are getting a divorce.” His voice cracks out barely above a whisper but audible enough.

“What?” I draw my brows together. “Why? But…”

“It’s okay.” He looks at me with sad eyes, glistening with unshed tears. He focuses his attention back on the night view. “I knew they were having problems, but I never knew they were that profound to cause a divorce. Growing up, I always had this image of a perfect family and whatnot. I thought that it’ll always be the three of us against the world since I’m an only child and all, but seems like that picture is disintegrating. I don’t… I’m…” he trails taking in a ragged breathe. He runs his hands through his hair, disheveling them in the process.

He turns to me, looking at me with heated eyes. He suddenly redirects his attention elsewhere swearing under his breathe.

What’s his deal?

“He likes you.” He says quietly not looking at me.

“What are you talking about?” I ask, perplexed. “Who likes me?”

“We both know who. He—“

“No, we don’t.” I cut him off catching his drift. “If he did than he wouldn’t have done all that to me. He wouldn’t have fought so hard to demean and break me. He—“

“He’s different with you Valeria. You’re his weakness and his strength. You create the best and the worse in him.” He states matter-of-factly.

“Wha… People should stop saying that. He’s not—“

“He’s.” He declares with finality. “You know it. I know it but I can’t help what I feel. I can’t help to want to…” he swallows loudly. He remains quietly for a long while before he suddenly goes like, “Fuck this.”

His moves in a haste, not giving me time to contemplate what was happening. Before I could properly understand what was happening, I found myself in Xander’s arms with his hands firmly cupping the back of my neck. He presses his lips against mine in a not-so-gentle way. The minute his lips touched mine, I froze in place not comprehending what was happening. His lips starts moving, coercing me and before I knew what I was doing, I found myself kissing him back. His lips were soft and alluring and drugging. I feel his tongue on my bottom lip asking for permission and without wasting time I give him entrance as he slips his tongue inside deepening the kiss in the process.

Oh, my god. Oh, my god. What the hell are we doing? Is Xander really kissing me? Like kissing me in literal sense. And I’m kissing him back?

✴️ ✴️ ✴️
A/N: It's a new update guys. I'll not be available tomorrow that's why am updating today. I hope you like it.

Please don't forget to VOTE, comment and share. Will be highly appreciated.

Until next time

-Stephen

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