Maria.

I stormed out of Davian’s room, my chest heaving, each breath coming out sharper than the last. The door had barely stopped moving behind me when I was already halfway down the hallway, my steps quick, almost unsteady with the force of everything I was trying to contain.

My palm still stung.

A sharp, lingering burn that refused to fade.

The slap.

It replayed in my mind over and over again, the sound echoing louder than it should have, sharper than it had any right to be. I could still feel the impact in my hand, still see the moment frozen in my thoughts.

But I didn’t slow down.

I couldn’t.

Not even a little.

Because if I did, if I allowed myself even a second to stop, to breathe, to think—I knew exactly what would happen.

I might lose the little control I had left.

And right now, that thin thread of control was all that was holding me together.

Everything inside me felt too close to the surface, sharp and unstable.

Like one wrong thought, one pause too long, and it would all come crashing out at once.

I needed something—anything—to distract myself.

Something to anchor me. Something to pull me away from the chaos spinning endlessly in my head, from the emotions building and pressing, threatening to spill over no matter how tightly I tried to hold them back.

But deep down...a part of me lingered on what I had just done. There was no regret actually, if anything there was something else there, something heavier and darker. Something I didn’t want to name.

I had been so caught up in that moment, so completely consumed by everything I was feeling, that for a brief second... it had almost felt satisfying.

The realization crept in quietly, unwelcome and sharp. My steps faltered slightly, just enough for the shift in my thoughts to register, my body reacting before I could fully process it. It lingered there, brushing against my mind, threatening to settle deeper.

But I pushed it aside just as quickly.

Firmly.

No.

I wasn’t going there.

Not now. Not when everything else was already too much.

My jaw tightened faintly as I forced my thoughts back under control, refusing to let that feeling take root.

My eyes darted down suddenly...to the water in my hands. The sight of it snapped something back into place, cutting through the haze almost instantly.

And just like that, I hissed under my breath.

Vanessa.

The name snapped me back into focus, cutting cleanly through the haze of everything else.

My steps slowed for just a second.

Just one.

As if my body hesitated on its own, but I forced myself forward again. There was no time to stop nor space to think.

I tightened my grip around the glass, holding it firmly as I continued down the hallway, my pace steady but still edged with urgency.

My mind was still in chaos, thoughts clashing, emotions tangled barely held together but I kept moving.

One step after another.

Until I reached her door.

I didn’t bother knocking, didn’t give myself time to reconsider. I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Vanessa turned immediately at the sound, her sharp eyes locking onto me the second I stepped inside. The movement was quick, almost instinctive, like she had been waiting for someone to walk through that door.

For a split second, there was silence, thick and tense.

Her gaze lingered on my face before it slowly dropped to the glass in my hand, her expression shifting almost instantly.

"You’re just bringing that now?" she snapped, her tone sharp, laced with irritation and something darker beneath it. Something that felt far more personal than a simple complaint.

I said nothing, not even a word and I didn’t bother to react. Isimply stepped closer, calm and steady, and held the glass out toward her as if none of it mattered.

As if she didn’t matter.

That was when it happened.

Her hand came flying toward my face, fast and sudden, fueled by something raw and uncontrolled.

But not fast enough.

My reflexes kicked in instantly.

Without thinking, without hesitation, my hand shot up and caught her wrist mid-air, stopping the slap just inches from my face.

The force of it lingered between us, frozen in that moment, her hand suspended where it had been meant to strike.

My grip tightened around her wrist, firm and unyielding, my eyes locking into hers, cold and steady.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

The air between us grew heavier, charged with something dangerous, something that neither of us was willing to break first.

Then, slowly, deliberately...I tilted the glass.

The water spilled.

Smooth.

Unrushed.

Pouring straight onto her.

It soaked into her clothes instantly, darkening the fabric as it spread, dripping down her skin, trailing along her neck and collarbone. Droplets clung to her face, sliding down slowly, catching in her hair as it dampened, sticking to her skin.

Silence.

A dangerous, heavy silence.

Vanessa froze.

Completely.

Her body stilled as the realization hit, her eyes widening in shock, disbelief flashing across her face as if she couldn’t quite process what had just happened.

But it didn’t last, because just as quickly...Something else took over.

"You—!" she hissed, her voice trembling with rage, the word barely contained between clenched teeth.

The fury in her eyes snapped into something raw and unrestrained, and before I could react...her free hand shot out.

Fast.

Unpredictable.

Her fingers tangled into my hair, gripping a fistful without mercy.

Pain shot through my scalp instantly as she yanked hard, the force pulling me forward so abruptly that a gasp tore from my lips before I could stop it. The sting was sharp, immediate, radiating down my neck as my balance faltered.

I stumbled forward but I didn’t hesitate, not even for a second because one thought crossed my mind, clear and steady despite everything...

I would soon leave anyway.

There was nothing holding me back, nothing left to restrain me.

My own hand flew up, instinct taking over as I grabbed her hair just as tightly, my fingers locking into place with equal force.

If she wanted a fight...She would get one.

We both pulled.

Hard.

The tension between us snapped tight as neither of us loosened our grip, neither willing to give the other even an inch. Our bodies collided in the struggle, close, unsteady, locked in a chaotic push and pull that neither of us controlled anymore.

The room seemed to close in around us, filled with the sound of heavy breathing, sharp, uneven, fueled by anger, and the shuffle of our feet against the floor as we struggled to keep our balance.

Every movement was rough and uncoordinated, driven purely by instinct and fury.

The air between us burned with it, thick and suffocating, as we held onto each other, locked in a silent, unspoken battle where neither of us was ready to back down. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"You think you can humiliate me?" Vanessa spat, her voice sharp, laced with fury as her grip tightened painfully in my hair.

The pull was harsh, deliberate, sending another sharp sting across my scalp, but I refused to let it show beyond the brief tightening of my jaw.

"You tried to slap me first," I shot back, my voice low but steady, cutting through the chaos between us despite the tension coiling tighter with every second.

Her eyes flared at that.

And she pulled again.

Harder this time.

The force caught me off guard just enough to drag a small cry from my lips, the sound slipping out before I could stop it. My body tilted forward slightly with the motion, but I didn’t let it break me.

I didn’t let go.

Instead, I tightened my own grip and yanked her hair in return, just as hard, just as unforgiving.

A sharp gasp tore from her, her body reacting instantly to the sudden pull.

For a moment, we were locked there.

Equal.

Neither gaining.

Neither losing.

Just fighting.

We were a mess.

Completely.

Hair tangled tightly in each other’s fists.

Bodies clashing too close, too unsteady, our movements rough and uncoordinated as we struggled for control that neither of us was willing to give.

Our breathing grew heavier.

Faster.

The air between us thickened, charged with anger, with pride, with something far too volatile to be contained anymore.

Neither of us was willing to step back.

Neither of us was willing to be the one to lose.

The tension snapped completely.

And then...the door burst open.

The sound was loud and sudden, cutting cleanly through everything.

Both of us froze.

Instantly.

As if the moment itself had been shattered.

For a second, neither of us moved, didn’t speak nor let go. Only breathing heavily, our chests rising and falling with the aftermath of the struggle.

Our heads turned slowly toward the door at the same time, the motion almost synchronized, as whatever had just entered pulled our attention away from the fight without warning.