MAD LOVE

Chapter 22

We were in a fairly spacious utility room, where on both sides there were built-in racks with various items and a bare brick wall opposite. With my back to the wall, I mentally begged God to let me get out of here alive...

Mark stood at the door with his hands in his trouser pockets and watched me silently.

"How long I've waited for this moment," he whispered, as if talking to himself, "and here you are, at arm's length."

With a gloating smirk on his face, he took a couple of imposing steps in my direction, which made me squeeze even harder against the wall, wishing the ground would swallow me.

"Don't come closer, otherwise..."

"Otherwise, what?" he interrupted me, his smirk broadening into a grin. "You see, Norton won't save you. He's having fun with someone else, and the others don't care what's going on within the walls of this house. Relax, my favorite. We'll just talk."

"Favorite? You must be joking!" My heart was about to jump out of my throat.

"Are you surprised? Although, honestly, I didn't realize how I fell in love with you in school."

"Bullshit..." I was a shivering reed.

"Shut up and listen." It was very rude, but I didn't dare disobey. I stood rooted to the spot and silent, trying to cope with the dizziness my intermittent breathing brought on.

Or is it from his nearby presence?

"A new girl appeared at my school once. Who is she? From where? When it turned out she was from the middle class, she instantly became the subject of ridicule. She, like a monkey, was just fun to watch. I knew that sooner or later she would just be devoured."

He walked from side to side, casting angry glances. Mark then went to one rack and pulled out a bottle of amber liquid. After taking a couple of sips, without even wincing, he continued his story:

"My friends offered me a bet. A sports car was at stake, and you can't come up with an easier condition – break up with the girl after having sex with her, having been in a relationship with her for several months. I agreed."

Lord, please help me get out of here alive...

My heart still ached madly from this truth. I closed my eyes and tears involuntarily flowed down my cheeks.

"Don't cry, that's not all..." He came closer, touching my face. His touch burned my skin, and I immediately recoiled. "Everything changed after our first kiss. I constantly thought about her, packed my bag and ran to school like a maniac, just to meet her sooner. However, over time, I noticed others began looking at my girlfriend. It was infuriating, and so I often snapped at her. I frankly didn't care about the bet, and at that point I had already forgotten about it, to be honest."

"I don't believe this. Not a single word," I dared to whisper in a trembling voice.

I shook as if standing outside on a frosty evening, I teeth literally chattered with fear...

"The school ball was supposed to bind us forever, not destroy us." Mark stood close to me, but did not touch me. "Remember how we wanted to spend that first night?" he asked in a whisper. "By the way, I was well prepared: candles, roses, wine... And everything would have gone according to plan if you hadn't put on that damn dress, Alana! Even my friends drooled at you!" His voice gradually gained momentum and the last sentence came as an ear-splitting scream.

I noticed his hand at the edge of my vision and instantly closed my eyes. A dull punch thudded against the wall near my face. The thought of what might happen to me within the walls of this back room terrified me, but I kept silent.