FALLEN: A New Adult Romance (First of the FALLEN Trilogy)

Darkest Before Dawn

I look at her with the same lost puppy eyes as she looks at me. I need to do something.

We both look at each other in distress.

"It's so nice to meet you. You are so kind to let me stay here." I say to her and step closer to hug her, to get my lips to her ear. "Please don't say anything. I will explain later, I promise."

She looks at me with a worried frown and nods slightly. She smiles brightly and greets me back. I have never felt that bad in my life. I just want to run out of there and cry.

"It's really my pleasure. I have an empty bedroom anyway. My roommate bailed on me last month. It will be nice to not live alone, that's why I always have friends over. I'm sure you won't mind." She smirks at me and turns her back to us to walk inside.

I follow Steeve inside and look around. It's cosier than I would have imagined. It seems rustic with the red brick walls and the old wooden floors. It has a warm charm to it. It's lovely. I get inside the living room, and my gaze locks with the one I can't get out of my head. Ash is sitting on one of the three small couches and looks as surprised as I am.

I literally freeze in place and feel even more panicked than before. I have to suppress the tears flooding my eyes.

"Oh my God..." I let out and I honestly never would have thought it could have gone that badly.

"Guys, this is my cousin Steeve and his girlfriend Grace." I hate the emphasis she makes. It makes me look at Ash and feel incredibly sorry and ashamed and wrong overall. "This is my boyfriend Lucas and my friend Ashley."

"Ashley? Isn't that a girl's name?" Steeve laughs and jokes like the bully he always was.

"It suits him well." I can't help the words rushing out of my mouth arrogantly, which gets me a glance from everyone, more seriously from Steeve. From how clenched is his jaw when he looks at me, I know he didn't like my defiance.

"Why don't we go settle down in the room, Gracy?" Steeve says on a tone I really don't like.

He knows how I hate this nickname. My brothers used to call me Gracy all the time. In my head, I've always heard "greasy" instead of Gracy. I've suffered a lot of bullying because of my weight, mainly from Steeve and his friends. To hear "greasy" has been problematic. That's why I hate it so much. I'm used to it now, but he calls me that just to annoy me, and that's what I despise.

I oblige to his demand and follow the way Sophie shows us. I am so used to obliging and submitting to each of his needs, the difference being that I don't care anymore. She leaves us to have some privacy, and he turns instantly to me, throwing the bag on the floor, making me jump in surprise.

"What was that? I made it clear that I don't want you to reply to me. 'It suits him well.' Don't you dare do that again! You made me look like a fool." He retorts arrogantly to me, stepping closer, hovering his head over my petite height. He tries to bully me like when we were kids.

Even if I hadn't done a thing, he would have been at my throat. Lucas and Ashley's presence makes him terribly jealous, and he doesn't even have a clue about our history. I can't believe this is my normal... That I put with this insane attitude for so long... But I won't take it anymore. I've really had enough!

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Stop bullying me! I'm your girlfriend." I let out a little bit too loudly than I wanted. I thought I was done with his mean attitude. I feel terribly disappointed. He has been so kind lately...

"So start acting like it! You should have my side." He replies as the knuckles of his fists are becoming white, his face at a few inches from mine.

"Not when you are making fun of the guy. You don't know him." Saying that, I know I just set him off. He is boiling inside. I see it in the vein popping on his neck and the meanness in his eyes. I instinctively feel scared, but I try to own my grounds. I'm done surrendering to him when he is mean.