Soft caresses enveloped her as his fingers glided over her high cheekbones, a gentle warmth radiating between them. His gaze remained focused elsewhere, avoiding the depths of her eyes as he crouched before her, the duvet crumpling beneath their entwined legs as he inched closer, a fervent need compelling him forward. He chose to leap into vulnerability, not waiting for her to meet his gaze, blissfully unaware of the bedroom door creeping open behind him.
"I love you; why won't you let me?"
His voice trembled, a fragile thread woven from desperation, as he felt the harsh jolt of being abruptly pulled away. He stumbled towards the doorway, grip tightening on both sides as he fought against the force, desperately trying to hold on. In that moment of raw emotion, he shouted,
"WHY WON'T YOU LOVE ME BACK?!"
His friend, witnessing the upheaval, offered a half-hearted apology before tidying the disarray left in the wake of their confrontation. With one last look, he slipped out of the room, assuring her he would lock the door tightly, glancing over his shoulder as he left her to collect herself in the unsettling silence.
As the faint alarm of her front door clicked into place and the beeping began, she could still hear him lingering in the periphery, his voice echoing through the reinforced glass windows like a haunting refrain. A series of distant, agonized "whys" punctuated the silence, leading to a chilling stillness, followed by a heart-wrenching plea that pricked at her skin,
"Love me back, baby."
Then came the final, ominous declaration that sent a shiver racing down her spine, striking at her already frayed nerves—
"THIS AIN'T OVER."
