𝗗𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲||𝗬𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘆𝘀 𝘅 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿

chapter 17~ close to boiling

What- What is this!?"

(Y/n)'s fingers trembled as she reached for a book lying near her picture. She flipped through it, noticing that it had been well-read. The girl took a breath, recognizing the book as one she had read before. Panic rushed through her as she turned the pages with urgency. 

There it was. 

Page 142. Dog-eared at the top right corner. This wasn't just a book she had read before. This was her book.

How did he get this? No- Why would he have it??

(Y/n) took a closer look at the photo of her. In it, she seemed distracted, gazing thoughtfully out a window. Unaware of someone taking her picture. 

There were more photos. Scattered around the shrine, woven between the flowers. Scenes where she was reading or studying, with her back turned or her eyes somewhere else.

(Y/n) shuddered, stepping back.

A pounding was heard from the bathroom door.

"(Y/n)? Are you alright?" A faraway voice shouted from the other side. 

"F-Fine", she called back. Her mind worked rapidly, trying to figure out some sort of escape. She saw only two paths. One led to the next boy, the other to Hannah. She would take her chances. 

However, an unknown variable stepped in the way of her plan. Brayden had acted on his suspicions, forcing his way into the bathroom. When he saw no sign of (Y/n), he focused on the closet, his fear now coming true. 

"(Y/n)? What are doing in there", he asked, eyes darkening. "I never said you could go in there."

"Br-Brayden", the girl stuttered. "I was just looking around- Your room is a little different from mine."

"Don't play dumb. I know exactly what you saw." He stepped closer. "Smart girl like you, I should have known you would find out." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Too curious for your own good, angel. But... I guess it doesn't hurt anything. Now you know just how much I love you."

Her courage gathering once more, she spat, "That isn't love, you creep! That's called stalking."

"What does it matter? I have my own ways of love." His hand shot out and wrapped around her wrist. "Tell me you love me, angel."

"I could never love you!"

"We'll see about that." He unexpectedly dropped his hand. "Go to Leo, now. I'll let him have his fun, but you'll be mine in the end, (Y/n)."

The girl walked hastily to the door. She turned, hating him, hating the house, hating how she had so calmly read with him. (Y/n) tried to speak, but words alone could not evoke all the venom and loathing she felt for him.

She had no choice but to look away, eyes burning. On her way out of his room, she took a glass sculpture off his desk and threw it against a wall with as much force as she could muster. The delicate dolphin shattered upon impact, spilling thousands of sharp-edged pieces that flew every which way. 

(Y/n) stormed out, knowing that what she did was probably considered petty, but she didn't care. 

Let him clean all that up. I hope he suffers from a thousand cuts, she thought sadistically.    

Brayden entered his room shortly after, immediately noticing the absence of his glass figurine. His eyes traveled to the wall, staring at the mess. 

He looked at it for a long time, his eyes like dark tunnels.

***

Leo found her lounging on the living room couch. She had wandered there after getting lost on the way to her room. The girl opened one (e/c) eye.