Me And The Dark

Chapter 28*

Valentina

I arrived at the castle quickly, rushing straight to my dormitory. Recent events had left me tense and emotional, and I felt an urgent need to relax.

Luckily the girls hadn't returned yet, so I headed for the bathroom.

"Stupid asshole..." I muttered as I undressed, my thoughts still haunted by what had just happened. I tossed my clothes into a corner and stepped into the hot shower, hoping the water might soothe my tormented mind.

The warm water ran over my skin, and I tried to relax, to let events wash over me.

However, the images of our argument were still haunting me. My body was tense and I could feel myself getting tired. I needed peace and solitude.

That's when I heard knocking on the bathroom door, startling me. I turned off the shower, puzzled by what I'd heard. The knocking continued, becoming more insistent.

I quickly wrapped my body in a towel, wondering who it could be.

Then Mattheo's voice rang out from the other side of the door. "Val?" He sounded concerned, and his tone was decidedly less harsh than before. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to act that way, can we talk about this?"

I hesitated, not knowing whether to answer or not. The tension between us was palpable, and I still felt vulnerable.

Finally, I decided to sit on the edge of the bath, ignoring his request in the hope that he would eventually leave.

But he didn't give up. He knocked on the door again.

"Please, I'm so fucking sorry." His voice betrayed his distress and concern. "For the sake of my sanity, just... please let me in..."

I pulled my towel tighter as I thought about the situation. Hearing him apologise like that was disconcerting. However, I wasn't yet ready to forgive him.

So I went to brush my hair, pretending he wasn't there.

Finally, he tried another, more authoritative approach. "I'm going to count to ten, and if you don't open the door, I'll barge in and force you to talk to me."

I looked up at the door, unsure of the seriousness of his threat. Should I give him a chance to explain or continue to keep him at a distance? My heart was torn between distrust and the desire to solve our problems.

The seconds ticked away, and Mattheo continued to count out loud. "One... two... three..." His knocks on the door grew louder and louder. I clutched my towel tighter around me, determined not to give in. "Nine... ten!"

The door shattered, falling noisily to the floor with a crash. My surprise was complete, and I screamed, holding my towel around me.

"You're completely mad!" I shouted, indignant at his sudden intrusion.

He looked at me sternly, but he was also clearly agitated. "Fuck, yes, I'm mad. Why do you keep acting like you don't know, hm?"

"Fuck you!" I repeated, finding no other response to his constant provocation.

He was clearly annoyed by my answer, his eyes flashing. "Oh, and you're right, fuck me, aren't you? How about you fuck yourself?" He grinned self-satisfiedly, standing arrogantly.

"You're an asshole!" I defended myself, the tension between us reaching its peak.

It had become an absurd argument that made no sense whatsoever. Mattheo was seething with anger and I didn't even know what we were fighting about any more.