𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 [18+]

- 4 -

I watched everyone drown in silence, as I thrived in it. There was a certain glory, a perverse pleasure in unsettling those around me with mere words. The satisfaction I derived from making people uncomfortable was intoxicating. All with a few simple words.

I observed with a sense of triumph as she squirmed in her place, her discomfort manifesting in the subtlest of ways. Her hands betrayed her, succumbing to a nervous sweat. The intensity of her focus on the floor only deepened the hues of red that flushed across her sweaty skin. It was a tableau of my creation.

A few antagonising seconds pass before Zara opens her mouth. Fire sparkling in her eyes.

"I refuse to let self-absorbed people dictate my choices. Just to set the record straight, I never 'eye-fucked' Val, Nick," her breathy voice retorted, specifically addressing Nick. However, her drowsy gaze shifted towards me. "Sure, I might be new to the dating scene, but that doesn't mean I lack standards," she declared with conviction before storming off, leaving a charged atmosphere in her wake.

The dam of restraint finally burst within me, and my laughter tinged with a touch of madness, sliced through the previously tense air. The sexy little thing does retaliate, interesting. Despite the momentary amusement, the atmosphere remained charged with palpable tension, so thick it seemed as though it could be sliced with a knife. In the midst of this, Nick turned to me, his expression a mix of annoyance and bewilderment, adding another layer to the unfolding drama.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Everything." I retorted before turning around and walking away.

.

Breathe.

Just breath.

I needed to catch some fresh air, the toxicity of the air within those beautifully painted walls, coupled with the blaring music, felt suffocating. This was the breaking point. The night had dealt enough humiliation, and his face—oh, the frustration it invoked. His stupid face haunted my thoughts, and I craved a distraction, any form of respite.