...
❝He was the poison I was dying to taste on my lips.❞
...
I was a coward.
The coward who wanted to leave behind the wreckage of her life for the man who had tormented her for as long as she could remember. The boy who had spit venom at me gro...
⚠️ TRIGGER WARNINGS: mentions of physical abuse, rape and murder. Please read with caution.
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LAAL ISHQ PLAYED in the background as I typed the last word of what I hoped was the final draft of my English coursework. With a sigh, I grabbed my copies of Wuthering Heights and Sense and Sensibility, slotting them back into the bookshelf and turned back to do one more re-read of my essay before putting everything away for good for the weekend.
It was a little pathetic really, sitting at home with schoolwork while the majority of my school was at River's party tonight. All of my friends had tried convincing me to attend, but my answer had stayed resolute. Faye didn't go either since she was out of town for a couple of days to see her half-brother's football game, simply confirming what I already knew was the better choice. It was better to stay home and be lonely in private rather than blare it in public for everyone to see.
But that didn't stop me from wondering what River was doing. Was he just drinking with his friends? Or was he hanging out with other girls?
With a shake of my head, I moved on from the first sentence, having skimmed through the first paragraph when a rustling noise louder than the music had me jumping ever so slightly. I twisted around in my seat, bewildered, looking around the room.
Tap. Tap.
What...
My gaze fell on the glass doors to the balcony overlooking the back of our mansion, realising that small stones were being thrown at the window periodically. Grimacing, I stood and walked over to the opposite side of my room, ready to give whichever asshole was trying to play a prank a piece of my mind.
Only that didn't happen when I undid the lock and stepped out, glancing down irritatedly to see none other than River Vanderbildt.
Ignoring the happy leap my heart took because he was here, not with anyone else, I mustered up the most stern face I could.
"River," I hissed, leaning over the ledge. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you."
I baulked at his nonchalant response, watching and becoming even more bewildered as he easily climbed up one of the long pipes and then grabbed onto the railings of the balcony, swiftly pulling himself up with little effort. All I could do was stare at him as he flicked off invisible debris off his clothes.
River cocked a humoured brow. "Are you not going to invite me inside?"
I quickly pulled him into my room, locking the doors and drawing the curtains shut for good measure. "Seriously, what are you doing here? Anyone could have easily seen you."
But he was too busy scanning my room, observing everything curiously. "So this is where you remain locked inside when you're not at school. Really living the life of a princess, aren't you?"
