Sub Rosa Ties ( A High School Dark Romance)

Zera

My breath hitched as soon as his words left his mouth, and my eyes darted around in fear, seeking an escape.

I squirmed against his grip, but the more I struggled, the tighter his hold became, like a vice constricting around me.

"Stay fucking still," he growled, his voice low and menacing near my ear, but I couldn't comply.

I thrashed violently, twisting my body to break free, and sank my teeth deep into his palm. At the same time, I stomped down on his foot repeatedly, trying to force him to release me.

He let go with a pained grunt, but as I spun around to run, his hand grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking me backward with enough force to slam me into the wall.

The impact sent a shockwave of pain through my head, my eyes rolling back from the sudden dizziness. My knees buckled, and I slid to the ground.

Before I could gather my senses, a hard slap struck my left cheek, the sting searing through my skin and sending me sprawling.

I hit the ground with a thud, pain radiating through my body. The sharp sting on my lips suggested he'd split my lip with that slap, and I could taste the metallic tang of blood.

I felt disoriented, my senses spinning from the brutal assault, as fear gripped me tighter than his hands ever could.

"Zera..." he sneered, roughly gripping the collar of my shirt and hauling me to my feet.

He slammed my back against the old wall behind me, the force sending a jolt of pain through my spine.

I hissed in pain, my eyes squinting from the dizziness swirling in my head.

His breath fanned my face as he closed the gap between us, pressing so close that there was barely any space left. He was practically crushing me, his green eyes gleaming ominously in the darkness.

He was dressed entirely in black, with a hood pulled low over his forehead, obscuring much of his face.

"You're out here taking a fucking stroll and enjoying life while I've been stuck in bed for almost a week? Huh?" He tightened his grip on my collar, his nails digging into my skin, causing me to cry out in pain.

A scoff followed his words.

"You think sending your boyfriend to beat me up and humiliate me in front of the whole school makes things better for you? No, it only made things worse. I'm angry, Zera. No, I'm fucking furious. I showed you love and affection, I became your friend, and you just betrayed me for some tattooed guy, huh? You think you and Gerard will last? You won't. I won't let it happen. It's either you're with me or with no one else," he spat, his grip tightening on my collar.

His other hand suddenly yanked up my skirt, his fingers slithering up my skin like a snake, and I screamed, my voice piercing through the night as I pushed him away with all my strength.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Austin?" I shouted, my voice breaking as I stepped back, trying to create distance, but he was already advancing toward me.

"Stay away from me. If you don't, I'll fucking scream," I warned, my heart racing as he closed in, his eyes filled with rage.

I was about to scream when he swiftly covered my mouth, pushing me back against the wall, his body pinning me down.

Darkness obscured my vision as I stared up at his intense gaze.

"You never visited or called. You didn't even worry about me. I'm sure you wanted me to die, huh?" His breath was hot and harsh as he spoke.

He released his grip on my mouth and yanked off his hoodie in one swift motion. My eyes widened in shock as I saw the state of his face.

It was disfigured, with dried bruises and patches of bandages on his jaw.