Shadows Of Reminance

Chapter 24: Briana

As we stepped out of Mr. Adam's office, the air felt suffocating, thick with the tension that lingered from our confrontation. My mind was a whirlwind of confusion and regret, the memory of my outburst haunting me with each passing second.

Noah's reassuring presence beside me offered some comfort, but even his steady hand on my shoulder couldn't dispel the fear that gnawed at my insides.

Entering Noah's cabin, he guided me gently to the chair, his touch grounding me as I sank into the seat. Sitting across from him, I watched in silence as he retrieved the first aid kit, his movements deliberate and calm.

The soft sound of the lid being opened filled the room, a stark contrast to the racing of my heart. With each passing moment, the fear threatened to consume me, the weight of my secret bearing down on me like a heavy burden.

And as I had barely calmed, myself; in the midst of the quiet, Noah paused. His eyes met mine, a flicker of concern and doubt passing in his eyes.

"Briana, what's the bandage about?" he asked, his voice gentle but laced with doubt.

Time seemed to stand still as his question hung in the air, my mind racing with a million different excuses and half-truths. But in that moment, I couldn't find the words to explain away the marks on my skin, the scars of a pain I had fought so hard to conceal.

Frozen in place, I felt a wave of panic wash over me, the fear of being exposed threatening to consume me whole. In that moment, all I could do was stare at Noah, the weight of my silence heavy between us.

Just as I opened my mouth to speak, I heard the last person I wanted to see in this moment.

"Noah, I can take it from here. Please handle the chaos outside for me," Ashton's voice cut through the tense atmosphere, leaving no room for argument.

Noah looked at him for a few seconds, and something passed between them that I couldn't decipher. With a reassuring smile directed at me, Noah rose from his seat. "I'm right beside this room, Bri. Just call my name, and I'll be there," he said softly, kissing my forehead before leaving without even acknowledging Ashton's presence.

The moment Noah left the room, Ashton moved towards me, his presence suffocating. He reached for the first aid kit and began to unwrap the bandage, his movements deliberate and controlled. I tried to pull away, a surge of panic coursing through me the moment he tried to pull my sleeves up.

"I can do it myself. I don't need any help, especially from you," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. But Ashton ignored my protests as he snatched my hand back and instantly lifts my sleeves up.

I close my eyes and turn my head away from him that instant.

"What the fuck is this, Briana?" His voice booms in the empty office, even though he barely raised his voice.

My lower lip trembles and I bit down hard on my inner cheek, almost drawing out blood.

You've got this Bri. He'll never find out. Just lie, like we've always had.

Taking a deep breath, I wet my lips and turn towards him. The moment my gaze meets the grey ones, I know I've landed straight in hell.

"You have never seen anyone get hurt and have a scar?" I break the eye contact and look outside the window, pretending he isn't here while biting my inner cheek.

"Why, yes. Of course I've seen someone get scars after playing." His voice is calm and steady, even though the undertone is sinister.

"Do the scars by getting hurt, always appear just below one another, as if in uniform?"