𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐀

27. Pretty when you cry

I am SPEEDING to get these chapters out, I have to feed y'all 😉

let's just get straight into it, yeah?

as you can tell imagine from the title, the song is: 'Pretty when you cry' by Lana del Ray

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Angelina's POV:

I hate it when I cry.

I hate it.

But sometimes I can't help it.

This is one of those times.

I sat on the shower floor, hot water pouring over me, mixing with my tears. My body trembled uncontrollably as I hugged my knees to my chest, the reality of what had just happened crashing down on me. I had nearly drowned, and it wasn't an accident.

Damien had pushed me into the pool. It was as if his face was burned into my eyelids; every time I close my eyes, there his is, staring back at me with a smug expression.

The thought sends a fresh wave of panic through me, and I could still feel the suffocating grip of the water, the desperate struggle to reach the surface.

My lungs burned, remembering the frantic gasps for air once I finally gained consciousness. The fear was overwhelming, a raw and primal terror that I couldn't shake. I sobbed, the hot water offering no comfort, only a temporary distraction from the cold dread still clutching at my heart.

I replayed the moments in my mind—the sudden shove, the terrifying plunge, the disorienting thrash as I fought against the water. It all felt like a nightmare, one that I couldn't wake up from.

I cried harder, feeling the weight of my near-death experience pressing down on me. It wasn't just the physical exhaustion but the emotional toll that left me feeling utterly broken. The helplessness, the fear of not making it, the thought of leaving everything behind—it was all too much to bear.

I had only survived because Adonis had been fast enough. Without him, I likely wouldn't be alive. That's a debt I could never repay.

In the midst of my tears, I promised myself I would never let him get away with this. I would be more careful, more aware, and I would stand up for myself.

But for now, all I could do was let the water wash over me, trying to cleanse away the terror, the helplessness, and the memory of how close I had come to losing everything.

Suddenly, I heard a knock on the bathroom door. My heart skipped a beat, panic rising in my chest. I quickly tried to steady my breathing, wiping my eyes even though I knew the water would hide my tears.

"Angelina?" a voice called out, filled with concern.

Adonis.

I forced a smile, though no one could see it. "Yeah, I'm fine!" I called back, trying to keep my voice steady. "Just taking a long shower because I was cold!"

There was a pause, and I held my breath, hoping he wouldn't press further. "Alright, well, I'll just be waiting out here if you need me." He says, and I listen to his footsteps retreat.

I let out a shaky sigh of relief, the fake smile dropping from my face. The weight of my emotions crashed back down on me, but I couldn't let them see me like this, again. I couldn't let anyone see me cry again, because I know they'd think I was weak.

If I wanted to be respected, I had to become stronger, and that meant not letting my emotions get the best of me.

I stayed in there a little longer, letting the water soothe my skin, knowing I had to pull myself together before stepping out.