𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐌𝐄

─ ❝ act x ❞

⎡ act x - first aid ⎦

┊❝ You're just like his little pet now ❞┊

── "WHY did you invite that bitch?" Carmen questioned Dylan whilst she leaned forward to flick the lighter in her hand, the flame burning the end of her cigarette easily before she took a drag and let out a stream of smoke from in between her teeth. "Like, seriously, come on. I get she's your recent catch of pathetic newbies, but we could've had someone else handle this."

"You're surprisingly hostile towards her, Carmen," Dylan chuckled, his eyes lidding in amusement at the fact. "How come?"

"Do I need a reason?" She scoffed.

"Perhaps," he smirked. "I kinda like her."

"Excuse me?" Carmen glanced back at him with clear disgust and disbelief brimming within her sharp blue gaze, her nose wrinkling at the very thought of Dylan becoming even closer to (Y/N). "What about her is there even to like? Not only does she look so gloomy as if she's about to drop dead, but her personality is absolutely composed of nothing interesting. It's as if she's..."

"...a beautiful, blank canvas ready to be remodeled?" Dylan finished for her, watching from the corner of his eye her lips screw shut in irritation.

"I honestly don't see what you have against her, Carmen," Ian hummed as he flicked through the book he was reading, his eyes eagerly scanning the words printed on the pages as if they gave off life itself. "It's amusing how hard she tries. I would've thought you'd find that as entertaining as I do." He stopped reading, glancing up to meet her eyes, his stare cold and hard as he continued, "Or is there another, more derisive reason as to why you dislike her so vehemently as you do?"

Carmen's cheeks flushed pink at that.

Ian smirked.

"My, Ian," Dylan chuckled as he plucked Carmen's cigarette from her hand and took a drag from it. "It looks like you were right." Slinging an arm around her shoulder, he whispered into her ear, "I'm flattered, Carmen—really, I am. You should really convey your feelings more plainly."

She only grew all the more flustered.

It was a never a secret how Carmen fancied Dylan, and though he never outright said that he knew of her feelings, it was implied over and over again through his rather intimate actions before he pulled away and had her chasing him all over again. It was a fun game that he liked to play with her, most especially loving how she reacted whenever he had another girl beside him. He didn't feel anything serious towards Carmen, no matter her beauty or intellect or remorseless nature much like his own, as there was nothing about her that enticed him.

So, why not play with her?

"This alcohol really does something to me," Dylan sighed after finishing his drink, his hand landing on the thigh of the other girl beside him who immediately latched onto him with a flirtatious smile, something that made Carmen silently seethe. "Maybe you can help me with that, hm?" Standing up with the girl on his arm, he turned to Ian to say, "When (Y/N) gets here, invite her in. Take care of her. Give her just enough where she thinks she'll be safe for the time being. I can't wait to see the look on her face when I take that away."

Chuckling to himself, Dylan disappeared with the girl, leaving Ian, Carmen, and the rest of the group who were too busy playing pool and drinking much to care for his departure.

Carmen, on the other hand, felt differently.

Slugging back her drink, she made do on drowning her emotions in alcohol.

Ian rolled his eyes.

Only a few seconds more passed before the bell rang, signaling that (Y/N) was back. Wasting no time in standing to walk out of the room and greet her, abandoning his book on the couch, Ian swiftly stalked past Carmen towards the front of the house. Slipping one hand into his pocket, he then used his other hand to open the door, finding (Y/N) standing there just as he expected, two bags in her hand full of three cases of alcohol. She shifted from foot to foot until she saw him, staring up at him with those (E/C) eyes of hers that just showed resilience.

"You're back," Ian hummed as he opened the door for (Y/N), staring down at her almost quizzically as if he couldn't believe she was standing there instead of in a jail cell for shoplifting—assuming she would shoplift alcohol if she couldn't just buy it. "Good. Let's go."

"I brought what you and Dylan wanted," (Y/N) merely proclaimed as she held out the two bags. "I've done what you asked. I'm going home."

Ian stared at her.

There it was again.

That resilience.

He was quite ready to crush it completely.

"No, I really don't think you will, since you're business here isn't done," Ian reached out to grab her wrist, tugging her into the house before closing the door behind her. "I suggest you don't struggle, or what is about to happen will surely only hurt you more, and you don't want that, do you?" He tilted his chin down, continuing, "Then again, you could well be into something like that. From your actions, it's clear there is something there..."

She merely scowled at him.

He didn't respond to her expression as he led her to drop the alcohol off before moving her to the most grand bathroom she had ever seen.

"Sit on the counter," he demanded.

"What?" Her frown deepened.

"Do it."

Slowly, achingly slow, (Y/N) did as she was asked, a glare highlighted in her eyes despite the monotone mask that she wore. Ian rummaged in the cupboards of the bathroom before finally removing a first aid kit and setting it beside her, something she seemed puzzled by. Her confusion only grew when Ian gently placed an alcohol swab against her cut cheek, hissing from the sting that ensued and then stiffening when he placed a hand on the opposite side of her head to hold hold her still.

"Why are you doing this?" She whispered, watching him and his every move intently.

"Dylan wanted this," Ian surprisingly answered, his eyes flicking to meet her gaze every now and again as he focused on cleaning her cut, already able to see that her flesh was beginning to bruise. "You should be thankful. Or maybe you shouldn't be. He wants you to be taken care of so he can break you all the more. You're just like his little pet now."

Ian finally pulled away from her after placing a small patch on her cheek.

(Y/N) stared at him coldly.

All he did was smile in response.    

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To be continued...