the fire between us

chapter 10

- martinus view - 

"What the hell is going on?" Marcus's voice cuts through the noise of the party, his serious stare locking onto me.

"Why would you call her a brat?" Nora adds, her tone sharp with disapproval.

I rub my face, frustration boiling over. "Well, I clearly didn't fucking mean to," I snap, feeling the weight of my words settle like a heavy stone in my chest.

Marcus steps closer, his eyes narrowing. "Is someone going to tell me what the hell is going on?"

Nora places a hand on his arm, trying to diffuse the situation. "Yes, let's talk in your room," she says, giving me a pointed look before leading Marcus away.

I stand there for a moment, my heart pounding with regret and worry. I didn't mean to call Y/N a brat. The words slipped out in the heat of the moment, and now, I've probably hurt her more than I ever intended.

Fuck. I need to find her. I can't let her think I meant any of it.

Without wasting another second, I head to the kitchen, weaving through the clusters of people still partying, hoping she might have gone there to grab another drink. But when I arrive, the kitchen is empty except for a few people chatting by the counter. I quickly scan the room, but there's no sign of her.

I curse under my breath and head back into the hallway, my mind racing. Where else could she have gone? She was upset, so maybe she needed some air.

I make my way toward the back door, stepping out into the cool night. The backyard is dimly lit, a few groups of people scattered around, but none of them are Y/N. My heart sinks as I realize she's not here either.

Frustration gnaws at me, but I refuse to give up. I head back inside, pushing through the crowded living room, scanning the faces for any sign of her. My mind keeps replaying the moment in my room, the hurt in her eyes, and the harshness of my words. I know I need to make this right, but I can't do that if I can't find her.

Finally, I spot a familiar figure sitting on the porch through the window—Jack. And next to him, slumped and looking lost, is Y/N. 

"jack" she says, looking at him, "y/n" he answers. "why would he call me a brat?" she says. 

"Jack," she says, her voice tinged with hurt as she looks at him. "Why would he call me a brat?"

Jack sighs, glancing at her with sympathy. "I don't know, Y/N. But Martinus can be a bit of an idiot sometimes. Doesn't mean he meant it."

She lets out a shaky breath, her shoulders slumping further. "It's just... it hurt, you know? I thought he cared about me."

"He does care," Jack says softly. "He's just terrible at showing it the right way."

I stand there, frozen in place, my heart twisting at the sound of her voice. Hearing her talk about me like that, knowing I'm the one who made her feel this way, makes me feel like the biggest asshole on the planet. 

Y/N's voice breaks as she speaks, and it feels like a knife twisting in my gut.

"Why would he rather lose me than just tell me whatever it is?" she asks, her words heavy with pain and confusion.

Jack looks at her with sad eyes, clearly unsure of how to respond. "I don't know, Y/N. Sometimes people mess up because they're scared of losing what they care about most. But that doesn't make it right."

Her shoulders shake slightly as she lets out a quiet sob, and I can't just stand here anymore. I push open the door and step out onto the porch, my heart in my throat. I can't stand lisining to this, I go out to my room and sit.