LITTLE LIAR: DAMON TORRANCE

Chapter Four: Ties that bind

I rushed through the streets, the events of the day whirling in my mind like a storm. The encounter with Will had left me unsettled, and I couldn't shake the feeling that everything was spiraling out of control. I'd blown off school after that, feeling like I couldn't breathe, like the walls were closing in. My footsteps echoed in the empty hallway as I hurried back to the apartment, trying to focus on anything other than the gnawing anxiety in my chest.

By the time I got home, it was late. I hoped Rika would be out, or at least asleep, so I could just crawl into bed and forget the world for a while. But as soon as I opened the door, I knew I wasn't that lucky. The lights were on, and I could hear soft music playing from the living room.

Rika was waiting for me.

She was sitting on the couch, her posture relaxed but her gaze sharp as she looked up at me. The soft glow of the lamp cast shadows across her face, highlighting the calm, controlled expression she always wore. I hesitated in the doorway, unsure if I could handle this conversation right now.

"Where have you been?" she asked, her voice calm, but with a hint of something else. Concern? Disappointment? It was hard to tell with Rika. She was always so composed, so sure of herself.

"I—" I started, but the words caught in my throat. What could I say? That I'd run into William and freaked out? That I felt like my whole world was unraveling? Instead, I just shook my head and looked away. "I didn't feel like staying at school."

Rika didn't respond immediately. Instead, she watched me, her gaze steady, almost dissecting me. Finally, she sighed and patted the seat next to her. "Come here, Evie. Sit down."

Reluctantly, I crossed the room and sat down, keeping a small distance between us. She didn't say anything for a moment, just looked at me with those perceptive eyes of hers, as if she was trying to see through me, to figure out what was going on inside my head.

"I saw William today too," she finally said, her tone casual, but her words hit me like a punch to the gut. My heart skipped a beat, and I turned to look at her, my eyes wide.

"You did?" I whispered, my voice trembling.

She nodded, her expression softening slightly. "I also saw Damon." She paused, watching my reaction carefully. "They weren't happy, Evelyn."

I swallowed hard, my mind racing. Damon and William—together? The thought of them, of what they might be planning, sent a shiver down my spine. "What... what did they say?" I asked, my voice barely audible.

Rika sighed, leaning back against the couch. "They didn't say much. But it was clear they're not over what happened. They're still angry, and they're not going to let it go easily." Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw something in them—concern, maybe even fear. "You need to be careful, Evelyn."

I looked away, my mind spinning. This was too much. I felt like I was drowning, and no matter how hard I tried to keep my head above water, I kept getting pulled under. I didn't know what to say, how to explain the fear that had been gnawing at me all day.

But Rika, in her usual perceptive way, seemed to understand. She shifted closer to me, her hand gently covering mine. "You can talk to me, Evelyn," she said softly, her voice tender. "You don't have to go through this alone."

Her words broke something inside me, and before I knew it, the tears were spilling over. I tried to hold them back, tried to keep the facade of strength I'd been clinging to, but it was no use. I was falling apart.

Rika didn't say anything, just pulled me into her arms, holding me as I cried. Her embrace was warm, comforting, and for the first time that day, I felt like I wasn't alone. She stroked my hair, murmuring soothing words, letting me release all the pain and fear I'd been holding inside.