𝔉𝔏𝔄𝔐𝔈𝔖.

EPISODE THIRTY FOUR 34:BESTIES

**Michael's POV**

"Please leave my sister, she didn't do anything," the little boy pleaded, his voice trembling as the gun was pointed at him.

"Don't be afraid, Michael, they are all just bad people," she said, her voice steadier than the gun's menacing presence.

"Feisty, just like her father, too bad you won't get to grow up and be just like him," he sneered, twisting her face towards him with the gun.

"My daddy is going to screw all of you up," she retorted, defiance lighting her eyes.

The sharp crack of a gunshot pierced the air, silencing everything but the boy's agonized cries.

"It hurts, please," the boy whimpered, his voice choked by the chains binding him to the chair.

"We're doing this so your dad knows we're coming for him," the man said coldly, his words dripping with menace.

"Mitchell!" The boy's scream echoed through the room, a desperate plea that was swallowed by the darkness.

"Your sister's gone. Now shut the f** up and let us do our job," the man barked.

"No, no, please!" The boy's voice broke into a pained sob.

"Keep quiet, little f***ker," the man hissed, the tattoo gun buzzing ominously as it pressed against the boy's skin.

"No, no, no!" The boy's scream was a raw, heart-wrenching cry.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

"Are you alright?" a voice broke through the haze, pulling me back to the present.

I jolted upright, realizing I was submerged in the pool, my only attire being boxers.

"Are you OK?" Chloe's concerned voice cut through the confusion.

"What are you doing in the pool with me?" I asked, my frustration mingling with the cold water. "I still don't know why you didn't opt for boarding school," I added, trying to mask my irritation.

"Well, because not everyone wants to be a loner or enjoys being a loner like you. Why do I feel like I'm not welcome here?" she said, her voice laced with hurt.

"You are welcome. Why do you feel that way?" I asked, my tone softening despite my annoyance.

"Because I keep feeling like you want me out of your life, or maybe you're scared that Hadizah or whatever she calls herself won't be with you if she finds out about me," she said, her eyes searching mine for reassurance.

I climbed out of the pool, wrapping a towel around my torso, my patience wearing thin. Chloe followed, not ready to let me go just yet.

"Can you please just leave me alone, Chloe? I need peace, and you're not helping," I said, frustration evident in my voice.

She stepped in front of me, her face a mixture of hurt and determination.

"Why can't you see me for who I am? See me for who I have always been, Michael, please," she implored, her voice breaking slightly.

I wish I could just tell her that, "you are the best girl anyone could ever wish for but I can't be with you because I don't want to hurt you."

"I'm really not in the mood for this, or for anything right now. I'll just leave you to cool your mind off," I said, grabbing a robe and turning away.

"When are you going to understand that the girl you like is a f***ing whore?" she shouted, her words slicing through the air like a knife.

My body tensed, rage boiling over. How dare she call Hadizah a whore? She's the most perfect girl on earth. I will uncover the truth about those pictures, and if anyone dares to mess with her, they mess with me too.