The Stranger I Met

Hatred Can Be Pure

First of all, this chapter is specially for my nagging friends without whom this chapter might have been released a week later. Thank you for pushing me into publishing it so soon. I have added this twist only for you guys. So here you go.

I decide to skip school today as I couldn't avoid either going to my job or the rehearsals today and I had no interest in going through the awkwardness with Tyler or the guilt around Jason twice. Naisha considered this as a good opportunity for us to finish the necessary touch ups for the party.

" Here you go." Naisha hands me a maroon strapless dress with golden embroidery around its waist." I want you to try this and show me so we can at least put a check on your outfit." I nod." Let's grab something to eat first." I say in a crippled tone which concerns her." Of course." She offers me her hand." Let's go."

During the breakfast, Tristen is no where to be found, which pretty much indicates my good day ahead. Even though being at home, I cannot stop thinking about all the mess I had created. " Umm, earth to Aurora!" Naisha says in an animated voice." What!" I turn towards her." Your mind is clearly occupied by something and I am pretty sure it's not the party." She puts down the fork and supports her head on her palm." What are you talking about. It's nothing." I shake my head." Then why are your pancakes outrightly soaked in maple syrup." She points at my breakfast. I look down towards my plate and see the syrup glistening all over my food. " Maybe I am feeling a bit sweet tooth." She chuckles." Seriously, that is your best shot at fooling me, 'sweet tooth'." She stops to laugh some more and then continues." Puh-lease, I have been eating pancakes with you since I couldn't even spell it and maple syrup has never been your favourite." Even though I wanted to lash out at her, she was right. Just the sight of my breakfast made me want to hurl." There is something you are not telling me and I know that if you haven't told it to my till now, you are for sure not planning on telling me any sooner." She exchanges her plate of syrup less breakfast with mine." But just keep it in mind. You can come to me whenever you feel like. Okay."

I take a deep breath." It's Jason." Naisha had already started with her exchanged plate but Jason's name makes her head pop back to my eye level." As in Molly's boyfriend Jason." I look at her shocked face and know instantly that I won't have to go through the details with Naisha. She had already figured out half the story.

~~~•

I feel as if a heavy weight has lifted off my chest. I had to tell someone and Naisha was the correct choice. I get inside my room and look at the dress lying on the bed. I pick it up to get a complete view of it," This better be good." I put it down and head towards my bathroom.

I come out wearing only the towel around my body. I never like changing in the bathroom. I look at my dress." What the fu-" I place my hand on the wall for support and prevent myself from tumbling. Tristen is sitting on my bed holding the dress, scrutinizing it. My sudden outburst makes him turn towards me. His eyes run all over over me and stops at the hem of my towel for more than a few seconds. His eyes then meet mine and his mouths curls into an evil grin, enveloping me in a cold , edgy feeling which I had felt long back when he had tried to assault me." Wow." He says, not even trying to hide the monster whom I can see sitting just a layer behind his eyes. Ready to come out any minute. " I was just imagining how painfully hot you'll look in this strapless dress, but nothing can top that towel dress."

I look at my unlocked door." How could I forget to lock the door with you in the house." He laughs." Trust me, this is going to be your favourite mistake."" Tristen, leave my room , now." Ignoring me, he puts the dress down and gets up from my bed. In two swift steps, he stands a few inches away from me. I hold on to the edge of my towel tighter.

" Finally" he says. " I get you all to myself. My annoying sister won't be disturbing us this time." I didn't realize until he stepped an inch closer that I am standing against the wall. He places both his hands next to my shoulders, not touching me yet. I feel his breathing getting faster. Even though he had pulled a cheep trick by making his breathe smell like strawberry, it still felt sour when it touched my face. He notices the fear in my eyes. " No girl has ever repelled away from me the way you do. They can kill just for my attention. But look at you." I turn my face away from him trying to think straight for a way to get out of this situation.

He finds my helplessness amusing and laughs." You are afraid because you haven't let me be myself with you. " He takes a deep breath and comes closer to my ear." The only thing that is coming between us is your towel. " I gasp, disgusted by his audacity and terrorised by my frailty. " But don't worry." He continues," It will be long gone before you even know and soon it will be your skin against mine. Trust me it will be your best experience." The image was crystal clear in my mind about his plans which made me almost choke. I wanted to run so far away from him but my body refused to respond to my protest. A tear falls down my cheek and lands on my towel. He places his forefinger under my ear and traces a line along my neck to my bare shoulder and stops. His lips come closer to my cheek and finally touches it. He is not kissing me, just resting his lips on my cheek. He then drags them unhurriedly towards my lips and stops almost at the corner of my mouth. He speaks against my skin. " You are mine, Aurora and you will accept it after I am through with you."

All of a sudden, my whole body buckles up at his statement. My knee flies up with a speed unknown to me and connects with his groin. Hard. He instantly backs away. Looking at his vulnerability, I grab him by the collar of his shirt and punch his nose brutally, hopefully breaking it. He falls down on my bed and curls into a ball. Wailing and groaning." Aah- I didn't- aah- know you were that strong." I scoff at his comment. " No Tristen. That is my anger that has got you curled up on my bed, helpless. My strength will get you lying on a concrete floor, unconscious. So don't you dare pull that kind of stunt again, ever!" I pick up my dress to go change in the adjacent room." Asshole!" I whisper loud enough for him to hear. He is still groaning when I get out and close the door. " I'll have to sanitize my whole room now." I murmur.

~~~•

" My brother did What!!!" Naisha shrieks and almost drops the shopping bag she is holding. I told her the whole incident as soon as she came back from her errand. Mom and Alison too were at their get-together with some friends. I realized now that the empty house had lead to Tristen's brovado." Can you keep it low?" I whisper to her." And I really need a new dress. This maroon dress reeks of him." I keep it on the table. " But you need to tell someone, at least Meredith." " No , I can't. If I tell mom she is going to hyperventilate and there is a hundred percent chance she will kick him out and a 102 percent chance that our party will get cancelled." I take a sip from the juice box kept on the table next to me." Fine. But we will do something about this later." She puts her shopping bag on the table." And about that dress. I think this will suffice." She takes out a mix coloured fabric from the bag. For a second, I forget everything and indulge into the perfection of the dress" OM- effing- G. Where had you kept that hidden." Naisha smiles ear to ear." You don't need to know that. This is your dress. Now go in your room and try it out."

I didn't need to be told twice. I sprint towards my room. As soon I pull the fabric over my head, I transfer into a completely different quixotic land. It has an A- line backless halter top with a lace tied around the neck. The top is followed by a long flowy gradient chiffon skirt , long enough to touch the floor even in my 6 inch stilettos. The upper top , which was black, is covered in shiny silver ombre beads, ending around the waist. Below the waist, the skirt is black till the middle and merges into a dark blue colour which becomes dominant by the end.

The dress was perfection. Not more, not less. I couldn't wait for the party anymore." This dress is made for you and only you." I turn around to meet Naisha's eyes which are projecting pure content. I twirl around for her. " I am happy that Tristen didn't touch this one. It is still pure." His name makes tear rise up to the brim of my eye and separate, falling on my cheek. " Hey, hey." Naisha rushes towards me and hugs me." We should really tell your mom. You are suffering honey. No party is more important than you." I pull away and wipe my tears." We will tell mom , but after the party. I don't want that douche to destroy our hardwork." I look at her , my vision hazy due to the waterworks. " If you say so." She gives me another self assuring hug. " Now get out of this dress before you soak it with tears." I chuckle.

While heading down, we meet Tristen on the stairs. He has a thick white bandaid on his nose. Looks like my punch worked." Ooh, what happened to your nose my dearest brother." Naisha taunts him. We can see the acrid look in his eyes but he knows he cannot win here." Bite me sister." He snaps and rushes past us towards his room." Looks like your punch proved to be a bull's eye." Naisha grins at me as we continue downstairs.

Once again, thank you so much N, A and D - the driving forces behind this chapter. I hope you liked this one . One more request : keep pushing me or else I probably won't be able to complete this book even in an year. Love you guys till the space and back.😘😘😘😘

P.S: when the hell are you going to start commenting on my stories bitches. Waiting........