-down,***
A Few Hours Later
I stood outside his door, my heart hamring in my chest.
I didn't know why I was so nervous; it was just him.
Emir.
The man who seed to live to make my life harder.
I clenched my fists, feeling my nails dig into my palms.
I wouldn't let him see like this.
Not after the way he'd ssed with my test score just to spite .
Yeah, that was right, I didn't say anything back in the class, but I knew that he played with my
score.
Otherwise, I wouldn't have ranked so low... I'm sure of it.
Taking a deep breath, I raised my hand and knocked, but then, before I could say anything, the door quickly slid open.
Emir, sat behind his desk, looked up, just briefly, and I saw that usual look on his face-the one that didn't care about anything or anyone.
He didn't even look surprised to see , like he knew I was coming.
Of course, he'd know.
He'd probably been waiting for to storm in, all smug because he'd gotten under my skin. "Why did you do it?"
I started, voice louder than I ant it to be, but I didn't care.
"Why'd you give such a low rank? I deserve to be among the top ten at least."
He didn't answer, just kept looking at with that blank face of his, like he had all the ti in the world.
I took a step closer, narrowing my eyes.
"You know what? I get it. You wanted to make quit, didn't you? Stop trying. That's why you did it. You just want to give up and go ho so you can sit back and say, 'Oh look, she couldn't handle it.' But guess what?"
I leaned over his desk, pointing a finger at him.
"I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to show you that I can handle it. I'll show you who's stronger here, and it's not you."
""
Silence.
He didn't say a word.
He didn't move.
He just sat there, staring at like I was so nuisance that interrupted his day, a bug that aimlessly flew around him.
I was ready for him to say sothing, anything, to defend himself, explain why he'd been so cruel, or to attack like he usually did.
But when he finally spoke, it wasn't what I expected. Not at all.
"A... pathetic sight you are."
I blinked, taken aback.
"Excuse ?"
His voice was as cold as ice, his tone mocking, like he wasn't even talking to but at , cutting down with every word.
"Being cold is a basic skill of a Celestial, yet look at you."
His gaze was sharp and almost... disappointed.
"You're not able to keep your composure... You're still shackled by your childish ways."
I felt my blood boil. How dare he talk to like this?
"...Even if soone provokes you."
He continued, his voice rising slightly, almost as if he was frustrated.
"Even if they threaten you. Even if they turn your world upside down..."
Emir leaned forward, took off his shades, and set them down between us.
"Even if your enemy is right in front of you."
His words hung in the air, slicing through whatever anger I thought I had, as did his inky eyes, making feel a familiar dread.
He wasn't just talking about my rank anymore; he was talking about sothing deeper, sothing that made my stomach twist.
"You have to learn the cold. Embrace it. That's how a true Celestial 'acts,' especially in your case."
My face burned with embarrassnt, but I kept my chin up, refusing to let him see how much his words cut.
"Pathetic. You will never grow at this rate. Never."
I felt my hands tremble, rage burning inside , and his words kept hitting like punches to
the gut.
"No."
His eyes, already holes of black, sohow darkened even further, digging into mine.
"No, you won't improve; you won't even be able to stand up straight."
"You-!"
I wanted to scream at him, to make him stop, but I couldn't find the words.
It was like he was seeing through , breaking down with every sentence.
"Think of the reason... Think all of this over, and then..."
He paused, his gaze softening just for a mont.
"I might not be so disappointed."
Disappointed? He was disappointed in ?
Sothing just... snapped.
"What the hell do you know?"
And I shouted.
"You think I'm weak because I can't act like so heartless machine? My whole world was turned upside down after my father's death! Before that, I was just so girl who didn't need
to train like this, who didn't need to exhaust herself with things she never even asked for! I... I
can't be like you!"
Emir didn't flinch.
He just kept looking at with that sa cold expression, as if everything I was saying didn't
matter.
"Do you even feel bad for what you did?"
I asked, my voice wavering.
"For what you put him- through?"
Finally, I thought I saw sothing flicker in his eyes, sothing almost like regret.
But his words shattered whatever hope I had.
"No, well, I did feel bad though... when he started crying like a little bitch. Yeah, that's when I
felt bad."
Ah... this bastard.
I tried to keep it together, but the hurt was too much.
I felt my knees wobble, and before I knew it, tears blurred my vision.
I choked out a sob, biting my lip to keep from breaking down completely.
He watched for a second, then slid a napkin across the desk toward .
"Get out."
I grabbed the napkin, but I didn't leave.
I stayed there, my shoulders shaking, not caring anymore about hiding how hurt I was.
I stayed because I needed answers. I stayed because I couldn't walk away without knowing.
"If you hate so much, then why?"
I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Why are you sponsoring ?"
For the first ti, I saw sothing in his eyes, a hint of surprise.
He hadn't expected to figure it out.
"Did you really think I wouldn't notice?"
I asked, anger replacing my sadness.
"You might think I'm stupid, but I'm not that stupid. I'm not that stupid!"
He just stared at , and I felt my heart pounding, words spilling out before I could stop
them.
"I an, who would sponsor a nobody like ? No one would, I know that. I always thought it might be you, but now I know. I'm sure it's you. But why?... Why?"
The last word ca out like a plea, like I was begging him to give sothing, anything to
hold onto.
But he just watched , that cold mask never changing.
"Is it because of your guilt?"
I spat, the anger boiling over.
"Is that it? Then stop! I don't need your damn feelings!"
With that, I threw the napkin back onto his desk, a symbol of everything he'd put through,
and I stord out, slamming the door behind .
But as I left, as the anger slowly faded, a feeling of emptiness settled in.
I felt like I'd lost sothing, sothing I couldn't get back.
I didn't even notice Sofia standing there in the hallway, watching with wide eyes.
I didn't care. I just needed to get away. Away from him, from everything.
But, deep down, I knew... I couldn't run forever.
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