Chest heaving, eyes wide, unblinking, bloodshot and mashed teeth. Travis looked very well like a mad man on a miniscule rampage. He stands on the house's plush rug trying to find more words to throw at him. Words to hurt him, to make his father feel his pain. This was the first time in fifteen years. The first time, he stood up for himself and looked his father down.
The words he shouted back when his father tried to demean him for misbehaving still echoed within his head, giving rise to those little goosebumps that was winding across his arms.
''Stop, just stop!" He'd shouted as he sat opposite the man. Raising swiftly to his feet, he continued with a raw voice laced with as much venom he could muster as a child, ''your a bitter man who takes out his frustration on a child. I've had enough of your abuse! SO JUST LEAVE ME ALONE." Those were his words and not much but he was excited having said them. It was his heart desire for so long. Having stood up to his father; he should've learned.
A deer never pokes a sleeping tiger. A rabbit never enters a Lion's cave.
Veins dotted Muna's forehead, his eyes came alive. Balling his small hands into fists, the man launched....
****
The man woke up with a start, like an utterly frighten man. His shirt stuck to his body despite the temperature. He managed to crawl out of the bed, his hands only succeeding to go as far as the floor. He wanted to plast himself into a corner like he had done after most bad evenings with his father. Crawl into a corner, with his head in between his laps and bawl his eyes out.
The man understood he was past that. If he still did that, then there was no difference between then and now. Between the young boy and this man which he was now. How he had grown. How he had thrived. A cold heartless girl won't take it away.
Unsteady, he went, reaching over to the door, squeezing down the handle of the door, and when the first process was achieved, anger took hold of him. He swung open his door and his hurrying matching footsteps echoed as it went to the direction of Jovic's room. Not bothering with little pleasantries, he barged into the room.
Jovic looked up at the sound of the door, standing at the edge of her bed, in her night gown, her eyes looking at Travis like a child whose hands were caught inside a cookie jar. She waited quietly, holding on for his next move. After no reaction but the searing anger and disgust plastered on his face, she spoke. "What are you doing here?" she asked.
The sheer viscosity in her voice made him falter, pressing down on the door handle tightly. He let go and Jovic watched as Travis made a beeline for her, their eyes never leaving each other. Before she could take a step, she felt a strong grip on both her shoulders that shook her like a ragged doll that her head lolled back and forth.
"You are a monster, you know that?" he said like it was an absolute truth. "A monster!"
Jovic did not say a word only concentrating on his eyes which were dark and glassy. The fire in them could burn a small forest to the ground. And it was beautiful. She finally replied. "I never cared to be anything other than that."
"You think this is a game? Who gave you such rights? Huh? Why the hell did you do that?"
She scoffed, trying to set herself free from him, but he held on tight. "I don't need permission to do anything. And not by you."
"This was different! You've crossed so many lines."
Her answer was squaring her face to him in a cold, reprimanding look.
And he have had it. He wrapped a hand around her throat and jerked her gaze to meet his. "There is nothing good about you. Nothing. You are just an empty drum and you will remain as one."
Jovic gave a strained smile as there was barely any distance between them. They could feel each other's heavy breathing and emotions. A heavy cloud passed across her gaze but she refused to give him that satisfaction. No one gets that satisfaction. Not this man or William or any conceited fool.
"I'm an empty drum," she tried speaking through the constriction of her airways. "But this empty drum has your life in her little fingers. Anytime you think about it, that must make you mad."
The air stilled. Travis reeled as though he had just collected a heavy punch to the face, his jaw clenched and although it sent chills down Jovic spine, she remained like a picture.
Travis movement were as quick as a Cheetah. He heaved her forward, slamming her spine hard against the wall behind them. Jovic's head thumping excruciatingly that she lost focus for a second. Travis compressing her throat harder that she began to struggle against his hold.
"Stsy still," Travis order cut across to her and her hands fell to her sides. His eyes boring intensely into her own dilated pupils.
"You seem to like the power," Jovic said in a voice that was not her own. Baffled from Travis handling so far. She was filled up, to the point of bursting open her lids, but a curiosity to see how it will play out tugged on.
"You still owe me something."
"What is that?"
"An apology is a first," Travis growled. "Apologize."
She smirked. "I do-don't do..."
As she talked her tongue leapt out and as his eyes captured those seconds, he crashed his lips into hers.
Jovic eyes shot open and she immediately moved to push him away. His hot hand massaged her throat, licking her bottom lips and her mind wiped clean, her eyes shutting close. Instead of her initial intention of pushing him far off, her hands swept around his waist. Tangling her hands together, she flushed their bodies, deepening the kiss.
Their tongues fought for dominance as they held death grip on each other. Going at each other hungrily. Travis went, bitting her lower lip, tugging it and Jovic moaned, Travis talking all control. His tongue devoured her, tugging and sucking, leaving Jovic to be making soft moan.
Travis explored every corner of Jovic mouth and when he felt she had given him complete dominance, Jovic sneaked a hand under his shirt, she glided her fingers over his taut stomach and Travis other hand went up, slamming on the wall as groan like that of a Lion's roar tore out from his throat.
Travis forced his eyes open and like a man whose pants caught on fire tore himself from her. He looked at her while stumbling back with an expression of a recently exorcised man. He fell and stood back up that a person not observing could swear it never happened.
Jovic was out of breath. Her mind unfocused. Bracing against the wall, she watched through hazy eyes, a shadow stumbling, before turning and fleeing out of the room.