Mia stood at the edge of chaos, her confusion palpable as she stepped back, inadvertently kicking one of the tanks that littered the ground. The metallic clang echoed in the air, and her heart raced as she found herself caught between two bickering figures: James and Nicky. James, with a lithe leap, landed atop the tank, narrowing his eyes at her with a smirk that felt more like a challenge than a greeting.
So, you're Mia, he declared, the wind tousling his hair. I wanted to meet you so badly.
Mia's expression remained unchanged, her stance shifting into a fighting position. Nicky, recovering from the initial shock of their absurd confrontation, dashed forward to intervene. But in his haste, he stumbled into Mia's path, and her reflexive kick sent him sprawling to the ground. She glanced down at him, momentarily distracted, when a sudden movement caught her attention.
A swift kick flew past her, and she instinctively dodged, hearing James shout, Mia, don't you dare hurt my friend! I don't hit women, but now I will truly hurt you! His words dripped with bravado, yet the tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Before James could reach her, Nicky, still on the ground, managed to punch him in the gut, causing James to topple over. Nicky caught him before he fell completely, Nicky! Why? ! James's question
Mia's confusion deepened. How do you know me? she asked, her voice steady despite the whirlwind around her. Did you see anyone? The stranger who helped me?
James, still groaning from Nicky's punch, shot Mia a glare that could have melted steel. "I hate you," he muttered under his breath, his annoyance. "My friends are fighting because of you."
Meanwhile, outside the massion,Jake stood by the gate, his eyes fixed on the approaching car. When Mia emerged, he instinctively rushed forward, his protective instincts kicking in. Nicky and James, still grappling with their own drama, noticed Jake's sudden movement.
Nawe, Alex's sister, watched in horror as her Jake barreled toward Mia. The moment she laid eyes on Mia, tears welled up, and fear gripped her heart. "Mia!" she cried, rushing to intercept Jake, but the sight of Alex, standing across the way with a lifeless gaze, froze her in place.
Mia's heart sank as she caught Alex's intense stare. It was as if the world around them had faded away, leaving only the two of them in a frozen moment of time. She called out to Jake, but her voice faltered as Alex's expression pierced through her. What had happened to him?
Mia's Pov,
"Why is he staring at me?" she thought, her heart aching for the man she once knew. "I did nothing wrong. What happened to him?"
End of Mia's Pov
As Jake beamed with joy, oblivious to the tension, Mia felt a magnetic pull toward Alex. She pushed Jake aside gently, her eyes locked onto Alex's, desperate to bridge the chasm that had formed between them.
"How have you been, Alex?" she finally broke the silence, her voice soft yet filled with an urgency that only she understood.
But instead of responding, Alex turned away, his back a stark rejection that sent a chill through Mia's heart. Nawe, witnessing her brother's internal struggle, followed closely behind him, her own heart heavy with concern.
Mia stood frozen, confusion morphing into hurt. "What did I do?" she wondered, as Jake, James, and Nicky exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of how to navigate this emotional minefield.
Inside Alex's mind, a storm raged. "She's right in front of me," he thought, grappling with a whirlwind of emotions. "Do I really deserve her? Look at her face—innocent, happy. I wish I could hold her."
The intensity of his feelings boiled over, and he let out a primal scream, a raw expression of pain that echoed through the night. Nawe rushed to his side, her presence a soothing balm against his turmoil. "Brother, don't," she whispered, cradling him as he wept, the weight of unspoken words pressing down on both of them.
Mia stood at a distance, her heart breaking at the sight of Alex's suffering. She felt like a ghost, haunting the edges of a life she once shared with him. The night was cold, but the warmth of their shared memories flickered in the darkness.
"Why can't I reach him?" she thought, tears threatening to spill. "What happened while I was gone? I only left to protect you."
As the wind whispered through the trees, carrying the echoes of their unspoken connection, Mia took a tentative step forward, determined to bridge the gap that had formed between them. But for now, all she could do was watch as Alex wrestled with his pain, her heart aching for the man who had once brought so much light into her life.
Mia's POV
Everyone who comes into my life suffers. I bring the pain. I see it happen again and again, like a curse I can never escape. Maybe I should just stop caring, but I can't—it's not in me. Alex, what happened to you? What did they do to you? You're not the same, and I can't stand seeing you like this.
I hate the way you shut yourself off, the way you push everyone away, like you're afraid to let anyone in. Who hurt you so badly? The question claws at my chest, tightens around my throat. I want to make them pay. I'll make them suffer, just like you're suffering. I'd do anything for you.
But I know it's wrong. I know I'm wrong to stay, to keep putting myself through this. I am the problem. If I stay any longer, someone else will get hurt. I can feel the danger closing in—on me, on you, on everyone around us. I should leave. It would be better for everyone. I'm a curse, Alex. I'm not good for you. I'm trouble… and it's always following me, dragging people down with me.
But then I look at you, and I just... I don't know. Part of me wants to stay, even though I know I shouldn't. I can't help myself.
End of Mia's POV
James stood frozen, watching Mia. He could see the storm written all over her face—her eyes were filled with such raw emotion, a mix of pain, regret, and a desperate, almost frantic need to protect Alex. He wanted to reach out to her, to comfort her, but something held him back. He wasn't sure what he was seeing—what was really going on inside her. Was Mia falling for Alex? Or was it something deeper, something darker?
His mind raced. What if Jake likes Mia? But Mia… she's caught up in Alex. It was clear in the way she looked at him, how she couldn't let go, even if she wanted to. And she didn't even know it yet. She was lost in her own feelings, lost in the chaos of it all. She doesn't even know what she wants, James thought. And that scared him more than anything.