AUTHOR’S POV
Once Penelope and Aria got to the college’s clinic, the doctor attended to her and also advised her to take a rest in the school clinic.
” You should go to class, Penelope. I will be fine.” Aria said, as she flashed her friend a reassuring smile.
” But I can’t leave you here alone.” Penelope replied, her face clouded with worry.
” I will be fine. One of us needs to attend a lecture, at least.” Aria said and Penelope nodded, holding Aria’s hand in hers.
” I will be back in an hour, so take a rest like the doctor said.”
With that said, Penelope stood up and left the clinic, while Aria shut her eyes to take a rest like the doctor had advised.
Just a few minutes after she drifted to sleep, she began to sweat profusely, as she threw her head sideways and her eyes shut.
It seems she was having a nightmare in broad daylight.
” No…Mom…” Aria’s voice trailed off as tears slipped from the corner of her eyes.
” Don’t…leave.. me..”
The quivering in her voice showed that it wasn’t an ordinary nightmare, probably a trauma.
Almost immediately, a shadow slipped into the clinic like a professional midnight assassin.
The shadow took slow steps towards the bed Aria laid.
Upon getting closer, the shadow slipped, the curtain opened and it turned out to be Banks.
He had a blank expression on, but his lips curved into a dark smirk.
” Having nightmares…. aren’t you?” He deadpanned, his voice dead, without any form of emotion or whatsoever.
He continued watching her thrashing around due to her nightmare for over a minute, before stepping closer.
The smirk grew even wilder as he found her interesting and thrilling.
He stood just in front of her, staring blankly at Aria who was oblivious of his presence.
” If I wanted to kill you,” Bank bent a little as he leaned closer to whisper into Aria’s ear. ” I would have done that long ago, but it’s fun to see you hate me, but Pretty, the feelings is fucking mutual.”
With that said, he slid his two hands inside his coat, ready to walk away, but Aria’s hand was fast enough to reach out to hold his wrist.
” Are you here to kill me…just like how you killed those men?” She asked in a weak husky voice.
Her eyes were red due to the tears.
” If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it that same day I killed those bastards.” Banks turned around, his eyes searing deep into hers.
” Because of you, I’m going through trauma which I tried so hard to get over.” Aria went ahead to speak, her eyes filled with nothing but hatred.
” Get over it, just the way you did the first time.” Bank said heartlessly, walking out of the clinic.
” Psychopath!” Aria muttered under her breath, as she felt the urge to tear him apart.
…
Soon, Aria was discharged and Penelope dropped her at her apartment, since she doesn’t have a car.
Aria happened to be from a poor family. Her dad is a drunkard while her mom is long gone.
She had left Aria with her father when she was just three years old.
She said she wanted to get a life for herself, so she couldn’t continue leaving with a drunkard like Aria’s father.
” Where are you coming from at this time?” The deep baritone voice of her father, Mr Cole, caused Aria to jerk to a stop.
She had no idea he was in the living room drinking, as he normally does.
” I’m coming back from college.” Aria replied, a hint of fear in her voice.
” Are you lying to me, Aria? Where did you fucking went to?” Mr Cole yelled again, causing Aria to flinch in fear.
” I…. said I went to college!” Aria yelled also. ” Stop action like you fucking care and get out of my life!”
” You’re stuck with me in this house, bitch!” Mr Cole laughed in a drunken state. ” Don’t think you can be like your mother who abandoned you and went to get a better life for herself!”
” Do you think I would be in this house with you if I had the opportunity? I hate the fact that you’re even my father!”
Tears rolled down Aria’s eyes as she spoke, her lips quivering.
She couldn’t afford the dorm’s room in college, that was why she was attending college from home.
” I would rather become an orphan than to have an irresponsible father like you!”
Aria yelled, turned around and dashed out of the house, not minding the fact that it was already late.
Due to her anger, she didn’t mind or had any particular direction in mind, she just continued walking with tears flowing freely out of her eyes.
Unfortunately, she walked into the circles of four boys who were smoking and talking among each other.
” Who is this hot chick?” One of them grinned, taking a drag from the cigarette in between his lips.
” I’m glad that I’ve gotten a chick to fuck, I’m already horny just by looking at her.
Aria ignored them and turned around, ready to walk out of their circle, but she was blocked by one of the four boys.
” Excuse me.” She muttered, sniffling.
” Oh, the princess is in tears already. Don’t worry we won’t tear your pussy apart. We will be gentle.” Another said, while the others laughed like it was something funny.
” I said get the fuck out of my way!” Aria yelled, but another spoke up.
” And if we don’t?” He smirked, advancing towards her. ” What will you fucking do?”
Aria took a step backwards, fear gripping her chest, and her throat ran dry.
” We already said we will be gentle on you, so calm the fuck down and take off your clothes.”
” I don’t want to.” Aria shook her head, muttering inaudible words.
” You will love it. I bet you will scream my name until you lose your voice.” The guy said, grinning from ear to ear like a maniac.
He took one last step towards Aria, grabbing her by the wrist as he pushed her against the wall.
The annex where they were was lonely. People rarely walk past the annex, so it was almost impossible to get saved by someone.
” Let me go! Fuck you!” Aria began to struggle with him, but he slapped her hard across the face, leaving an imprint on her cheeks.
” She said you should fucking let her go.” A baritone voice said from behind.
Aria jerked her head towards the voice, and relief washed over her.
It was Banks Riven.
Her worst enemy, but in this case, he happened to be her saviour.