Kevin's hands clenched around the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. His voice was sharp, but beneath the anger, there was something else-fear.
"Are you serious Alina?" he asked, his voice low and controlled, but trembling with emotion. "You should have told me this the second it happened."
Alina felt her throat tighten. The weight of everything pressed against her chest, making it hard to breathe. "I was scared, Kevin," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I didn't know what to do... what if he comes after me? What if he hurts you too?"
Kevin exhaled sharply, his anger dissolving into something softer. He pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned toward her, his expression filled with concern.
"Hey, look at me."
She hesitated before meeting his gaze, her dark eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
His fingers brushed against her cheek, warm and grounding. "I'm not mad at you," he said softly. "I just... I hate that you felt like you had to deal with this alone."
Her lips trembled. "I didn't want to drag you into it."
"You think I care about that?" He let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. "You're my best friend, Alina. You don't have to go through this alone. Ever."
Her walls cracked, and before she could stop herself, she leaned into his touch, seeking comfort in his warmth.
Kevin sighed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her close. "It's okay," he murmured, his fingers tracing soothing circles against her back. "We'll figure this out. Together."
She closed her eyes for a moment, allowing herself to believe that, just for a second, she was safe.
After college they went to a cafe nearby
Alina sat on the couch, clutching a warm cup of coffee between her hands, her mind still tangled with unease. She had barely slept, haunted by the shadows lurking at the edges of her thoughts.
Kevin, who had been watching her carefully, finally spoke.
"You need a break, Angel," he said, leaning forward.
Alina blinked, her fingers tightening around the cup. "I just... I don't think I can."
Kevin sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alina, you can't keep locking yourself away. I know you're scared, but shutting yourself in won't help. You need to breathe."
She hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip. "I don't belong in places like that, Kevin. The music, the crowd-it's too much."
"You don't have to do anything you don't want to," he reassured her. "Just come with me. One night. We'll stay together the whole time, I promise."
Alina looked away, her heart pounding. A part of her wanted to stay in the safety of her apartment, but another part-one that was tired of feeling trapped in fear-was tempted by the idea of distraction.
Kevin smirked. "Think of it as an experiment. Worst case? You hate it, and we leave."
She exhaled slowly. "And you won't make me drink?"
Kevin raised his hands in surrender. "Scout's honor."
Alina studied him for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine. But I swear, if I regret this-"
"You won't," Kevin cut in with a grin. "I'll make sure of it."
She sighed, rubbing her temples. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this."
"That's because I'm irresistible," Kevin said playfully, earning a small eye-roll from her.
Little did she know, stepping into that club would be the last time she felt like she had a choice.
Next day.
Alina stood in front of the mirror, gripping the fabric of her dress between her fingers. It was something she never would have picked for herself-an off-shoulder black dress that hugged her figure more than she was used to. The sleeves draped loosely down her arms, exposing just enough skin to make her self-conscious. It wasn't too revealing, but it still wasn't her.

This wasn't me. This dress belonged to someone bold, someone fearless. I was just a girl trying to feel normal in a world that no longer made sense.
The dark marks on her neck mocked her, daring her to wear something revealing. Anger flared in her chest. She grabbed the concealer and covered them up.
Kevin had insisted.
"Something fun but still you, Angel," he had said when he handed her the dress earlier.
She sighed, running a hand through her dark waves. Her makeup was subtle-just enough to highlight her features. Even though she had agreed to go, her stomach twisted with nerves.
"This is stupid. You should stay home. You don't belong in a place like that."
But Kevin's words echoed in her mind. You need to breathe.
Taking a shaky breath, she grabbed her purse and slipped on her heels. If nothing else, maybe this would serve as a distraction.
As she stepped outside, Kevin was already waiting by his car. He leaned against it, arms crossed, his gaze traveling over her before a smirk tugged at his lips.
"Damn, Angel. Didn't know you had this in you."
Alina huffed, feeling heat creep up her neck. "Shut up and drive."
Kevin chuckled but opened the door for her. "Alright, alright. Let's make this a night to remember."
The Club
The moment they stepped inside, the air felt heavy-thick with sweat, alcohol, and something unspoken. The bass reverberated through her bones, and the flashing lights blurred everything into a chaotic haze.
Alina's grip tightened around Kevin's wrist. "I don't like this," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the music.
Kevin squeezed her hand reassuringly. "We won't stay long, I promise. Just a little fun, okay?"
She nodded hesitantly, but the unease coiled in her stomach refused to fade.
Kevin led her to the bar, ordering a drink for himself while she refused one. "At least dance with me," he coaxed.
She bit her lip before nodding. It was better than standing around like an outsider.
The dance floor was a mess of moving bodies, their silhouettes shifting in the dim lighting. Kevin moved effortlessly, his movements confident and fluid. Alina tried to mimic him, staying close, not daring to drift away.
I often felt a strange feeling as someone was watching me.
And then Kevin cut my thoughts.
"Sorry just a sec." He said leaning close to me. "I'll be right back ".
I nodded and gave him a thumbs up.
I didn't ask any further questions but leaving Kevin in this place don't serves me well.
Then, she felt it.
A presence behind her.
The brush of fingertips along her waist sent a violent shudder through her body. Instinctively, she whipped around, her breath catching in her throat.
A stranger.
His grin was lazy, predatory. His breath reeked of alcohol as he leaned closer. "Relax, sweetheart," he drawled. "Didn't mean to scare you."
Her heart pounded against her ribs. "Don't touch me," she managed, stepping back, but the crowd swallowed her whole, trapping her in place.
He chuckled, dark and amused. "Come on, baby. Dressed like that, but acting all shy?"
Bile rose in her throat. She pushed past him, trying to find Kevin, but the bodies around her blurred together. Too many hands. Too many voices.
I need to get out. Now I turned to look for Kevin but he was gone vanished like air. I tired to call him now response.No response. I tried again. And again. Still nothing. Fear coiled around me, adrenaline surging through my veins.
She stumbled toward the exit, the cold air hitting her like a slap. She gasped, trying to steady her breathing, but the relief was short-lived.
A shadow loomed behind her.
The man from before.
Her stomach dropped.
He smirked. "C'mon, sweetheart. Let's have some fun."
She took a step back, her pulse hammering in her ears. "Leave me alone."
He reached for her-
And suddenly, a blur of movement sent him crashing to the ground.
Alina's breath hitched as she watched, frozen. A tall figure stood over the man, his fist colliding with flesh, each hit more brutal than the last. The sound of breaking bone made her stomach twist.
She felt horror all over her body and was stunned to speak.
Her savior turned slightly, and her heart lurched.
Him.
The man from the café.
The one who had stared at her with an intensity she couldn't understand.
Her breath came in shallow gasps. "Th-Thank you...sir".
Shock rooted her in place. She stared at him like she was seeing him for the very first time.
She don't want to make himself acknowledge him as sge know him.
He didn't reply. Instead, he stepped closer, towering over her. His presence was suffocating, yet oddly... familiar.
The stranger on the ground whimpered, and her rescuer finally looked away from her, crouching down beside him. His voice was low, deadly.
"Touch her again, and I'll make sure you never touch another woman in your pathetic life."
I couldn't hear the rest, but I saw the terror in the man's eyes.
Then, as if nothing had happened, he straightened, dusting off his hands.
Alina's knees threatened to give out beneath her. Who is he? And how does he keep showing up?
But she had no time to think.
She turned, desperate to find Kevin. She needed to get home now..
" He said he will be back in sec but why didn't he show up?".
I tried calling him. No response. Again. And again. Still nothing.
No one answered. Only the pulse of my fear kept me company..
I stumbled into the night, the cold biting my skin. My hands trembled around my phone-then arms. Cold. Iron. Wrapping around me.
Her scream was swallowed by the darkness as she was dragged into the shadows of an alley.
As the crowd thinned, it hit me-he was taking me away from the club.
My heart pounds painfully against my ribs, each beat erratic and frantic, like I'm suffocating. The panic surges through me in waves, every breath jagged and shallow, my mind a fractured mess.
This is it. This is how it ends.
I twist in his grip, trying to break free, but it's useless. His hand is like steel, unyielding. I open my mouth to scream, but my voice cracks, the sound barely a whisper, swallowed by the pounding music. The weight of him pressing against me feels suffocating. I can't get air. No, no, no!
"L-Let me go!" I croak, but the words feel foreign, like they belong to someone else. My throat is tight, every inch of my body trembling violently.
His presence overwhelms me, wrapping around me like a vice, and I try to shove against his chest, but he doesn't move. He's like a wall, unbreakable.
My breath catches. My pulse stutters.
The room spins, and everything clicks.
His hand slides to his neck, and my eyes catch on something glinting there-. A shiver runs down my spine. I've seen that before. In the memories of the man I saw in the alley. The killer.
The Pendant in dragon shape.
"No..." I whisper, but it's not just the pendant.
It's the knife.
His jacket shifts as he moves slightly, and my heart skips a beat when I see it-clipped at his waist. The same knife. The one which slits the man's chest. The one I've been running from since that night.
The same blade that stained my nightmares with blood.
The man in my nightmares. The murderer. The one who-
I want to scream, to run, but my voice fails me. I feel like I'm drowning, sinking into the abyss of the past I cannot escape.
His lips curl into a cruel smirk, reading my thoughts. "Oh, you recognize it, don't you? Now it's your turn to be swallowed, baby girl. Not by death-but by me."
His voice is low, smooth, a terrifying calm that sends ice through my veins. His eyes-they're the same as in my nightmares.
I tremble harder, my mind spiraling into chaos. I need to get away. I can't let him-
Oh God, why is this happening?
I felt his fingers graze over my throat-the same place where those damn marks are, the ones I've tried so hard to cover and moreover to forgot.
"You..." I whisper, my voice hoarse and raw. "You were in my room."
His smile is slow, dark, knowing. He chuckles, low and deliberate, savoring my horror. "Smart girl."
His fingers trail over my jaw like a predator savoring its prey, his touch sending chills through my skin. I can barely breathe, my heart racing so fast it feels like it's going to explode.
"Do you feel them? The marks I left? The ones you tried so hard to hide?" His voice is a seductive whisper, breath warm against my ear. "You'll never forget them. They're a part of you now, like me."
My knees threaten to give out. His touch is the only thing grounding me, and yet it's the very thing that terrifies me the most.
" you are not a part of me..." My words are barely audible, choked on the rising panic in my throat.
He chuckles again, his fingers brushing down to the collar of my dress, just above the place where the marks are. "You'll say that now, sweetheart. But the more I touch you, the more you'll understand that you were always meant for me."
"Look at you," he murmured. "Still trembling like that night... like a candle waiting to be snuffed out."
His grip on my jaw tightens, forcing me to look at him. His breath brushes my cheek, his words low and menacing. "And soon, You'll wear me like a curse, and still you'll crave my name."
"You'll hate me. You'll fight me. But in the end..." His breath brushed her skin. "You'll beg me to stay."
"You don't even know what you do to me when you're scared. Every shiver, every gasp-it makes me want to unmake you piece by piece."
My stomach twists, and I can barely breathe. This isn't just about the marks. It's about control. It's about breaking me.
I thought of Anaya's laugh. Of my grandmother's hands brushing my hair. I held onto those images like armor-as if they could save me from what was coming.
I won't let him break me. I can't.
He wanted to break me-but I wasn't broken yet. Not completely.