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Rin's cellphone rung, a brutal and crude intrusion in the midst of her peaceful dream.
The disturbance caused her to roll over and frantically pat around the bedroom floor in search of the clothes she carelessly threw there last night.
She found her bra and then dug for her pants, finally grabbing ahold of the noisy device in her jeans pocket.
Kitay's name lit up the screen, making her curse underneath her breath.
Propped on her left elbow and facing the wall, she answered the call.
- Hello? - Rin didn't need to look to know that there was a pair of dark, almond shaped eyes boring into her back as she spoke.
- Hi. I couldn't reach you yesterday evening. Everything alright? - Her best friend sounded worried. It set off alarm bells inside her mind. If this was about anyone else, she'd hunt them down for bringing out that voice.
Sometimes she wished she could hunt herself down too.
- Yeah. - Rin took a deep breath. She'd have to lie, and she hated lying to Kitay more than anything. - I... I stayed up late studying last night. Put my phone on do not disturb. I'm sorry for making you fret about me. -
The acidic aftertaste of a lie filled her mouth. In that moment she loathed herself with a burning passion.
But then again, what other choice did she have that didn't require to explain that yes, she did stay up last night, but only because she was busy shoving her tongue down Nezha's throat.
She decided that he was the only person she currently resented more than herself. Kitay let out a small, tired sigh which made her feel worse than any lecture anyone had ever given her on her wrongdoings.
- We've talked about this, Rin. School is important, but not half as important as your wellbeing. Don't burn yourself out chasing after something that will come to you anyway. - Kitay sounded so sweet, so sincere. Her love for him overflowed her mind, and so did guilt - over the illusion she created to decept him, over making him worry about said illusion.
- I know. I'm sorry Kitay. - And she was, almost pathetically.
- It's okay. - Rin could feel him smiling on the other side of the line; soft and a bit sad. - Just promise me you'll rest today. Lunch at two o'clock tomorrow, like always? -
- Like always. - A beat passed. - Kitay?
- Yes? -
- I love you. More than anyone else in the entire world. I mean it. -
- I know. I love you too, Rin. Take care. -
- Bye bye. - He hung up, and despite the uneasiness she felt due to her lies, all seemed a little bit better thanks to him.
Rin dropped her phone onto the hardwood floor and laid back down.
She was met with Nezha's face, his lovely lips a wicked sneer; and just like that, all of Kitay's good influence on her mood evaporated. They locked in a staring contest.
- I'm going to take a shower. - Nezha informed her casually.
But it wasn't just an off handed remark, no. It was a veiled decision.
In the time he spent in the shower, she could either dress up and leave and pretend like nothing happened; or she could stay.
He got up and she watched him as he made his way to the en suite bathroom.
His back was bare and the evidence of what took place last night laid clear for anyone to read.
Pale skin a canvas of red parallel lines and little crescents where her nails dug into him. Bite marks lining up his shoulders and hickeys marking his neck.
And the blue and silver dragon tattoo amidst it all, observing her as if it was alive.
Taunting her.
Underneath her too big tshirt she bore her own array of bruises and teeth marks; in the past few weeks she's taken all the necessary precautions to hide them, yet still received a fair share of suspecting glances from her closest friends.
The bathroom door closed and Rin flipped back onto her stomach. She wanted to scream out her pent up frustration into a pillow, but it was no use.
They all smelled like Nezha, soaked through with the scent of his cologne, shampoo, and just him.
The ceiling seemed to be mocking her, blissfully blank when she was filled to the brim with emotions, most of which she didn't understand.
Deep breath and equally deep exhale.
Rin got up from the bed and made her way to the bathroom, where the shower head was already running.