Chapter 14: Tears

Fire walked towards us and the next thing I knew is he was already dragging me outside the mall with so much force. Fire only stopped dragging me when we reached the parking lot. His gray eyes turned dark as he stared sharply at me. His stare was piercing right through my soul that I could not even hold my gaze onto him. I might have died here on the spot if his eyes could shoot laser beams from it.

“Do you even know that asshole? You go with anyone! Why? Does he give you money?” He said in a cold serious voice. I was surprised when he suddenly hit the hood of his car. I flinched terribly as the sound of beaten steel echoed in my ears.

*Yes, Shan offers me money, just like you. I get money from him but not in the same way I do to get money from you. He also treats me well. He’s been kind to me since the very first day we met. He was emphatic enough to give his handkerchief to a stranger girl like me who’s crying on the road, alone at night because of you.

“H—he’s S—shan. . .” I pushed the words out of my throat. I can feel my body tremble from fear. From the fear Fire is implicating me right now.

“How did you know him? Why are you together?” It might come out calm and cold from him but I knew what tremors he is hiding under that expressionless face he’s now wearing.

I’ve been with him long enough that I already knew when I should feel scared of him. And this is the moment.

“B—because . . .” I looked in another direction. I thought of other things I could tell Fire. Or maybe I was trying to make up things so that I could avoid telling him about my job with Shan.

I could tell him the truth. Tell him that I’m cooking for Shan and he pays me for it. I serve nothing else than my cooking the same way as he asks me nothing else besides the dishes he requests me to cook. Fear was like a blanket that covered my entire being at this moment. It froze my brain and stilled my tongue so that I couldn't push myself to answer his question.

“What!?” He shouted. His tone dripped with pent up annoyance and even anger.

“I agreed to help him shop his groceries today so that he will no longer ask me to cook his meals everyday.” I answered directly, closing my mouth when I realized that I had already told him everything.

Fire’s forehead creased in anger and was gritting his teeth. I can see his jaw clenching while he is staring bitterly at me.. I swallowed hard as I felt the presence of an aching lump in my throat that I badly wanted to throw up. I bit my lower lip to distract myself with the pain, to prevent my tears from falling.

*I don't want to cry. I don't want to look weak in front of him. Not now.

I feel like I could preserve the little self-respect and dignity that I have if I can just for once, not shed a tear because of him. But I can't stop myself from feeling any emotions especially with Fire’s actions.

**“You lied to me, Serena?”** He dragged each word, giving emphasis to each one of them.

He stepped closer to me causing me to step back. He took another step that made me crash my back against his car’s door. I was leaning on the cold steel as cold sweat dripped from my body. My head is spinning and nausea crept in me.

**“Answer me, Solene!”** He lifted my chin, making me face his fiery eyes.

I nodded slowly along with the rolling of a small bead of tear I’ve been holding back.

**“I told you to stay away from other guys, but what did you do? What else are you hiding from me, Solene?”**

I looked up at him as my brow rose. **And why would I do that? Why would I follow you?”** *A bold statement from the Solene he knew that always follows what he asks her to do.

There was astonishment in his eyes as he gazed down at me. He might not have expected me to ever say that to him so he’s stunned to hear those words from me. This might not ever cross his mind, that he’ll be disobeyed and talked back at by a person he only considers as his toy.

**It's because I said it. And your expected to obey every command that I’ll say.” He dropped it down like an atomic bomb at me, shaking the every foundations of my sanity.

*Damn you, Fire!

I expanded my lungs and took a deep breath so that we can avoid an ugly scenerio with my palm on his face.

“Fire, I don't need to follow what you say every time. I have my own life, and I can make friends with anyone when I want to.” I calmly said.

He scoffed. “Have you forgotten already, Solene? **You are mine. MINE. And mine only.**” He then held my arm tightly. His hands burned my skin with his strong grip. I struggled hard to be freed from his grasp.

**“No, Fire. You don't own me. You may have my body anytime you want but that ends there. I have my own feelings and emotions. I have my own will. And that, you can't control.”**

His lips parted and he blinked his eyes a few times. I swear I saw disbelief in his eyes as he stared straight into my eyes, as if searching for an answer. After that, his face became so emotionless that I could no longer read his expression any more. Like it became a completely new puzzle for me to solve.