GUTEMBERGThe dimness of the room seemed to reflect the state of my soul, while the sound of the shower coming from upstairs filled the uncomfortable silence. Midnight was in the shower, and I was taking advantage of the break to talk to Timmy. But my mind was still stuck in the chaos we had just left behind."Isn't it always like this, man?" Timmy grumbled, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He looked calm, but I knew it was a disguise. We all wore one.I didn't answer immediately. Instead, I ran my hand over my face, feeling the sweat mixed with the dust and the smell that insisted on sticking, ferrous, nauseating. The smell of blood. It was on my clothes, on my skin. No matter how many times it happened, I could never get used to it.The shooting was still fresh in my mind. The screams of terror. Those final seconds when you realize the end has come. The panic in their eyes. The kind of panic that shouldn't shake me anymore. But it did. It always did."We got the drugs
GUTEMBERGTimmy stopped walking, staring at me with wide eyes, as if he had been punched. And then, to my utter amazement, he started laughing. An uncontrollable, almost maniacal laugh that filled the room with a disconcerting energy.He rubbed his face with his hands and looked at me incredulously."You can't be serious. Do you like her?" He shook his head, still laughing."That's none of your fucking business," I growled back, not recognizing my own voice.Where did all this anger come from?"Yes, it's my fucking business. Do you know why? Because you don't have the right to say that." He took a deep breath, trying to calm down, but failing miserably. "You don't have the right. Not after everything you've done. After fighting that childish war with her. After..." He made a broad gesture with his hands, as if trying to encompass everything that had happened between us. "After all that."I just shrugged, trying to stay calm as I stared at him."I never did anything against her."Timmy
DAVINAThe smell of chocolate still hung in the air as I looked at the cake on the counter. The syrup ran smoothly down the sides, forming a sweet puddle on the plate. It was an attempt to make the day less heavy, but not even the taste of the cake could dispel the cloud of tension that surrounded me. The muffled sound of footsteps in the hallway made my heart race. I glanced at my mother's bedroom door, as if I could guarantee her safety with just one look.She's asleep, I thought. She's taken enough of a tranquilizer to make her sleep until tomorrow night.The knock on the door froze me. Three firm knocks, spaced apart.It's late, who would come here?My first thought was KJ. He wouldn't hesitate to show up at my house, not after what he'd done to my father. The man had the gall to go to the funeral, a cold smile on his face, as if we were pawns in a game he controlled. But what does he want now?I swallowed and reached fo
DAVINAMy anger was about to consume me completely, and he was doing it to me. He was doing it while his expression remained calm, while his breathing was unchanged. How could he? My teeth were clenched, my heart pounding, the urge to put my hands on his thick neck and squeeze until he couldn't breathe anymore growing. His every word sounded like an insult."You have no right!" I shouted, my voice shaking with anger. "You can't make Gutemberg give up!"He looked at me, smiling slightly, but his gaze was serious, impassive."Why?" he asked, arching an eyebrow, as if trying to understand my resistance. As if it were a game, something easy to solve.Those words exploded in my mind before I could control them:"Because he owes me!" My voice came out firm, but my anger didn't subside.Midnight kept his gaze fixed on me, but didn't respond immediately. Instead, he let out a sigh, as if he were sharing a weight he'd been carrying for a while."That's not true, is it?" His voice became lower,
DAVINAMidnight opened the door and, before I could ask another question or try to understand what was going on, he was already leaving. The door closed behind him with a soft click, and silence overtook the kitchen.I stood there in the same spot, trying to process everything that had happened. I still didn't know what he really wanted, but what he had just suggested seemed ridiculous, even absurd. Cake? He couldn't be serious. But there was something in his tone, something in the way he spoke that made me feel that he really wasn't joking.I looked down at my hands, my fingers still trembling slightly, as if I could touch what he had just left behind. He gave me a task, something to do, but at the same time he treated me as if he were... controlling me. I didn't know what to think, and every second that passed made me feel more lost. What the hell did he want?The knock on the door made me jump, still lost in the thoughts that were piling up in my head. Is he back? I tried not to fo
DAVINATimmy was kissing me with a fervor I had never imagined he was capable of, and, in a matter of seconds, he took my tongue, stole my breath, and everything around him disappeared.My monster.That's what he said, isn't it? That he was my monster. The only one I could ever have.But what did that mean? My best friend didn't ask permission, there was no room for any hesitation. He simply took, demanded and stole what he wanted, as if he were consuming me, and I didn't want to resist that wave of intensity. His fingers touched all the right places, making me lose track of what was real and what was repressed desire. Something inside me wanted him not to stop.His hands squeezed my waist even tighter, holding me prisoner in a relentless kiss where he took more than I was ready to give. And when he finally pulled away, his breath still hot against my skin, his eyes were filled with an insane possessiveness, as if he had finally taken something that rightfully belonged to him.And, i
DAVINAWe were on the bed, facing each other. Timmy was leaning on his hands, one on either side of me, as if he didn't want to invade my space, but couldn't move away.Good.I didn't want him to move away.His breathing was slow but heavy, and his eyes wouldn't leave mine. I could say the same about myself, but it wasn't true; my breathing was frantic, as was my pulse.He lowered his head, bringing his face close to mine. His eyes roamed over my face as if he wanted to memorize every detail. Then, without warning, he kissed my forehead, then down to my collarbone, his lips warm against my skin. My whole body reacted to that touch, a shiver running down my spine, then my arms, legs, fingertips.Little shocks."You're so beautiful," he whispered, the husky, deep sound of his voice making me close my eyes for a moment. "And I love your perfume."I opened my eyes and looked at him, smiling a little."It's moisturizing." His eyes were squeezed shut, like when you wake up and can't cope wi
DAVINAThe smell of forgotten clothes and a light, aged floral perfume hung in the air. My mother was in bed, motionless, as if time had stopped for her. Her eyes were open but empty, fixed on the ceiling. The room was plunged into darkness. The thick curtains blocked out the sunlight that insistently tried to come through the windows."Mom..." My voice sounded softer than I had intended, almost like a plea. I entered the room carefully, like someone invading a broken shrine. It's been a month. Thirty long, suffocating days since we lost Dad.She didn't answer. She didn't even blink.I approached the bed, leaning over to meet her gaze."I know it hurts, but... I'm here too, Mom. I need you." My eyes began to sting, but I held back the tears. Someone had to be strong.Again, silence.I sighed, running my hand over my face. Every day, the hope of bringing her back seemed to diminish. It was as if Dad's death had taken her soul with it, leaving only her body behind. I turned to the small
DAVINAI was trying to keep my composure, but the way Gutemberg was looking at me was getting on my nerves. It was that look that said he knew something I didn’t. Something he was keeping from me, and that irritated me even more. So when he finally opened his mouth, I already knew something bad was coming.“What?” he asked, with that mocking tone that made my patience evaporate. “Do you think Midnight is going to invite you for afternoon tea if you keep bringing him cake?”My eyebrows shot up, and I stared at him like he had lost his mind.“What are you talking about?” I spat, crossing my arms.He shrugged, that crooked smile playing on his lips, but his eyes seemed… upset? No. That was impossible. Gutemberg didn’t get u
DAVINAThe clock seemed to mock my lack of patience. The last lesson of the day always dragged on, but today, every second seemed like an eternity. It wasn't the teacher's fault, he did his best to keep us interested, but the persistent feeling of being watched took my focus away.Especially as I knew where the stares were coming from.Tom.I pretended not to notice, but his stares were obvious, even if he tried to be discreet. Every time he thought I wasn't looking, there he was, staring. Before, it would have made me blush. Today, it just made the blood boil in my veins.He had the audacity to stare at me like that while still reposting happy photos with his pregnant fiancée on social media. “Our family is growing,” read the caption on her latest post.I breathed a sigh of relief when the bell rang, ending the lesson. Finally. I gathered my things in a hurry, sensing that he would try to talk to me again. He's been trying all week. Two weeks ago, when he came with his mask of sympat
DAVINA"You shouldn't be here!" Gutemberg spoke, his jaw locked and his voice deadly, the kind of tone that makes the back of your neck shiver.I blinked, completely bewildered. I hadn't seen him for a month, and now he was standing there, on Midnight's doorstep, looking more sullen and menacing than ever."I...," the words just disappeared from my mouth. "I just... brought a cake."Great, Davina. That'll definitely make things less awkward.Gutemberg arched an eyebrow, but before he could say anything, Midnight appeared behind him, as if to summon him with a thought."You brought it," he said, pushing Gutemberg aside nonchalantly. His half-lidded eyes ran over me, from the cake in my hands to my face. It was almost as if he was too lazy to deal with me but still curious enough not to dismiss me."Is that strawberry in there?" Midnight asked, pointing with his chin at the cake.I shook my head quickly, holding the cake tighter."No. It's chocolate with nuts."But I should have added s
DAVINAThe smell of forgotten clothes and a light, aged floral perfume hung in the air. My mother was in bed, motionless, as if time had stopped for her. Her eyes were open but empty, fixed on the ceiling. The room was plunged into darkness. The thick curtains blocked out the sunlight that insistently tried to come through the windows."Mom..." My voice sounded softer than I had intended, almost like a plea. I entered the room carefully, like someone invading a broken shrine. It's been a month. Thirty long, suffocating days since we lost Dad.She didn't answer. She didn't even blink.I approached the bed, leaning over to meet her gaze."I know it hurts, but... I'm here too, Mom. I need you." My eyes began to sting, but I held back the tears. Someone had to be strong.Again, silence.I sighed, running my hand over my face. Every day, the hope of bringing her back seemed to diminish. It was as if Dad's death had taken her soul with it, leaving only her body behind. I turned to the small
DAVINAWe were on the bed, facing each other. Timmy was leaning on his hands, one on either side of me, as if he didn't want to invade my space, but couldn't move away.Good.I didn't want him to move away.His breathing was slow but heavy, and his eyes wouldn't leave mine. I could say the same about myself, but it wasn't true; my breathing was frantic, as was my pulse.He lowered his head, bringing his face close to mine. His eyes roamed over my face as if he wanted to memorize every detail. Then, without warning, he kissed my forehead, then down to my collarbone, his lips warm against my skin. My whole body reacted to that touch, a shiver running down my spine, then my arms, legs, fingertips.Little shocks."You're so beautiful," he whispered, the husky, deep sound of his voice making me close my eyes for a moment. "And I love your perfume."I opened my eyes and looked at him, smiling a little."It's moisturizing." His eyes were squeezed shut, like when you wake up and can't cope wi
DAVINATimmy was kissing me with a fervor I had never imagined he was capable of, and, in a matter of seconds, he took my tongue, stole my breath, and everything around him disappeared.My monster.That's what he said, isn't it? That he was my monster. The only one I could ever have.But what did that mean? My best friend didn't ask permission, there was no room for any hesitation. He simply took, demanded and stole what he wanted, as if he were consuming me, and I didn't want to resist that wave of intensity. His fingers touched all the right places, making me lose track of what was real and what was repressed desire. Something inside me wanted him not to stop.His hands squeezed my waist even tighter, holding me prisoner in a relentless kiss where he took more than I was ready to give. And when he finally pulled away, his breath still hot against my skin, his eyes were filled with an insane possessiveness, as if he had finally taken something that rightfully belonged to him.And, i
DAVINAMidnight opened the door and, before I could ask another question or try to understand what was going on, he was already leaving. The door closed behind him with a soft click, and silence overtook the kitchen.I stood there in the same spot, trying to process everything that had happened. I still didn't know what he really wanted, but what he had just suggested seemed ridiculous, even absurd. Cake? He couldn't be serious. But there was something in his tone, something in the way he spoke that made me feel that he really wasn't joking.I looked down at my hands, my fingers still trembling slightly, as if I could touch what he had just left behind. He gave me a task, something to do, but at the same time he treated me as if he were... controlling me. I didn't know what to think, and every second that passed made me feel more lost. What the hell did he want?The knock on the door made me jump, still lost in the thoughts that were piling up in my head. Is he back? I tried not to fo
DAVINAMy anger was about to consume me completely, and he was doing it to me. He was doing it while his expression remained calm, while his breathing was unchanged. How could he? My teeth were clenched, my heart pounding, the urge to put my hands on his thick neck and squeeze until he couldn't breathe anymore growing. His every word sounded like an insult."You have no right!" I shouted, my voice shaking with anger. "You can't make Gutemberg give up!"He looked at me, smiling slightly, but his gaze was serious, impassive."Why?" he asked, arching an eyebrow, as if trying to understand my resistance. As if it were a game, something easy to solve.Those words exploded in my mind before I could control them:"Because he owes me!" My voice came out firm, but my anger didn't subside.Midnight kept his gaze fixed on me, but didn't respond immediately. Instead, he let out a sigh, as if he were sharing a weight he'd been carrying for a while."That's not true, is it?" His voice became lower,
DAVINAThe smell of chocolate still hung in the air as I looked at the cake on the counter. The syrup ran smoothly down the sides, forming a sweet puddle on the plate. It was an attempt to make the day less heavy, but not even the taste of the cake could dispel the cloud of tension that surrounded me. The muffled sound of footsteps in the hallway made my heart race. I glanced at my mother's bedroom door, as if I could guarantee her safety with just one look.She's asleep, I thought. She's taken enough of a tranquilizer to make her sleep until tomorrow night.The knock on the door froze me. Three firm knocks, spaced apart.It's late, who would come here?My first thought was KJ. He wouldn't hesitate to show up at my house, not after what he'd done to my father. The man had the gall to go to the funeral, a cold smile on his face, as if we were pawns in a game he controlled. But what does he want now?I swallowed and reached fo