Torment

✓✓✓✓✓✓ CHAPTER THREE ✓✓✓✓✓✓

                         NADIA

                 Will it ever end!?

Once I got home, the first thing I noticed was the unusual silence that hung in the air. It felt unsettlingly empty. “Mom?” I called out, my voice echoing through the quiet space. 

There was no response. That was unusual. I stepped further inside, and my heart sank as I quickly scanned the living room. The usual clutter— stacked papers, shoes by the door, and family photos on the walls—were all missing or in disarray. My mother’s things were nowhere to be seen. 

“Maybe she just went out?” I whispered to myself, trying to convince myself that everything was fine. But deep down, my instincts were churning. As I moved cautiously through the house, checking the kitchen and taking in the silence, a gnawing feeling of dread settled in my stomach.

Finally, I spotted a folded piece of paper lying on the floor near the dining area. Curious, I picked it up, recognizing my mother’s handwriting immediately. My heart raced as I unfolded it, hoping for some explanation about her whereabouts.

It was a short note. I could feel my hands trembling as I read:

"Nadia, I’m so sorry I couldn’t give you the kind of life you deserve. I’ve thought long and hard about everything, and I’m afraid I can’t stay anymore. I can't afford the money for your college education, and the shame is too much for me to bear. I hope you find some luck and happiness. I love you always.”

The words felt like a punch to my gut. My breath caught in my throat as I reread the note, trying to absorb the meaning behind each line. I felt a mix of anger, sadness, and utter confusion. How could she just leave? Did she really think that leaving would somehow make things better?

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I sank onto the couch, clutching the note tightly in my hands. I felt like my entire world had shifted beneath me. “Why couldn’t she have talked to me? Why didn’t she believe in us?” 

The abandonment stung deeply. I thought about how hard I had been working for my future, how hard we had both worked. And now, just like that, everything felt like it was falling apart. I was left with nothing but the dreams we had built together, dreams that now felt shattered. 

“Mom, please come back,” I whispered into the silence, choking on my tears. I couldn’t understand how she thought leaving was her only option. It wasn’t just her future that mattered; it was mine, too. I wanted to go to college and make something of myself, but now it felt like that dream had been ripped away from me.

Sitting there alone, it hit me: I would have to find a way to face this reality, to rebuild, to fight for what I wanted. It wouldn’t be easy, but I wouldn’t let my mother’s departure define my future. I had to prove to myself that I could rise from this, no matter how difficult it became. 

With newfound determination, I wiped my tears and stood up, taking a deep breath. I wouldn’t allow this to be the end; it was just the beginning of something new. I had to figure things out myself, and I would. I wouldn’t be lost forever—I would find my way, one step at a time…

But even one step felt like many!

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Determined to fulfill my dream of going to college, I took on multiple jobs. None of them seemed to offer me the kind of pay I thought my hard work deserved, but it was better than staying at home and feeling sorry for myself. I always had to work late into the night and had to get up very early the next morning just to satisfy everyone I worked for.

One day, Brooks, one of the boys at high school, had seen me at the grocery store as I attended to a customer. I swear, if I had seen him before he did, I would have hidden from him, considering he always seized every opportunity, just like Alex and Sandro, to remind me that I did not belong to his kind of society.

"Look who we have here!" he said to me the moment his eyes caught me. 

"Hey, Brooks," I said, trying to stay composed. My heart raced a little, not because of him, but because all I could think about was how I needed to focus on my goals.

"You know, one must have thought that with all the good grades you had, you would be in college already. I guess you're only good for the grocery stores," he mocked me. 

Something inside me churned. How could he be so rude? I might not fit in with his crowd, but I was working hard for a good reason. 

Careful not to engage him in a conversation, I just walked away. I could still hear his words ringing long and hard in my ear, and that annoyed me. But nothing was going to stop me from working hard to save for college. I was determined to prove to them that I was good enough, even if it meant weathering Brooks’ snide remarks.

My friend, Jasmine, had complained that I barely made time for us. We used to hang out so often, but lately, my juggling act of jobs has taken over. I decided to visit her the next day since I had nothing to do after my shift at the grocery store. A quick trip to her place seemed like a perfect way to unwind a little.

I was a bit nervous meeting Hardin there. Jasmine had gotten married to him immediately after High School, and now, she already had a child for him. I didn't know how he would react if I met him there.

When I knocked on her door and Jasmine opened it, her face lit up. "Nadia! Finally! I was starting to think you're a ghost," she laughed, pulling me into a hug.

“Is he around?,” I asked, looking around.

“Who?,” she asked, surprised by my reaction.

“Hardin,” I responded, my eyes still scanning.

“Come on, he's not, and you have nothing to worry about,” she assured me. “I missed you,” she swiftly added, hugging me again.

"It's so good to see you!" I replied, taking a deep breath, immersing myself in her familiar scent of lavender and cinnamon. 

"What have you been up to lately?" she inquired as we settled down on her cozy couch, a soft blanket thrown over us. Her room was filled with posters of bands we both loved and pictures of us from happier times. I missed this.

"Just getting my hands busy with jobs so I could save for college," I said with a half-hearted smile, acutely aware that I was missing out on so much joy by being so strictly focused. The thought of college brought excitement and dread all at once.

Just then, my phone rang. A strange caller appeared on the screen, and a flutter of curiosity filled me. "Let me check this out," I said. Jasmine nodded, an inquisitive look on her face.

"Hello, Nadia," came the voice from the other end. It was calm, professional.

"Who is this?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, but my heart raced with each word.

"I am Mr. Briggs from All High College," he responded.

"All High College!?" I exclaimed, nearly gasping for breath. The world around me faded as my mind raced back to the day I submitted my application, hope tangled with doubt. I never expected that they would call me… at least, not so soon.

"I'm pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to continue your studies at our prestigious college. Congratulations, Nadia," he said in that formal tone, but underlined there was a hint of genuine excitement on his end.

With that, he ended the call, leaving me in stunned silence. My jaw dropped, and for a moment, I felt like I had floated right out of my body. I dropped my phone onto the couch and sank back, gripping the blanket. 

"Oh my gosh, Nadia! You look like you just saw a ghost," Jasmine exclaimed, her eyes wide.

“I just got admitted to All High College, Jasmine!,” I said to her, unable to hide my excitement.

"Did you say All High College?" she asked, leaning closer, her excitement almost palpable.

"Yes," I breathed, still trying to grasp the reality of what just happened. "They actually accepted me. I can’t believe it. Is this really happening? Isn't it beautiful?" I asked, my eyes shining with the thrill of it all. My heart raced, images of campus life swirling in my mind, lectures, new friends, and being part of something greater than myself.

"Y...ee..sss," she enthused. I could see her trying to process what this meant for me. She was happy too!

…

Nadia’s POV

I was happy for my friend. Despite everything Hardin had done to her, they were together now. While it was amazing, it was surreal to say the least. 

As I drove out of the alpha’s house, my phone rang. I rummaged through my bag, with a hand, careful not to lift my eyes off the road. The number said unknown but I still picked it up.

“Who is this?”

“Your darkest nightmares, Nadia,” a gravelly voice said. A voice I thought wouldn’t exist in my life anymore.

Goddess, no, no, not again. My hand shook but I managed to ask, pretending to be clueless, “Who the fuck are you?”

“It’s quite funny how you think you can shrug us off just because you’re done with highschool,” another tone, darker and deeper than the first, bit out into the phone.

‘I–I,” I stammered, my heart pounding furiously as I navigated the car around a corner. It was a wonder I was still driving with the shock running rife in my veins.

“You thought we wouldn’t find out about the college you got admitted into? Baby girl, you’re our possession and if you think you can hide from us, I’ll advise you to rethink.”

“You’re wrong.” I cradled the phone into my ears, preparing myself for the lie I was about to tell, “It’s been eight months after graduation. I’m not going to college anymore.”

Dark chuckles met my ears. Chilling. “Such silly lies from your pretty, cock-sucking lips.” Then the voice turned abruptly to a much more sinister tone. “Remember when we told you that you can't breathe without us. Cannot do a fucking thing unless we deem it so? We were being fucking serious Nadia. And for breaking that rule, you will be punished. Severely. No one messes with us and gets away with it." 

No one messes with us and gets away with it.

Swirls of anger began forming in my chest, hot and furious. Who exactly did they think they were again? I had taken their abuse for far too long and I wouldn't anymore. Enough was enough. 

Putting up a brave shell, I started to speak into the phone, "I've heard enough of both of you. You don't own me! You don't tell me what to-" 

The darker voice interjected, "Looking forward to seeing you soon at All High College. We hope you’ve been keeping that pussy tight for us.” 

The phone went off just as my left foot hit the brake pedal. 

My entire body was as petrified as stone. I was frozen, scared to death even because my highschool bullies were going to attend the same college as me. Alex and Sandro.  

And they were back to torment me. Ruthlessly.

***