Dhalia's pov
Finally, weekend came and boy was i happy about it. Weekends meant, no bullies, no senseless jokes, absence of the twins and their dumb ass older brother. "I wish everyday of my life was like this" But like they said, if whishes were horses, beggars would ride. Fully awake, I got out of bed and pulled the curtains open. The bright rays of sunlight gently hit my face and it felt so refreshing. I took a can of water and gently watered the pot of roses by the window. I took extra care of it because it was a gift that i received from my mother a year ago They were growing pretty well and I was glad. Mother would be proud. My eyes wandered to the mansion right across mine. I overhead father telling Julia that a new family just bought the place. What were they like? Well, they were obviously humans like us but seemed like they had more money.. Enough! It was time for my morning jog. After putting on a comfortable sweatpant and bra top, i picked my phone and pods. For about twenty minutes, i stood in a place trying to make the proper playlist and decide in what direction to go. Probably, the new house would be a nice path. Not like i was going to be nosy or anything. I just wanted to jog. Exactly ten minutes into jogging, I noticed to extra foot steps behind me. "Kitten wait"! I must be hearing things. I removed the left pod, and i heard it again. "Dahlia Astor. Stop right there". As i looked behind me, terror gripped me. I might have to report these boys to the police. They got closer and tapped each of my shoulders. "Hey kitten". "I remember" I inhaled "The last time we spoke, I made it clear that i want nothing to do with you boys". They looked at each other smirked. I groaned in frustration "STOP DOING THAT"!! It was annoying whenever they did that silent communication thing-ny. "We are not stalking you, kitten". One of the twins said. "We live here" The other twins added. "Lies! I've lived here since forever and i've literally never come across you" I pointed at the first twin "Or you" I pointed at the second "Or your dumb ass brother" I was so pissed, but why the hell was i referring to him? "Because we just moved in" Could it be...? "That's none of my business. I don't care if you just moved in or if you've been living here for decades. Just stop following me around!!" I plugged in my pod and began running, i needed to get as far away from them as possible. These boys were stubborn. Running as fast as my legs could carry me didn't stop them from following. "Dahlia, we like you and just want to be friends". Silence "Is it because of what you saw at the gym the other day"? I stopped in my tracks as i struggled to catch my breath. "What i saw the other day is none of my business, okay? So, go on, live your lives and pretend i don't exist. "But we like you". "Well I don't". I screamed loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear. This was staring to feel like some stalker, reverse harem type shit, and I didn't want part. I ran this time, faster than the last, and thankfully they didn't follow me. Why won't they leave me alone? I survived three years of junior high without friends and I was certain that I could do the same in senior high. I didn't need any stranger to disrupt my lonely life. I got home faster than I thought. Fear did quite a number on me I went into the house in hopes that nobody was awake but that hope was dashed right in my very face as the smell of scrambled eggs and toast bread engulfed my senses Dad.. I tried to walk past the kitchen quietly without being noticed. But guess what? My sorry excuse of a little sister just couldn't keep her mouth shut. "Hi Dahlia". I threw her the most sarcastic smile.But as always, she didn't get the memo. "Come have breakfast with us. You know dad makes the the sweetest scrambled eggs". "I'm not hungry. I ate something at the store". "Okay, have some bread then". She offered again. Memo! Julia, memo! "I A M N O T H U N G R Y" I spelled it out to her this time. Dad just stood by the entrance of the kitchen watching the exchange between us. I didn't want to be like this. I wanted us to be one happy family but he left me and mom all by ourselves and went on to make a baby with another woman. I used to love him but not anymore. "Julia, to your room". About time. Julia looked between me and Dad before leaving to her room. "When are you going to stop treating your sister like a piece of trash"? His voice came calm. "When she stops breathing down my neck forcing me to acknowledge her existence. Plus, she's just the girl you had with a random woman". He rubbed his forehead in annoyance "I thought I apologized to you for not being there when you needed me. What else do you want me to do, Dahlia"? I raised my hand to stop him. "Don't act like this is my fault. You were the one who used work as an excuse to smash another woman". "Language, young lady". He cautioned in a loud voice. "Guess what daddy? I don't give a fuck about language". Take that! "You've always been busy, you always lied to me but it was just cause you didn't want to see me". "Julia i.." "I'm used to being by myself. So you can take your little princess and get out of my life". Even though the last sentence burnt my tongue really bad, it was the truth. They could leave, I would be fine all on my own. The tension in the room was so thick, I could cut it with a kinfe. But i wasn't going to. I wanted him to feel it. I will never forgive him for breaking my family apart. I wanted him to always see me and remember the fact that all of this was his fault. Unfortunately, the doorbell rang and Julia ran to get it. I was so sure she didn't go to her room, she probably stood by corner eavesdropping on our conversation. Good for her. Didn't she deserve to know the kind of father she had? One who could up and leave at any moment. "Hi, cutie. We are the Kings; Your new neighbor as well as Dahlia's classmate. Could this day get any worse?Dahlia's POVSettling down to have breakfast with these two was one of the worst things ever. As if hearing their annoying voices wasn't enough, I had to listen to dad tell stories of when Julia was a baby.Were they here for her or were they here for me?During the conversation, I got to know that one of the boys was named Hermes-Milo King, and the other Apollo-Leon King. I wonder what the other one was named.I remember saying that they looked like gods, i never knew they were named after gods too. Good job parents.I groaned in frustration. "Enough with the girl's childhood stories, dad. Why don't you tell them about mine".Oh, i knew what i was doing. The table was too boring for me, i had to spice things up a little bit.Dad shot me a glare."Oh, you can't"? I questioned with a raised brow. "Did you forget all about it d-a-d-d-y"?He chuckled. "Well I..""Forget it. You don't have to".I resumed playing with my food again. I didn't want them feeling sorry for me.The boys remaine
Dahlia's povDarkness, why was it so dark, and foggy. And why do i feel so small.I coughed.There was also smoke everywhere. I couldn't make out so much from the surroundings because of how the smoke affected my sight.In my attempt to find someone or something, i touched one tree, and another tree, and then another one.I was in a forest. The chirping of birds and sounds of insects proved my theory right. I was indeed in a forest.I tried to scream but the smoke prevented me from doing so because each time i tried to, i only ended up inhaling more smoke into my lungs, and it burned so badly.Left with no other option, I decided to walk. I couldn't see but walking was better than standing in a spot waiting for help to come.As I began to walk without a particular direction in mind, I heard a howling from the distance.And then it hit me; I was in a forest, of course there would be wild animals.Without thinking twice, i began to run even though my eyes were still tightly shut. I ran
Dahlia's POV.Another monday morning at Phoenix Crest High, and everyone was clamouring to be seen, showing off their expensive luxury item, and pictures of trip they had taken during the weekend.Me? I was just trying to get to my locker safely without being noticed but at that, I failed woefully because no matter what i did, i always drew unwanted attention to myself.I cleared my throat and adjusted my glassed atop the bridge of my nose praying that no one would notice the dark circles around my eyes due to lack of sleep from the previous night.Those nightmares were wild and i couldn't bring myself to go back to sleep because I felt like if i did, i would keep having those nightmares, or worse, the stalker in my garden would climb up my window and try to strangle me in my sleep.Well, whatever it was, I didn't want to take any chances, so i stayed awake the whole night.I got to my locker and as if all the problems in my life weren't enough, I had to come across Dorothy also known
Ares's POVLike they said "Everything happens for a reason". Life, death, happiness, sadness. But i have yet to come to terms with everything that happened to me.Once upon a time, I was a boy with a happy family. I had everything I could have ever asked for, but in the twinkle of an eye, it was all gone.No! This wasn't a part of the universe's plan.For six years, i sat behind closed doors, hidden in the darkness, observing, plotting, and preparing myself to exert vengeance on those who took everything away from me.For six years, I watched them have a happy life when they destroyed mine. According to my name 'Ares' which meant 'God of war', I was willing to go to the end of the earth to bring war, and destruction upon those who took my life away from me.Coming to Phoenix-Crest High was part of a perfectly curated plan that was made from the very beginning.Where else would be a perfect place to begin to exert my revenge if not from the place that the most gruesome betrayal happene
Dahlia's POVThe trip from the art room to the school's cafeteria was the longest i had ever made in my life even though it was just a few meters apart.Despite my pleas and struggle, Ares made it his job to carry me bridal-style from the art room to the cafeteria.You guessed right, the attention on us was massive, and with the condition i was in, it just made me shrink into his embrace.Usually, I didn't care what people thought about me or how they looked at me but this time I was well conscious of it.Because, no more than a few hours ago, I had publicly stated that I didn't want to have lunch or anything at all to do with the King brothers.And now, I was being carried in Ares' arms while the other student watched us in shock. That just made me someone who was unable to keep to her word; A hypocrite.He took me to my favorite spot in the cafeteria, and placed me on my chair. How did he even know to do this?He pulled a seat for himself and sat on it. While the twins also did the
Dahlia's POVIt was dark again. Dark and foggy but I could easily make out that I was in a room; An empty room with.. with a large closet leaning on the wall."Hello! Is anybody there"? I called out but my chest began to tighten. It began to tighten as if i had forgotten how to breath but in reality, it was the darkness in the room that had taken away my ability to breath properly.I couldn't move from where i stood. It was like some invisible force had me rooted to the ground, so, I did the only thing I knew how to do whenever i got scared; I sat on my butt and folded my legs to my chest. I hid my face in between my thigh and wrapped my hands around myself."It's okay, it's okay. The darkness won't swallow me up, I won't get locked". I murmured while gently patting myself.Anything to make me forget the torment that this darkness brought."Daddy please come for me. Daddy please help me, it's so dark" I hiccupped, almost close to tears.As if God had heard my cries, and prayers. The l
Dahlia's povI didn't sleep a wink after the nightmare, meanwhile, i still had to get up early to prepare for school.I stopped trying to sneak around the house to avoid dad and Julia because my efforts were always in vain.Whenever I tried to sneak out thinking they were asleep, I would always find them sitting at the dinning in silence like they had been waiting for me all along.I stopped trying to fight about eating in the same space as them. I gave in because they wouldn't give up, and i simply didn't have the strength to keep fighting whenever it was food time.Minutes after i was done preparing for school, I came down to the dinning and as usual they sat down there in silence even though I knew that they were always probably saying one thing or the other before i arrived."You don't have to pretend". I said as I took a sit. Do your daddy-daughter thing. I won't be mad, i promise.I flashed both of them a quick smile. They didn't need to take my feelings into consideration if he
Dahlia's POV"Get in," he said again. I was still too stunned to move. How on earth could he afford such an expensive car?"Or do you want me to carry you in?"As he said that, the image of him carrying me to the school cafeteria flooded my mind. I quickly pushed it aside. "No, thank you. I can walk just fine."As we both got in the car, I didn't know what to do, so I just sat in my seat, seething. In a few seconds, he moved closer—a little too close. It was suspiciously intimate.My heart dropped to my stomach, and I began to fidget. "What are you doing?"He smirked, his lips curling. "You remember something, don't you?" he whispered into my ear, his breath warm on my face.He was right. The only image in my head was of him climbing up to my window and kissing me."You wish," I said, trying to sound confident. I didn't want him getting any ideas. Besides, I was furious that he had shown up at my front door without notice. And why was Julia entertaining these strangers? We didn't even
Ares’ POVI had been caught up in the moment, kissing Dahlia with a passion that surprised even me. We were in the pool, and I was reveling in the way she responded to my touch. Her initial reluctance had faded, replaced by a tentative willingness to engage. I caressed her back through the thin material of her swimsuit and gently pressed my lips against hers, feeling her start to open up to me. Her body relaxed against mine, and for a moment, it seemed like she was beginning to truly let go.But then, as she started to match my intensity, something shifted inside me. I suddenly became aware of what I was doing and froze. My mind raced with confusion and realization. What am I doing? I thought. This wasn’t part of the plan.Dahlia’s eyes fluttered open, her face reflecting a mix of confusion and surprise. I pulled away abruptly, the suddenness of my action leaving her stunned. "I'm sorry," I said quickly, trying to cover up my disorientation. "That wasn’t supposed to happen."I saw th
Dahlia’s POV I was still trying to wrap my head around everything that had just happened when Ares gently turned me toward the pool, his hands resting on my shoulders. My back pressed against his chest, and I could feel the warmth of his body against mine. The closeness, the intimacy, was almost overwhelming. My heart raced, a mix of nerves and anticipation causing my breath to come in quick, shallow bursts.As his fingers lightly traced along my arm, a shiver ran through me. His touch was gentle, almost soothing, yet it set my nerves on edge. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck as his hands moved down to my waist, the sensation both thrilling and terrifying. His touch was slow and deliberate, as if he was savoring the moment, and I became increasingly aware of every inch of my body.When he reached the knot on my shorts, I tensed, emotions swirling inside me. Before I could react, he loosened the tie, and my shorts fell to the ground, leaving me in just my swimsuit. I fel
Dahlia’s POV"Why would I be jealous," I said quickly, trying to put some distance between us. My voice came out sharper than I intended, and I immediately regretted it. I took a step back, hoping to escape the tension building between us, but he didn’t let go. Instead, his grip on my arm tightened just enough to make me pause, and I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized how close he was. My back was against his chest, and his arms wrapped around my waist, holding me in place.I was caught off guard by the sudden intimacy, feeling a mix of shyness and irritation that made it hard to think straight. He leaned in, his breath warm against my ear as he whispered in a voice that sent another shiver through me, "Did I do something wrong?"His tone was almost seductive, laced with a teasing edge that made my heart race. I tried to keep my composure, but it was hard to ignore how close he was, how his voice seemed to wrap around me like a soft, tempting whisper. I could feel my resolv
Dahlia’s POVAfter grabbing the first swimsuit that caught my eye, I didn’t even bother to look at it. My mind was too clouded with anger and jealousy to care. I just needed to get out of his room. I clutched the swimsuit in my hand and stormed off to my room, my thoughts racing. I didn’t even notice Aris giggling softly behind me, likely amused that I had picked something so revealing without even realizing it.As I reached my room and slammed the door shut, I could feel the tension in my chest. What was I doing, feeling this way? It wasn’t like Ares and I were anything more than neighbors. Maybe we flirted a little, but that didn’t give me the right to be angry about what I saw in his wardrobe. But the thought of another girl being in his room, trying on those clothes, left a bitter taste in my mouth. I hated how much it bothered me.I threw the swimsuit onto my bed and finally took a good look at it. My heart sank as I realized just how sexy it was. The fabric was a deep, rich shad
Dahlia’s POVAfter breakfast, the uneasy feeling from my conversation with Aris still lingered. I tried to brush it off, but when Aris asked, “Do you want to go swimming with me?” it completely threw me off. Out of all the things he could have suggested, why swimming?“I don’t know how to swim,” I admitted, hoping that would be the end of it.“Okay,” he replied, “but you can still change into a swimsuit and join me. You don’t have to swim.”His persistence caught me off guard. “I’m not comfortable with that,” I said, trying to convey how much the idea unsettled me.“I’ll walk you to your room,” he said, completely ignoring my discomfort.I followed him reluctantly, my mind racing for a way out. When we reached my door, he stopped and waited outside while I went in to change. As soon as I stepped into my room, I breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe I could use this time to figure out how to get out of this situation without making things awkward.But then I realized I didn’t have a swimsui
Dahlia's POV I sat by Ares' door, leaning against the cold wood as the night dragged on. The house was quiet, with only the occasional creak or the soft sound of the wind outside. I lost track of time, my mind spinning with feelings I couldn’t quite understand. The longer I sat there, the more tired I became, my thoughts drifting into a haze.Finally, as dawn began to break and light crept through the windows, I forced myself to stand up, my legs stiff from sitting too long. I let out a deep sigh and made my way to my room. Being close to Ares, even just outside his door, had felt necessary, like something I couldn’t ignore.Once I was in my room, I collapsed onto the bed, not even bothering to pull the covers over me. Exhaustion hit me hard, pulling me into sleep before I could resist. My eyes closed, and I was quickly lost to the dark world of dreams.But sleep didn’t bring any comfort. Instead, I found myself in a strange place, surrounded by thick fog. I called out, but my voice
Dahlia's POVI had never encountered a place as grand as Ares' mansion. From the moment we crossed the threshold, it felt as though we had stepped into another realm—one filled with elegance, mystery, and untold stories. The entrance hall alone was awe-inspiring, with its towering ceilings and grand chandeliers casting a gentle light over the polished marble floors. Excitement bubbled within me as Ares began the tour."Follow me," he said, his deep voice echoing slightly in the vast space. I trailed behind him down a long corridor, wide-eyed as I absorbed every detail. The walls were adorned with intricate moldings, and the floors gleamed with an almost mirror-like finish. Everything was meticulously designed, exuding a sense of perfection.Ares guided me through several rooms, each more impressive than the last. There was a grand sitting room with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked a sprawling garden, and a library brimming with more books than I had ever seen. But amidst the g
Ares' POVI could barely contain my excitement as I prepared for the day. Today was a crucial juncture in the elaborate plan I had been meticulously crafting for months. The thought of finally taking Dahlia to my mansion was exhilarating, almost overwhelming. Every detail of my outfit was chosen with precision; I wanted to be flawless. This wasn’t just about spending time with Dahlia; it was about seizing control and setting the stage for the final act of my scheme.Driving towards Dahlia’s house, I replayed the journey I had taken to break through her defenses. She had been a fortress of defiance and pain, completely closed off from the world. Yet, I had managed to see through her tough exterior and uncover the softer, more vulnerable side she had been so careful to hide. I had always viewed her as a caged bird, and now that I had unlocked that cage, I was beginning to see the real Dahlia—a tender, beautiful girl who had learned to protect herself behind a façade of strength.As I in
Dahlia's POVDay eleven of bed restI paused, my hand trembling slightly on the door handle as I opened it. The soft creak of the hinges was the only sound in the quiet space between us. As the door swung open fully, I saw Ares standing there just a few steps away. His tall figure nearly blocked out the sunlight, casting a gentle shadow over me. He was holding a large, fluffy teddy bear and several gift bags. My heart leapt at the sight, excitement bubbling inside me.I gasped in surprise and delight. The gifts were unexpected, and seeing him there waiting for me made my heart swell. Without thinking, I grabbed the teddy bear and hugged it tightly against my chest. Looking up at Ares, I couldn’t hide the gratitude in my eyes.“Thank you!” I said, my voice brimming with genuine happiness. My smile spread wide across my face.Ares stood there, his usual stoic expression softening slightly. He seemed taken aback by my reaction, his eyes studying me as if he couldn’t quite believe what he