chapter 4

Chapter 4

The fight with Kurtis had been intense, both of us yelling over the storm inside. His anger felt electric, and I was caught up in it. When he stormed out, I knew I couldn’t let him go alone. I had to find him and try to make things right.

I chased him through the pouring rain, the cold drops hitting my face. I could hardly see, but I followed the sound of his angry footsteps until I reached the beach. The wind howled around me, and the waves crashed hard against the shore. There, I saw Kurtis standing at the water’s edge, his dark figure outlined by the lightning.

“Kurtis!” I yelled, my voice barely cutting through the storm. “Stop! You can’t do this!”

He turned to face me, his face showing both rage and despair. I saw him clutching a small box in his hand before tossing it into the waves. My heart sank as I realized it was the engagement ring he had planned to use for a proposal.

“No!” I screamed, darting towards the water. “Not the ring!”

 “What are you doing here? I told you to leave me alone!” he said.

“I’m not leaving you,” I shouted back, struggling to keep my footing against the fierce wind. “Not now, not ever. You’re about to make a huge mistake!”

He glared at me, his eyes flashing with a storm of their own. “A mistake? You think you know what’s best after everything that’s happened?”

“Yes, I do!” I cried, moving closer despite the crashing waves. “You’re throwing everything away, your plans, your hopes. This ring means something, and you know it!”

Kurtis’s jaw clenched, his anger battling with a deep, raw concern. “Why do you even care? After what you’ve done, why should I listen to you?”

“Because I care about you,” I said, my voice breaking. “And I care about Angela.

The wind roared around us, and for a moment, his intense glare softened. He took a step toward me, his anger mingling with something almost tender. “You think we can fix this?”

Without saying a word, I fought against the current pulling me away. I managed to grab the ring just before it disappeared under the foam, my hands shaking.

“What the hell are you doing?” he bellowed, grabbing my arm and yanking me back from the waves. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

I was soaked and shivering, my teeth chattering from the cold. Even through the storm and the rain, I could see the deep conflict in Kurtis’s eyes. His anger was still there, but there was something else behind it, an emotion he tried hard to hide. It was a softness, a vulnerability that he didn’t want to show.

His grip on my arm tightened, and I could feel it wasn’t just from anger. There was a layer of worry underneath, an undeniable concern that he couldn’t fully mask. His eyes searched mine, and at that moment, I saw how torn he was. His frustration was mingled with a deep, unspoken fear and care for what was happening, making his anger seem almost secondary to the genuine worry that flashed in his gaze.

“I had to,” I said, my voice trembling. “I couldn’t let you throw it away. It’s not just a ring, it’s everything you wanted.”

Kurtis’s jaw tightened. “You think you can fix this? After everything that’s happened?”

I looked up at him, my heart aching with remorse. “I’m not trying to fix it. I just, please, don’t give up on Angela. She needs you. I need you to try.”

He stared at me, his anger warring with something deeper. “Why should I? After what you did, I don’t know if I can ever trust you again.”

The storm mirrored his feelings, the wind and rain echoing the chaos between us.

“I know I messed up,” I said, my voice trembling. “But I’m asking for a chance to make it right. Not for me, but for Angela. And maybe, somewhere inside, for you.”

Kurtis’s eyes flashed with anger, but I saw a flicker of something softer beneath it. “You think you can just fix everything by pleading? After what you’ve done?”

“I’m not just pleading,” I said, stepping closer despite the raging storm. “I’m fighting for Angela. And maybe for us, too. I can’t undo the past, but I want to make things right.”

He shook his head, frustration and pain visible. “You’ve hurt me deeply. It’s hard to forget that.”

“I know,” I said, reaching out to him with raw emotion. “But Angela needs you. She needs her boyfriend and her lover And I need you to try, even if it’s just for her.”

Kurtis looked away, running a hand through his wet hair. “You don’t get it, do you? Even if I wanted to, how can I love someone who’s done this to me? It’s too late for that.”

I felt a sharp pain at his words, but I stood firm. “Maybe it’s too late for us, but it’s not too late for Angela. She’s still my sister, and she needs you.”

His shoulders slumped, and he sighed deeply. His anger softened slightly, showing the tiredness underneath. “All right,” he said, his voice heavy. “We’ll talk about this later. But once the storm passes, you’re leaving this island. I need some space to figure things out.”

He paused, running a hand through his wet hair as if trying to gather his thoughts. “I need time to sort through all this,” he continued, his tone softer but still firm. “Everything’s been so messed up lately, and I can’t think clearly with you here. It’s not just about you, it’s about me needing to understand where I stand, where Angela stands. So please, just give me this time.”

I nodded, feeling the weight of his words. The rain continued to drizzle, and as we walked back to the villa, the chill in the air felt even more biting. The silence between us was thick with unspoken thoughts and emotions. I knew he was right; he needed time to process everything. And so did I.