NICOLETTE
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My heart beating loudly in my chest, the sound so loud I felt as though it would rip through my chest. My breaths uneven and haggard, my eyes burning with unshead tears as I clinged to the last string of hope.
It couldn't be true, could it?
Could Darren really cheat?
No.
He couldn't.
He wouldn't.
Releasing a breath, I pushed the door open.
" Don't, stop Dee. You're so good!" My sister's sluttery moans filled the air, shattering my already broken heart.
There.
Right there on the white satin sheets, she lay. Her legs spread wrapping around Darren's waist as he thrusts himself into her.
The sound of skin slapping skin.
The sound of groaning and moaning.
It was all too much.
Too much for me to bear.
" How could you!" The words left my lips weak and desperate.
Darren pulled away from her, his nakedness blaring in the morning light. " On our wedding day?" I whispered, my lips trembling.
" It's not what you think…"
" Then what is it?" I asked, my voice breaking. " Answer me Darren!"
" I'm sorry." He answered, lowering his head. I marched to him, my white dress trailing behind me. " You slept with my sister?" I asked, the words burning through my chest.
" So what?"
" Shut up Thalia!"
She had the audacity to even speak after all she'd done.
" I thought you loved me?" I faced Darren, ignoring her. " You promised me you wouldn't do this…You promised me you would protect me from the world, from the pain, from my scars then why? Why are you doing this?"
" I'm sorry." I once fell for those words, but now, it just caused me more pain.
He tried to touch me, his eyes soft but I turned away, avoiding his touch.
Just like everyone else in my life, Thalia stole him and left me with nothing. He claimed to love me, I thought he loved me. But he didn't.
" Don't leave me.."
" Stop being stupid Darren and tell her the truth!" Thalia yelled again, irritating coating her tone, as she stood from the mattress. The satin sheets covering her chest.
" What truth?"
Darren faced her, shaking his head.
" You're not going to tell her?" She glared." Then I will."
" No don't—"
" Well sister." Her lips lifted in a sly smirk as she rubbed her belly. " I'm pregnant and it's Darren's child."
I didn't hear that, I heard wrong, didn't I?
Didn't I??
" What do you mean Darren's child?"
" I'm sure you heard me the first time…" she walked to me, her gaze lingering on my dress. " I'm carrying a child in my womb and the child belongs to Darren and he promised to marry me…"
" Enough Thalia."
She covered her mouth in mockery. " Did you think he actually loved you?…"
I remained silent. My words coiled in my throat. My grip around my dress tightening as my fingers sliced through my skin, blood rolling down my fist.
" I loved you Nicolette."
" You loved, Darren! You loved!" My voice raised, tears blurring my vision. " I thought we had something special, I thought you actually cared for me, but you didn't."
I turned, the image of Darren and Thalia burning in my mind, I didn't want to see them, I didn't want to see him anymore.
" Nicolette…" Darren's voice followed as I ran but I could barely hear him.
My legs carried me down the stairs as made for my car. The air around me thick, so thick that I could barely breathe.
Darren cheated.
Those two words still felt foreign to me.
If someone came up to me a few days ago and told me those words, I would've slapped them across the face but I guess you should never judge a book by it's cover.
He pretended to love me but all he actually wanted was my sister. Which was now pregnant for his child.
The heel of my palm found my eyes, rubbing against it softly.
Why didn't I notice any sooner?
Even with all the signs, they were right there but I was too blinded to see them.
Him calling Thalia's name while he he was with me…Always asking about her well being, always bringing her gifts and buying her things I could only dream of, all those while, he was already in love with Thalia.
I was just a pawn in their stupid game of love.
I exhaled sharply, my feet slipping against the tile stairs, my world tilted and my body came crashing down to the ground. I rolled and rolled and rolled to the bottom of the stairs, my head banging against the floor, blood painting my once white dress.
" Nicolette!" Darren yelled, horror flashing in his eyes. Hot tears rolled out of my eyes, wetting the floor beneath me and mixing blood, my blood.
The world around me blurred and my body felt numb, my fingers too heavy to lift, my heart rate slowed. Silence was the last I heard before falling into the abyss of darkness.
________
" Hello!" I looked around, but all I could see was darkness. Black fog covered the ground beneath me, making it seem almost bottomless but I could walk.
Where am I?
That I didn't know…
" Who's there!" I yelled again but was met with silence.
My ribs heaved due to the unrhythmic beating of my heart, my body shivered the cold air wrapped me like a blanket. Then I heard it— footsteps, loud and menacing pounding against the silence.
The cold air, became colder making goosebumps form on my skin.
Blue eyes.
Sharp, Piercing, Dark blue eyes.
His face partially covered, except his nose and lips but those eyes— even through the cloak I could see them. He wielded a scythe, one which looked like those from the movies.
But this was no movie.
It's real life.
And before me stood a grim reaper, who looked hungry to take my soul.
But I couldn't die yet.
After what Darren did to me, I wanted to make him pay for using me, for playing with my feelings, for hurting me.
Thalia, would suffer and I would crush her beneath my feet. Same with mother and father, they would all face my wrath, especially if I was able to get out of here, alive.
" Nicolette Dimitri." His bass voice echoed in the silence. His lips lifted. " I've been expecting you."
Expecting me?
" What do you want with me!"
" What else would I want?" He walked closer, his pale skin glimmered in the darkness. " I came for your soul."
He lifted his scythe. " No, please don't take my soul." I begged and he paused, his scythe a few inches from my head.
" Let's make a deal." I spoke and his dark eyes shimmered.
" A deal you say?" He lowered his scythe. Thank Goodness. " I'm listening."
" You pretend to be my husband and let me have my soul…" I fidgeted with my dress. " And I'll do anything you want in return."
" Really.." his fingers reached for my chin, grazing it. It's coldness like that of a dead body, or worse. " Can you really do anything that I want?"
" You want souls right?" I met his gaze, shoving my fear down my throat. " I'll get you some souls."
He released my chin and stepped back. " It's a Deal."