Loud music, sweaty atmosphere, and flashy lights of the bar

were her escape. They were anchors to save her from reality.
A reality that she never wished to face. Swaying her frivolous
body towards the drinks area, Elyana blinked open her
hooded jade green eyes, smeared with mascara. After
ordering her 8th drink of the night, Elyana sighed and
cracked her knuckles hoping for the pain to subside, but her
insides were on fire, desiring to burn everything in sight. An
unruly bartender placed a shot of Spirytus Stawski onto the
glistening marble. Without even glancing at the drink, she
gulped it all in one go. She then started moving towards the
dance floor again to let loose but stumbled. Groaning in
agony, she muttered, “I really shouldn’t have worn these
heels!”. Finally losing her balance, Elyana yelled “God
dammit!” and braced herself for the fall. However, when she
pierced her eyes open, they came in contact with the
brightest grey eyes she had ever seen. She was mesmerized
but then thought, “How can grey eyes even be bright? Focus
Elyana focus!”. With that small pep talk, she became aware
of her surroundings and felt muscles behind her bare back,
gripping her close to a warm body. She glanced around and
then again came in contact with those grey eyes. Tears
began pooling from her face until this grey-eyed mystery
man’s face came into focus. She sighed and pulled herself
from the guy, knowing it wasn't him. The grey-eyed hunk
although seemed to have other ideas. He pulled Elyana
closer to him, placing an arm just above her shoulders. She
knew where this was going and pulled away just before
things could get any further. The guy pulled her back in
again, whilst ruffling his golden locks. Elyana sighed,
wishing the guy had jet black ones just like him. Being the
rebel she was, she punched the mystery guy right on his
nose, creating a bloody mess. He yelped and pulled back,
grasping his nose tightly in the process. Elyana smirked,
wishing she could release more of the fire inside her, but she
stopped. The scarlet red on his nose gave Elyana pleasure

[1]
that nothing could ever give. Pulling her arm back to avoid
creating a scene, she flashed a dark look towards the crowd
and jostled herself towards the exit. A sharp sting in her
head was enough to tell her that she’d gone overboard
today. Quickly gathering herself up, Elyana rushed out of the
heated atmosphere. The icy breeze as she opened the door,
was enough to calm her down. It brought her back to her
senses, enough that she could walk herself back home. As
she started walking, her thoughts went back to grey eyes,
they had unlocked something that she had tried weeks to
forget. Memories, moments, all which had been ended due
to a mystery. Elyana sighed, pulling her hair up, how he used
to play with her hair, she smiled upon the memory. It had all
started in her second year of college. She was a sophomore,
he was a senior with the typical I’m-too-cool vibe. Liam was
his name. A tall, brawny, mysterious, nonchalant guy. His
eyes were the shade of clouds on a stormy day, but as deep
as the ocean to her. He had jet black disheveled hair, which
he used purposefully mess up now and then. They’d met
when he had seen her crying at the back of the gymnasium.
Elyana was mourning her father’s murder. Her kind-loving
father had been murdered by a group of assassins, a few
months ago, right in front of her eyes. Oh how Elyana
trembled that day, she was shaken to her core. She spent all
her time just weeping, but her mother pulled her out. Her
mom was the only one who stuck by her to date. She made
Elyana go to therapy, and take meds. Elyana got better day
by day, but she still couldn’t ever forget, couldn't just erase
the trauma like everyone expected her to. Her panic attacks
would start at the even slight mention of blood. That day at
the gymnasium, changed her life forever. Liam had found
her and held her until she’d calmed down. He then caressed
her cheek, comforting her. It was that day, Elyana fell deep
into those grey eyes. They were her getaway. Since then,
they both were inseparable. They hung out every day in
college, and stayed at each other's houses. Elyana’s mother,

[2]
however, warned her on numerous occasions to stay distant
from the guy, but Elyana didn’t care. She was happy, after
what felt like an eternity, she felt complete like she had
found the missing piece of her life. Liam understood her as
no one could, and she understood Liam. He was a glorious
mess under all that I’m-too-cool vibe to her. Whenever the
pair was alone, they’d just smile, getting lost in each other's
eyes. To people on campus, it was a startling sight to see
Liam genuinely smile. Gothic Liam, with his bandaged
knuckles and numerous injuries, was happy, it was true
bliss! Elyana had questioned about the bandages, but
quickly gave up when he brushed her off on multiple
occasions. Elyana graduated and Liam had graduated a year
before. 2 beautiful years with hearty giggles, long walks
under the night sky, cuddling each other in bed and what
not. However, most nights when Elyana woke up, Liam used
to be gone. His side of the bed would be cold like he wasn’t
ever there. She had tried questioning but failed when Liam
would start getting sulky. When they were on their long
walks, he would be lost deep in thought, so deep that she’d
have to pat his shoulder to bring him back, and he’d just
pass her one of those angelic smiles that made her forget
everything. 1 night when Liam thought Elyana was asleep, he
murmured “I love you so much Elly, Thank you for
everything” and placed a peck upon her forehead. Elyana
had blushed like a schoolgirl at this but didn’t utter a word.
She’d slept soundly after that. It was when her mother woke
her up, that she realized her bed was empty again. She
grabbed her phone to call Liam, yawning whilst the phone
was still on call, it went straight to voicemail, Elyana sighed
saying “ You’re gone again, not a day goes by where I don’t
wish to see your adorable morning face, please stay next
time love”. With that, she hit send and got ready for the day.
Hours went by and no reply came, Elyana was at ease
because this usually happened due to his work which was
the only veil of privacy kept between them. His work, what

[3]
he did for a living was kept a complete mystery, but she
didn’t care. Elyana was so consumed by him that she didn’t
give a damn about what he did! She just wanted him alone.
The next day, Elyana stopped by Liam’s house on her way to
work, She had a key so getting inside was not an issue. There
was darkness when she entered the house. Tiptoeing herself
towards the staircase and up expecting him to be asleep, she
quietly opened the door to find complete darkness again.
Rolling her eyes she moved towards the switchboard and
yelled “LIAM, Wakey wakey!”. When she turned on the
lights, there wasn’t a soul in sight. The bed was set neatly,
with no sign of anyone. She moved around, checking the
bathroom, but there was no one. She called on Liam’s phone
and heard a faint ringing from downstairs. Hastily, rushing
downstairs, Elyana found his phone near the kitchen sink.
She was utterly confused, her heart rate sped up, where’d
her Liam go? Days passed by and no sign of him. She tried
and tried but it seemed as if he just disappeared into thin air
like he never existed.
Stumbling upon the pavement rocks, Elyana came back to
her senses, placing a hand on her forehead, she mumbled,
“Oh god, what a trip down the memory lane”. She had
reached her house after that episode with the nosebleed guy.
Unlocking her door, she yelled “Mom! I’m home”, and when
she heard her mother’s “Yes Hunny, I’m here!”, her heart was
at peace. After changing into her PJ’s, Elyana settled herself
upon the couch for her Monday Movie night, with her mom.
They’d spend every single Monday watching movies, it was
tradition. A few days passed by, and the same routine of
Elyana’s continued, eat sleep, work, repeat. Then came Saturday,
nostalgia hit her more, for which she turned to the bar as escape.
She entered and took a deep breath, inhaling all the mixed scents.
After taking a few steps towards the drinks area, she halted. Her
wrist was held in a manner that no one ever did. A voice spoke,
“Elyana? Is that you?”. She froze, her surroundings seemed to
slow down, praying to herself that it wasn’t who she thought it
was, she turned around. It was him. Her face held no expression

[4]
at all, but her eyes said everything. He was there right there. The
same grey eyes, tousled hair, sharp jaw, and all. He seemed pale
and weak, her heart wrenched. She couldn’t utter a word. He
murmured, “Elly? Is that really you?”. Oh, how she had missed
that voice. “Liam? How? What?” she stuttered. “Shall we get out
of here?”, Elyana nodded and they both jostled towards the exit.
After getting outside Elyana couldn’t hold it anymore, she looked
around, the streets were deserted, perfect. She then yelled
“WHERE DID YOU GO? NO MESSAGE, TEXT, NOTHING?
POOF GONE? NOT EVEN A PHONE CALL? VANISHING
AWAY FOR WEEKS? WHY LIAM WHY!”. “Oh god that felt
so good”, Elyana thought to herself. Liam however smiled and
said “Feel better?”. Elyana wanted to be mad, but she couldn’t,
giving him a small smile before exclaiming, “Explain yourself!”.
Liam exhaled “It’s a long story”, “I’m all ears” was the reply, he
chuckled to himself, knowing she hadn’t changed a bit. They
found a place to sit and Liam started his tale. He filled her in
about what had happened, how he was a part of an assassin
group, and meeting Elyana changed everything for him, and how
he’d done many murders but he wanted to stop and be good just
for her. However he couldn’t easily leave the group, so he left the
country to avoid being killed. Elyana was in dismay hearing all
this, should she run from this guy? Should she help him? It was
as if a weight had been placed upon her .When Liam’s story
ended, Elyana’s eyes were brimming with tears. They were
bloodshot. Liam placed a hand on her cheek but she swatted it
away. He softly mumbled, “You know I’d never hurt you right
Elly? I love you more than anything”. Elyana felt disgusted,
betrayed, all emotions opposite of love. Liam again said, “We
can now be together, it’s just you and me”. Oh, how she wanted
that more than anything, but she couldn’t, because of her father.
Her father’s fate was ended by these people. After taking a deep
breath, and mustering up all the courage she could, Elyana
sneered “I cannot Liam, you disgust me, you’ve killed innocent
people without an ounce of pity, go away!”. Liam’s eyes were
laced with shock and heartbreak, all that he went through, all that
survival? And she’d denied him? He knew what he had to do, and
without a word, he rushed off. Sniffling to herself Elyana went

[5]
back home. She unlocked the door to her house, yelling her usual.
“Mom, I’m home!”. Taking her heels off, she rushed into the
kitchen to tell her mother about today’s events. The kitchen was
filled with eerie darkness. She whispered, “Mom?”, no reply,
utter silence. Elyana then moved towards the TV lounge,
expecting her mother to be there already with dinner ready. She
opened the lights and saw no sign of her mother. Further walking
toward the TV, she felt some sort of liquid beneath her feet.
Feeling queasy, she looked down only to see a dark substance.
Elyana knelt to touch the substance, one whiff was enough to tell
her what it was. Blood. Her heart began racing, thinking of all the
worst-case scenarios, she followed the trail. It was only a few
steps, till she saw a hand. Her mother’s hand to be exact, with her
signature bracelet. Elyana was in utter shock, a few steps later,
her mother’s leg was seen. Then she finally saw her beloved
mother’s body, with all her body parts dismantled, thrown here
and there. Elyana felt as if her soul had been ripped apart, her
eyes began stinging, tears began pooling out, and she yelled and
yelled towards the universe. Why her? Out of all people why her?
Elyana then heard a deep chuckle, and she turned around to
glance at who it was. The sight before her was unbelievable,
Liam, with a bloodied dagger in his hand, it was him who had
done this.

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