(Killed Someone)

Mariana prepared a lunch for herself. She was starving. The traumatic events of yesterday had drained her energy and even her mental stability. She assumed Calum wouldn't be back at the house anytime soon, so she confidently invaded the kitchen.

She defrosted a frozen fish she found in the freezer and fried it. She didn't even question how long the fish had been in there; all that mattered was that she had something to eat. She wasn't going to starve to death. She chopped tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and lettuce. Those were the vegetables available in the refrigerator, enough for a simple salad. After making the salad, she toasted two slices of bread and set up her lunch.

She started eating, and she had never felt this hungry before. She ate as if she had been deprived of food for a month. It wasn't good. Mariana hadn't realized how hungry she was. The traumatic events she had experienced had stressed her out tremendously.

After eating and feeling her stomach full, Mariana cleaned the kitchen and returned to her room. She slumped onto the bed, letting out a deep sigh. As usual, her thoughts would soon turn to her usual, annoying ruminations. Her disastrous life had made her believe she was cursed, the favorite victim of the devil's games. She was even invoking the devil now. Well, she certainly didn't think God loved her, even if she was currently braless under his red t-shirt with a black print on the chest. She had chosen that t-shirt to avoid revealing the outline of her nipples. Maybe teleporting to another dimension to escape everything on Earth would solve her life's catastrophes. If only she were a friend of Doctor Strange. Too bad she wasn't.

Thinking about her growing feelings for Calum made her growl in anger. They had kissed a few times, and it was not good for her to think about. She constantly denied to herself that she wasn't in love with him. She shouldn't be, but every time she did, it felt like she had been shot with millions of bullets, not dying but crying in pain. The denial was torturing her, like ripping out every nail from her fingers and toes without anesthesia and then pouring salt on her bleeding wounds. Well, that was an exaggeration.

She hated herself every time she couldn't control herself, hugging and kissing him. It was the biggest idiocy she couldn't deny. It was crazy how much she craved the warmth of his embrace and the sweetness of his kisses. Resisting his kiss was like refusing to enter the gates of heaven and walking into the miserable depths of hell, slowly roasting herself to death. Yeah, incredibly dramatic.

In the middle of her ruminations, she sensed something odd going on outside. She felt like someone was inside the house. She was certain it wasn't Calum because she hadn't heard his car pull up. A silent wave of fear washed over her, but it didn't stop her from opening the door and checking outside to confirm her suspicions. She hoped she was wrong.

She nervously walked out of the room, barefoot, and made her way to the living room. No one was there, but she saw mud footprints on the floor. Her heart pounded in her chest the moment she saw them. Someone was inside the house, and it terrified her.

She scanned the surroundings, her eyes widening in shock as she saw a masked man standing a few feet away. She sprinted back to her room, locking herself inside. She stood behind the door, her body shaking with fear. She breathed heavily, her face pale with terror. Sweat trickled down her forehead. The sound of the man laughing and forcing the door open startled her even more.

The man behind the door laughed wickedly and yelled, "Come on, baby. Come out, you're making this more exciting."

The man's voice was familiar to her. It reminded her of Jaguar, the evil man who had harassed her. Mariana started to cry, wondering what his purpose was.

"What do you want?" she asked, tears streaming down her face. She didn't know what to do.

"I just want to talk. Yeah! Just fucking talk!" he said, chuckling so loudly that he might choke on his own saliva, which could lead to his ultimate demise. His laughter was hurting Mariana's ears, making her even more scared. His laughter made him seem like the Weed Addict of the Year. She wasn't even sure if that award existed, but it certainly suited him perfectly.

It was one o'clock in the afternoon, and the sun shone in its usual, brilliant manner, reigning over the world with its satisfying warmth. Calum was driving his car back to his hideout. He knew someone was probably waiting for him there, anxious to see him. He was excited to see Mariana's beautiful face. It never failed to mesmerize him. Her image popped into his mind, and it annoyed him. He was becoming addicted to her lips, and he desperately needed to rehabilitate himself or ask a doctor to prescribe him medication. He needed to find a cure for this unpredictable, deadly virus infecting his heart.

He parked his new black car after arriving at his destination. He opened the door to the house, and a distinct, unsettling silence made him feel something was wrong. He stepped inside. His gaze swept across the living room, but he didn't move.

"Let me go!" Mariana pleaded in despair as the man forced her to walk, wrapping his left arm around her neck, his other arm holding a gun pointed at her head. Mariana's hands were tied with rope, and she gripped the intruder's arm tightly, her long, clean nails digging into his pale skin. Calum quickly noticed them approaching him. He recognized the disrespectful man who was holding his woman like that, trying to awaken his sleeping inner devil.

"Give me your fucking gun, Calum! Do it before I blow her head off!" Jaguar commanded, screaming at the top of his lungs.

Calum's face was calm, as if nothing could scare him, or maybe it just thrilled him a little. No one in the world could make him feel terrified. No one.

But that didn't mean he didn't care about Mariana.

He tried to be obedient and followed Jaguar's orders. He pulled his gun out from under his black denim jacket. He threw his gun on the floor near Jaguar and raised his arms. He needed to show some respect to this man, who had the audacity to step into his territory and take Mariana hostage. It was like digging his own grave with an excavator and then taking an elevator to hell. He was looking for a more convenient way to end his life.

"Sit on the couch! Faster!" Jaguar commanded, his voice laced with worry. Calum's gaze was as terrifying as Jaguar's worst nightmares. It gave him something to be worried about.

"Do it!"

Calum slowly moved his feet, doing as Jaguar said. Mariana's lovely, tear-filled eyes stared pathetically at him, urging him to comply.

He silently sat on the couch, watching Jaguar's next move. Jaguar released Mariana, making her sit on the couch opposite Calum.

"Don't move!" he warned.

Mariana kept her mouth shut, crying helplessly. Being free from his arm allowed her to breathe more deeply. Her body was cold and shaking, her face wet with tears and sweat. At least her worries lessened a little, seeing Calum and looking into his eyes. His serious, unaffected gaze, fixed straight on her face, clenched her heart.

Jaguar walked towards Calum, retrieving a thin rope he had hidden in his pocket. He didn't take his eyes off Calum, his gun still pointed at him. This man had miraculously healed his leg wound so quickly after Calum had shot him. One of Jaguar's biggest mistakes had been putting his gun down on the table to tie Calum's hands. After placing the gun on the table, Calum quickly punched Jaguar in the face, throwing him off balance. Calum stood, and Jaguar received another punch, making his face bleed. Jaguar fell to the floor, automatically grabbing Calum's gun from his jeans. He pointed it at Calum.

Mariana quickly grabbed the gun on the table and pointed it at Jaguar. She had their attention, and they both looked at her.

"What makes you think you know how to use that, bitch!" Jaguar exclaimed, laughing. The blood in his mouth made his teeth a disgusting red.

Mariana lost herself and pulled the trigger. She hit Jaguar's shoulder, and Calum was visibly amused by her action. Jaguar growled in pain, but he pointed his gun at Mariana. Before he could fire, Mariana shot him in the head. Headshot.

Mariana closed her eyes, gripping the gun with both hands, her shoulders straight, still pointing the gun at the lifeless intruder. Her heart beat loudly and fast, as if it were going to burst out of her chest. She hadn't fully processed the fact that she had killed someone.

The scene almost made Calum's jaw drop, but instead, he smiled in surprise. He wanted to clap his hands to celebrate their victory. Mariana opened her eyes, the gun slowly slipping from her hands. She opened her mouth in shock, her eyes widening with fear.

"What did I do? Oh no, please tell me he's alive!" she cried, glancing at Calum, who stood there watching her cry, anxiously.

Calum walked towards her and picked up the gun from the floor. He was foolish to think she would be grateful for what had happened. She was innocent, and killing someone wasn't her intention. She shouldn't feel sorry for shooting an enemy, or anyone who threatened her life. But he couldn't blame her for having such a good heart.

"He's dead," he said, his voice barely a whisper.

"No! What am I going to do now?! I'm not a killer, I'm not!" Mariana cried.

"You did the right thing. If you hadn't, we might be in his position right now. Lying on the floor, bleeding, and dead," he explained, removing the rope that had bound her hands. His hazel eyes met her chestnut eyes. He took her arm, and she stopped crying. The way his skin touched hers gave her a reason to stop being hysterical. His voice soothed her and convinced her immediately.

"You need to eliminate your opponents first, so that you can be called a survivor and battle for another, more challenging game. That's how life works for me. Probably not for you," he said.

Mariana freed her hands from the rope after he finally untied them. She struggled to control her heavy breathing as she listened to him. She was instantly astounded when he spoke.

"What are we going to do now?" she asked, her voice melancholic. The sadness and anxiety in her eyes were visible.

"I'll handle him," he said.

She exhaled with relief after hearing those words.

"I trust you," she said.

And suddenly, he was speechless. What could he say to that? Calum just observed her, with no reaction at all. But his thoughts and emotions were battling fiercely. He needed to avoid being affected by her. Mariana trusted him. He couldn't believe how much it meant to him, even though he never assumed anyone would trust him. It was the first time someone had said that to him. Not just anyone, but the woman who had driven him crazy lately. He got it. It felt good to know that someone trusted you, even if your life background seemed untrustworthy. Looking into her glorious, goddess-like face was like, damn, it was giving him so much affection.

He didn't want to tear his gaze away from her, but he had to. He needed to dispose of the body as soon as possible. Maybe if their eye-gazing contest continued, they might forget their situation. Calum forced himself to look away from her, not just because of the dead body, but also for the sake of his fragile ego.

He wouldn't be defeated by his own feelings. He would try again and again, and he would learn how to control them.

***