5

The steam from the hot shower filled the bathroom, creating a hazy mist that enveloped me as I stood under the cascading water. Each droplet, like a tiny kiss, fell onto my skin, caressing every inch of my body. My eyes were closed, and my head was tilted back, allowing the warm water to wash away the stress of the day. But even in this moment of tranquillity, my thoughts were consumed by him - Lucifer.

As the water trickled down my curves, I couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to be with him. Would he hold me gently, cherishing every inch of my body? Or would he be rough and passionate, igniting a fire within me? The mere thought of his touch sent shivers down my spine, and I couldn't help but let out a soft moan.

The hot water continued to caress my body, each droplet leaving a trail of warmth behind it. It flowed over my shoulders, down my back, and onto my hips, teasingly tracing the contours of my body. The steamy mist enhanced the sensuality of the moment, making it feel like a dream.

My mind drifted to images of Lucifer, his strong arms wrapped around me, his lips on my neck, leaving a trail of hot kisses. I could almost feel his breath on my skin as my heart raced with desire. The water, now like a lover's touch, dripped down my body, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. I want him to slut me out. I wanna sit on his pretty face. I'll suck his dick 8 times a day if he wants me to, even though he has a girlfriend.

But amidst all the fantasies, a sense of longing and uncertainty crept in. Was Lucifer thinking about me too? Could we possibly be meant for each other? The thought sent a surge of hope through my body, and for a moment, I allowed myself to believe that the universe was conspiring to bring us together.

But as the water began to cool, it brought me back to reality. I knew I had to snap out of my daydreams and face the truth. With a heavy heart, I turned off the shower, and the warmth that had enveloped me began to dissipate. Stepping out of the shower, I felt a sense of rejuvenation and clarity.

As I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I couldn't help but admire my body - the curves, the softness, and the way the water had accentuated it. Maybe, I thought to myself, it's time to stop fantasizing and start living. And who knows, maybe Lucifer and I are meant to be together after all. But for now, I'll savour the memory of the hot water dripping down my sexy body and the tantalizing thoughts that it brought along with it.

As I made my way to my room, my feet padded softly against the hardwood floor, still warm from the morning sun. I could feel the fluffy towel wrapped around me, its softness providing a sense of comfort and security. As I entered the room, my eyes immediately landed on the full-length mirror, and I couldn't help but pause and take a deep breath. The steam from the shower had left my skin with a rosy glow. I opened my closet and began rummaging through my clothes, searching for the perfect outfit. After a few minutes of deliberation, I finally settled on a pair of baggy pants and a Hot-Topic shirt. It was a casual yet trendy look, and I felt confident and ready to tackle the day ahead.

I made my way to the kitchen, the smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, and my stomach grumbled in response. I found my brother Val in the kitchen, busy preparing breakfast. He greeted me with a warm smile, and I couldn't help but smile back.

'Good morning, Moxie. You're up early today,' he said.

I nodded, still lost in my thoughts. Val noticed the look on my face and asked, 'Is everything okay? Do you want to talk about it?'

I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I should open up to him about my crush on Lucifer. But I didn't want to burden him with my teenage drama, so I simply replied, 'Just a project I need to work on for school.'

Val waited for me to say more, his eyebrow raised in curiosity. But when I didn't, he simply smiled and said, 'Well, I know you're going to do great anyways,' before pulling me into a warm hug.

I grabbed a bowl of cereal and poured some milk over it before sitting down at the table in front of Val. He began the conversation, 'Is that my old shirt you're wearing?'

A mischievous grin spread across my face as I replied, 'Oh, fuck, you caught me. Yes, it is. It's from when you were an emo kid back then. It was so funny.'

It's cute. He always had those cool shirts back then, he said, pointing at his old shirt on me. They are mine now. Val was the popular kid in high school, with a great fashion sense and a knack for getting all the girls. But now, things have changed. He only wears a plain white shirt and black pants as his daily outfit and has a suit for work. The once fashionable Val has now become a workaholic.

Val's face turned red with embarrassment as he playfully scolded me, 'Ay! We do not speak about that. It's embarrassing.'

I couldn't help but laugh at his reaction and continued to tease him, 'You've got to admit, it was pretty funny with that type of haircut you had.'

Back then, Val was the life of the party. He was confident, outgoing, and always had a group of friends surrounding him. But now, he seemed more reserved, focused on his work and career. While I admired his dedication and drive, I couldn't help but wonder if he had lost a part of himself along the way.

Val noticed my curious expression and let out a sigh. 'I know, I know. I've become a workaholic,' he said, running a hand through his hair. 'But I have to. I have responsibilities now and bills to pay.'

Yes, he has an apartment and lives with his dog. He also has a girlfriend who is from a different country, but we haven't met her yet. He doesn't talk to us about her looks, personality or how she talks, which is a bit strange. I mean, why wouldn't he want his family to know about his girlfriend?

I could see the weight of his words on his shoulders. He had always been ambitious, but it seemed like he had taken it to a whole new level. I couldn't help but wonder if he was happy with his current lifestyle or if he was just going through the motions.

Val crossed his arms and rolled his eyes in mock annoyance, 'Whatever, just go to school.'

I playfully stuck my tongue out at him before asking, 'Fine, can you give me a ride?'

Val smiled and replied, 'Yeah, sure.' I got up from the table and grabbed my backpack, ready to head out the door. Val followed closely behind, and as we made our way to the car.

As Val drove, I couldn't help but feel nervous about the news I had to share with him. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. After all, this wasn't just any news. This was something that would change our family dynamics forever. Gathering all my courage, I turned to Val and said, 'Val, I have some news. Mom is pregnant, but it's not Dad's baby.'

Val's eyes widened in shock, and then his expression turned to confusion. 'What do you mean it's not Dad's baby?' he asked, his voice laced with disbelief. I took another deep breath, bracing myself for his reaction. 'Mom got pregnant by another man,' I said, my words ringing in the car.

Val's face twisted in anger, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. 'What? How could she do that to Dad? And to us?' he exclaimed, his voice filled with hurt and betrayal.

'Actually, no,' I quickly interjected, feeling guilty for trying to prank him. I knew he was hurt and confused. 'Mom went to the sperm bank because Dad couldn't impregnate her.'

Val's anger dissipated into confusion and disbelief. He let out a heavy sigh, trying to process the information. 'Seriously, playing with me now?' he asked, his tone softer. 'And I know, you're right. It's just hard to wrap my head around. What's going to happen now?'

'I'm not sure,' I replied honestly, my own confusion and worry evident in my voice. 'But I think we should talk to Mom and Dad about it and see how we can help.'

Val nodded, his grip on the steering wheel loosening. 'Yeah, you're right. We're a family, no matter what, and we'll get through this together.'

As we pulled up to the school, the tension in the car was palpable. We parked and turned off the engine, something shifted between us. We stepped out of the car, Val turned to me with a small smile on his face. 'Thanks for telling me,' he said, his voice filled with emotion. 'Even if it was a bit of a shock. I know we'll figure this out together.'

I returned his smile, feeling grateful for his understanding and support. 'Of course, Val,' I replied, my voice shaking slightly. 'We'll talk to Mom and Dad and see how we can support them through this. And we'll always have each other's backs, no matter what.' I said to Val, "Alright, I'm gonna go, see you at the house." Val nodded and replied, "Yeah, see you there."

I was walking down the hallway when I saw Ares. My heart sank and I immediately felt a wave of anxiety rush through my body. I have had my fair share of encounters with him, and I know firsthand how cruel and heartless he can be. As I was trying to avoid him, he came up to me with that smug look on his face and called me by my nickname, 'Hey, Brainy.' It may seem like a harmless nickname, but it was a constant reminder of the power he held over me. He is using the nickname he had given me since we were young. It was a weird nickname, but I had gotten used to it over the years. I sighed and rolled my eyes, not wanting to engage in any conversation with him.

I glared at him, my eyes filled with anger and frustration, willing him to back off and leave me alone. He appeared taken aback by my reaction, and I couldn't tell whether he was pleased or not. I chose to remain silent, simply continuing to stare into his deep, melancholic eyes. As we stood there in silence, he suddenly spoke up, his voice breaking through the quiet, "Hmm?" he muttered, and then reached out to gently lift my chin with his finger. I'm short like a toddler, so he had to lean down to do so.

As I stood there, frozen, his fingers gripped my chin, forcing me to look at him. I recoiled, a shiver running down my spine as I tried to pull away. "Nothing, can you just let me go?" I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper. But he didn't seem to hear me, or maybe he just didn't care. He closed the distance between us, his breath hot on my ear as he whispered, "Until I'm done with you." The words were like a punch to the gut, and before I could react, he pushed me hard in the stomach, causing me to stumble backwards. The room spun around me, and I felt myself falling, helpless and afraid.

I gagged and spat on his shoulder, a reflexive reaction to the disgust and anger I felt towards him. I could see the shock and disgust in his eyes, but I couldn't stop myself. I was so fed up with his constant bullying that it all came out in that one moment.

'What the fuck?' I yelled at him, my eyes widening in shock at my actions. But he didn't seem to care. Instead, he pushed me harder, causing me to stumble and fall on the floor. He then proceeded to kick me while muttering insults under his breath. 'Pathetic,' he said, looking down at me with a cruel smirk on his face.

At that moment, I was terrified. I couldn't believe this was happening to me, in public, with all eyes on me. I felt embarrassed and humiliated. This was the worst day of my life.

He's right, I'm pathetic. It's pathetic how much I still hoped for a happy ending between us. But deep down, I knew it was never going to happen. He was just a hot bully, and I was just a victim. It was a toxic cycle that I couldn't seem to break out of.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally decided to stop and go. He probably didn't want to get caught or get in trouble. I slowly got up, wincing in pain from the bruises on my body. I couldn't believe what had just happened. Why was this happening to me?

From that day on, I made a promise to myself that I would no longer be a victim. I like being a victim but not to him.

He is now gonna hate me.

I ran, scared, humiliated. That fucking bastard. I FUCKING HATE HIM, even though I still have feelings for him. I don't know fucking why. I sat on the floor behind the school, crying and crying. Everything isn't gonna be better soon, I just know it, everyone has seen Ares beating me. Some were laughing, some were scared. My life is fucked up. I hate it.

As I sat there, tears streaming down my face, I heard footsteps approaching. I didn't look up, I didn't want anyone to see me like this. But then I heard a woman's voice, asking me if I was okay. Obviously, I wasn't okay. Does it look like I'm okay? I'm fucking beaten up with bruises all over my body and I'm crying.

I reluctantly looked up to see who it was. It was a girl, an Asian girl. I have never seen her in this school before. Is she new? Yeah, I think she is. I've heard rumours about a new student coming to this school. I tried to smile and laugh, I don't know why. Maybe because I'm in so much pain that it's making me crazy. She must think I'm insane. She kept staring at me, confused.

'What the fuck do you want?' I snapped, shaking my head and laughing through my tears.

'Nothing. I thought...you weren't feeling well.' She replied, her voice filled with concern.

I made a disgusted face, hoping she would get the hint and leave. But instead, she turned around and said 'Sorry.'

Great, another person who hates me. I didn't want her to hate me, so I stood up and started to chase after her. 'Wait!' I called out.

She stopped and I continued, 'Sorry about that.'

She looked at me up and down, and then said 'No, it's alright. I wanted to leave you alone.'

Oh? I guess she didn't take it the wrong way. She then added 'Are you seriously okay? You have bruises all over you. Who did that to you?'

I took a deep breath and explained, 'Ares, if you know him. My fucking bully.'

She looked shocked and disgusted. 'That asshole? I can't believe he would do something like this.'

I shrugged, 'He's been doing it for years. I'm used to it.'

She shook her head, 'No one should ever have to get used to being treated like that. Have you told anyone?'

I scoffed, 'Who would I tell? The teachers? They don't care. My parents? They don't even know I exist.'

She looked at me with pity and said, 'Well, you can tell me. I won't judge you.'

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This stranger, who didn't even know me, was offering to help me. I felt tears welling up in my eyes again, but this time, they were tears of gratitude.

'Thank you.' I whispered, my voice cracking.

She smiled and said, 'No problem. Come on, let's go to the nurse's office. We need to get those bruises looked at.'

I hesitated for a bit. But then I nodded and followed her. As we walked, she told me about herself. Her name was Daiyu and she had just moved here from Japan. She was also a victim of bullying in her old school, which is why she felt a connection to me.

We approached the nurse's desk, she looked up from her paperwork with a shocked expression on her face. 'Oh my god, what happened to you?' she exclaimed, her eyes widening in concern.

I tried to brush it off, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. 'It's nothing, em-' But before I could finish my sentence, she cut me off. 'What do you mean, NOTHING? Look at you. Come sit,' she said firmly, pointing to the bed.

I reluctantly made my way to the bed, feeling embarrassed and exposed under the nurse's scrutinizing gaze. The nurse's attention immediately shifted to her. 'And who might you be?' she asked Daiyu who was just in front of me. She introduced herself "I'm the new student, my name is Daiyu" The nurse's expression softened as she welcomed her. 'Well Daiyu, you can wait outside,' she said kindly.

But to my surprise, I found myself speaking up. 'No, she can stay,' I said, surprising even myself. The nurse looked at me questioningly, 'Are you sure?'

I nodded, feeling grateful for the unexpected support. The nurse simply shrugged and went back to her task. She picked out some bandages and other supplies from her cabinet and began to clean and dress my injuries. As she worked, I couldn't help but notice the kindness and gentleness in her touch. She treated me like I was her own child, and it brought tears to my eyes.

'You really need to watch out for yourself, Moxie,' she scolded gently.

I hung my head in shame. 'I know, nurse. Sorry,' I mumbled.

'Don't apologize,' she said firmly, but with a hint of warmth in her voice. 'Go contact your parents so they can pick you up.'

'Thanks, nurse,' I said, feeling overwhelmed with gratitude.

As I got up to leave, Daiyu came over to help me. She put her arms around my shoulder and offered me a hand to hold onto for support. I couldn't believe that someone like her existed. She was kind, caring, and understanding. She didn't judge me or pity me, she just wanted to help.

As we walked towards the door, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that there was still some good in this world. I turned to Daiyu and said, 'Thank you.'

She smiled at me and said, 'Oh, it's nothing. Anytime!'

She opened the door for me and I stepped out into the hallway. 'I can walk,' I told her as she removed her arms from around me.

'Well, I have classes. See you tomorrow?' she asked.

'Yeah, see you,' I replied with a smile.

As I made my way down the hallway, I couldn't help but notice the group of bullies who were eyeing me, including Ares. One of them called out, 'Where were you, uh?'

I rolled my eyes, knowing exactly what they were implying. But I wasn't going to let them get to me. I simply put my hand to my mouth, mimicking sucking a dick. 'Making another porn movie? Send it to us,' someone else shouted, and they all laughed.

I looked at Ares and gave him a look of disgust and defiance. He needed to remember this moment, to know that I wasn't going to let him get away with what he did to me. I will not lose the war. A war had been brewing between us since we were young, when I stole his teddy bear, when I stole all the attention when I made him feel like a side character in his own life.

I walked away, I knew that my friends were going to hate Ares even more after I told them about this. But I didn't care. I had Daiyu by my side, and that was all I needed. A new ally in this ongoing war, and I was determined to win.

I kept walking, and I noticed Neuvi and Lilith, talking to each other. They were deep in conversation and didn't notice me at first. But as I approached them, I could see the worry and panic in their eyes. I knew they were going to freak out when I told them the news.

'Hey...' I spoke with a low, shaky voice. Lilith's immediate reaction was to curse and ask who had done this to me. She was known for her fiery temper and it was no surprise that she was throwing a tantrum. "What the fuck? Who did this to you?? Are you okay? Literally what the fuck." Neuvi, on the other hand, was trying to calm her down. 'Calm down,' I said, trying to soothe them both. Neuvi told Lilith to shh and I could see the anger building up inside her.

'Calm down? Are you kidding me? Answer me right now, who the fuck did this to you?' Lilith yelled. I took a deep breath and knew I had to tell them the truth.

'Ares,' I said, and there it was, the silence. They both looked at me in shock. Lilith was always the one to have my back, no matter what, and I knew she would be livid.

'That fucking douchebag! I'm gonna go to him,' Lilith said, her anger rising even more. I could see the fire in her eyes and I knew she meant it.

'Ares? What the fuck,' Neuvi said, clearly confused. He was trying to get a hold of Lilith so she wouldn't go and confront Ares.

'Please Lilith, don't do anything. You'll just make it worse,' I pleaded with her. But deep down, I kind of wanted her to do something. Ares deserved it after what he did to me. So I sighed and said, 'Never mind, Lilith, do your thing. Neuvi, stop.'

'What? No?' Neuvi protested, but Lilith yelled, 'Let me go!' He finally let her go.

I could see the determination in Lilith's eyes as she ran down the hallway, searching for Ares. Neuvi and I followed closely behind. Lilith spotted Ares and she didn't waste a second in confronting him.

'ARES!' She yelled, and I could feel the satisfaction bubbling up inside of me. I knew she was going to give him a piece of her mind. Oh, I'm gonna love what is gonna happen next.

Everyone in the hallway turned to look at her, even Ares. He looked confused, not knowing what was going on. But I knew he was about to get what he deserved.

Lilith stormed up to Ares, her face red with anger. She didn't hold back as she let him have it, her words filled with venom. And then, she did the unthinkable – she slapped him hard across the face. Everyone around was in shock, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Ares deserved every bit of it.

'What's the fuck wrong with you!?' Lilith yelled at him, her voice trembling with rage. She didn't care who was watching or what anyone thought. She was done with Ares' bullying and she was going to make sure he knew it.

But as she continued to unleash her wrath on him, I couldn't help but notice that Ares wasn't saying anything. He didn't even seem fazed by Lilith's outburst. Instead, he was paying attention to me. His eyes were fixed on me as if trying to convey some unspoken message.

I tried to ignore him, but I couldn't help feeling uncomfortable under his gaze. I could sense that he was mad at me for some reason. But honestly, I didn't care. Not anymore. Ares had been a bully for far too long and I was sick of it.

'YOU are fucking horrible!' Lilith continued to yell at him, her voice growing louder with each passing moment. 'WHY DO YOU KEEP BULLYING MOXIE!? HE DID NOTHING TO YOU!'

I could feel everyone's eyes on us, some recording the whole scene on their phones. But Ares remained emotionless, not showing any signs of remorse or guilt. He just kept staring at me, and it made me wonder what was going on in his mind.

"LOOK AT ME!"

Lilith didn't stop there. She pushed Ares, her anger reaching its peak. 'Just because nobody cared about you when you were a kid, doesn't mean you have to bully Moxie,' she yelled, her words cutting through the air like knives. 'Get over it, you are fucking pathetic, you've been on it for years. Your brother died, your house burned, and yet nobody cared about you.'

The crowd was in shock once again, but Ares remained unfazed. It was as if he had built a wall around himself, shielding himself from any kind of emotion. But I could see something in his eyes – something that made me feel uneasy.

Just when I thought the situation couldn't get any worse, Neuvi stepped in and said, 'Enough, Lilith.' He got hold of her and together, we turned around and left the scene. I couldn't bear to look at Ares anymore, but as we walked away, I couldn't help but turn my head around and see him still staring at me.

What did he want from me? Was he trying to intimidate me? Or was there something else going on in his mind? I couldn't tell. All I knew was that Ares was not someone I wanted to associate with anymore. His bullying and constant need to make others feel small had finally caught up with him.

We walked away, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. I was glad that Lilith had stood up for me and put Ares in his place.