《Echoes of Darkness》 The unveiling Chapter one Alright, dear reader, settle in and get comfortable-what I''m about to tell you is going to blow your mind. Where do I even start? Let''s go back, way back, 743 years ago. I know, I know-humans can''t live that long, but here''s the thing: I''m not just any ordinary human. 743 years ago, my story began with my mother. She wanted a child more than anything, but nothing worked. She tried everything to get pregnant, and I mean everything. Every method, every position¡ª doggy, cowgirl, missionary, face-off, pearly gates, the socket, happy baby, the 69 bridge, the captain, the waterfall-you name it, she tried it. Yeah, I know, a bit TMI, but trust me, it''s important. She even went back to cowgirl a few times because, well, that one''s a classic. But still, nothing. Desperate, she finally turned to somethingdarker, something forbidden. Deep in the forest, hidden from prying eyes, she sought out a ritual, a ritual that promised to give her what she desired most. It was ancient, powerful, and dangerous, but she was willing to take the risk. And it worked¡ª or at least, it seemed to. Soon after, my mother became pregnant, and nine months later, she gave birth to me. But there was a catch. I wasn''t just her son; I was something more. You see, that ritual didn''t just help her conceive-it bound me to something dark, something sinister. I was born with a demon inside of me, and from the moment I took my first breath, it''s been my job to keep it under control. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Imagine having to live your life trying to stay happy all the time, because the moment llet sadness, anger, or any otherdark emotion creep in, the demon starts to stir. It''s always there, lurking in the shadows, whispering in my ear. When I''m feeling down, it tells me it can wipe away my tears. When I''m with a girl, it whispers that it can make wood stronger, make me more powerful. But these are just whispers, just temptations. The real danger comes when I''m angry. That''s when the demon''s voice turns from a whisper to a roar, demanding control, pushing me to the edge. There are times it feels like it''s going to crack my skull open, like it''s trying to burst free. Sometimes, I can even see it, lurking in the corners of my vision, waiting for the chance to take over. But I''m not alone in this fight. I have peoplein my life who help me keep the demon at bay-my mother, who''s been with me from the beginning, and my girlfriend, who loves me despite the darkness inside. But there''s one person who helps me more than anyone else, the one person who can clear my head just by being near, who can make all the bad thoughts disappear with just a hug. She''s beautiful, she''s amazing, and she''s... my best friend. Yeah, you heard that right. I know, the way I''m talking about her, you''d think she was my girlfriend, but no, she''s just my best friend. Or at least, that''s what I tell myself. I mean, I love her, but not like that... or maybe I do? But she doesn''t feel the same way, and besides, l''ve got a girlfriend now, so everything should be fine, right? Wrong. Because things are about to get complicated. Real complicated. So buckleup, reader, because this is where things start to get weird. Chapter 2: The Morning Madness So, here¡¯s the deal: Only four people in the entire world know about my little "situation." Go ahead, take a wild guess. I¡¯ll even give you a million tries, but I bet you won¡¯t get all four. Maybe one, if you''re lucky. Actually, nah¡ªI¡¯d say no way. But I¡¯ll let you in on it later. Right now, I¡¯ve got bigger problems. It all started this morning, bright and early. I wake up, and immediately, my mind¡¯s racing¡ªlike a hamster on a wheel, but with more existential dread. Last week, I did something stupid. I got myself a girlfriend. Now, you might be thinking, ¡°Ethan, that¡¯s not a big deal.¡± But trust me, it is when your best friend still doesn¡¯t know about it. And if you knew my best friend, you¡¯d understand why this is a certified disaster waiting to happen. But that¡¯s a problem for future Ethan. Today¡¯s issue is getting ready for church. Sundays are my sanctuary¡ªliterally. The demon inside me? Silent as a grave. It¡¯s the only day I feel almost... normal. Plus, that¡¯s where I met my girlfriend. We don¡¯t go to the same school, so church is our little meeting spot. And with my best friend¡¯s birthday coming up in a week, the last thing I need is any unnecessary drama. ¡°Ethan!! Ethan!! Ethan Kane, get up! We¡¯re leaving for church in a few minutes!¡± That¡¯s my mom, Mary. She¡¯s super serious about church. No one misses it in our house. And by ¡°no one,¡± I mean just me and her¡ªbecause, you know, I¡¯m a child of sorcery. Witchcraft, black magic, the whole nine yards¡ªthat¡¯s me. Anyway, we have this holy bathroom we use on Sundays. The water there? Amazing. I usually feel like a new person after a shower. But here¡¯s the thing: I¡¯ve never actually seen my mom come out of that bathroom. She¡¯s always done by the time I wake up. So, I drag myself to the bathroom, ready to wash off the overthinking, and as soon as I step inside, BAM! I¡¯m hit with this intense pressure, like a thousand bricks just fell on me. My blood¡¯s boiling, my heart¡¯s burning, and suddenly, a chorus of voices starts screaming in my head. I hit the floor, unable to move. My mom rushes in, and¡ªget this¡ªshe doesn¡¯t even glance at me lying there. She just goes straight to the bathroom, pours some weird liquid in a pattern around the shower, and drags me into the middle of it. Instantly, the weight¡¯s gone. Poof. Just like that, I¡¯m back to normal. Mom didn¡¯t say a word. Not one. Just walked out like it was any other Sunday. Now, I know what was going on¡ªit was the demon. But how did my mom know? She¡¯s not supposed to know about this, right? Yet she acted like she knew exactly what to do. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. I started feeling normal again, so I decided to take my shower, letting the water wash away the weirdness of the morning. As the warm water flowed down my body, I closed my eyes, trying to relax. But then¡ªhold up¡ªI started hearing this voice. It was distant at first, but it kept getting closer. ¡°Ethan... Ethan... Ethan!¡± The voice was almost on top of me. My heart raced. My blood froze. And then¡ªBAM!¡ªI felt a tap on my shoulder. My eyes snapped open, and... I was still standing in my bedroom. I hadn¡¯t even moved an inch towards the bathroom. My mom was staring at me like I¡¯d lost my mind. ¡°I thought I told you to go take a bath,¡± she said, her voice dripping with impatience. I was completely thrown. What just happened? Everything felt so real¡ªmy mom dragging me, the pressure, the voices. But it was all in my head. The demon was just messing with me. Then, the voice in my head whispered, "See you after church, Ethan." Finally, I dragged myself to the bathroom, half expecting some horror-movie twist. I braced myself, took a deep breath, and stepped in. And then... nothing. No pressure, no voices, nothing. It was just a normal shower. I finished up, got dressed, and pretended like none of that craziness ever happened. Anyway, I take my shower¡ªnormal as ever¡ªand get dressed for church. We hop in the car, and we¡¯re off. It¡¯s around 9:10, and everything seems fine until we get to church, and my mom realizes she forgot her big, ancient Bible. She¡¯s had that thing since forever. Panic flashes in her eyes, and she practically shoves the car keys at me, telling me to drive home and get it. Now, I¡¯ve been dreaming of driving on a Sunday forever, but this is the worst timing ever because I¡¯m supposed to be meeting Emma, my girlfriend, outside the church. I try to play it cool and tell my mom I¡¯m not that confident in Sunday traffic yet. She gives me this look, like, ¡°Hurry up, son!¡± and I¡¯m like, ¡°Okay, geez, it¡¯s just a Bible... or is it?¡± I head outside, trying to keep my pace slow so Emma can catch up, but she¡¯s nowhere in sight. Figures. She¡¯s probably trying to be all stealthy so no one notices she¡¯s following me. I finally reach home, and as soon as I open the door to my mom¡¯s room, BAM! Someone jumps on me. ¡°Hey, sweetheart! I missed you so much! How are you? Have you grown taller? You look amazing¡ªoh my God, I need one of your hugs!¡± She¡¯s practically crushing me with this bear hug, and I can feel my heart melting. ¡°Hey, sweety, I missed you too,¡± I say, and she squeezes me even tighter. ¡°I¡¯ve been going through a lot, and just one hug from you makes everything better. I love you¡ªdon¡¯t ever leave,¡± she whispers in that sweet voice of hers. ¡°I¡¯ll always be there for you, like I have been from the start. I love you too... Courtney.¡± Oh, right. I don¡¯t even know where she came from because at this point she just wants to cuddle but you probably thought I was talking about my girlfriend, Emma, didn¡¯t you? Nope. That was Courtney, my best friend. We¡¯re just friends... right? I mean, I love her, but not like that. Or maybe I do? I don¡¯t know. But does it even matter? I¡¯ve got a girlfriend now, and¡ªoh, wait. Speaking of Emma... Click. I hear the front door open. Chapter 3: The Unholy Dilemma Alright, buckle up because this chapter is about to get wild. Picture this: I¡¯m standing outside of church, my heart still racing from that awkward forehead kiss with Emma. She¡¯s forgiven me, but let¡¯s be real, she¡¯s still giving me that ¡°don¡¯t mess up again¡± look. Meanwhile, my phone buzzes in my pocket like a time bomb, and guess who it is? Yup, Courtney. The one person I really didn¡¯t need to hear from right now. ¡°Hey, sweetie, don¡¯t forget tomorrow we meet up to plan my birthday, right? Let¡¯s meet during school lunch time at 2.¡± My brain short-circuits. My eyes dart over to Emma, who¡¯s finally stopped staring daggers into my soul, and then back at my phone. How in the world am I going to handle this? But before I dive headfirst into this mess, let me take you on a little journey through my thought process. Option 1: Meet Emma at 2 p.m. and risk Courtney finding out later. Sounds like a solid plan¡­ if you¡¯re into self-sabotage. The girl just forgave me for ¡°overreacting¡± (a word I¡¯m now officially banning from my vocabulary), and bailing on her would be like jumping back into the flames I just crawled out of. Option 2: Meet Courtney at 2 p.m. because, let¡¯s face it, she¡¯s been my ride-or-die since we were kids. If I don¡¯t show up, she¡¯ll know something¡¯s up. And if I do show up, I risk Emma finding out and thinking something¡¯s definitely up. Either way, I¡¯m screwed. Option 3: Meet them both at 2 p.m. and let them introduce themselves. What could possibly go wrong, right? Oh, I don¡¯t know, maybe everything? This isn¡¯t a rom-com where everyone gets along and I walk away with two best friends and no drama. This is real life, and in real life, these things usually end with someone throwing shade, or worse, punches. So, what do I do? Do I risk my relationship with Emma by prioritizing Courtney, or do I risk hurting Courtney¡¯s feelings by choosing Emma? And what if I go full crazy and try to introduce them? Could I somehow come out of this alive? You know what you might be confused by all this chaos right now and probably wont even be able to choose between either options so allow me to take you back and we will be back to the options and chose again. The front door creaks open, and my heart jumps. For a split second, I think it¡¯s Emma coming in, and a weird mix of dread and excitement washes over me. After all, she was the one following behind me just minutes ago. But then reality kicks in¡ªthere¡¯s no way she could¡¯ve gotten here that fast because looking back I saw no trace of her, relief floods through me as I realize it¡¯s probably just my mother. But then again, I¡¯ve learned never to celebrate too early. Courtney¡¯s still wrapped around me, completely unfazed by the footsteps coming closer. She¡¯s fearless like that, especially when it comes to my mom, who practically treats her like family. But this time, things take a sharp left turn. Instead of my mother, a very angry lady storms into the room, eyes blazing like she¡¯s on a mission. ¡°I sent you home to fetch my Bible, and you¡¯re in here playing with Courtney!¡± she yells, her voice reverberating off the walls. I can¡¯t even lie¡ªthis is probably the first time I¡¯ve ever been happy to see my mother because, with the way things were going, it could¡¯ve been so much worse. But that relief doesn¡¯t last long because my mom is clearly in no mood for games. She storms off to her room, grabs her Bible, and on her way out, she turns back to Courtney. ¡°Make sure you prepare lunch! I want it ready when I get back from church.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Courtney replies, her voice steady, not a trace of fear. If anything, she looks amused. That¡¯s how close she is to my family¡ªclose enough to get orders like she¡¯s part of it. As soon as my mom leaves, Courtney shifts her focus back to me. ¡°Meet me tomorrow at 2 p.m. We need to plan my birthday,¡± she says, her tone leaving no room for negotiation. ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll be there,¡± I say, trying to sound confident, but inside, I¡¯m already tangled in knots, wondering how I¡¯m going to navigate this mess. But that¡¯s a problem for later. Right now, I just need to survive the day without any more surprises. We head back to the car, and there¡¯s Emma, waiting patiently. Just seeing her makes my heart race a little faster. Emma is stunning¡ªher brown eyes sparkle, her skin glows, and her long hair frames her face beautifully. Her smile could light up a room. But wait, I¡¯m actually describing Courtney here. Classic mix-up! Emma¡¯s got her own appeal, though. She¡¯s got curves and a tiny waist that¡¯s definitely eye-catching, even if her church outfit hides most of it. We settle into the back seat, and as we start talking, my mom¡¯s inquisitive nature kicks in. ¡°So, are you two dating?¡± she asks, like she¡¯s just thrown a curveball into our conversation. ¡°Mom, come on,¡± I say, laughing nervously, trying to deflect, but she¡¯s relentless. ¡°I notice the way you look at her, how your voice softens, and you actually smile when you talk about her. So, do you like her?¡± she presses. Here¡¯s the tricky part¡ªyes, we¡¯re dating, but saying so out loud feels like stepping into a minefield. What if Emma¡¯s waiting for me to make it official? And if I say no, what if it complicates things? I opt for silence, hoping it¡¯ll defuse the situation. Spoiler: it doesn¡¯t. ¡°You can¡¯t hide it. I can see it clearly¡ªyou like her. The way you¡¯re always around her, calling her for everything, and finding excuses to talk about her. It¡¯s like you¡¯re obsessed.¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Obsessed? I¡¯ve never even mentioned Emma to my mom, let alone talked about her incessantly. Where¡¯s she getting this from? And then my mom cranks it up a notch. ¡°And the way you were hugging her, so close, gazing into her eyes while she rested her head on your chest when I walked in¡ªthat¡¯s not just a friendly hug. I know you love Courtney.¡± Boom. My mom¡¯s done it again. I turn to Emma, and she¡¯s giving me a look that could melt steel. I try to take her hand, but she pulls it away and stares out the window, clearly upset. Just when I think things can¡¯t get worse, my mom continues. ¡°I could¡¯ve sworn that one time I walked into your room, you two were in a¡­ questionable position. You don¡¯t want to admit it, but I know what I saw.¡± Oh, you think that¡¯s bad? It gets worse. My mom goes on, ¡°When I walked in, she was in a position that suggested something more intimate, and you were right behind her¡­¡± She grabs a couple of dolls from the front seat and starts demonstrating, as if it¡¯s show-and-tell. Emma¡¯s face shifts from annoyed to downright furious. Who is this person my mom¡¯s describing? Emma and I had shared that we¡¯re both supposed to be virgins. This bizarre story is making everything seem questionable. And let me be clear, I am still a virgin. My body¡¯s on high alert, and I¡¯m trying to stay composed while my dignity feels like it¡¯s hanging by a thread. We finally pull up to the church, and I grab Emma¡¯s hand as we get out. ¡°Listen, Emma, I can explain. It¡¯s really not what you think,¡± I say, desperately hoping for some understanding. Emma looks at me with those piercing eyes, and I know I¡¯m in serious trouble. I let her hand go, and she turns away, looking out into the distance. The instruments start playing, and the band is already going strong. I¡¯m late, of course. I rush inside, take my spot in the band, and try to focus on the music, but all I can think about is how tangled up I am in this mess. I rush inside and take my spot in the band, joining in with the music. The preacher starts his sermon, but my focus is anything but holy. My eyes keep darting to Emma, who¡¯s seated in a corner, completely ignoring me. I can¡¯t read her expression; she¡¯s a total mystery wrapped in frustration. Desperate, I shoot her a text: ¡°Come on, let¡¯s meet outside and talk.¡± Her reply comes back, but not as a text. Instead, I hear her voice loud and clear in my head, even though my phone shows no new messages. ¡°You better stay there looking at me. You don¡¯t even realize the amount of people noticing you look at me nonstop. And I don¡¯t want to talk to you.¡± My brain short-circuits. How is this even possible? I¡¯m staring at my phone, trying to make sense of it when a voice inside my head chimes in, ¡°These are all the things you could do if you just let me out and work with me.¡± And just like that, the voice fades away. Seriously, the demon always knows how to make an entrance. I mean, imagine being able to hear Emma¡¯s thoughts right now. Now I am over here overthinking because let¡¯s face it i really need the demon¡¯s power right now, should I let him out a bit because I really need to know what she is thinking. I¡¯m so rattled I start tapping my leg, harder and harder, until Michael, one of my closest friends¡ªactually, my best friend, because no romantic feelings here, haha¡ªputs a hand on my leg and says, ¡°I know, I know, but chill out, buddy.¡± Michael¡¯s here for me, and I appreciate it. He starts rubbing my thigh gently, which is supposed to calm me down. It works¡ªuntil I realize what he¡¯s doing. I shove his hand away, exclaiming, ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Get your hands off me!¡± Michael, not missing a beat, tries again with a grin, ¡°Come on, let me rub your thighs, baby girl. Let me giggle them.¡± I can¡¯t help but laugh as I bat his hand away. ¡°Stop it, bro!¡± Right in front of us, Steven, another band member, is watching the whole thing with a serious expression. There¡¯s a moment of awkward silence before Steven finally says, ¡°Why are you gay?¡± The band erupts into laughter, but the voice in my head cuts through the humor. ¡°Why are you laughing? You¡¯ve got a gigantic problem waiting for you over there,¡± it taunts. Seriously, just when I thought I could catch a break, the demon has to ruin it. As the laughter dies down, I try to focus on the music, but all I can think about is how tangled up I am in this mess, and how badly I need to sort things out with Emma before everything completely falls apart. As the preacher wraps up his sermon and asks for a final song, the band plays our hearts out. The church service ends, and I¡¯m out the door in a flash, my mind racing. I spot Emma heading toward her parents¡¯ car and make a beeline for her. ¡°Hey, Emma, wait up!¡± I call, catching her by the shoulder and spinning her around. ¡°Listen, I¡¯m sorry, okay? Please, let me talk to you.¡± Emma looks at me, her expression unreadable. ¡°Talk.¡± Alright, here goes nothing. ¡°Courtney is my best friend¡ªthe friend I¡¯ve known the longest. She¡¯s like the sibling I never had. We¡¯ve grown up together. That hug earlier? It¡¯s just how we¡¯ve always been. Nothing¡¯s changed. She¡¯s always been like a sister to me.¡± Now, dear reader, let me give you a piece of advice: If someone ever says, ¡°She¡¯s like a sister to me,¡± run. Just run. It¡¯s usually code for ¡°I¡¯m about to dig myself into a deeper hole.¡± Emma¡¯s eyebrows shoot up. ¡°Did you just say ¡®nothing has changed¡¯? Well, guess what? I¡¯m your girlfriend, and we¡¯ve been together for a while. Why haven¡¯t you mentioned her before? Your mom made it sound like you two are in love. What¡¯s up with that?¡± I try to diffuse the situation, saying, ¡°Come on, Emma, you¡¯re overreacting.¡± And the demon inside me? It chimes in with, ¡°Oh, you done messed up.¡± Emma¡¯s eyes narrow. ¡°I¡¯m overreacting? Say it again. I dare you.¡± She¡¯s starting to really lose it, and I¡¯m bracing myself. I¡¯ve been through enough drama with Courtney to handle this. I gently take her hands, pull her close, and kiss her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Emma. I was wrong. Can I please make it up to you?¡± Suddenly, I hear whistling and cheering. Oh, right, we¡¯re still at church, and everyone¡¯s watching. Yep, everyone now knows we¡¯re dating. And the worst part? My mother saw the whole thing. Emma¡¯s still in my arms, but she¡¯s calmed down a lot. ¡°Alright, sorry, baby. We¡¯ll talk more, but I forgive you. Let¡¯s meet tomorrow at 2 during school lunch.¡± I¡¯m relieved and smile, thinking things might be looking up. Then my phone rings. It¡¯s Courtney. ¡°Hey, sweetie, don¡¯t forget tomorrow we¡¯re meeting to plan my birthday, right? Let¡¯s meet during school lunch at 2.¡± Oh. My. God. What do I do now? I know what we can do let¡¯s dive back to my options now that they make sense Option 1: Meet Emma at 2 p.m. and risk Courtney finding out later. Sounds like a solid plan¡­ if you¡¯re into self-sabotage. The girl just forgave me for ¡°overreacting¡± (a word I¡¯m now officially banning from my vocabulary), and bailing on her would be like jumping back into the flames I just crawled out of. Option 2: Meet Courtney at 2 p.m. because, let¡¯s face it, she¡¯s been my ride-or-die since we were kids. If I don¡¯t show up, she¡¯ll know something¡¯s up. And if I do show up, I risk Emma finding out and thinking something¡¯s definitely up. Either way, I¡¯m screwed. Option 3: Meet them both at 2 p.m. and let them introduce themselves. What could possibly go wrong, right? Oh, I don¡¯t know, maybe everything? This isn¡¯t a rom-com where everyone gets along and I walk away with two best friends and no drama. This is real life, and in real life, these things usually end with someone throwing shade, or worse, punches. So, what do I do? Do I risk my relationship with Emma by prioritizing Courtney, or do I risk hurting Courtney¡¯s feelings by choosing Emma? Do I meet my girlfriend who just forgave me after a major mess-up? If I bail on her, she¡¯ll wonder where I was and might think something¡¯s up with Courtney. And if I don¡¯t tell Courtney about Emma, she¡¯ll be even angrier when she finds out I¡¯ve been keeping secrets. Or should I ditch my best friend¡ªmy ride-or-die, the one who¡¯s been with me through thick and thin¡ªfor my girlfriend I¡¯ve only known for a few months? If I choose Emma, what do I say to Courtney? She¡¯s never been disappointed by me before. If she finds out this way, she¡¯ll be hurt and might never forgive me. Or, what if I introduce them both? What could possibly go wrong? Ohh boy, what could go wrong i say. Chapter 4: The Master Plan The clock strikes 12, and here I am, still lying on my bed, unable to figure out how I¡¯m going to handle my situation tomorrow. My head feels like it¡¯s about to split open from all the thinking. You know what? I miss those days when problems were this cute. Seriously, I was adorable back then, lying in bed, stressing out over what now seems like the tiniest issues. I wish I could go back¡ªback to the days before all the bloodshed, before people were getting their heads chopped off, before the wars and the mingling of evil, before I lost my loved ones in the most horrific ways imaginable. But, oh no, my story hasn¡¯t even really started yet. Things are about to get really wild, and I¡¯m both excited and terrified to tell you about it. Some of what¡¯s coming, I¡¯m eager to share, but some things¡­ well, they¡¯re so crazy, I¡¯m not even sure how I¡¯ll manage to tell them. So, buckle up, dear reader, because every little detail from here on out is crucial, especially the one I¡¯m about to share with you. So where was I? Oh yeah, I was still deciding who I was going to see tomorrow. I stayed up thinking until 2 a.m., and finally, I made a decision. My ¡°master plan¡± is this: Tomorrow at 2 p.m., I¡¯m going to see Emma, my girlfriend. Yes, yes, I know¡ªCourtney is my best friend, the one who¡¯s always been there for me and will probably drop everything to show up whenever I need her. But Emma¡­ Emma is willing to share a romantic relationship with me. She¡¯s ready to devour my whole body, touch me, be intimate with me in ways that Courtney just can¡¯t help with. And honestly? Right now, I¡¯m really craving that intimacy. I¡¯d probably grab onto anything that moves. But what about Courtney, you ask? I¡¯m glad you brought that up¡ªgive me another hour while I figure that out. Oh, look at that¡ªit¡¯s now 3 a.m., and I think I¡¯ve got it. I¡¯m going to escape Courtney. She¡¯ll try to find me, but she won¡¯t succeed. When we finally meet, I¡¯ll feed her some sad story about a project I forgot was due. I¡¯ll say I need the afternoon to work on it, and knowing her, she¡¯ll back off and give me the space I need. Courtney really respects my study time¡ªshe¡¯s in a different class but the same grade as me, and we¡¯re always competing for the top spot. She knows how important my studies are. I finally thought I had a solid plan, so I drifted off to sleep. But then, at 6 a.m., my internal alarm clock¡ªthat inbuilt, rent-free tenant inside me¡ªgoes off. And in the loudest, most fierce voice, the demon inside me yells, ¡°Wake your pathetic body up and go make miserable decisions!¡± I jumped out of bed, terrified, as my lovely little demon buddy jolted me awake. Now it¡¯s time to get ready for the day. I finally get ready for school, and yeah, I¡¯m a little late, but who really cares? It¡¯s every man for himself at the University of Cairo. Oh, did I mention that¡¯s where I study? I¡¯m knee-deep in mechanical engineering, and guess who¡¯s right there with me? Yep, Courtney. We¡¯re both grinding through the same program. ¡°Ethan! Ethan!¡± I hear my mother¡¯s voice blasting my name like a fire alarm. I swear, it¡¯s like she waits until she¡¯s on the other side of the house just so she can scream her lungs out. But hey, I better behave¡ªshe¡¯s my ride, after all. One snarky comment, and I¡¯ll be stranded. Trust me, we¡¯ve played that game before, and guess who lost? So, I jog over to my mom, and she gives me a ride to school. She¡¯s talking, lecturing maybe¡ªI don¡¯t know. Was I listening? Absolutely not. I was too busy in my head, thinking about my stuff. Oh, and speaking of thinking¡­ you may have noticed I haven¡¯t mentioned my dad. Well, here¡¯s the thing: my father¡­ yeah, you don¡¯t see him, and neither do I. He¡¯s a ghost in my life¡ªleft when I was just a baby. My mom still clams up whenever I ask about it. So, anyway, we pull up to school, and I¡¯m off to my lessons. As I walk into class, I spot Michael, and here he comes, sprinting over like I¡¯ve been missing for a year. Remember Michael? My very close friend, but let¡¯s not get too generous with the ¡°best friend¡± title. He¡¯s one of the four people who know my secret, actually the first one I told you about. ¡°Ethan, what¡¯s up with you, man? It¡¯s like we¡¯re not best friends anymore¡­ who¡¯s keeping you so busy, huh? Courtney? Or is it your new secret buddy, Emma?¡± he teases, giggling. ¡°Either way, not cool, man. And you didn¡¯t even tell me about her¡ªI had to find out watching you two smooch faces at church!¡± He¡¯s relentless, closing in for a hug as he says, ¡°You know you¡¯re the love of my life, right, dude?¡± I push him off like, ¡°Come on, bruh, do you really enjoy it when people think we¡¯re gay? Like, damn!¡± He just laughs, backing off with a grin, ¡°There¡¯s my buddy.¡± Then we sat for lesson The classroom was quieting down as the lesson drew to a close, and I could see Courtney outside the door, practically bouncing on her toes with excitement. Any thoughts of ditching her during lunch were quickly dashed. She was waiting, eager as always. I sighed, mentally preparing myself for the act I was about to put on. The bell rang, and before anyone could even start packing up, Courtney burst through the door like a ray of sunshine, her enthusiasm filling the room. ¡°Heyyy, sweetheart!¡± she greeted me, her voice sweet as she leaned down on my desk, elbows propped up, her head resting on her palms. ¡°How are you doing today?¡± Before I could even respond, she produced a lunch bag. ¡°I brought you lunch! I know you love pizza,¡± she said in that sing-song tone that always made me smile. But today, it only made the knot in my stomach tighten. ¡°Heeyy, so I¡¯ve drafted my plan for tomorrow¡¯s party,¡± she continued, her excitement bubbling over. ¡°Everyone¡¯s been dying to see it, but I refused to share it with anyone before you saw it. So, here, have a look, and let¡¯s talk about it.¡± I nodded, trying to stay focused on my schoolwork, but it was hard with Courtney right there, her brown eyes shining, her long hair falling perfectly over her shoulders. She was beautiful, no denying that, and normally, I¡¯d be more than happy to indulge her. But today, I had to stick to my plan. ¡°I¡¯m really busy, sweety,¡± I finally said, forcing my eyes back to my books. ¡°I have to submit my project soon after lunch, and there¡¯s still a lot to do. I¡¯d really like some time alone to finish because this is really stressing me out.¡± According to my master plan, Courtney was supposed to give me some space now, to let me focus. But, of course, things never go as planned. Courtney, being the stubborn person she is, took a seat beside me, her voice filled with concern. ¡°Let me help you,¡± she offered, genuinely wanting to ease my burden. ¡°Give me something to do, anything. I¡¯ll help, please.¡± I shook my head, trying to keep my tone gentle. ¡°Sweety, I¡¯m fine. I just need to be alone to do this.¡± But she wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°Come on, I just want to help. Please, you¡¯ve always been there for me, and I just want to assist you with your project,¡± she said, her voice quivering, as if she was on the verge of tears. I glanced at the time¡ªit was 1:38. My window of time was shrinking, and I needed to leave by 1:46 to make it to Emma¡¯s school on time. Courtney kept reaching for my books, insisting on helping, and I kept gently pulling them back, my patience starting to wear thin. The demon inside me stirred, sensing my rising frustration. Courtney¡¯s persistence wasn¡¯t just annoying; it was triggering something darker, something I had to keep under control. ¡°Come on, sweetheart,¡± she pleaded, ¡°let me take away your pain.¡± And that was it. My control snapped. I stood up so suddenly that my chair screeched against the floor. ¡°Courtney!¡± I practically shouted. ¡°Please leave me alone! I said I don¡¯t want to be with you right now, didn¡¯t I? So please, just leave!¡± The room went silent, and Courtney froze, hurt flashing across her face. But it wasn¡¯t my tone or the volume of my voice that got to her¡ªit was the fact that I had called her ¡°Courtney.¡± I hadn¡¯t called her that in years, not since we were kids. ¡°Sweetheart¡­ you¡­ you called me Courtney,¡± she whispered, her voice trembling. ¡°Why? Why are you calling me Courtney?¡± I didn¡¯t have an answer. I could only watch as she leaned in closer, tears glistening in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to help you. Why are you yelling at me? You¡¯ve never yelled at me before.¡± She reached out to touch me, but I took a step back, the guilt gnawing at me even as I tried to hold my ground. Realizing I wasn¡¯t going to let her in, she slowly walked out of the classroom, her shoulders slumped in defeat. Time was running out, and I needed to get to Emma. I quickly gathered my books and rushed out of the classroom. As I walked out of the school gate, I heard a familiar voice behind me. ¡°Heyyy, sweetheart, wait up!¡± It was Courtney. She caught up to me, looking genuinely apologetic. ¡°Before you say anything, I figured I was probably wrong. I¡¯m so sorry¡­ I might have overstepped. I should¡¯ve listened. I¡¯ve just never seen you like that, and you always love my help.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cool, sweety. I understand,¡± I replied, trying to keep my tone light. The last thing I needed was to upset her more. She smiled, visibly relieved. ¡°Well, where are you going? Let me walk with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. I just want to walk alone,¡± I said, trying to gently push her away. But Courtney wasn¡¯t easily deterred. ¡°Stop playing around. Let¡¯s go,¡± she said, grabbing my arm. I pulled back gently, trying to keep the peace. ¡°I just want to walk alone.¡± Her expression shifted from confusion to hurt. ¡°Come on, sweetheart. First, you don¡¯t want me to help you, and now you don¡¯t want me to walk with you. Did I do something wrong? I¡¯m sorry if I did, but please, don¡¯t treat me like this.¡± I could feel the tension building again, and the demon inside me wasn¡¯t helping. I had to end this before things got worse. ¡°Listen, everything¡¯s okay, sweety. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow at your party, alright?¡± She hesitated, then nodded, but just as I thought I was in the clear, she grabbed my hand. ¡°Heyyy, I had a lot of people ask me to be their date tomorrow because I said I¡¯d bring a plus one. But I only had you in mind¡­ so, would you like to be my plus one?¡± I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. ¡°Of course, I¡¯d love to. I¡¯ll be there.¡± She beamed at me, her earlier sadness seemingly forgotten, and gave me a tight hug before heading back to class. I quickly hailed a taxi and headed to Emma¡¯s school, my mind racing with everything that had just happened. By the time I arrived at Emma¡¯s, it was 2:12. I looked around for her, but she wasn¡¯t in our usual spot. I went under the shed where we usually met and called her. Her phone rang, but there was no answer. Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Thirty minutes. I sat there, feeling the weight of everything. I¡¯d upset Courtney, missed half of my classes, and now, Emma was nowhere to be found. Finally, after what felt like forever, Emma pulled up in a sleek BMW with a group of her friends. They all looked at me through the window, their car had no roof, looking stunning, their confidence radiating off them. I expected Emma to walk over to me, but instead, she called me over to her. I approached, but just as I reached them, the car started to move. Emma leaned out of the window and called, ¡°You know what? Let¡¯s talk over the phone, okay? Right now, I¡¯ve got something to do.¡± I watched, stunned, as they drove off. I had come all this way for nothing. I felt like a fool, standing there, realizing I had hurt Courtney for no reason. And now, I was alone, having missed lunch, classes, and a chance to see Emma. Dejected, I caught another taxi back to school. As soon as I arrived, I saw Michael and Courtney sitting outside, right where I had left her. The moment Courtney saw me, she ran over and hugged me tight. ¡°Heyyy, sweetheart. How are you? Have you eaten anything? Here, I saved your lunch. You didn¡¯t eat it earlier.¡± She was all smiles, back to her usual self. ¡°Oh, and your project? It¡¯s done.¡± She had spoken to my lecturer, finished my project for me, and even submitted it. I looked at her, feeling a wave of gratitude and guilt. ¡°Thank you for the food. Want to share?¡± She grinned, nodding eagerly. ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡± Michael joined us, and we sat outside, sharing the food Courtney had brought. It was already knock-off time, and just as we were finishing up, Courtney¡¯s dad pulled up in his car, honking impatiently. ¡°Hey, Michael. Hey, Ethan. How are you guys?¡± he called out in his deep voice before urging Courtney to hurry. As soon as Courtney left, Michael turned to me, his expression serious. ¡°Listen, man. I really think Courtney is in love with you. I mean, really in love.¡± ¡°Come on, Michael. We¡¯ve been best friends since we were three years old,¡± I replied, trying to laugh it off. But Michael wasn¡¯t joking. ¡°Dude, I¡¯m your best friend, you hear that? Me. And I was the one with her here, waiting for you to come back. I know what I saw.¡± ¡°Okay, so what?¡± I shot back, feeling a bit defensive. ¡°I¡¯ve always had a thing for Courtney, but her? Come on. I don¡¯t think so. She¡¯s like a sister to me. We literally grew up together.¡± All the way home, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking. Courtney? A thing for me? That can¡¯t be right. We¡¯ve been best friends since we were three. I mean, sure, I¡¯ve always admired her¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t? She¡¯s beautiful, smart, and caring. But I¡¯ve seen the kind of guys that hit on Courtney. Guys with big wheels and big wallets. I¡¯m just¡­ me. The idea kept swirling around in my head, but I tried to push it aside. I was just overthinking it. Finally, I got home. I was too drained to even think about eating, so I headed straight to bed, ready to let the day slip away. But just as I was about to drift off, my phone rang. I reached for it, the glow of the screen revealing the caller. It was Emma. I sat up, instantly alert, my heart thudding. What could she want? After today, I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect. ¡°Heyy, Emma. How are you?¡± I tried to sound casual, like I hadn¡¯t just spent the past hour replaying everything that had happened. ¡°Hey, baby, I¡¯m good. How are you?¡± Her voice was soft, but there was something in it that made my stomach knot up. ¡°I¡¯m doing great. So, what¡¯s up?¡± I asked, trying to keep my tone light. She hesitated for a moment, and I could almost hear her thinking on the other end of the line. Then she said, ¡°Heyy, I heard about Courtney¡¯s party tomorrow, and people are going with their plus ones. Well¡­ I know I should be your plus one, right? Should I come?¡± Panic shot through me like lightning. The thought of Emma at Courtney¡¯s party, of those two worlds colliding¡ªit felt like the ground was slipping out from under me. But I couldn¡¯t exactly say no, could I? But I also can¡¯t say yes because Courtney is already my date and it¡¯s her party. Then Emma asks again, ¡°Baby so?¡± Out of full panic I say ¡°Well, of course, love. Why would I not take my girlfriend who I love to be my plus one at a party?¡± Chapter 5: The Great Party So, it¡¯s September 4th¡ªthe night before my best friend¡¯s birthday and the night before my biggest crush outing. Looking back, I realize this was the last night before my whole world changed¡ªthe last night I had a chance to make good decisions. Because after this night, all I could see was red. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. So, as you know, I was supposed to go as Courtney¡¯s plus one to her party, but then things changed. Of course, they did! Emma called, asking if she could be my plus one to Courtney¡¯s party, and what did I say? ¡°Why not?¡± Really, Ethan? Why. Not? I don¡¯t know, maybe because you already have a date and it¡¯s your smoking hot best friend, who you like and who might actually like you back. But yeah, I said yes. So now, once again, I had to figure out how I was going to pull this off. I sat there, trying to think. But come on, this is Courtney¡¯s party, and she¡¯s my best friend¡ªmy super attractive best friend¡ªand let¡¯s be real, I¡¯m choosing her. Given the choice between Emma and Courtney, it¡¯s Courtney every time. So, I gathered up my courage, ready to tell Emma she couldn¡¯t come because I was already paired with someone else. I mean, it¡¯s just a dumb party, right? Wrong. It wasn¡¯t just a dumb party. It was a party at Eden Valley, the place every college kid dreams of throwing a party at, but only those with deep connections could actually pull it off¡ªconnections that Emma had. So, yeah, Emma knew what was up. In fact, Emma knew a lot. Actually, everyone seemed to be all-knowing today. So, there I was, staring at my phone, nervous as hell, waiting for Emma to pick up. Finally, she answered. ¡°Heyy, Emma. How are you doing?¡± I asked, trying to keep my voice from cracking, but failing miserably. ¡°Heyy, baby. I¡¯m great. What, missing me? Talk to me, baby, I¡¯m all yours,¡± she purred, making what I had to say infinitely more difficult. Well, that¡¯s just great, Emma. You¡¯re making this really hard for me. So, I decided to skip the play and dive right in. ¡°So, there¡¯s something I want to talk to you about,¡± I said, trying to sound serious. ¡°Geez, Mr. Serious Guy¡­ Well, let¡¯s have it,¡± she said, clearly amused. I took a deep breath, mustering every ounce of courage. ¡°See, I¡¯ve been speaking to the party organizers. I wanted to tell them I finally found a date¡­¡± ¡°Okay, and?¡± she prompted. ¡°So, they told me they had already paired me with someone, and it¡¯s no longer possible to change. And, uh, it¡¯s one invitation card¡­¡± ¡°Why are you lying?¡± she cut in, her voice low. ¡°Listen, baby, I¡¯m not lying. The thing is¡ª¡± ¡°Let me stop you there,¡± she snapped. ¡°So now you¡¯re calling me baby? You never call me baby, just because you want to lie to me.¡± ¡°Listen, baby, I was paired by¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up, Ethan!¡± she interrupted, putting some serious emphasis on my name. And when I say emphasis, I mean she was practically spitting fire. So, reader, please¡ªwhen you read that ¡°Ethan,¡± imagine it dripping with attitude. Anyway, she said, ¡°Shut up, Ethan. I¡¯m still talking, and stop calling me baby if that¡¯s the reason why you start using that term. You might as well not. And this ¡®paired with¡¯¡ªpaired with who? Courtney? Yeah, I know she asked you out and you said yes. To be precise, you said, ¡®I would love to.¡¯¡± Wait, what? How the hell does she know that? To this day, I still don¡¯t know, but as I said, people today just happened to be all-knowing. ¡°Come on, speak, Ethan! So now you¡¯re taking your siblings on dates? You said she¡¯s like a sister to you, didn¡¯t you? Now let me tell you, we don¡¯t take crap here, so let¡¯s hear you apologize right now!¡± ¡°Okay, sorry, Emma. See, Courtney is my best friend, and she asked me first. And I didn¡¯t think the news about the party at the great Eden Valley would get to you¡ªso stupid of me. But when you called me, I forgot about Courtney because I really liked the sound of going with you. So, please forgive me.¡± ¡°Okay, what you just said is bullshit too, but it¡¯s okay, I forgive you. Never lie to me again.¡± Phew! Crisis averted¡­or so I thought. Now that she knew, I still had to figure out how to convince her to let me go to the party with Courtney. At least, that¡¯s what I was thinking until she dropped the bomb. ¡°You know, it¡¯s really hot right now, and I¡¯m in my favorite pink underwear. Wanna see it? But you know what, maybe you can get lucky tomorrow and see it¡­ And who knows, you might do a lot more.¡± Okay, so at this point, I was pumped up¡ªlike, seriously hyped¡ªand my inner demon decided to chime in: ¡°Boy, if you don¡¯t go with her right now, me and you are going to have a very serious problem.¡± And I quickly said, ¡°You know what, yeah. See you tomorrow, baby.¡± And please, dear reader, when you read that ¡°baby,¡± imagine me throwing in a flirt, a smirk, and a whole lot of attitude. And she hyped me up right back, saying, ¡°Ohh, I like that,¡± with a pause, before throwing it right back at me: ¡°Baby.¡± So, even though the call started shaky, it ended pretty well. But what was I going to do about Courtney? I know, I know¡ªI said given an option, I would go for Courtney, and right now, I feel like I do have an option. But shifting from a sibling kind of love to full romance in one night? Not easy. I wouldn¡¯t be as comfortable with Courtney as I would be with Emma. I mean, Courtney is hot too, but Emma? Emma¡¯s got curves, she¡¯s attractive as hell, and that¡¯s what drew me to her in the first place¡ªnothing to do with emotional connection. With Emma, I could go full force, but with Courtney? I can¡¯t even picture it in my head. I¡¯d have to learn how to like her in a girlfriend way, and honestly, that terrifies me. Plus, there¡¯s a major detail about Courtney that I haven¡¯t shared with you yet, which makes things even worse. So, I decided to call Courtney and tell her I couldn¡¯t come. Well, more like blackmail her with guilt because of something I know. I dialed her number, and she answered almost immediately. ¡°Heyy, sweetheart, how are you doing?¡± she said, full of enthusiasm. ¡°Hey, sweety. Well, not so great,¡± I replied, my voice low. ¡°What¡¯s up? Everything okay? Talk to me,¡± she said, concern evident. ¡°About tomorrow, I¡¯ve been thinking, and I don¡¯t think you should take me as your plus one to your party,¡± I said. ¡°What? You¡¯re kidding, right, sweetheart?¡± she replied, shocked. ¡°No, I¡¯m really not. I thought about it, and¡­ no,¡± I said firmly. ¡°But come on, we arranged this, and you agreed! You know I would love to be with you as I finally turn 21. You¡¯ve been the person I¡¯ve been with all the time, that¡¯s why I asked you and¡ª¡± Before she could finish, I interrupted. ¡°What about Michael? You know, your boyfriend?¡± Well well let me take you back. Before Michael got a scholarship to study here at the University of Cairo, he was already making waves in our social circle. See, he used to visit our school during sports events, and man, Michael was something else. He was the type of guy everyone noticed¡ªa real head-turner with his sharp bone structure and that perfectly styled black hair. And to top it all off, he was a biker with a physique that made him look like he belonged on the cover of a magazine. But that wasn¡¯t even the best part¡ªMichael was a master with the electric guitar, the kind of guy who could make any girl¡¯s heart race just by strumming a few chords. Girls were totally crazy about him, and I get it, he had that whole cool guy vibe down to a science. Michael was so good that he won every music competition, every year, without even breaking a sweat. That¡¯s how we became friends¡ªwe were both into music, so naturally, we got close. And through that, he got closer to Courtney. Now, Courtney was known for being hard to get, the kind of girl who could make a guy work for her attention. But somehow, Michael managed to break through her walls and win her over, and they decided to keep their relationship on the down-low. But here¡¯s the thing: Michael was a guy, and guys talk, right? He just had to tell someone about his conquest, and who better to spill the beans to than his close buddy¡ªme. The same day he hooked up with Courtney, he ran straight to me to brag about it. At this point, I was madly in love with Courtney, so you can imagine how that news hit me. It was like a gut punch. But Michael didn¡¯t know I had feelings for her, so he kept going, oblivious to the storm brewing inside me. He started telling me about how soft her touch was, and I could feel my blood beginning to boil. Then he went on about how warm her hug was, and now I was stomping my feet, trying to keep it together. But it was too much. When he talked about how soft her lips were¡ªthe lips I¡¯d been dreaming of kissing for years¡ªI was barely holding it in. I started breathing heavily, and I could feel this primal growl rising from deep within me. But Michael didn¡¯t notice; he was too caught up in his own story. barely holding it together. My breathing grew heavier, and that¡¯s when the demon inside me started whispering, louder and louder, urging me to let go. ¡°He¡¯s kissing the girl you¡¯ve wanted for years,¡± the demon snarled in my mind. ¡°And you¡¯re just going to stand here and listen? You¡¯re pathetic. Let me out. Let me show him who really deserves her.¡± Michael, still oblivious, continued, ¡°The boys said she¡¯s hard to get, but she¡¯s the easiest I¡¯ve ever had.¡± That was the breaking point. The demon¡¯s voice rose to a roar, mocking me. ¡°Your girl is kissing someone else, and you¡¯re too weak to do anything about it! You¡¯re nothing compared to him! Let me out, and I¡¯ll show him what happens when he messes with what¡¯s yours!¡± He even had the nerve to say, ¡°The boys were saying she¡¯s hard to get, but she¡¯s the easiest I¡¯ve ever had.¡± That was it. That was the moment I lost it. The demon inside me, the one I¡¯ve fought so hard to keep under control, found an opening. I felt this icy cold rage spreading through my veins, and I knew I was losing the battle. My eyes started to glow orange, and everything around me took on this fiery hue. My muscles swelled, power coursing through me like a tidal wave. My nails grew into claws, sharp and deadly. Michael was still talking, completely unaware of the transformation happening right in front of him, until he finally noticed my change. He freaked out, stumbling backward, but it was too late. I started moving toward him, and that¡¯s when he pulled out his taser and hit me with it full blast. The electricity coursed through me, and I collapsed, the demon¡¯s hold on me slipping away as I returned to normal. But Michael didn¡¯t leave me there. He picked me up, threw me on the back of his bike, and took me to his place. He took care of me, gave me water, and made sure I was okay. It was only after I¡¯d fully recovered that I told him my secret. Yeah, I went there. And she froze for a moment before asking, ¡°So, what do you know about Michael?¡± ¡°I know everything. Absolutely everything, and that¡¯s why I think you should go with him,¡± I said. Remember how I said everyone is just all-knowing tonight? Well, Courtney had a few tricks up her sleeve too. ¡°So, you¡¯ve decided to show up with Emmaculate to the party,¡± she said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. What?! How the hell does she know that? Now I¡¯m the one who¡¯s shocked. ¡°I see, you know about Emma. Well, let me take her, and you can go with Michael,¡± I replied. Courtney sighed. ¡°I knew about Emmaculate all along, and she¡¯s a good-looking girl. I really thought you wanted to go with her, but I was very happy when you agreed to go with me. My guess is she hadn¡¯t asked you yet, and now that she has, you¡¯ve decided to take her. You know what? I had prepared myself for this. Why do you think I gave you a card too when you were my plus one? It¡¯s okay. Goodbye. See you at the party, Ethan.¡± And she cut the call. Well, I¡¯m not feeling too great about Courtney right now. But come on, I have Emma, and she¡¯s promising me a lot tomorrow, so I¡¯m just going to sleep on that. With all the phone arguments finally behind me, I managed to catch some sleep. And in what felt like the blink of an eye, it was already morning. Time to get moving. I ironed my white suit meticulously¡ªsince the theme was all white with just a splash of red. Funny enough, this white suit was from a wedding I attended a while back. It¡¯s actually my only suit, and if I had to guess, maybe that¡¯s why Courtney picked these colors. She¡¯s sneaky like that. Once I finished ironing Emma¡¯s outfit too, I headed for a bath. And let me tell you, I wasn¡¯t playing games with this bath. I took my sweet time, making sure every inch of me looked good. After what felt like forever, I slipped into my white suit and shiny black church shoes. I can confidently say my whole outfit was fire. I mean, I was looking GOOD. But all that effort? Yeah, it was about to be completely in vain. As I¡¯m adjusting my tie, I hear a honk outside. Naturally, I think, Could that be my mom? But no, it couldn¡¯t be her¡ªher ¡°honk¡± is more like shouting my name from the front yard. I step outside, and what do I see? A white limousine, parked in front of my house like something out of a movie. Now I¡¯m thinking, What the¡­? Who in the world would show up in a limo to pick me up? Then, this dude in a sharp white suit steps out of the limo, like he¡¯s in some kind of secret agent movie, and says, ¡°I have a package for Sweetheart.¡± Instantly, I knew¡ªoh, it¡¯s Courtney. Only she would pull a move like this. He hands me the package, and out of curiosity, I sneak a peek inside. And let me tell you, this wasn¡¯t just any package. It was the most stunning, high-quality tuxedo I¡¯ve ever laid eyes on. But hold up! I thought the party theme was all white with a splash of red? This tux was straight-up all red! And to top it off, the shoes? Red Santoni double-strap leather monk shoes. These things probably cost more than my entire existence. Like, what kind of party is this?! I turn back to thank the guy and tell him I¡¯ll put it on, but he goes, ¡°No, sir. Put it on now. We¡¯ll wait for you. The limo is yours.¡± Okay, what?! This is next-level. Courtney arranged all this for me? And I almost forgot¡ªthey gave me some expensive cologne too, but I was so caught up in the moment I barely noticed. So, I head back inside, put on the red tux, slip on the fancy shoes, spray the expensive cologne, and bam¡ªI¡¯m ready. I step into the limo, feeling like a million bucks. And then they say, ¡°Lead us to your date, sir.¡± I direct them to Emma¡¯s place and give her a quick call. ¡°Hey, baby, you wouldn¡¯t mind waiting outside for me, would you? I¡¯m showing up¡­ in style,¡± I said in my smoothest tone. She replied, ¡°Oh, feeling confident, huh? Okay, Daddy, I¡¯ll be outside.¡± We drive to Emma¡¯s, and as we pull up, I see her scanning the street, probably looking for my usual car. She definitely didn¡¯t expect this limo. The windows are tinted, and she¡¯s completely clueless. Now, I had a plan¡ªa suave one. I was going to open the door, do a little attractive walk, kiss Emma, and then open the door for her. Smooth, right? So, I step out, ready to execute the plan, but as soon as I see her¡ªBAM¡ªmy mind is blown. Emma looked absolutely breathtaking. Her white dress? Perfect. Her hair, her nails, her heels¡ªeverything was flawless. I was stunned. My little plan? Out the window. She walked over to me, saying, ¡°Oh my God, baby, you look so lovely,¡± as she hugged me. ¡°Lovely? You said lovely? Baby, look at YOU,¡± I said, completely puzzled. I couldn¡¯t even complete step two of my plan¡ªwalking to her¡ªbut hey, I could still nail step three. I kissed her and opened the door for her, like a gentleman. We headed to Eden Valley, and the whole ride, we couldn¡¯t stop talking about how good we both looked. The limo was stocked with wine and snacks, and the vibe was on point. As we got closer to Courtney¡¯s party, Emma started asking questions. ¡°You know, I heard this was an all-white party with a touch of red, but how come you¡¯re in a red tux?¡± she asked. ¡°Well, I was all set in my white suit, but then this tuxedo just showed up at my doorstep,¡± I said casually. She raised an eyebrow, ¡°Wait, wait, wait. Don¡¯t tell me the tux came with this limo?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± I replied. ¡°Can you believe it?¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°Oh no, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± But before she could finish, we pulled up to Courtney¡¯s party. As soon as we arrived, there was already a crowd outside. They started screaming and cheering, ¡°Happy birthday!¡± Red ribbons and party smoke filled the air. But then, as the smoke cleared and they saw it was just Emma in the white dress and not Courtney, everyone got confused. The singing stopped. It was like someone hit the pause button on the party. Steven, my friend and bandmate, came running over, looking super confused. ¡°Bro, I thought you were showing up with Courtney in the limo. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Honestly, man, I have no idea,¡± I replied. People were still staring at me in my red tux, expecting Courtney. But no, Courtney wasn¡¯t with me. And here¡¯s the kicker¡ªCourtney shows up in a taxi. Yes, a taxi. With Michael. And no one even noticed at first because they were all too focused on me and Emma. But when I finally laid eyes on Courtney¡­ wow. She was breathtaking in her long, elegant red dress. For a second, I couldn¡¯t stop staring. As more people noticed her, they gave a weak, confused ¡°Happy birthday,¡± nowhere near the excitement I got when I arrived. Her friends ran up to hug her, and Michael made his way over to me. ¡°Bro, Courtney is beyond pissed at you right now. Like, what the hell, man? You took her limo,¡± Michael said. ¡°Took her limo? The limo came to me!¡± I protested, still confused. Michael shook his head, ¡°You were supposed to be her date, but you changed things, and now she¡¯s fuming.¡± I glanced over at Emma, and for some reason, she was smiling. This whole situation was spiraling, and I was stuck right in the middle of it. The party went on, but all my friends drifted over to Courtney¡¯s side, while I stayed with Emma¡¯s friends¡ªwho, by the way, I didn¡¯t know at all. And yet, I couldn¡¯t stop looking at Courtney. She had everyone¡¯s attention, and Emma? Well, she started noticing where my gaze was fixed. Then, it was time for the couple¡¯s dance. Emma had been excited about this all night, especially since she¡¯d noticed Courtney and I glancing at each other. She got up, saying, ¡°Hey baby, I¡¯m just going to the bathroom to freshen up a bit. When I come back, we¡¯re going to own the dance floor.¡± But just as Emma left, the spotlight hit me and Courtney. The announcer called for a special dance from ¡°the important couple in red¡ªEthan and Courtney.¡± Oh man, talk about bad timing. Michael rushed over. ¡°Bro, Courtney planned this whole party, and you¡¯ve ruined almost all of it. At least do the dance with her. She¡¯s your best friend.¡± ¡°But Emma¡ª¡± I started. ¡°Really? You¡¯re going to do Courtney like this? Everyone¡¯s watching,¡± Michael said. He was right. I felt guilty. Everyone was looking at us, so I stood up, and the crowd cheered as Courtney smiled and started walking toward me. But just as we were about to meet for the dance, disaster struck. Out of nowhere, Emma came running back and grabbed my hand, stepping right onto Courtney¡¯s dress. Riiip. The entire tail of Courtney¡¯s beautiful dress tore off, and she fell to the ground in front of everyone. The whole party froze. Courtney¡¯s on the floor, tears streaming down her face, and I can¡¯t lie¡ªseeing her like that did something to me. Her beautiful red dress is torn, and people are rushing to help her up. But Courtney? She¡¯s not having it. ¡°Leave me alone,¡± she says, voice shaky but still her normal self. They don¡¯t listen. They keep trying to help. ¡°I said, LEAVE ME ALONE!¡± she yells, pushing them away as she stands up on her own. She¡¯s crying, looking at me, and I can feel her pain from across the room. Then she speaks again, but this time it feels like a punch straight to the gut. ¡°What? You hate me now, sweetheart? Is that it? Just because you have a girlfriend, you don¡¯t care about me anymore? Huh?¡± Her voice breaks, but she keeps going. ¡°You don¡¯t care enough to even show up with me, after everything? After all the planning I did for this party, you do me like this?¡± And I¡¯m just standing there. My heart¡¯s aching, like really hurting. This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. Now, I feel like I¡¯m about to crack. I can¡¯t take much more of this. Courtney¡¯s tears keep falling, and she¡¯s still talking, still tearing into me. ¡°I wanted to be with you, sweetheart. I thought we were going together. But now you¡¯ve brought her instead, and I had to find out like this? After everything we¡¯ve been through?¡± Her friends are buying into the whole scene, shouting at me, calling me horrible, telling me I¡¯m the worst person. And honestly? This isn¡¯t the place for me anymore. The demon inside me is getting pissed, but I¡¯m holding it back, barely. Emma, my girlfriend, steps in now. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t shout at my boyfriend like that just because you¡¯ve been friends forever! That doesn¡¯t mean you own him.¡± Courtney snaps back, ¡°Shut up! Just shut up. I don¡¯t even want you here.¡± Emma¡¯s not backing down, though. ¡°You don¡¯t own him, Courtney!¡± she shouts, and her friends are rallying behind her, like this is some kind of war. Mind you, Emma¡¯s brothers are here too, looming in the background, watching everything unfold. And Courtney? She¡¯s looking at me, her voice trembling with anger. ¡°Why, Ethan? Why did you even bring her here without telling me?¡± I¡¯m trying to stay calm, trying to keep the demon under control, but the frustration is boiling over. Courtney keeps pushing, and I¡¯m on the edge. Finally, I can¡¯t hold back anymore. I snap. ¡°Shut up, Courtney! You really want to know why I started dating Emma, huh? Do you?¡± I¡¯m shaking, barely keeping it together. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s what I want to know!¡± she yells. I take a deep breath. ¡°Because I love you, okay?!¡± The whole room freezes. It¡¯s like time stopped. ¡°When you started dating Michael, it destroyed me. He came to me, all proud, and it hurt.¡± I can barely get the words out. ¡°I waited for you to tell me yourself, but you never did. Do you know how hard it was for me, watching you with him, knowing I couldn¡¯t have you? And I couldn¡¯t even talk about it because Michael was my friend! And now you¡¯re yelling at me like I didn¡¯t care? You did the same thing! You wanted the truth? Well, here it is! Are you happy now?¡± Courtney¡¯s standing there, speechless. The room¡¯s gone completely silent. Michael? He looks like he¡¯s seen a ghost. And then, out of nowhere¡ªEmma turns me around and slaps me. Damn. The demon inside me starts roaring, but I¡¯m still trying to hold it down. Emma slaps me again, her voice shaking with rage. ¡°Why are you even with me then, huh? Why?!¡± And when she goes for a third slap, I catch her hand, my voice barely holding steady. ¡°I don¡¯t know, okay?! I don¡¯t even love you.¡± The entire room gasps. Emma¡¯s brothers don¡¯t just gasp, though¡ªthey leap right into action. All four of them. They rush me, and before I know it, I¡¯m being dragged into the bathroom. They throw me against the wall, fists flying, stomping on me, crushing me. And all the while, the demon¡¯s screaming in my head: LET ME OUT! I¡¯m trying to hold on, but I¡¯m losing it. They keep hitting me, harder and harder, until I feel like I¡¯m about to break apart. And that¡¯s when it happens. I can¡¯t hold back any longer. I snapped. One of Emma¡¯s brothers goes flying out of the bathroom, blood spraying as he smashes into the wall. Another one? His skull cracks against the tiles. People outside are screaming, hearing the crashes, but they have no idea what¡¯s going on inside. The growling, the blood¡ªthey think there¡¯s some kind of monster. Well, they¡¯re not wrong. Another brother comes flying out, and before he hits the ground, I¡¯m on him, throwing him against the wall again. My muscles have grown, tearing my suit to shreds. Everyone outside is panicking now, people running in every direction, but I¡¯m still not done. I¡¯m still fighting. I¡¯m clawing at my own face, scratching myself very deep with my own claws, trying to take control back, but the demon¡¯s got me. I¡¯m twitching, rolling out of the bathroom, with my suit torn and blood everywhere. The scratches on my face are deep, but I can¡¯t stop. I¡¯m out of control. And just when I think it can¡¯t get worse, I hear sirens. Police, ambulances, paramedics¡ªthey¡¯re all here. The cops rush in, guns drawn, trying to figure out what¡¯s going on. They see the bodies, see the blood, and then they see me. They think I¡¯ve been attacked, that I¡¯m in shock. They have no idea I¡¯m the one who did this. They try to pin me down, but I¡¯m too strong. Eight cops, and I¡¯m tossing them around like they¡¯re nothing. I¡¯m still tweaking, still trying to fight the demon inside. I¡¯ve got scars all over, my suit¡¯s hanging in tatters, and they¡¯re all looking at me like I¡¯m some kind of freak. The paramedics try to inject me with a sedative, and the cops manage to handcuff me, shoving me into the back of the van. But it¡¯s not enough. The cuffs snap like they¡¯re made of plastic. I kick the van door open, tearing my way out. They throw more cops at me, pinning me down again. The sedatives start to kick in, but I¡¯m still strong. They strap me to a bed, tie me down, and shove me into the ambulance, but I¡¯m not done fighting. I break the straps. Flip the bed. The whole ambulance shakes as I thrash around. More injections, more cops holding me down. They pin my arms, my legs, and finally, finally, I can¡¯t move. But I¡¯m still twitching. When they test my blood for drugs, the results come back clean. No drugs, no alcohol¡ªnothing. The only explanation? They think I¡¯ve gone insane. That¡¯s how I end up in the mental asylum. From a perfect day, to being trapped here, locked up like an animal. And let me tell you, this is just the beginning. This is where the real drama starts.