I can’t take my eyes off the box on the table, while Dante has been standing beside me for over half an hour now. Yet, he hasn’t told me what I need to do for him so he won’t expose my 'family secret.' Everyone has secrets, but mine makes me sick—no, Syntho must not know, although I know he can hear me now. He’s been silent ever since I left his house.
 
'Syntho… I know you can hear me now.' No response from him. I glance at the tattoo on my left wrist. 'Are you really ignoring me? Are you upset or mad somehow?' I wait for him to say something in return, but nothing. I sigh before turning back to the front of the room, where the games are starting. I’ll talk to him once I get back home. Pressuring him to talk to me isn’t doing any good. I want to go home—when my phone suddenly rings. I quickly pull it out of my pocket, and quickly leave the room, finding a spot where no one can hear our conversation. When I look at the caller ID, it’s Kellan. I take a deep breath before answering his call.
 
“Where are you?” he asks, skipping the usual 'Hello' and 'How are you doing?' How rude.
 
“Why?” I ask, not answering his question.
 
“Don’t you have any plans to come home? Are you staying with that guy? You’re 18, Shantal. You should prioritize your studies—” blah blah blah how boring.
 
“I am prioritizing my studies, and you’re my teacher, Kellan. Besides, what am I supposed to do at home if I go back, and you’re going to give me the silent treatment? Blame me for talking back and voicing my thoughts and pain? Am I not allowed to speak up and just suppress my feelings and just play my role to please my parents? That my parents’ needs and satisfaction always come first, before mine? It’s always been like that, Kellan. All my life, all I’ve done is try to satisfy and please them and this family. I may be alive physically, but I’ve already died countless times emotionally. So, if you think I’m overreacting, it’s not my problem anymore. My mental health matters too,” before I hang up on him first. 
 
For the past few weeks, Kellan has been trying to strike up a conversation with me, but Killian has never bothered me. It’s not that he avoids me, but he’s giving me space and respecting my boundaries, even though he tried to drown me back then. Killian has always been like that in our family, but Kellan is always the one who tries to resolve issues and conflict in the family. That’s why I prefer Killian over Kellan. We barely talk, and I don’t exactly remember when we last had a proper conversation. I put my phone back in my pocket. I should go back to Syntho’s place and talk to him. I’m about to leave when I hear Dante’s voice behind me. Ugh seriously this prick again? Is he not going to stop this nonsense?
 
I turn to look at him. “What do you want me to do? You should have told me earlier so this would be over. You’ve been dragging this out,” I hate his presence, the longer I stay in this place.
 
He takes a step forward. There’s that sly smile again. “There’s only one thing you need to do. Be my girlfriend, and your family secret is safe with me."
 
I can’t even stomach being in his presence any longer, and now he wants me to be his girlfriend? “No. I will not." clear and firm. I hope he understands that. 
 
He raises an eyebrow and stops moving forward before crossing his arms. “Oh? That means you want people to know your secret then, huh?” how many times did he mention the 'secret' word this day? I lost count already. 
 
“Go on, tell them, I won’t stop you,” I just want to leave this place, but he keeps stopping me from leaving.
 
I don’t expect him to laugh at what I said. “Reverse psychology, huh? That won’t work on me, sweetheart,” ugh don't 'sweetheart' me, that's giving me an ick.
 
But damnit, he figured it out. “I already have a boyfriend,” I blurt out. He stops laughing, and his face becomes serious.
 
“Liar."
 
This time, I’m the one chuckling. “Why would I lie?” Although Syntho was once my virtual boyfriend though. 
 
“You don’t have a boyfriend. You’re making it up."
 
“Why would I make it up? I've been in a relationship for almost a year now you know."
 
“You are making it up so I won’t have you. You’re making excuses. But I don’t need to worry about whether it’s real or not, do I? I can still get what I want, whether you have a boyfriend or are married. You’ll be mine, Shantal,” I wanna puke, he is making me want to puke now. 
 
And the hairs on the back of my neck stand up as he steps closer to me again. “You’re out of your mind,” but somehow panic slowly creeping in.
 
“I’ve been waiting for this moment, for you to attend this reunion. Silas did his job this time,” wait? Hold on, what again?
 
“Excuse me?” Silas is teaming up with Dante? Since when?
 
A deep, malicious chuckle escapes his lips as he forcefully grabs my chin. “You’re naive as always, sweetheart,” he leans in and I literally hold my breath. “I paid him well enough to persuade you to come here. He never disappointed me today at least this time."
 
I feel sick.
 
“And by the way, he knows your secret too. Isn’t that amazing?” Dante adds when he notices I'm silent. 
 
I slowly let go of the breath I’ve been holding and push him away from me. But he immediately grabs my wrists, holds them tightly, and pulls me close to him.
 
'Syntho...'
 
“Don’t you dare push me, Shantal. You’re mine to begin with,” he snarls.
 
I try to pull away from his grasp, but it’s clear that he’s stronger than me. “Let go, Dante,” I bark but who am I to fool when his eyes are full of determination to have me? 
 
“You are mine,” he is about to kiss me, when I suddenly kick him in the middle of his thighs. He curses and lets go of my wrists, I pull back away from him. My heart is beating two times faster than normal. 
 
“I’m no one’s property, bastard,” with all the strength I have, I slap him hard, followed by a punch that I throw at the other side of his cheek. I feel something crack in my fist and I groan in pain. “Argh! Damn, that effin hurts!” I put so much strength into my punch. I’ve never hurt anyone in my whole life. This is my first time, and oddly, it feels great but my fist is hurting. 
 
“You wench! I’m going to make you pay for that!” I can see the rage on his face as he tries to punch me. 
But wait, that surprises me. I can dodge. Whoa. “You’re slow. Try and hit me,” Hold your horses! Why did I say that? Where did this sudden confidence come from? 
He tries to punch me again, and I’m about to dodge his incoming punch when a hand stops his fist mid-air, preventing it from hitting me. “Huh?” I furrow my brow as I realize who stopped Dante’s fist. "Oh?"