Chapter 104. Let Me Help

Chapter 104: Chapter 104. Let Me Help

Chapter 104. Let Me Help

Don didn’t even bother pulling into the officials parking lot like he did before. Instead, he bypassed the main gates, turned the steering wheel sharply, and brought the sleek black car to a sudden halt in the casual, open parking area near the side entrance of the campus. The tires crunched loudly against the loose gravel before the engine settled into a low, impatient hum.

Rosa sat frozen in the passenger seat, her fingers wrapped tightly around her bag strap. She looked over at him, her heart beating a fast, erratic rhythm in her throat. The silence inside the car was suffocating.

Don didn’t look at her. He kept both hands resting on the top of the steering wheel, his dark gaze fixed straight ahead through the windshield, his side profile carved out of solid ice.

"Are you... are you really not going to say anything to me?" Rosa asked softly, her voice wavering despite her best efforts to sound composed.

Don turned his head slowly, his dark eyes locking onto hers. There was no warmth in his gaze, no mock irritation, no familiar spark of mischief. There was only a brutal, hollow intensity that made her chest tighten.

"Get out of my car, Rosa," Don said, his voice dropping into a harsh, razor-sharp register.

The sheer sharpness of his tone made Rosa flinch as if he had physically struck her. She stared at him, her lips parting in utter shock.

"Don—"

"I said, get out," he repeated, cutting her off with a vicious, cold finality that left no room for argument. "Now."

A sharp, stinging wave of emotion flooded Rosa’s chest. Her eyes burned, but she refused to break down in front of him. Pushing the heavy passenger door open, she stepped out onto the dusty gravel. She turned back for half a second, desperately searching his face for any sign of the guy who had practically forced her into his house yesterday, but Don just stared straight ahead, completely ignoring her existence.

Clang!

Rosa slammed the car door shut with every ounce of frustration left in her body.

Before her feet had even fully cleared the side of the vehicle, Don slammed his foot onto the gas pedal. The engine roared violently, kicking up a small cloud of dust and gravel as the car tore away, speeding toward the upper parking bays without a single backward glance.

Rosa stood rooted to the spot in complete disbelief, watching the rear bumper of his car shrink into the distance until it turned a corner and vanished.

Her whole body began to tremble violently. A toxic mix of extreme hurt and white-hot anger surged through her veins, making her breath come in ragged, shuddering hitches. She pressed her lips tightly together, fighting with everything she had to hold back the hot tears threatening to spill over her cheeks.

What the hell is wrong with him? she screamed internally, her hands clenching into tight fists at her sides. What did I even do to him?! Yesterday he was dragging me around, teasing me, acting like... like he actually cared! And now he looks at me like I’m scum under his shoe?!

She scoffed and stood there in the middle of the casual lot, struggling desperately to swallow down the suffocating lump in her throat, feeling completely raw and unraveling.

"Well, well, well! Look who’s arriving in absolute luxury!" a bright, energetic voice squeaked from a few yards away.

Rosa snapped out of her spiral, quickly blinking back her tears as Mia came bouncing over from the main walkway, a massive, teasing grin plastered across her face.

"Since when does Don play personal chauffeur for you, Rosa? This is really getting serious." Mia teased, placing her hands on her hips and nudging Rosa’s shoulder playfully. "Spill the tea right now! Did I miss a whole entire Chapter while I was sleeping last night? What was that text about?"

Rosa tried to force a small smile, but her face completely betrayed her. Her chin trembled, and her eyes remained red and glassy.

Mia’s playful grin vanished instantly. Her expression froze, her eyes scanning Rosa’s pale, distraught face. Curiosity spiked in her mind, immediately transforming into sharp, maternal concern.

"Rosa?" Mia’s voice dropped, all the teasing humor instantly vanishing. "Hey... what’s wrong?"

Before Rosa could answer, Mia reached out and grabbed both of Rosa’s arms, pulling her closer and searching her eyes frantically.

"Why do you look like you’re about to fall apart?" Mia asked, her tone laced with deep worry. "What happened? Did something happen with Don?!"

"Nothing, Mia," Rosa murmured, looking down at her own shoes as her voice quivered. "It’s... it’s fine."

"Don’t you dare tell me it’s fine!" Mia demanded, her grip tightening gently on Rosa’s arms. "Look at me, Rosa! What did he do to you? Did he say something to you in that car?"

Rosa shook her head, unable to speak as the lump in her throat grew painfully tight.

"Rosa, answer me!" Mia pressed, her eyes widening with sudden, terrifying panic. "Did he touch you? Did he... did he beat you?!"

"What?! No!" Rosa gasped, snapping her head up to look at her friend. "No, Mia, absolutely not! He didn’t lay a finger on me!"

"Then why are you shaking like this?!" Mia yelled, her voice rising with fierce, protective anger. "You look like you just saw a monster! If he suddenly switched up in the middle of the night, tell me right now! We are going straight to the administration building! I will report him right this second, Rosa! I swear to God, I’ll make sure they throw his whole life into chaos!"

"Mia, please, stop," Rosa pleaded, placing a shaky hand over Mia’s wrist. She felt entirely drained, her energy completely spent from the terrifying events of last night and the emotional beating Don had just handed her. "He didn’t hit me. Nobody hit me. I swear."

"Then why are you crying?!" Mia demanded, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion and frustration. "Why are you looking like your whole world just ended?"

"I’m just exhausted, okay?" Rosa sighed, letting out a long, shuddering breath as she rubbed her forehead. "I didn’t sleep at all last night. My mind is a complete mess right now, and I’m just... I’m really not in the mood to talk about this right now."

Mia searched Rosa’s eyes, clearly hesitant to let the matter drop. "Rosa, you know you can tell me anything, right? You don’t have to protect him if he’s being an asshole to you."

"I know," Rosa whispered, forcing her voice to stay steady. "I know you have my back, Mia. I promise I’m okay. It’s just... a lot of things happened, and I need time to process it all. I’ll explain everything to you later, alright? I promise."

Mia stood there for a long, quiet moment, looking at her friend with deep hesitation. She hated seeing Rosa like this—broken, pale, and trembling over only God knew what. But seeing how genuinely exhausted Rosa was, Mia finally conceded.

"Fine," Mia said quietly, squeezing Rosa’s hands one last time before slowly letting go. "I won’t push you right now. But you owe me a full, detailed explanation later today. Got it?"

"Got it," Rosa said, giving her a weak, appreciative nod.

"Are you sure you can walk to your lecture hall by yourself?" Mia lingeringly asked, stepping back with obvious reluctance. "You look like a light breeze could knock you over."

"I’m definitely okay," Rosa assured her, trying her best to stand up straight. "Go on to your class. I’ll see you later."

Mia gave her one last long, scrutinizing look, lingering on the pavement for a few seconds. "Promise me again that you’re fine."

"I promise, Mia."

Nodding slowly, Mia finally turned and walked away toward her own faculty building. But after a few steps, she paused, looking back over her shoulder as Rosa turned and began walking slowly toward the main arts building. Mia raised a sharp eyebrow, her mind racing with deep suspicion and concern. What the hell is going on between those two? Mia thought, her jaw tightening. Whatever Don did, he’s not getting away with it.

Or could it not be about him?

Meanwhile, Rosa dragged her feet across the concrete courtyard, completely oblivious to the bustling crowd of students laughing and talking around her. She felt entirely detached from the rest of the world, a dark cloud hovering over her head.

She clutched the straps of her backpack so tightly her knuckles turned white, her eyes glued to the stone floor beneath her shoes. Countless chaotic thoughts clashed inside her head like a thunderstorm.

The violent shaking of her room last night... the shattered glass floating across the floor... those terrifying, guttural groans echoing through the hallway... the supernatural heat beneath her fingers when she touched Don’s skin... those glowing, fiery runes...

And then, Don’s reaction this morning. His dead, indifferent eyes. His sharp, cruel dismissal. His brutal words telling her to shut up and get out.

A heavy wave of anxiety and suffocating depression settled deep into her stomach, making it hard to take a proper breath. She felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness, a creeping feeling that her life was spinning entirely out of her control and that she was going to completely lose her mind at any moment.

Frustrated beyond belief, Rosa shoved both hands up into her hair, dragging her fingers violently through her locks, gripping her head tightly. She didn’t care that she was messing up her styled hair, dragging it into a chaotic, tangled nest. She didn’t care who was watching her. She just needed the agonizing pressure inside her skull to stop.

She took a heavy, ragged breath and pushed open the massive glass entrance doors of her lecture building, keeping her chin tucked down toward her chest. She just wanted to find a dark, quiet seat in the back of the lecture hall and disappear for the next few hours.

"Rosa?" a clear, familiar voice called out.

Rosa froze mid-step.

She lifted her head slightly, her tangled hair falling across her face, and saw Mac standing right near the main entrance steps. He had his hands shoved casually into his jacket pockets, leaning against the wide pillar as if he had been waiting for her.

His sudden presence caught her completely off guard.

Rosa scoffed softly under her breath, a bitter edge catching in her throat. Great. Just great. Exactly what I need right now, she thought miserably.

Not having an ounce of energy left to deal with another person, Rosa looked away, deliberately shifting her balance to the left, attempting to ignore him completely and walk right past him into the hallway.

But Mac moved fast.

Before she could step around him, he smoothly glided into her path, cutting off her exit. Rosa stopped short, glaring up at him with tired, irritated eyes, ready to bite his head off.

Mac didn’t look angry, nor did he offer his usual arrogant smirk. Instead, his eyes softened as he took in her pale face, her trembling shoulders, her tangled hair, and the way she was desperately clutching her heavy backpack to her chest.

Reaching his hands out toward her, Mac made a sudden, quiet request that took her completely by surprise.

"Hey," Mark said softly, his voice surprisingly gentle as he reached for her shoulder strap. "Give me your bag. Let me carry it for you."