・・・❦・・・

VANESSA stood front of the mirror, her fingers applying the final touches of makeup to her face. her lips painted a deep red matched the lace shirt she had chosen for the night. she stepped back, admiring her reflection. dark hair, straightened to perfection, and the tiny black skirt she wore hugged her hips in all the right places. she sprayed her favorite vanilla perfume, the familiar scent enveloping her like a comforting embrace.

as she surveyed herself, a smile tugged at her lips. for a brief moment. she felt like the vanessa from last year, the girl who didn't give a fuck about anything, who was carefree and wild, who lived for the thrill of the night and the attention it brought.

she remembered the parties, the boys, the reckless decisions with which she had thrown herself into every situation. and now, as she prepared for another night of madness, she felt a flicker of that old self returning.

a mojito sat on her desk, half-empty. she picked it up, taking a long sip, the alcohol warming her insides. tipsiness was already creeping in, blurring the sharp lines of her earlier pain. it was exactly what she needed: the harsh reality she wanted so desperately to escape.

just as she was about to finish her drink, there was a knock at the door. vanessa quickly set the glass down, smoothing her skirt as she walked over. when she opened it, adrian stood there, a low smile playing on his lips. he looked really good in his all-black outfit, the darkness of his clothes contrasting sharply with the paleness of his skin. his black hair, slightly messy, fell into his eyes.

"wow, you look amazing," adrian said, his eyes raking over her appearance.

vanessa couldn't help but smile at the compliment. "thanks. you don't look so bad yourself."

he leaned against the doorframe, his gaze never leaving hers. "are you ready?"

"as ready as i'll ever be," she replied, grabbing her small bag and slipping it over her shoulder.

together, they left the dorm, their footsteps echoing in the quiet halls as they made their way to the gryffindor common room. as they walked, they made small talk, adrian asked her what she had been up to all day, and vanessa responded with vague answers. he complimented her again, telling her she smelled good.

when they finally reached the common room, the scene that greeted them was chaotic. exactly what vanessa had been expecting, and hoping for. the room was packed with students, the air thick with the scents of weed, alcohol, and cigarettes. the music blared so loudly that she could feel it vibrating through the floor, the bass thumping in time with her heartbeat. it was everything she had wanted: a distraction.

adrian turned to her, his voice barely audible over the noise. "i'll get us some drinks."

vanessa nodded, watching as he disappeared into the crowd. for a moment, she stood there, taking it all in. the pulsing lights, the sea of bodies moving in time with the music. it was exactly like the parties from last year, the ones she had sworn off in her chest to become someone better. but tonight, all those promises felt far away, like they belonged to another person entirely.

she pushed her way through the crowd, searching for familiar faces. it didn't take long for her to spot theodore who was visibly high and grinning like a madman. when he saw her, his face lit up, and he stumbled forward to wrap her in a tight hug.

"vanessa! you made it!" he exclaimed, his voice slurred but cheerful. "here, have a drink."

before she could protest, he pressed a plastic cup into her hand. vanessa raised it to her nose, sniffing cautiously. the sharp smell of vodka hit her immediately, making her wrinkle her nose.

"what's in this?" she asked, eyeing him skeptically.

theo laughed, a carefree sound that echoed in the crowded room. "vodka and coke. mostly vodka, though."

vanessa rolled her eyes but took a sip anyway, the liquid burning as it went down. it tasted horrible, too strong and too bitter, but she swallowed it down, knowing it would do the job. "how much vodka did you put in this?"

"fifty-fifty," theo replied with a shrug, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"of course you did," vanessa muttered, taking another sip despite herself. she could already feel the alcohol working its way through her system.

"where are the others?" she asked, glancing around the room.

"blaise and draco are here somewhere," theo said, taking a long drink from his own cup. "they're with some girls, i think."

vanessa's mood darkened at the mention of blaise. it was yet another reminder of how easily she had been used and discarded, like she was nothing more than a passing distraction. she downed the rest of her drink, hoping to drown out the bitter taste of resentment.

theo, seemingly oblivious to her shift in mood, continued, "oh, and mattheo's here too. he's in the bathroom, doing something ... you know how he is."

vanessa's heart skipped a beat at the mention of mattheo's name. she hadn't wanted to see him tonight, hadn't wanted to be reminded of the pain he had caused her. the thought of him being here, so close, made her stomach churn. she wanted to pretend he didn't exist, to erase him from her mind entirely. but the universe seemed determined to throw him in her face at every turn.

"great," she muttered under her breath, taking another sip of her drink. "just what i needed."

"oh, come on," theo said, clapping her on the back. "don't let him ruin your night. we're here to have fun, remember?"

before she could respond, someone appeared behind her, and vanessa turned to see adrian holding out another drink. "here you go," he said, handing it to her with a smile.

vanessa took it, not even bothering to ask what it was. she was already feeling the effects of the alcohol, the room starting to spin slightly around her. she took a long drink, the liquid sliding down her throat like fire, and immediately felt another layer of numbness settle over her. it was good—it was what she wanted.

theo looked between them, a mischievous glint in his eye. "you two came together?"

"yeah," adrian replied, his arm casually draped over vanessa's shoulders. "figured it'd be more fun that way."

theo's grin widened. "mattheo's not going to like that."

vanessa rolled her eyes, a wave of irritation washing over her. "i don't give a shit what mattheo thinks," she snapped, the words spilling out before she could stop them. she didn't care anymore, about him or about anything. she just wanted to forget.

she grabbed adrian's hand, pulling him away from theo and deeper into the crowd. the alcohol was fully in her system now, her inhibitions slipping away with every step.

adrian seemed more than happy to oblige, matching her drink for drink as they made their way to the dance floor. the music was louder here, the bass so deep it seemed to resonate in her bones. the lights flashed in dizzying colors of blue, red, and green, casting everything in a surreal glow. bodies pressed in around her, the heat and sweat and scent of alcohol creating a heady, intoxicating atmosphere.

vanessa let the music take over, moving to the rhythm without a care in the world. she could feel adrian close behind her, his hands resting lightly on her hips as they swayed together. it felt good, to be touched and to be desired. it made her feel alive, like she was worth something again.

someone offered her a cigarette, and she took it without thinking, taking a long drag and letting the smoke fill her lungs. the nicotine buzzed in her head, adding another layer of numbness, another barrier between her and the pain she was so desperate to escape. she exhaled slowly, watching the smoke curl up into the flashing lights, disappearing into the air above.

for a moment, vanessa felt free. she wasn't thinking about anything, wasn't feeling anything except the music, the alcohol, the warmth of adrian's body pressed against hers. it was a kind of magical. she was just a girl lost in the music.

but then, as if the universe couldn't resist playing another cruel trick on her, she spotted him. mattheo. he was standing near the edge of the dance floor, his dark eyes locked onto her with an intensity that made her blood run cold. even in the dim light, she could see the way his jaw was set, the way his eyes narrowed as he watched her with adrian. there was something dangerous in his gaze.

all the numbness she had worked so hard to achieve was immediately replaced by a rush of raw, unfiltered emotion. how dare he look at her like that? like she was the one in the wrong, like she was the one who had hurt him? after everything he had put her through, after how he had coldly cast her aside, he didn't have the right to be angry with her. he didn't have the right to care.

and maybe it was the alcohol, or the music, or the overwhelming need to show him that she didn't care either, but vanessa did something reckless, something she knew would make mattheo's blood boil. she turned to adrian, who was still close behind her, and without a word, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his.

adrian was taken aback for a moment, his body tensing in surprise, but then he responded eagerly, his arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her closer. the kiss was hard, desperate, and vanessa poured everything into it, every ounce of anger, every shard of hurt, every bit of pain she had been carrying. she kissed adrian like he was the answer to all her problems.

and for a moment, it worked. the world around her faded away, leaving only the sensation of adrian's lips on hers, his hands gripping her waist, his breath hot against her skin.

but even as she lost herself in the kiss, she could feel mattheo's gaze on her, burning into her like a brand. it was like he was trying to sear himself into her memory, refusing to let her forget him even for a second. and that only made her kiss adrian harder, pulling him closer, trying to push mattheo out of her mind, out of her heart.

when she finally pulled away, breathless and flushed, adrian looked down at her with a mix of surprise and satisfaction. "wow," he breathed, his voice low and rough. "didn't expect that."

vanessa forced a smile, though it felt more like a grimace. "neither did i," she admitted, her voice barely audible over the music.

she could still feel mattheo's eyes on her, but she refused to look in his direction. instead, she kept her focus on adrian, letting him take her hand and lead her further into the crowd, away from the spot where mattheo had been standing. she could feel her heart pounding in her chest, the adrenaline mixing with the alcohol in her system, making her feel both lightheaded and strangely powerful.

but even as she followed adrian, a part of her knew that she couldn't escape the way she felt—not really. no matter how much she drank, no matter how many cigarettes she smoked or how many boys she kissed, the hurt was still there.

adrian led her to a corner of the room where a group of students were passing around a bottle of firewhisky. he grabbed it, taking a long swig before handing it to vanessa. she hesitated for only a moment before taking it and drinking deeply, the fiery liquid burning its way down her throat. it was too strong, too much, but that was exactly what she wanted.

the cold night air had cleared her head only slightly, but not enough to stop the room from spinning around her. she was just beginning to feel the weight of everything that had happened, the rush of regret and confusion creeping in, when she felt adrian's hand on her arm.

"come with me," he murmured, his voice low and smooth, almost too smooth for the chaotic state she was in.

she looked at him, her eyes slightly glazed, trying to read his expression. adrian's dark eyes were intense, focused on her with a mix of desire and drunkenness. he tugged on her arm gently, coaxing her to follow him, and in her hazy state, she did.

they walked down the dimly lit hallway, away from the noise and chaos of the party, the sounds of laughter and music growing fainter with each step. the further they went, the more isolated they became, until they were completely alone in a quiet, kind of scary corridor. the only light came from the torches on the walls, casting flickering shadows that danced around them.

adrian stopped and turned to her, his hand sliding from her arm to her waist, pulling her closer. he leaned down, his lips brushing against hers, and vanessa, still reeling from everything, kissed him back.

his kiss was hungry, more intense than before, and vanessa found herself leaning into it, losing herself in the sensation. adrian's hands roamed over her body, his touch growing bolder, more insistent, as he pressed her against the cold stone wall. she could feel his fingers slipping under the hem of her shirt, brushing against her bare skin, and for a moment, she didn't mind. for a moment, she thought about letting him do what he clearly wanted to do.

but as his hands began to move more purposefully, tugging at her clothes, something inside her snapped back into focus. a voice, faint but insistent, broke through the fog in her mind, telling her that this wasn't what she wanted. she was about to push him away, to tell him to stop, when suddenly, adrian was ripped away from her with a force that made her stumble.

before she could even register what was happening, adrian was on the ground, blood pouring from his nose and mouth, his eyes wide with shock and fear. and standing over him, his chest heaving with rage, was mattheo.

"what the fuck?" vanessa gasped, her voice a mix of shock and horror as she took in the scene before her. mattheo's dark eyes were blazing with fury as he looked down at adrian, who was struggling to push himself up off the ground.

but mattheo didn't give him a chance. with a snarl, he kicked adrian in the ribs. adrian cried out in pain, curling into himself as mattheo delivered another brutal kick, and then another, his face twisted in a terrifying mix of anger and hatred.

"mattheo, stop!" vanessa screamed, rushing forward to grab his arm, to pull him away from adrian. but mattheo was too strong, too consumed by whatever had triggered this violent outburst. he shook her off with a force that sent her stumbling back, and she watched in horror as he continued to rain down blows on adrian, who was now barely conscious, his body limp and unresponsive.

vanessa felt a wave of nausea rise in her throat as she tried once more to pull mattheo away, to stop him before he did something even worse. "mattheo, please!" she begged, her voice cracking with desperation. "you're going to kill him!"

finally, as if her words had pierced through the red haze of his rage, mattheo stopped. he stood there, his chest heaving, his fists clenched, blood dripping from his knuckles. for a moment, he just stared down at adrian, who was now completely still, his face a mess of blood and bruises.

then, slowly, mattheo turned to look at vanessa. his eyes, once so full of anger, were now dark and unreadable, and the sight of them sent a shiver down her spine. there was something in his gaze that terrified her, something she had never seen in him before.

"why — " she managed to choke out, her voice barely above a whisper. "why did you do that?"

mattheo didn't answer. he just looked at her, his expression hard, his jaw clenched. and then, without a word, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, alone in the dark, with adrian's unconscious body at her feet.

vanessa watched him go, her mind racing, her heart pounding in her chest. the reality of what had just happened began to sink in, and with it came a wave of panic. she dropped to her knees beside adrian, her hands shaking as she tried to assess the damage. his face was swollen, his breathing shallow, and there was so much blood—too much blood.

"adrian," she whispered, her voice trembling as she gently shook him, trying to rouse him. "adrian, wake up. please, wake up."

but there was no response. his eyes remained closed, his body unnervingly still. vanessa's breath hitched as she realized the severity of the situation. she had to do something, had to get help, but her mind was spinning, her thoughts jumbled and incoherent.

NOTE FROM ME:
hey yall, sorry for not updating for so long but life has been pretty hard on me lately🤪 made so many mistakes in the last two weeks its crazy but im just a girl after all🥰

anyways, i don't know why but i love this chapter and the next one is gonna be even better hehehe. thanks for all the votes and support on all my books lately, it makes me so happy.

don't forget to vote and maybe comment this chapter and don't miss the next one 🤍