Chapter 8 Decision

• I screamed as something hit my car. I was shaking and that didn't help. I huddled under the driver's seat to hide, feeling scared. The continuous gunshots made me cover my mouth to stifle any noise. I was afraid someone might see me and target me.
• Why is this happening? What is going on?
• I suppressed making noise as I cried, seconds passing relentlessly. Our house was somewhat distant from the other houses. I wasn't sure if they could hear the shots due to the quiet night. I hugged myself tighter, trying to hide even more. I wanted to sob out of fear, especially when I heard the shots hitting my car again and again. I clung to the car as it gradually stopped moving. Even my tires weren't spared.
• God knows how I prayed to all the saints for it to stop. I was so frightened. This was the first time in my life that I found myself in such a situation.
• Trembling, I reached for my cell phone. I wanted to call Lucas, but a message caught my attention. Fortunately, it was on silent mode. I wiped away the tears from my eyes and read the message from him.
• Lucas:
• Stay in your car.
• I nodded as if he could see me. I held onto my cell phone tightly. After a moment, the gunshot sounds subsided. Next, I heard a loud explosion.
• My eyes widened, and I was almost paralyzed. The surroundings were quieting down. I wanted to go out and see, but I had no strength. I felt weak and could hardly move.
• However, I slowly opened the car door with my trembling hand. I looked around, not knowing where the explosion came from, but I was sure it didn't happen at our house.
• Even though I stumbled, I still ran into the house. I winced as I passed broken glass windows and fallen flower vases.
• "Lucas!" I called out.
• I rushed upstairs, hoping to find him, but he wasn't there. I didn't find Lucas.
• I was about to head downstairs when someone grabbed me from behind and covered my mouth.
• My heart pounded. My fear doubled. Who are you?
• "It's okay. It's me, Aurora... Lucas," he said.
• He released me when we entered his room. I started crying again upon seeing him. I almost turned him around to check if he was hurt.
• "Stop -stop it. I'm okay," he said.
• I nodded, I was trembling continuously. I bit my lower lip, trying to calm myself when I heard him take a deep breath. "Sorry—"
• I fell silent as he hugged me tightly. "Stop crying," he instructed.
• I nodded several times, but I couldn't calm myself down. I was scared. If I hadn't gotten into my car earlier, I might have been lying outside, lifeless.
• In a daze, I reached for the water he handed me. I was still in his room. When I finally calmed down, he left. I didn't want him to go because I feared a repeat of what happened earlier, but I couldn't stop him either.
• "See? Nothing happened to me," he said.
• "Do you know them?" were the words that had been itching to escape my lips. A question that had been demanding an answer from him.
• I looked at him, but he didn't reply. He averted his gaze and went to sit on the sofa.
• "No," he answered briefly.
• I chuckled. "No? Lucas, we are the only ones living here, and worse, our house was the target. It's impossible that you don't know them."
• "Well, since you already know the answer, why ask?" he retorted.
• "Do you have any enemies? Who did you clash with again?" I asked.
• "Stay out of it, Aurora," he said seriously.
• "Stay out of it?" I sarcastically replied. "Look at the house, the mess outside, and most importantly, the car that—"
• "If you are worrying about your car... I'll just buy you a new one. Stay here until it's over," he replied simply.
• I couldn't believe what I was seeing. "I'm not worried about the car, Lucas! It's you! I know you know it's not just anyone doing this, and especially not just anyone you bumped into! No one would dare shoot at our house like that!"
• "Tone down your voice!" he said firmly.
• I felt my eyebrows almost touching together. I pointed outside. "You probably saw the state outside. Windows shattered! Bullets pierced through, causing flower vase pieces to scatter on the floor," I said.
• "They almost broke in!" I pointed at him as he was about to speak. "Is that it? Did you get those wounds from them?" I asked.
• "I'm pretty sure I wasn't the target of those shots," he said.
• "All because of your stubborn attitude. Because of that, you're in danger. You can't control yourself, which led to all this. You always want things your way! You want everyone to follow you. That's just how you are," I retorted. "Nothing has changed."
• "You don't know anything, Aurora. Don't blame me as if you know everything when, in the first place, you know nothing," he couldn't help but say. "Let me ask you... What do you really know?" he asked.
• With a sharp look, I was left speechless. He laughed. "See? You know nothing! I was asking you to stay out of it, then suddenly you act like this. For your information, I don't need your pity. You're worried about me?" he asked. "Eat that shit up. I don't fucking need it. And another thing... can you shut your mouth?"
• I turned my gaze in another direction, irritated, and managed a strained smile. Of course, that's him. He always wants to be in control.
• I reluctantly plopped down on his bed, and he shot me a look as he returned it. I might deny it, but I couldn't hide from myself that I felt scared, especially for my own sake. What if something happened to me?
• "Get up," he ordered.
• I raised my left eyebrow at him, taking the key he threw at me. It hit my chest because I didn't catch it, so I glared at him.
• "What? It's your fault! You didn't catch it," he said.
• "You threw it at me," I retorted. "What is this?" I asked.
• "It's a key," he replied, somewhat philosophically.
• I wish I could throw it back at him without him throwing it back at me again, which he did a while ago.
• "I know! What should I do with this?"
• He let out a sigh, seemingly running out of patience more than I was. "Try using it to open the drawer," he said.
• My lips twitched with a displeased look directed at him. You'd think we're always joking around.
• "Get my car in the garage. Go home," he said.
• I furrowed my brows. "I thought I was supposed to stay here until my car is replaced? Is this a substitute?" I asked.
• It wasn't bad, as his cars were high-end, but of course, since my first car was the one I bought with my very own salary, I wouldn't agree to getting a different model.
• "No. You can't stay here. Go back to wherever you're going. Use my car for the meantime. I'll contact you about your car," he said.
• I shook my head. It's not really the car I'm worried about. I just didn't want to leave him here; who knows what could happen. "I'll stay here. I'll go to my condo together with my car," I reasoned.
• "Don't be this stubborn, Aurora. Go get my car in the garage, then leave as soon as you can," he said, pulling me up.
• "I told you, I'm staying here!" I unintentionally raised my voice. "I'm staying right here," I repeated in a softer tone when I saw him taken aback by my outburst.
• "No. You have to leave. Go home. Let's go," he said.
• "I'm staying here, Lucas," I stood my ground, resisting his pull.
• He gave me a stern look. "My patience is running out, Aurora. I don't need your stubbornness right now. Don't test me."
• "Why do you insist I leave when I want to stay? You said I should stay here, remember?" I argued.
• He was losing patience, and he let go of me, pinching the bridge of his nose. I slipped off my shoes and climbed onto the bed. I lay down with my back to him so I wouldn't have to face him.
• "You're being hard-headed now. Why are you like this? You weren't like this before," he said irritably.
• "Because I'm done being subservient to you. I woke up and realized you don't dictate what I do. You shouldn't make decisions for me because I have it on my own. Just like now... it's my decision to stay here," I decided to stay by your side, so just let me be. "And so I will stay here. Don't force me to leave this house," I continued.