Lethal Obsession

6.

If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle. ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Your enemy can be your best teacher. – Dalai Lama.

Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win. ― Stephen King

Chapter 6

Many times in life have I been thinking about how would my death look like. I didn't want it to be ordinary or normal. If I die, let it be with a style. I even considered reconstructing Anna Karenina's suicide. However, I had always tried to be original, it wouldn't set well with me if my death was plagiarism. I had many ideas on my mind. For example, I could play the violin at the top of the city's fortress and, while in delirium, throw myself off it. On the other hand, it could also work if I was murdered by an old, ancient demon. Yet, not even once have I thought that my life would end in a club, while totally sober, by a man I hardly even knew and with whom I didn't even know where I stood, just because some other guy was holding my hand. His eyes looked just like that, murderous.

Not once did he even glance at me. He had his eyes glued to our joined hands. It seemed like he was cutting them with his intense stare. The moment I noticed that I immediately retreated my hand out of Stephan's larger one. He looked at me weirdly when, but I completely ignored him. Nothing was more important to a guy standing right in front of me, and who's next move I couldn't anticipate. He was so unpredictable that I wouldn't be surprised if he started laughing and served us ice crime. However, that looked quite unlikely to happen, judging by his expression.

Finally, he raised his head and looked directly at me. I gasped, shock clear on my face. His eyes were black, not a very dark shade of brown, completely black. His eyebrows were scrunched together, and his jaw was clenched with such force I was sure he was about to break his teeth.

I think I just peed myself, I thought. I wanted to look away, I was so scared of him it was only a matter of time when I would start shaking. Still, I should've known that it wouldn't be easy with him, nothing ever was. No matter how much I needed to do something, he wouldn't let me.

I didn't know how, but just by a single minimal move he made with his eyes, I understood what I should do. Without a second thought, I started walking to him. He didn't wait for long, so when I was in arms reach he immediately wrapped his hands around my waist and brought me impossibly close to him, pressing my body to his, without sparing me a glance. His eyes were still fixated on Stephan and I was well aware that my friends were watching the situation unfold with confusion and anticipation.

"Who are you?" Stephan was the one who broke the silence. I was about to answer him, even though I wasn't sure myself what, but Mateo gripped me harder, letting me know that it would be better if I didn't say anything. I instantly shut up, not wanting to test my luck.

"Who the hell are you?" he said that so quietly I was starting to worry for my life, even though I wasn't the one he was speaking to. Stephan's pupils dilated for a moment, the nervousness evident on his face. I wasn't sure if he could've hidden it in the first place, considering he was in the presence of such a dominating man like Mateo.

"Stephan, Tara's friend," he said, unsure of himself. I didn't miss the fact that he left out the small detail that we used to date, which was probably the smartest choice he made in a long time.

"Really?" Mateo smirked.

"Yes, yes. Um...this are Sarah and Luke, we all go to the same uni, you know. We have known each other for a long time, so we hang out sometimes, you feel me-" if that was some normal, everyday situation, I would've mocked him so badly for the way he was blabbering. Still, the expression on Mateo's face was enough indicator on its own that it would be better if he stopped talking. Listening to his instincts, Stephan shut up and gulped.