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I look away before it can swallow her whole.

“Just don’t hurt him.” Alina says, her voice is thick with emotion. “I don’t care why you’re hiding from him, but it’d be better if you just confronted him and put an end to his misery.”

“I’m trying not to.” My voice comes out small, almost frightened.

“Well, try harder. Don’t give him hope if you’re only going to rip it away from him.” She smacks her lips together afterwards, feigning indifference.

She acts nonchalant, but the concern is there, buried beneath her sharp tone. Oddly enough, it makes me happy for him. He has people who care enough to defend him even when he isn’t around to hear it.

And yet, somewhere deep inside me, something dark and hollow twists with jealousy.

Because I have no one like that.

Perhaps because I’ve always been too weak to stand up for myself.

“If you’re going to hurt him, then leave right now. Disappear somewhere he’ll never find you. But do not make his life any harder than it already is, Elara.” And just like that, she walks past me.

After pulling me out of one breakdown, she shoves me straight into another.

But she’s wrong.

I’m not going to hurt him, because he doesn’t love me. And he won’t miss me once I’m gone.

I glance at the broken screen of my phone, a jagged line slicing through my reflection and unlock it, strings of messages hit me all at once and I open Sergei’s contact.

CONTROL FREAK: Where are you, malyshka?

What happened?

Talk to me baby, please?

Fuck, Elara. Why aren't you answering?

Elara!

Baby please. Why were you crying?

I'm sorry for vanishing, baby. Just tell me what happened, and I'll fix everything. I promise. Just come back to me.

Please?

You cannot fix this, Sergei. This will hurt you. Or perhaps kill you.

Another text from him pops up and I click on it. My hands starts to tremble again as I read it.

UNKNOWN: Oxfordshire. Found you.

ME: Please, leave me alone.

UNKNOWN: Come to daddy, Ela, while I'm still asking.

Nicely.

My breath stutters as my thumb flies on the letters.

I’m not going to let him ruin my life as long as I’m alive.

Twenty-one days. And then it’ll all be over.