The Confrontation
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Andrei's POV
We finally arrived at the storage room. Rayver went in first, and I followed after him.
It was so dark inside the storage room, dusty everywhere, with cobwebs all around. I turned on the light so that at least it would brighten things up a little.
The light was clearly old and long overdue for replacement, but it was better than nothing, as long as we had a little illumination inside.
I started walking while Rayver walked ahead of me. I couldn't do anything else but watch him.
So many thoughts were running through my head—things I wanted to say and questions I wanted to ask him—but I didn't have the courage to do so. I couldn't even bring myself to look him straight in the eyes.
He walked quietly, still searching for the speaker.
After a few moments, he suddenly called me, which startled me.
"Andrei!" he called out to me while still busy looking for the speaker.
Because of the surprise, I froze up. It felt like something was stuck in my throat, and I couldn't speak.
Then he suddenly turned to face me. I was caught off guard and just ended up looking at him while he slowly came closer to where I was standing.
As he approached, I instinctively stepped backward, until the wall finally stopped me while he continued moving toward me.
I couldn't look him in the eyes, while he kept staring straight into mine. Then, after a moment, he placed his hand against the wall beside my face and gazed at me.
"Andrei," he called my name again, his voice soft as he continued to look at me.
I couldn't bring myself to face him, so I averted my gaze into the distance.
Until he held my face and gently turned it toward his, forcing our eyes to meet.
As we stared at each other, it felt like our tears were about to fall. It was as if all our happy and painful memories together were flashing before our eyes.
We looked at each other for a long time, as though our eyes were already talking. We didn't need to open our lips, because in that gaze alone, it was like we were already having a conversation.
Slowly, he leaned closer to me, until our noses touched.
Why did it feel like both my mind and heart were telling me not to move? I felt frozen, unable to do anything.
He was about to kiss me when I suddenly pushed him away.
Even I was shocked at what I had just done, so I quickly changed the subject.
"I-I'll just check over there, m-maybe the speaker's there!" I stammered while pointing toward his left side.
I was about to walk away when he suddenly grabbed me, holding tightly onto my left hand and pulling me back against the wall where I had been earlier.
Because of the force, I almost lost my balance.
"Andrei! Don't you really have any intention of talking to me?" he asked immediately, holding my left hand tightly while staring at me seriously.
"For what?" I replied curtly, meeting his gaze with the same seriousness.
"There's still so much I haven't explained. Please, let me—"
I didn't let him finish. I cut him off and spoke first.
"Don't bother explaining. What else is there left to explain?" I said firmly, while he just looked back at me.
"A lot," he said shortly.
"But I just want you to know tha—"
Before he could finish his words, the door suddenly slammed shut.
We heard it—someone had closed it from the outside.
Startled, I immediately pushed Rayver away and rushed straight toward the door.
I tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. Panic started creeping in, and I didn't know what to do. My hands fumbled desperately at the doorknob, trying again and again, but it just wouldn't open.
My hand soon grew sore from twisting and pulling at the knob, when Rayver asked me,
"What's wrong? What happened?" he asked with concern, walking closer to me.
"I-It won't open!" I stammered, unable to hide the fear rising in me.
He tried opening it himself, but the result was the same. He attempted several times, but nothing happened, until he started kicking the door hard.
But still—nothing. He kicked it again and again with all his strength, yet it wouldn't open.
Then he turned to me and said,
"Andrei, step back a bit!" he told me, and so I moved away from the door.
I had no idea what he was about to do, but I followed him anyway.
He stepped back, then suddenly ran toward the door and rammed it with his shoulder.
**Thud!**
A loud sound echoed inside the storage room, but it still wasn't enough to force the door open.
He tried again, retreating a few steps before charging forward and slamming into the door with even greater force.
But nothing happened—it still wouldn't open. I could see the pain and struggle written all over his body, but he kept going, desperate for a chance to break free.
After a few more attempts, he finally stopped, clearly exhausted. He had already done everything he could, but the door refused to budge. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him in that moment.
I couldn't do anything to help either, since I didn't have his strength.
The light began to flicker, dimming little by little. A few moments later, it went out completely, plunging the whole storage room into darkness.
Fear gripped me, and I started moving around blindly. Then suddenly, I tripped and fell.
"Ah!" I groaned, grabbing my foot as pain shot through it.
"Just my luck… why now, of all times?" I muttered bitterly to myself, wincing from the sprain.
Rayver immediately called out to me.
"Andrei!" he said with worry as he rushed to my side.
And in an instant, the light flickered back on, brightening the room again.
Our eyes met as he checked on me.
"What happened? Are you okay?" he asked, holding my foot.
"I-I'm fine!" I replied, trying to stand up, but he quickly supported me.
"Come, sit here first," he told me gently, still holding my hand as he helped me onto a broken chair.
I couldn't stop myself from looking at his face. He was so worried about me, when in truth, I should be the one worrying about him—after everything he had done earlier, hurting himself just to try opening the door.
"Does it still hurt?" he asked while holding my injured foot and looking at me.
I didn't answer. Instead, I simply nodded.
Without hesitation, he removed my shoe, then my sock. He placed my foot on his knee and began massaging it slowly.
I couldn't help but flinch from the pain.
But little by little, the tension and fear inside me began to ease. Despite everything, I felt a strange sense of comfort—because at least, I was able to talk to him again, even though my words toward him weren't the kindest.
How can I avoid him, when he looks at me like this? When he cares for me like this?
And yet… I still couldn't feel at peace—especially because of that Bianca.
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"It wasn't the door that kept us trapped—it was everything we never said."
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