A Pawn In Their Game

Barbara’s POV

By the time I finished the last question, my fingers ached. It was not just from writing, it was from everything.

From sitting too still for too long, from thinking too hard, from pretending I wasn’t aware of him moving around the room like I wasn’t there and yet somehow always there.

I set the pen down slowly, staring at the final line of his assignment.

I was finally done. A quiet breath slipped out of me, heavier than I expected and for a second, I just sat there, shoulders slightly slumped, eyes unfocused.

I didn’t realize how tense I had been until that moment until it was over.

“Well? Are you going to sleep all day or leave?”

His voice cut through the silence. I stiffened instantly.

Of course he was watching, even though he acted like he wasn’t but I knew he was.

I turned my head slightly, meeting his gaze. Tristan was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

“I am done with it.” I said softly.

He pushed himself off the wall and walked toward me, flipping through the pages quickly. “Not bad. You sure seem like a smart kid.”

I blinked. That almost sounded like a compliment.

“Good,” I muttered, standing up. “Then I’m leaving.”

I didn’t wait for permission. My hand reached the door. “I didn’t ask you to leave Barbara.”

I froze. “What? I’m done with what you asked me to do. You didn’t even ask me, you forced me to.”

“Be ready tomorrow. No questions asked.”

A frown creased my face. “For what?”

A pause. Then, a subtle response followed. “I thought I said no questions asked. You’ll find out tomorrow.”

I hated that. I stepped out before he could say anything else.

The air outside felt lighter and free unlike the tensed air in his room. I didn’t stop walking until his presence faded from my skin.

“Tomorrow.” That word sat heavy in my chest.

Something was coming and I am not ready to face what is yet to come.

By the time I got back to my dorm, night had already fallen.

That’s when I saw her. My friend, Lily. She was pacing outside, hands clasped tightly, eyes scanning the area like she was waiting for something or someone.

“Barbara!” She yelled the moment she saw me. Relief flooded her face as she rushed toward me. “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting forever! I thought….”

She stopped, scanning me. “You’re not hurt, right?” she whispered.

I forced a smile. “I told you I’d be fine, Lily.”

That was a lie. Even though I wasn’t hurt physically, my heart still broke whenever I think about how more tortures are yet to come for me.

“You were gone for hours,” she pressed. “What were you doing in his room for that long?”

“I just… talked to him.” That was another lie, I can’t afford to make her worry.

“You talked?” she frowned. “Barbara, that’s Tristan.”

I shrugged. “Well, he did.”

She wasn’t convinced. “Did he threaten you?”

“No.”

“Did he hurt you?” She demanded. “Tell me, did he try to touch you inappropriately?”

“No, no, he didn’t. None of that happened, okay?” I was swift in defending Tristian even though part of her questions were true.

“I almost went to confront him,” she admitted.

My stomach dropped. “You what?”

“I was going to find him, Barbara. I couldn’t find you, and I searched everywhere too. I was worried sick about you.”

“Lily, no. Please don’t..don’t…don’t get involved in this.” I grabbed her arm quickly. “You can’t do that.”

“Then tell me what happened. Tell me, why are you hiding things from me?”

I hesitated. I couldn’t. So I smiled instead. “It’s not that serious. He just needed help with something. That was all. Nothing happened between us, I promise.”

She stared at me. “You’re lying, I can see it right in your face.”

“I’m not. I’m telling you the truth, Lily.” That was another lie, I couldn’t help but lie to her. That’s what’s best for us. For now.

A long silence followed before she sighed. “Fine. But if he ever does anything to you, you tell me. Okay?”

I nodded. “I will, Lily. Trust me!”

That night, sleep refused to come. The room was too quiet.

Lily slept peacefully, but my mind wouldn’t rest. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him.

I saw Tristian. His gaze, his voice and his control over me like I was a pawn.

A pawn in his game. I wasn’t just a student anymore, I’ve become a pawn in his little crazy game of his. His brothers aren’t excluded, they are just as crazy as he is. I guess it runs in the blood and the genes.

A sharp, sudden pain exploded in my chest.

My eyes snapped open as a tore from my throat as I shot upright in bed.

“What…”

My heart pounded violently, too fast, too hard.

Heat spread through me and it felt like I was burning. It just felt wrong.

“Barbara, Barbara, are you okay? Lily screamed as she held me close to her chest. “Talk to me, what’s wrong?”

This wasn’t my condition. This was something else.

“No… no…” I whispered, clutching my chest.

My veins felt like they were on fire.

My vision blurred.

And then…

I heard a voice.

It was low, faint but unmistakable. “Mine.”

My breath hitched. My head snapped toward the window.

The curtains shifted slightly but the window was closed and locked. No one was there.

Yet the voice came again.

It was stronger and colder this time around. “You can’t run from us, Barbara.”

My heart stopped.

“Us?”

Not him.

Them….

My fingers trembled against my chest and then I felt it.

Not pain. Not fear. Something worse.

A pull.

No…

Three.

Three separate forces tightening around me, three presences awake, aware, connected and claiming.

My breath hitched as panic flooded my veins.

Because at this moment…

I understood.

This wasn’t just Tristan anymore.

It was all of them.

And…. there was nowhere left to run.