We are all one wrong comment away from hating each other. At least, I’m one comment away from making you hate me. You’ll never get rid of me though because you like that I follow you like a puppy.

You love me and I love you. Two completely different types of love. You tell me about this great guy you’re talking to. I come to ask you for a hug when I’m breaking down. Two completely different types of love. You love me because I want you and you like feeling needed. You think I’m a bit weak though, shy and slightly pathetic but sweet. I think you’re loud and sometimes I want to hate you. I think some part of me does.

I wish you would stop telling me about your crush. I wish I hated you. I wish I loved you enough to hate you. I wish you hated me. I wish you thought about me.

“Hey stupid!” She turned around and jumped into his arms for a hug.

“Hey, it’s been to long," He whispered into her ear. “Look, my brothers coming.”

I jumped down, and fixed my outfit, “I missed you so much-Wheres Liwley?" (Lill-wey)

“Ah-Ha! I knew it! You’re really just using me for my dog.” They both chuckled.

He started walking up but stopped to answer a phone call.

“Hey! I missed her!! She still has those little stubby legs, but it’s the cutest!”

“Now I’m starting to feel jealous.”

“Well don’t. You are literally so cute.”

“But I’m not cuter than my own dog..”

“Well.. I mean how rude would it be if I betray Her?”

“True, She hears everything.”

“I can’t take you serious anymore,” she commented, laughing so hard tears were coming out of the creases of her eyes.

They both hind there love for each other with jokes and laughs, but that didn’t foul anyone, everyone 𝑩𝒖𝒕 them 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒘 it.

I catch my eyes drifting towards Saanvi seated across the training field in a patch of wet grass. She binds her hand with a red cloth, carefully covering every inch of skin before doing the same with her other.

“Saanvi”, I call, walking up to her.

Her gaze shifts towards me, cut off guard. She sighs. “May I help you?”

I unsheathe my sword from my hip, pointing it towards her face. She doesn’t flinch. “Care to spar?”

What I don’t except as an answer is her laugh. Her genuine, unwelcome laugh startles me, to be honest. I’ve only seen her express the wicked giggle she has whenever the commander praises her over me.

“And why would I waste my time doing such?” She says. Saanvi has always seen herself above all the other guards. And granted, she has proven to be better than them all. But that doesn’t mean I will let her take the position I have killed for.

“Because champions never back out of fights” I responds, stretching my arm out towards her.

She hesitates, then reluctantly grabs my hand and takes her swords.

I grab my sword with both hands, quickly glancing over to make sure the commander is watching.

She comes towards me in a matter of seconds, sword pointing towards my chest. I knock it away with my blade, grazing the tips of the grass.

“You ought to refine your skills” I say, swinging the sword towards Saanvi’s legs. She stumbles back, gaining her composure before I swing again.

“Refine my skills?” She asks, her sword clanking against mine. “Maybe it is I who ought to teach you a lesson.”

I block her strike. Twice. “There’s no lesson you can teach me that I don’t already know.”

She attacks again, her sword cutting through the thick air. “I can teach you a lesson on cockiness” she says.

Murmurs around us circulate, and I feel my lips curl upwards. If everyone watches her fail-

Our swords slam against each other as we start stalking in circles.

“I would rather call it charm” I say, twisting my blade.

Too quick for most to notice, her eyes dart over to the commanders, and her face darkens. This is no longer a game.

She swings at my shoulder and misses. I take a step forward and another one, piercing my sword forward.

Her breath soon become ragged like mine but nobody stops. Not when the commander is watching.

I strike twice, this time hitting her leg. She cries out, rage simmering through her sweat.

We advance and retreat, my hits getting more desperate.

“Give up Jacks” she gasps, her sword blocking me.

“You give up” I say, my breath ragged.

“But I’m not the one with that reputation” she whispers so only I can hear.

I freeze mid swing, and she takes advantage of that moment to knock the sword out of my hands.

I stare at her, dumbfounded. That dirty little cheater-

“Saanvi!” The commander exclaims, standing in between us. She doesn’t seem to pay much attention to him. “If you keep that up, the position of assistant commander will be handed in a silver platter.”

She lets out an awkward laugh, nodding her head. Then he turns to me, disappointment seeping through his pores.

“Commander Orson” I say saluting him.

He nods at me, and glances back at Saanvi once more. Then he leaves.

We stand in silence for a while, until without a word she picks up her swords and leaves.

But I don’t move, my feet planted to the ground.

I’ve always been exceptional. But even the stars are nothing in comparison to the sun.

After all, who would care for a coward.

Her POV:

I can smell the scent of alcohol on his breath whenever he talks to me. Don’t try yelling at him for it because it doesn’t work, I speak from experience. He is basically a man child that doesn’t know how to take care of himself. The cockiness is borderline toxic to whoever he is around, and if I knew any better I guess that would probably be the reason for why there is only a small group of people who actually put up with him. (Most of them are just pitiful girls who just like him because he’s rich, although I would be lying if I said that didn’t have something to do with the fact that I have put up with him for so long) I’ll never ever tell him that he is annoying or rude though, because apart from the fact that it makes me want to punch him in the face I have to come to terms with his personality as it is without trying to sink to his level and instead raise above and beyond it. I eyeball him discreetly as he walks into the room. He is taller than me by… a lot. My head is just below his chin and it makes my blood boil the way he so purposefully stands closer than necessary to me, just to make me look shorter. I look up at him and my heart almost skips a beat and my emotions start going rapid just by the way he stares at me with his amber, honey-soaked eyes. Luckily I get distracted by his hair, it’s messy and short, falling just below his eyes, I could go weak just by looking at his hair, the way it’s so perfectly curly and almost as black as the colour itself. I think I have a thing for curly hair I ponder to myself as I try to picture him without it, seeing if it would help tear my eyes away from this man. He almost seems like my dream guy, the type that I could like, maybe even love… But then his mouth starts moving and I remember why the Oxford dictionary decided to make so many synonyms for the word hate, because sometimes one just doesn’t cut it.

His POV:

People say roses are the most beautiful scent, but when I walk into the room and smell her perfume it makes me wonder if those people ever fell in love. If I ever confess my feelings for her she would probably laugh in my face and say I was drunk, I speak from experience. I would take her hand and say something over the top cheesy like; ‘Yes, drunk on you my love.’ But something tells me that I would probably never see her again afterwards. She is basically an angel sent down from heaven, trying to get through a hellish like world. Her outlook on life is contagious when ever you talk to her, she isn’t pessimistic or optimistic even, she see’s both sides of the argument and twists them both into a beautiful quote that will stick with someone the way ink sticks to paper. My best guess is that’s why she has so many suitors lined up just to meet her. (Most of them are stupid jerks that just want her for looks, although I would be lying if I said I never took that into account when talking to her day after day.) I’ll never tell her that she’s beautiful though, why? Because it would be like telling the ocean that it’s wet, it would be like telling fire it’s hot. She clearly already knows and doesn’t need my validation in the slightest. As I walk in to see her in the room I try my best not to make eye contact. I quickly fail and look over at her, I’m happy and surprised to see her already looking at me. I can’t tell whether she is starstruck at the sight of me or furious for the fact that she has to put up with me. Probably starstruck. It is a little concerning on how much I love how short she is, I walk closer to her to emphasise how small she is compared to me. I am saddened when I look at the blue contrasting greatly with the black bags under her eyes. Her gorgeous icy blue eyes. Her chocolate brown hair is tied up in a messy bun and all it makes me think about is how she never gets to let it down and be loose or even have fun. Her personality like hair, always tied up and never let down. I sometimes wonder, even for a second. Am I wasting my time? Will I ever be in an actual relationship with this woman? There are so many other options it makes me think whether I am in love or just obsessed… But then she opens her mouth and I recall why the English language made up so many different words for the meaning beautiful. Because sometimes one just doesn’t cut it.

Year one, you chased me down Year two, you shared your toys Year three, we fought outside of town Year four, I hated boys.

Year five, you asked me to the dance Year six, you picked me flowers Year seven, I thought we had a chance Year eight, we’d talk for hours.

Year nine, I was just a side thing Year ten, you were sorry too Year eleven, we had another fling Year twelve, I hate that I still love you.

Click, click, click, click. “HEY, WOULD YOU STOP MAKING THAT ANNOYING NOI-“ he started, looking back at a random girl from his seat at fifth period witch was their lunch time and blushed and turned back to his food.

   “What’s the matter, huh? She said to him.


    “Nothing” he said back

    They started to hang out a lot and became good friends but little did either one of them know that they both loved each other 
         

                      Months later

 “What is wrong with you Leo?” She said

 “I dont know. What’s wrong with you?” 

    “ARRRGGGG I HATE YOU”  hazel shouted at him “THERE IS SO MUCH WRONG WITH ME, a-and your so……. Just so perfect, a-and AARRGG I DONT KNOW”


“AND I LOVE YOU” Leo shouted to her

 “I-I love you too” she said with tears streaming down her face.



                                             Sorry guys I know that this is really bad.

The pen on the desk was neatly set in her penholder, one, two, three... Where was the fourth pen? There were enough pens for each hole in the penholder. There were enough files for every letter of the alphabet. The trash bin was always empty. Where was the pen? Jane stared at the pen holder, her brows furrowed, which they rarely were. Her dark hair was set in a tight bun on her head. Her skirt, barely an inch above her knees, was tight around her curves yet loose at the end, in order to allow movement. Where was the pen? Her breath became short as she stood up suddenly, causing her fresh cup of coffee, two cream, and two sugar, to tumble towards the tile floor. Her coworker, Adryn peeked into the doorway with a grin from ear to ear. His dark curls flowed freely, slightly passed his ears, and his button-down shirt was half haphazardly tucked into his khaki pants that clung to his hips, barely hanging on without the help of a belt. Where is my... my pen sat behind his ear. My stainless steel 0.5 ballpoint, blackest of all blacks, no smudge pen sat behind his unruly curls. She opens her mouth as her hand starts to come down to her desk, but instead of impact, she feels a warm tight grip against her hand, her back now against the cool glass window. "I wouldn't want you to ruin your blazer, Miss Jane." His voice was a low whisper against her neck, causing her face to flush. She peered down at the coffee-covered desk. He leans down, his leg sneaking between her loosely fitted skirt. Her mouth parted slightly as she felt his breath against her soft pink lips. "Thanks for the pen by the way Miss Jane." He lets go of her trembling body, her hands pressed against the glass, causing fingerprints. He winks before turning to leave out of her office. Her desk covered in sticky coffee, files askew, and one pen missing.

The sound of knife scraping plate reverberates through her body as she stares blankly at her food, losing her appetite.

“This. Steak. Is. So. Good. You’ve. Got. To. Try. It!” He spat as he spoke with his mouth full.

She gives a slight nod before excusing herself to go to the bathroom. Another woman approaches her at the sink touching up her makeup.

“First date?”

“Try tenth anniversary!”

The woman glances at her through the glass and breaks into a smile.

“He forgot this morning.”

“Ah.”

“I had to remind him.”

“Ah.”

“I hinted like fifty times.”

“I see.”

“Sorry I’m oversharing.”

“No no it’s not that.”

“What is it?”

“Oh nothing.”

“Go on!”

The woman turns to look at the frazzled woman beside her.

“I’ve just never seen someone’s face betray them as much as yours. He’s really special to you huh?”

A deep red blush floods the woman’s face as she giggles to herself washing her hands.

“And then she stormed off to the loo…” he sees his wife return and finishes his sentence prematurely as the waiter takes their leave.

“Jeez Annabelle, are you really that embarrassed to be around me?”

Annabelle looks deeply into her husband’s eyes as he looks around taken aback.

“What is it?”

“Nothing” she places a hand on top of his “I just love you that’s all.”

The pair laugh as he replies with “I love you too.”

My reflection. I hated her. She was like a different person. She wasn’t me. A smile lifted her cheeks. And warmth wafted off of her body. Deep down I knew this charade could no longer continue.

My reflection. I loved her. She wasn’t like me. A frown pinched at her cheeks. My entire body shook when I saw her. Deep down I knew this charade could no longer continue.

November.

The spite and hatred in November’s heart was overwhelming. The girl she had once loved - the girl who had given her a reason to live - now slashed at her twice, the blade of the sharpened knife barely missing her stomach. It made her sick. Not at the fighting - no she had been in the middle of plenty of violence herself - but at the knowledge of what the two girls used to be.

“Nova and Kat, they were unstoppable.” Nova could hear the chant of the rumours that echoed the dark world every day since the incident. She should have expected it really, it was the dark world after all. Everyone who survived in this place were liars, and once you were involved, there was no getting out.

Kat’s hair thrashed in the open air like fire, the neon reds blinding in a way that stunned Nova every time she saw it. It was chopped roughly so that it was evident it was only styled shoulder length for practical advantages, yet upon looking at it, it stirred something inside of Nova that she once craved, but now wished anything but to feel it.

Nova took two sharp steps backwards, dodging each of Kat’s moves before lunging down and driving upwards with her own dagger. Kat stumbled sidewards, slightly thrown off and only just managing to move out the way of the attack, but recovered quicker than Nova could throw a follow up attack.

“The dark world,” Nova had once explained to Pippa as they began planning a way to take it down after her escape, “is like the dark web but the deals are done in person. I suppose it’s more risky, but more beneficial too. These people who are deeply networked into this world are like any normal person in their day life with a job and a family, but then they come home at night to people in their basement and spend night outs at involuntary fighting rings or bet on which prisoner will survive the longest. But the money can also be made from selling firearms, drugs, people. The dark world is the worst place you can find yourself in, especially if you’re on the wrong side of it.”

And that’s where Nova had been most of her life. On the wrong side of it. Yet she was cunning, smart and most of all observant. The years she had spent there had scarred her for life, yet she had been able to map out all networks, and links in her mind. She had been able to overhear valuable information about places and routines. Although most weren’t aware that a simple girl like her could be such a threat, she had the knowledge to begin to take it all down.

Nova quickly raised one of her daggers and dropped it, drawing Kat’s eyes away from the fight for but a split second, yet that was all Nova needed to find a way to force herself forward and pin Kat against the wall with her second knife to her throat.

Their faces were centimetres away. Nova could smell the luring scent of red haired girl, tempting her to give in. Those stupid, perfect eyes captivated Nova, freezing her still with no words to comprehend her feelings. The line between hate and love was thinner than Nova had once realised. She had always thought it was rubbish, that cliche nonsense, but she understood it now. And it made it hurt all that much more.

“Traitor,” she snarled, and Nova could see Kat flinch. Kat had spent two years with Nova, locked away underneath the house of the most monstrous man involved in the dark world - Vesh. Everyone knew his name. A name that striked fear into all, prisoner and seller alike. Only so few survived more than three months under the care of Vesh, and Nova and Kat were among them.

And everyone new Nova’s name too. She was popular in the dark world. She won all fights, she beat all competitions against all odds, she created such a high reputation that brought Vesh so much money that he simply couldn’t get rid of her.

But the more popular Nova grew amongst the dark world, the more suffering she was put through until finally, she wished nothing more than to be dead. But then Kat came and everything change. She found this new spark to protect those she could, to protect Kat. And although there was very little she could do behind bars, she still found a way to help people.

So when Nova finally figured out, after two whole years, that Kat had been raised under Vesh’s wing and was only originally put there to mess with Nova, the only thing that kept her going then was the pure rage.

Katalina.

Kat could feel the sharp blade press against her neck. It was cold, though she supposed that was unsurprising. The clouds hung heavy in the air and the tiled floor was wet with the previous day’s rain. Mud smudged Nova’s face and tangled in her long black hair, giving her that ravenous, ferocious look she always held when she had one thing set on her mind.

Kat had always admired that about Nova. Once she had put her mind to something, there was no stopping her.

They hung there for a moment, Nova pressed against Kat, deciding what the best course of action was and Katalina took that to her advantage. She shot her head forward and pressed her lips against Nova’s.

Though her own eyes were closed, she could sense Nova’s piercing blue eyes frozen open, and most importantly, the grip on her dagger falter momentarily. Kat took this opportunity to shove Nova harshly, and push her far enough away that she could raise her leg and kick her in the stomach forcefully.

Keeling over and coughing, Nova stumbled backwards, trying desperately to recover as quick as she could. Kat couldn’t deny how good it felt for their lips to touch again. The tension in the air was too thick for even Nova to cut through.

“You don’t understand, I had to do it,” Kat hissed, taking this time to gain composure, similarly to Nova.

“Like you have to try and kill me now?” Nova scoffed in return.

“I didn’t know any different,”

“Bullsh-“

“Nova, please listen to me! I didn’t want to, you need to believe me. I’ve been raised to think this shit was okay, of course I’m going to be messed up. But the longer I spent with you, the more I realised how screwed this whole thing was-“

“Screwed. Screwed?? You think??”

There was a short, aspirated sigh. It was clear Kat had her reasons but she knew Nova couldn’t bare to hear her justify them, because she knew she had hurt Nova and that was the most painful thing she had ever experienced.

“Nova I would have told you if I could, but he would have punished me and you. He would have killed someone to make us sorry, you know that. And how could I help you get out if we couldn’t actually see each other and if he knew??”

Kat could see Nova was conflicted. It was almost as if there was a battle going on inside her brain. Oh how she wished she could see what she was thinking.

Nova lunged all of a sudden, a new load of rage urging her recklessly forward. Katalina took a step forward and twisted her body so that it missed the dagger jarred forwards, and pressed their bodies together. Using the momentum of Nova’s agile speed, Kat was able to spin them both and lay on just the right amount of body weight so that they came crashing to the floor, Nova on the bottom - knife ripped away from her grip as she fell down - and Kat on the top.

Kat’s own dagger was gripped tightly in her own hand and pointing firmly at Nova’s stomach, daring to press down whilst their eyes were only an inch or so away once more.

Nova laughed. “Because you precious Vesh is forcing you to do this isn’t he? Go on. I wasn’t to hear you bull excuses.”

Kat was angry now. Her dark blue eyes were squinted as if blocking the non-existent sunlight from her view, and her face crumpled to show a mix of hurt and exasperation.

“You don’t understand!”

“What don’t I understand Kat, please do share.”

“I need Vesh to believe I’m still on his side. I can’t take down the networking of the dark world if I’m dead or kicked out.”

“Are you though? Are you still on his side?”

“Of course I’m not. You really have that little faith in me hm?”

“Yeah I do. I thought it was rather unsurprising really considering how you betrayed me. You know Kat, you are the only person who has been able to deceive me. And you did a good job too. I mean two whole years and I never suspected a thing. You even made me believe you loved me-“

“I did- I do. Nova you have to understand-“

“Stop saying that!” Nova’s voice was loud now, and angry, but Kat could hear the sadness every time her voice broke. “Stop saying that. I get it. I understand. But you hurt me. Can’t you see that Kat? You betrayed my trust, you lied to me, you sided and helped the man who has tortured me for years. How can I trust you after that? How can I love you?”

Kat felt like she couldn’t breathe. She may as well have been stabbed, she would have rathered it. “You- you don’t love me?”

Kat stared down at Nova, her face unreadable but evidently full of emotion. “I don’t know. I don’t want to but I- I don’t know.”

There was pause, silence filling the air all around them as they just stared into each other’s eyes. Kat wished she could pause that moment.

“You need to let me go,” Nova spoke, her voice scarcely a whisper.

“You know I can’t Nova. If you go in and Vesh finds you, he’ll kill you. If you go in, and all the others don’t come out with you, the rest will be killed. If you go in and everything goes to plan, Vesh will know I’m on your side and all this work to take down the dark world will be gone.”

Nova didn’t say anything in return but Kat could see millions of thoughts bouncing around her head.

And then all of a sudden, Nova’s hand was armed with a knife that was flying towards her. Shit. Kat had forgotten about the knife that Nova had dropped earlier. It must have been close enough for Nova to reach it.

Kat rolled quickly onto her back on the soaking floor, the attack dodged. But now Nova was on top of her and the knife was hovering over her heart. Nova was in a sitting position, back straight up and boot stretched out to pin Kat’s armed wrist to the floor.

“I don’t care what you say Kat. I’m going in no matter the cost. I’m not like you. I don’t let my friends rot in the bottom of a basement.”

Nova raised her arm before driving down the base of the knife around Kat’s head. The last thing she saw was Nova walking towards Vesh’s building. She pleaded to the world, to fate, that Nova would be okay.

And then her world went black.