Content Warning: The revised story still contains sensitive and potentially distressing themes, including sexual assault, violence, self-abuse, and anxiety/panic attacks. Please proceed with caution.
"God, I wish that you thought this through before I went and fell in love with you."
𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊-𝟐
WADE
Wade Callahan will assassinate Sage Sinclair in front of her family as soon as the contract is finalized, putting an end to the fight between the Mafias. I read it, then reread it, thinking I had misread it, but it was still the same.
I have to kill Sage.
"You knew her only for 7 weeks; you were barely friends," my mind reasoned. "But you know that's not true; she was a friend, a true one indeed," my heart spoke.
"Maybe even more than a friend."
I cannot do this. It is impossible. How can I even think of killing her?
"I need some time," I croaked out, swallowing the tears forming at the brim of my eyes.
"You don't have a choice, son. This is already decided," my father said in a stern voice.
"Now leave and make sure you don't act any different with her from now onwards; otherwise, you know what I can do," he was talking to me, but he was looking at Mom, who was standing there with her head down.
I have to do this, not for me—but for Mom.
"Don't," I tried saying in a calm voice, but it came out as a growl of displeasure. "I will do it, just don't you dare do anything to Mom."
And that's how I signed the deal with the devil.
THIRD PERSON POV
It seemed like his entire world was collapsing around him. All of the excitement and happiness he experienced with Sage during the previous seven weeks flashed through his memory.
Every time he closed his eyes, it was as if he could see her smiling face; he just couldn't forget those green eyes of hers that were filled with happiness. He couldn't bring himself to destroy her.
But he had to.
So, he did what he had to.
"Hello?" said the girl on the other end of the call, shattering his heart with her sweet voice.
"Sage," his voice came out weaker than he thought it would, a mere whisper.
"Ade? What's wrong? Are you sick?" Sage spoke, concern laced in her voice, making Wade close his eyes from the pain in his heart.
"It hurts, Sage. It hurts so much," he tried his best to control himself, but the tears came pouring out as if it rained after the drought. They weren't stopping.
"Ade, are you crying? Did someone say anything?" she almost yelled, getting panicked as to why Wade was crying.
It was as if his tears weren't just hurting him; they were doing something to her heart too.
"Nothing happened; I just miss you," he wiped his tears, trying to act like he wasn't in pain mere seconds ago.
"We met only three days ago?" she smiled, although it wasn't visible to him.
"Okay, since you miss me so much, come out, my treat," she said teasingly, knowing he wouldn't want to talk about why he was crying.
But she knew the least she could do was buy him some pizza to uplift his mood.
"What will you treat me to?" he asked as if a son was asking his mom, but at that time, he just needed someone to comfort him.
"Come out in five minutes; you will see," she said quickly, cutting the call and getting ready.
Wade cleaned his face and attempted to compose himself, as if he hadn't been sobbing for the last five minutes, but he failed horribly. He couldn't look at himself in the mirror; he was ashamed of himself.
He shrugged his shoulders and slipped on a black sweatshirt, bringing another with him in case Sage became cold.
SAGE
I decided to treat Wade to pizza since I knew he loved it. Our mansions were quite close, so I just came out wearing a simple white cropped top with graphics on it and black baggy jeans. However, I regretted my outfit choice the moment I stepped outside—it was freezing cold.
Realizing I was already running late, I didn't bother to change and saw Wade already standing there with a backpack. He seemed lost in his thoughts, so I decided to partially scare him. Partly because I wanted to lift his mood, and partly because... well, I don't know, I just felt like scaring him.
Am I crazy? I honestly don't know.
I sneaked up behind him, ready to jump on his back, but then I tripped on a stone and ended up falling on something—or rather, someone.
Why is that damn stone there?
I opened my eyes, expecting to meet the ground, but instead, I found myself on top of Wade.
And he was smirking.
I looked at his face, with his swollen red eyes and slightly red nose. His hair was the messiest I had ever seen.
Of course, he had been crying.
"If you wanted a hug, you could have just asked. No need to jump on me and all," he said, his voice raspy and dry, confirming my suspicions.
"Shut up, I was trying to scare you," I replied, trying to get up, but he held my waist, keeping me in place.
"Wade," I warned.
"What?" he smiled innocently, but I could see mischief in his eyes.
I gave him one of my famous glares, and he immediately fell silent.
"Ugh, you're no fun, seriously," he whined, and I couldn't help but let a small, genuine smile grace my lips.
I moved away from him, finally able to breathe again.
He stood up, pretending to be all fancy, brushing off imaginary dust from his clothes.
"Okay, enough with the silliness. Let's go," I said, walking towards the pizzeria with Wade following behind.
He looked at the pizzeria as if I had taken him to the Burj Khalifa and exclaimed, "You're treating me to pizza?" It was kind of cute.
Sage, what the hell, buddy? Stop with those thoughts.
He snapped me out of my thoughts by grabbing my wrist and pulling me inside. I wouldn't call it escorting; this guy wouldn't be a gentleman. He literally dragged me in, almost making me stumble as he pushed me into a chair.
"What a gentleman you are," I smiled sweetly, while he just flashed me a boyish grin.
A slightly older waiter, maybe around 17, came over. He looked at me weirdly but then gave me a cute smile, completely ignoring Wade's presence.
I quickly averted my gaze, focusing on Wade, who had a sudden change in demeanor. He became stiff, sitting up straighter than usual, with his lips pressed into a thin line.
He cleared his throat, catching the waiter's attention, but the waiter quickly looked away. Wade appeared taller than he actually was, making him seem about 15 when he was just about to turn 14.
The waiter took our orders and left.
Wade and I engaged in random school-related conversations until the waiter returned with our orders. He placed the food on the table and secretly slipped a note near my hand. I dramatically picked it up, cringing, which caught Wade's attention. He immediately understood what had happened.
He was about to stand up, but I grabbed his hand, which was on the table, and pulled him down, signaling with my eyes not to do anything.
"So you can't find girls your age, which is why you're here hitting on kids? Living such a sad existence must be difficult. Actually, I can't say I blame them; based on your behavior, it appears that everyone must avoid you like the plague," I said, standing in front of the waiter in the middle of the restaurant, gaining everyone's attention.
I glanced at Wade, who had both hands over his mouth, trying his best not to burst out laughing.
He's cute.
The waiter looked like he was about to cry. I'm not gonna lie, I felt a little guilty. Wade and I finished our pizzas and headed out to the park for a walk. We talked about anything and everything, but today there was something different about him. It seemed like he was constantly spacing out, and when he wasn't, he stared at me with a sorrowful expression.
Am I going to die or something?
I actually wanted to ask him if he wanted to talk about it, but we weren't close enough for me to pry into his family matters.
Something must have happened.
Just as I was about to leave, Wade suddenly tugged at my arm, lightly holding my elbow. His eyes were cast downwards, and when I turned around, he came closer and did something I definitely wasn't expecting. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and hugged me tightly.
His head rested on my shoulder, and I could feel his breath on my skin.
"Wade?" I said, more like a question. He didn't move, but I felt him stiffen a little.
"Are you okay?" I asked softly. He paused for a while and quietly shook his head in denial.
"It's okay, you will be alright soon," I whispered, gently caressing his hair. I prayed to God for a quick end to whatever was bothering Wade. He didn't deserve this.
10 years ago - Age: 14
Locked in a dark room, sitting in the corner with his knees pressed up to his chest, Ade could only hear her voice.
"Sagi," he whispered slowly, burying his head further into his knees, consumed by fear. The door creaked open painfully slowly, and when he looked up, the sudden brightness threatened to blind him.
His heart raced in his chest as he saw the woman standing outside—not in love, but in agony and anxiety.
There stood a 17-year-old lady in a thin red gown that barely covered her body. She was Sage, simply Sage, a prostitute hired by his dad. She smirked evilly, relishing the sight of the little boy trembling in fear.
"It's time for your punishment, little boy. Hope you won't be a bitch to your dad again," she said, approaching him while he looked at her wide-eyed.
He knew what punishment meant.
He had grown accustomed to physical abuse, but today, he was about to lose his dignity.
He wanted to save himself for someone he loved.
Unknowingly, the only person that came to his mind was Sagi. Please, come save me, Sagi.
I can't do this anymore. I need you, Sagi.
His thoughts were interrupted when he felt someone pulling his hair. He looked up and saw Sage leaning forward, holding a spoon with something in her hand.
It was gamma-hydroxybutyric acid.
"No, please, d-don't do this to me," he pleaded, his eyes quivering and his voice hoarse from weeping.
"Shut up, not one more word from you," she snapped, delivering a slap that made him hiss in pain.
"Pleas-" his words were cut off when she forced the acid down his throat.
His throat and eyes burned with pain, and the tears wouldn't stop. It was like he couldn't move his hands and legs. He was slowly losing his vision and slipping into darkness.
"Sagi," the only prayer that escaped his mouth before he felt himself slowly drowning in sleep.
Wade woke up to sunlight streaming through the curtains. He opened his eyes, but closed them again due to the headache and body ache he felt.
He groaned in pain and turned to the other side, only to realize something.
He was naked and covered in a blanket.
He had been drugged.
He had been violated.
He looked around and sighed with relief when he saw no sign of Sage.
He tried to get up, but the pain in his legs prevented him from doing so.
He sat back down on the bed with a huff, attempting to control his breathing. Slowly, he got up and noticed his clothes scattered around the room.
What did I do to deserve this?
Why did this happen to me?
How will I face everyone now?
How will I face Sagi?
He took a blade from his drawer and stared at it, contemplating. He made a small cut on his wrist, and it hurt, but not as much as his broken heart.
The door opened, and he saw a woman with bruised cheeks and disheveled hair, as if someone had yanked on them.
Mom.
"I'm so sorry, Ade. I couldn't do anything," she said, her voice hoarse and tears streaming down her face. She faced the same horrors that he did, the only difference being that she was constantly assaulted by his father. Just because Ade had disobeyed their father, their mother suffered the consequences.
What did I do to deserve this?
With a flood of thoughts and countless tears, the summer vacation finally came to an end.
SAGE
Something definitely happened to Wade after the summer holidays; he became very distant from everyone and stopped talking.
I tried talking to him, but he just ignored my existence, much like how I ignore orange juice when there are soft drinks available.
He also grew close to Emily; the only times he spoke were with her.
Maybe they are dating.
I don't know why that felt bad. I mean, I've never liked Emily. She gives off bad vibes, but I was okay with her as long as she didn't bother me. But, well, she did.
She tried her hardest to mentally bully me, but she has no idea what goes on in my house. It was difficult for her to bully me because, trust me when I say this, I've seen things far worse than school bullying.
Anyway, as I'm walking home, I notice a figure sitting near Wade's door.
Ade was sitting alone in the rain.
"Wade?" I softly call him.
He visibly flinches, and that's when I see the bruises on his face, neck, and arms.
I can't tell if he's crying or not because the rain has completely soaked him.
He looks exhausted.
Shut up, stupid brain.
I quickly go and sit down next to him on the staircase by the door.
He turns his gaze away.
Very slowly, I grab his arm and pull him to my side, making him face me.
I gently caress the side of his face and notice a fresh bruise near his eyebrow that will definitely leave a mark.
"Who did this to you? Huh? Why didn't you fight back, Wade? What the fuck is wrong with you?" I half-yell, cupping his face and looking directly into his eyes with anger in mine, while tears threaten to escape his.
"I c-can't," he says softly, closing his eyes, his face still cradled in my hands.
"Why?" I know he won't talk about it, but I just want to know.
I can't bear to see him like this.
"Come on, let's get you treated," I say, holding his arm and gently pulling him up to his feet.
THIRD PERSON POV
"I can't go home," he says, looking down at his shoes.
"You can stay over tonight. My parents are out, and my brother is with his girlfriend," she says, smiling at him. He tightly grips her hand, showing his gratitude.
She leads him inside and gives him her older brother's clothes to wear. He tries to smile, but the pain and bruises on his cheeks prevent him from doing so. He wants to speak and tell her everything that has happened to him and what will happen to them. He wants to scream that he can't take it anymore.
He wants to tell her that he doesn't see any reason to keep living.
He wants to express his need for love and affection.
He wants to say so much more, but he knows he can't.
Not for himself, but for his mom.
She returns to him and gently treats all his bruises. She knows exactly how to take care of them because she has experienced similar pain, although maybe not as severe. If he ever told her, she would understand what he's been through.
After cleaning his wounds, she looks at him. He stares into space, his face filled with anguish.
Her heart shatters into a million pieces, and all she wants to do is hug him and assure him that everything will be okay.
But deep down, she knows that some things will never be okay.
So she does it. She hugs him, making sure not to hurt him, and lovingly strokes his hair.
"It will be alright, mon amour. Please don't be sad like this."
He knows that if he stays in her embrace for another minute, he will break down in tears.
And that is the last thing he wants to do—break down in front of someone he has to protect.
He tries to move away, but she tightens her hold on him.
"Who did this to you, Max?" Her voice is firm, but the pain in it is evident.
"Papa," he mumbles slowly, praying that she didn't hear it.
She simply hums and releases him. "Do you want to watch a movie or sleep?"
"Can we watch a movie?" he asks, looking up and smiling slightly at her.
"Of course we can. Which one?" she asks, moving a little away from him, realizing they were still too close.
He frowns and moves a little closer to her, taking the remote from her hands and searching for a movie.
Unbeknownst to him, she blushes at his actions.
When she looks up, she notices the movie he selected.
"After."
"Cute," she mumbles under her breath. Though he is still close to her, he hears it and rubs his neck sheepishly, trying to hide the growing smile on his face.
"Just wait a second. I'll make a call and come back," her demeanor suddenly changes as she goes into the kitchen to make the call.
After ten minutes, she returns with two bowls of popcorn, chocolate donuts, coke, and some Cheetos.
She loves junk food.
She hands him the bowl of popcorn and places everything else comfortably on the table, sitting on the couch.
Thirty minutes into the movie, and Wade has already fallen asleep, his head resting on her shoulder while she casually munches on some chips—his share of chips.
When the movie ends and she's exhausted, she falls asleep with his head on her lap.
In the morning, he hurries home and finds his father and mother arguing about something. He walks over and stands near them.
"What's wrong?" he asks his mom softly.
"Michelle is dead," his mom says with a sad expression, but he can see a glint of happiness in her eyes. They twinkle, something he hasn't seen in a very long time.
"Who?" he manages to mumble, surprised by this sudden revelation. He doesn't hate Michelle; he knows she was forced into this because of her family problems.
He has seen her vomiting and crying her heart out in the washroom many times. So even if he wanted to hate her, he couldn't.
"The French Mafia."