"We are all puppets in the hands of our demons. We are the servants to our thoughts and mind, Dancing to their music, living life the way they want us to"

❃ B l a z e ❃

I could perceive voices all around me whispering dangerously low. I was still drifting in and out of consciousness, but I could hear them clearly.

"Where did you find her?" a deep voice growled and it sounded familiar. I couldn't quite put my finger on it as my thoughts were hazy.

"I was driving by and I saw her walking alone on the sidewalk. She seemed pale and before I could ask her what was wrong, she just passed out" an unfamiliar male voice answered. Concern laced this person's voice and I didn't know if I should be scared or grateful.

"Where the fuck was her jackass boyfriend? How could he leave her to walk alone, let alone at night?" I recognised the voice immediately as I grasped reality. It was Rafael's. Only he spoke in such a way about Aiden.

I felt myself gaining consciousness but both the boys were oblivious to me waking up. I felt groggy and sore all over. It was quite cold, or was it just me?

"You're pretty riled up, Hernandez" the other voice chuckled. Rafael muttered something under his breath but instantly noticed me shivering as I woke up.

"Blaze. Are you okay? What the hell happened to you? Do you want a blanket? Fuck, you're shivering. Of course you want a blanket. I'm going to kill that jerk. Why were you out so late? Damn it, I'm not a bloody doctor, what the fuck do I do? I told you to take her to the hospital" Rafael kept on rambling and he looked furious but I know that it wasn't directed towards me.

"Rafael" I slowly said. "Yes princesa?" he softly asked. "Shut Up" I answered and let out a weak laugh but winced at the sharp needles of agony embedded in my body. I couldn't help saying that. He looked flustered and cute. The images of Aiden's torture invaded my brain and my mouth clamped shut.

He let out a deep laugh at my answer and the boy next to him gave me a soft smile. He seemed familiar, as if we had coexisted in the same town, but I couldn't put a name to the face.

His caramel skin was flawless, and his eyes were piercing into mine. They were a beautiful mix between brown and hazel and were beaming with kindness. His brown hair was cut short near his ears and his teeth gleamed with the light. He had a sharp jawline that made his face seem almost sculpted. He was beautiful, to say the least. His aura radiated gentle, friendly waves.

I weakly smiled back but I was still unsure as to who he was. Rafael left the room for some reason and me and the other boy were engulfed in an uncomfortable silence.

"Travis Willows. A pleasure to meet you. Although I doubt you remember our first meeting" he smiled at me warmly. "Did you find me?" I asked him and he meekly nodded his head, but didn't make eye contact with me. I was embarrassed to know he had found me in such a state. But I was also thankful that it was someone from school, and not some random junkie.

At that moment, Rafael came into the room with a glass of water and a pill. "It's a painkiller" he informed me. I gave him a furtive glance and took the pill and gulped down the water. I tried to sit up. Stupid move. Pain shot up my entire body and I let out a harsh groan. Rafael rushed to my side and gently pushed me down. My skin fired up at the contact, his soft touch was electrifying. "You need to rest, Sweetheart" he said. I laid down and Travis handed me a thick sweatshirt. "It's Raf's" Travis said and Rafael helped me pull it over my head. My ribs fired up in agony but Rafael's familiar scent engulfed me when I wore the sweatshirt, calming me down. Rafael smiled at me. It was definitely comfy.

"You can stay here for the night if you want" Travis said but Rafael gave him a pointed look. "I think she's better off at my house" he muttered and Travis gave him a sly smile. "I actually have to get home" I mumbled and both Travis and Rafael visibly stiffened.

"Blaze, why did you pass out? More importantly, what were you doing out so late, alone?" Rafael asked me and his voice was firm. "I just hadn't eaten anything since the morning, that's why" I lied but from both his and Travis' faces I could tell they called out my bluff. Was I really such a bad liar? "You had lunch with me" Rafael bluntly stated and I gave him a sheepish grin. "I meant since after lunch". This was definitely not going as planned. It sounded way better in my head.

His face was humourless and I knew that he wasn't going to drop it. "Blaze. Tell me what happened" he said, his voice unwavering. I hadn't heard him talk this seriously to me. I racked my brain to think of a logical excuse. Telling him that my boyfriend was abusive and was one of the reasons for my absolute shitty life just didn't seem like the best idea. Not the time to be sarcastic.

"I was just on a walk, and on the way some guys mugged me. They took my purse and pushed me roughly. I must have hit my head on the wall. I don't really remember" I told him but I could hear my own voice slightly crack.

Both Rafael and Travis gave me a scrutinizing look and Travis looked away but Rafael was still on my case. "Are you sure?" I nodded my head. "Do you remember who the guys were? I'll go find them right now. The bloody assholes. They're not getting away with this. You're not still hurt, are you?" Rafael asked me and concern laced his voice but his anger was prominent. He was angry at whoever had 'mugged' me. I could only wonder what he would do if he found out the truth about me and Aiden. It surely wouldn't be a scene out of a romance movie. It would be something along the lines of Saw.

"Raf, I don't remember. I'm fine, my head's throbbing just a little. You're not going to find them anyways." I lied through my teeth and he gave me a soft smile. Travis darted his eyes between us and then started laughing.

"Something funny?" Rafael quirked an eyebrow. "You guys are cute" Travis grinned and winked at me. I blushed and looked away. He was quite forward. Rafael gave a hard glare to Travis and if looks could kill, Travis would be sixteen feet under.

"We're friends" Rafael muttered out and there was a hidden emotion in his voice that I couldn't decipher. "And don't flirt with her, Willows" Rafael gritted in a low voice. I probably wasn't supposed to hear that so I pretended to focus on a painting on the wall opposite me. I took in my surroundings and realized I was in a bedroom. It was modern yet still homey. I started thinking of plausible instances to line up my story if they interrogated me further. They being Rafael.

"What do you want to do?" Rafael asked me and I realized I had zoned out. "Whatever you prefer" I blurted out the most universal answer I could think of. "So you'll kiss either me or Rafael? I vote me" Travis smirked. My cheeks heated up and I glared at him. Rafael punched him in the shoulder. Hard. "Shut the fuck up. I won't hesitate to kick you out of your own house" he sneered, however there was a playful tone to his words. I noticed the slight red tinge on his cheeks. He was blushing. That's a first.

"Anyways I was asking earlier, but now I'm pretty sure you'd prefer staying at my house than this weirdo's house" Rafael glared at Travis and he just gave a sheepish grin. "That's really nice of you to offer and I mean it. I appreciate you guys doing all this, but I think it's about time I went home" I told both of them.

"You're not going home in this state" Rafael said. He wasn't going to budge. I really needed to go home, but he wasn't helping me by acting like a stubborn three-year old child. "I've been fine before and I'll be fine after. I'm thankful for everything, but you're not listening to a word I say. I need to go home, Aiden must be worried. I'll make it home if you don't want to drive me" I snapped at Rafael and I instantly felt bad for being so rude. I might as well have been dead or kidnapped by the sidewalk if it wasn't for him and Travis.

Hurt flashed across his eyes but he quickly covered it with an impassive look. He noticed that he did this whenever his emotions showed. "I'll be back. That painting there looks crooked. On second thought, I should make sure the vases are facing the right direction. Mum would kill me if they weren't. Decor is such an important chore" Travis blurted out an excuse and it was obvious he was lying just to avoid the awkward silence. He was quite clearly an awful liar. I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing out loud.

"If he's so worried, why isn't there a single text or call on your phone from him?" Rafael harshly retorted. I flinched at his words. Even though whatever he was saying was true, his words still struck a chord in my heart. Aiden really couldn't bother with me. "I don't know" I mumbled and Rafael's face softened.

"You're coming home with me. If you want, Bree can give him a call once we're home, saying you're with her." Rafael said and I noticed Travis still hadn't come back. There must be a lot of vases in his house. It was obvious that Rafael was firm in his decision. "Yeah whatever" I grumbled. Rafael just grinned. He was a tough nut to crack. Then I realized that he had checked my phone. It had Kiara's wallpaper and I wondered if he found anything suspicious.

"Why did you check my phone anyways?" I asked him, feigning anger. He gave me his signature smirk. Stereotypical. "Princesa, I haven't checked anything else. I'm not your father by any means. I'm far from that" he cockily said and winked. I gave him a hard glare and he completely ignored me and walked away. So much for telling him off.

Once again, I was alone with my thoughts. I dreaded moments like this. I tried to take my mind off of everything going on. Aiden's abuse and his possible cheating. Him... raping me. Rafael and Bree becoming my friends. Travis finding me. A year since Kiara passed away. The memories of that night flashed in my mind. It was a secret that resided in the depths of my mind, eating me alive.

It was all too much to handle and I felt tears well up in my eyes. I hated myself for being so weak. For crying too much. For not defending myself. For not helping Kiara. Who was this person I was becoming? Whenever I looked at my reflection in the mirror, all I could see was a girl with scars and nothing more. I was a shell. When I was at my lowest, I wondered if it would be better to end everything. This was one of those days.

I heard a noise behind me and Rafael came back with my jacket and a duffel bag in his hands. He saw my face and I instantly wiped the tears away. I didn't need him to see me crying. I didn't want anyone's sympathy. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" He asked me and I felt his breath fanning my cheek. He was directly besides me.

"I'm absolutely fine" I mustered up a smile but he saw through it all and raised an eyebrow. "My head's throbbing" I gave the most viable excuse but he still wasn't having it.

"Why are you so afraid of trusting me, Blaze?" He asked me sincerely and I reeled back at his words. "I do trust you" I mumbled. He shook his head. "There are many things you're hiding and I'll unravel each one of them. This isn't you. This is who you're pretending to be" he looked me straight in the eyes and the intensity of his gaze made me realize he was serious. "You'll run away" I muttered under my breath but it was obvious that he heard it. He stiffened but said nothing.

Suddenly, he pulled me into his chest and gave me a hug. It was like he was projecting all his emotions through a simple hug. I was engulfed by his musky scent infused with cinammon, and I instantly relaxed. He had this effect on me like none other. Out of nowhere, pain spread through my entire torso and I winced. Rafael noticed and he instantly pulled back. "Did I hurt you?" He asked. I shook my head.

"Wait. You hit your head, that's why you passed out. Why does your side hurt then?" He asked and he had a look on his face as if he was trying to put the pieces together. I doubted he would, because the truth was too hard to believe.

"It's nothing" I firmly told him but his face changed from confused to determined. "Tell me what the fuck is wrong, Blaze. Did they touch you? Hit you?" he said and I recoiled at his harsh tone. I vigorously shook my head but he wasn't going to give up. His hand shot out and he almost pulled the hem of my shirt up. I instantly stopped him.

"What the hell, Rafael?" I angrily glared at him. "Don't touch me" I told him off, slightly pushing him away and it was clear he was hurt. Just a minute ago, he was hugging me and I felt bad for being so rude. But I needed to keep him away from the truth. He was better off being kept in the dark. I couldn't get anyone else involved in my mess.

"I'm sorry" he muttered and he backed off. He was embarrassed and his face clearly showed that.

I gave him a curt nod and he stayed silent. Travis took that exact moment to come back. It was like he perfectly timed it. I suddenly realized at that moment that if he found me, there was a high chance he might have seen something. Even a bruise could raise suspicions.

As if reading my mind, Travis spoke up. "I just carried you to my car and laid you down on the backseat. Trust me Blaze, I didn't see anything. I called Rafael to come to my house as soon as I found you" he sincerely said and it was obvious he had been eavesdropping on our conversation.

"What were you even doing near that alley?" I asked him genuinely. His face instantly morphed into surprise. He looked like a kid who had been caught eating one too many cookies. "I could ask you the same question" he retorted. I scoffed "I already told you, I was out for a walk". Travis gave me a funny look.

"I never knew trash cans and graffiti were your aesthetic" he joked and I rolled my eyes. Even though I had only known him for an hour or so, I had realised that Travis was a jokester.

Rafael was silent the entire time we spoke and he had a distant look on his face. "We should get going" He told Travis and Travis just nodded. Rafael walked towards me and gave me his hand to help me up. I could feel the agony radiating throughout my entire body but I hid it.

"Do you need help?" Travis and Rafael asked me at the same time. Rafael gave Travis a glare and Travis raised his hands in surrender. I took the pleasure of butting into their staring match. "I can walk fine, the both of you" I said but Rafael never let go of my hand. His hands were comparatively larger than mine but I couldn't help the rush of butterflies in my stomach at the contact. I knew it was wrong to feel this way. I had Aiden. Even though we were far from perfect, he was still my boyfriend. No, he was an abusive rapist. I had to stop tears from flowing at that invasive thought.

But I always had a surge of emotions whenever I was around Rafael. We walked down the flight of stairs and magnificent was an understatement for the surroundings around me. Whoever had designed the house had clearly kept it cosy but at the same time, it was absolutely stunning.

We reached the door and Rafael opened the door to let me out. I noticed the night sky and realized it was quite late. Aiden couldn't even bother to call. What did you expect?

Travis had a beautiful house, no doubt. His parents weren't home. It would have been too awkward if they were.

Travis stood by the door and I awkwardly stood in front of him. "Thank you for everything" I sincerely told him. In a way, I was grateful he had been the one to find me even though we barely knew each other. It was reassuring that he had called Rafael.

"Don't thank me, any decent human being would've helped you" he said and grinned. I grinned back. His happiness was contagious, that's for sure. Rafael tugged my hand towards the direction of his car. It was parked there in all of it's matte black beauty.

"Not even a goodbye, Raf?" Travis smirked. Rafael scowled but nonetheless waved at Travis. They were unlikely friends but their bond was deeper than they showed. "You know you love me, Raf" Travis winked at Rafael and Rafael just groaned. "You're welcome any time Blaze. With or without Rafael" Travis quipped.

Rafael mumbled something along the lines of 'Dumbass can't take a hint' and we walked to the car. I waved at Travis and he gave me a megawatt grin in return.

Rafael opened the door for me. Aiden had never done that for me, only in our initial days. I knew I was comparing Rafael and Aiden too much, but I couldn't control my thoughts. When I sat in the car, I admired the interior. It was plush and soft. The car was just as sleek inside as it was on the exterior. It must've cost a fortune.

My Dad would've loved seeing this car. I missed both my parents more than words could ever say and in moments like this, I wished they were here with me. Rafael sat in the driver's seat and without a word, drove off.

An uncomfortable silence surrounded us and I felt guilty for snapping at him. He was nothing but kind, but he couldn't find out about Aiden. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you earlier" I blurted out and Rafael gave me a glance. He didn't say anything until we were at a red light. "You don't have to apologize. I was out of line" he said. His voice was sincere and I nodded. "You can't stay mad at me, can you?" He wiggled his eyebrows and the awkwardness dissipated instantly.

I scoffed, "You wish". The light turned green and he focused on the road once again. "You're nothing like the rumours, Raf. You're a softie." I jokingly said.

His hands clenched around the steering wheel as he looked at me. I instantly felt guilty for bringing it up. "Should I be offended that you judged me without knowing me?" He raised his eyebrows. "I never said I judged you" I told him. He let out a small laugh. "Who said I'm any better than what the rumours say? Maybe I'm just different for you" he enigmatically said and smirked. That single statement of his should've scared me off, but it didn't. I wanted to figure him out too. I wanted to know the real Rafael Hernandez.

Hey Babes! How is everyone holding up? We crossed 350 reads, thanks to all you amazing readers! I love each and every one of you!

Travis is SUCH a mood. I absolutely love him! He's the one who found Blaze. If you guys guessed Rafael, well you were close but nahh it was Travis. I love writing Travis and Rafael together. They have such an amazing dynamic!

Well Well Well, Blaze and Rafael are sure getting cosy. *winks*. What are your thoughts about that? Aboard the ship, fellow readers. Lmao bear with my awful sense of humour, I'm trying to entertain y'all.

I'll also update the cast every time a new character is added if you want to check it out. How's the new cover? I absolutely love it but I'm not that good so mehh we'll work with it.

Click the little star below and make my day, babes!

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