He Gave Me Hearing, Then Taught Me What Silence Really Means novel Chapter 30

Audrey instantly clamped her mouth shut and hurried away as fast as her heels could carry her, terrified of being attacked again. "Psycho. No wonder your mother used to beat you."

All the color drained from Juniper's face. She stood rooted to the spot, completely paralyzed.

A chaotic flood of humiliating, agonizing memories threatened to drown her.

*Crack.*

The sound of crunching plastic snapped her back. Nelson had picked up the discarded water bottle, twisted the cap off, and taken a drink. "Can you really not control your temper, Juniper? No wonder you barked at a four-year-old."

Juniper took a slow step back. Her eyes weren't filled with hurt; they were filled with pure dread.

They were pushing her to the absolute brink of insanity, yet demanding she remain perfectly composed.

Her fingertips began to tremble violently. She turned sharply and walked into the building lobby.

Seeing how deathly pale she was, Nelson followed her.

She had no energy left to scream or fight him. She stood silently in the ancient, rickety elevator.

The corners of the cab were grimed with dirt, the walls plastered with cheap plumbing repair stickers.

When the doors opened on her floor, she unlocked her apartment. As she pushed the door open, Nelson shoved his hand against the wood, blocking her from closing it.

"Not going to invite your old classmate in for a drink?"

Her grip on the door handle tightened until her knuckles ached. She looked up at him. "Are you treating me like your new plaything again?"

He wanted to watch her foolishly fall for him again, just to watch her break.

He wanted to watch everyone humiliate her, to push her into an abyss she could never climb out of.

What exactly had she done to deserve this level of hatred from him?

Seeing the raw emotion in her face, Nelson felt a sudden, inexplicable surge of frustration. He downed the rest of the water in one go and crushed the bottle in his grip, the plastic popping loudly in the quiet hallway.

"Don't you think you're being a little delusional? Look at where you stand and look at me. Do you really think I'd stoop to wanting you?"

Juniper let out a hollow laugh and pointed at the elevator. "Then get the hell out."

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