"No, no, it's not like that, Lara!" he said, his voice a little too high-pitched, his words a desperate attempt to soothe the storm that was brewing inside me. He approached me, his hands reaching out, his touch a desperate attempt to regain control.

I tried to remove his hands from my face, my body recoiling from his touch, my heart pounding in my chest.

"I hate you for doing this to me, Dawzon! I hate you!" I yelled, my voice raw with emotion, my anger a burning coal in my chest. I pushed him with such force that he stumbled back, his surprise evident in his wide eyes.

I...