Shattered Peace

Chapter 5

Shattered Peace

Saturday mornings were always my favorite, the only time I had peace and tranquility. My stepmother went to the gym, Vanessa was at drama rehearsal, and Anastasia, though home, was usually indifferent to me.

I rose early, relished a quiet breakfast, and headed to my room to finish my painting of the hot cutie I met at the festival. The more I painted him, the more I found myself infatuated, lost in a romantic fantasy.

While I was absorbed in my artwork, thoughts of my father's debts to the Blackwood, my last conversation with Peter, and the mysterious man sending me threatening messages clouded my mind.

"I will survive all this," I reassured myself.

Just then, I heard Tiffany’s voice downstairs, inquiring about my whereabouts. My irritation flared. “What does she want now?” I muttered, preparing for confrontation.

Dressing in a more comfortable outfit, I braced myself. Tiffany's visits never meant peace, only trouble. I stormed downstairs.

“Who the hell is disturbing my peace?” I yelled, seeing Tiffany's smirk.

“Finally, you decided to show your face, bitch,” Tiffany sneered.

“What do you want, Tiffany?” I demanded, ready to put an end to her meddling.

“You think you can steal my boyfriend?” Tiffany spat.

“No, I don’t,” I replied firmly.

“Yes, you do. You told Peter to break up with me, didn’t you?”

“Tiffany, Peter and I are just friends,” I insisted, but before I could say more, Tiffany slapped me hard.

The sting ignited my fury. As she turned to leave, I yanked her hair, bringing her crashing to the floor. I pinned her and struck her repeatedly, ruining her makeup.

Anastasia tried to intervene but was ineffective. Amid our fight, my father, James, entered, stunned by the scene.

“Rory, what’s going on?” he shouted, his face a mix of shock and disappointment.

“She started it!” I protested.

“She slapped me first,” Tiffany retorted.

“Enough!” James commanded. “Rory, go upstairs. Tiffany, get out of my house.”

“You’ll regret this,” Tiffany hissed as she left.

James scolded us both. “You’re grounded. Anastasia, give me your phone.”

I ran upstairs in tears, cursing the chaos Tiffany and Peter had caused. My reflection showed bloody scratches and a swollen lip.

“I can’t believe I’m hurt because of their problems. I’m done with Peter,” I vowed, my resolve hardening. My appearance has always been a source of pride and now it is a painful reminder of the choas in my life. Even if i still had feeling for peter , seeing my injured face made me questionif it was worth pursuing him.

After cleaning up and calming down with music, I fell asleep. When I awoke, it was 4 PM. A message from Peter awaited: he was coming to see me at 7:00 PM.

“Finally, I’ll set things straight with him,” I thought, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety. I was determined to confront him about how their issues had impacted my life.

As the evening approached, a new wave of fear gripped me. Peter's visit promised clarity, but what if his intentions were more dangerous than I imagined?, Is this meeting a chance for resolution, or would it unravel more secrets?, What if the conversation will not go as planned?. I braced myself for whatever might come, knowing that the night could bring more than just heart to heart, it might bring revelations that might change everything.