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He looked into her eyes dreamily with a cold glass stare that couldn't have been foretold at the time.

"I went to a fortune teller as a kid" He said, breaking the silence. "She looked at my palms and – and, well told me that I'd marry a beautiful girl with fair skin and blue eyes… just like you". He paused, almost sincerely.

"I laughed about it at the time, but then I had this dream as a teenager, a dream of…" silence fell thick for just a moment "…you."

"Of me?" she said with a raised brow and blushing smile.

"Yes! And then I realized that you were the beautiful girl the fortune teller had told me about." He touched her face ever so slightly and she leaned into the palm of his hand.

"You're my soulmate. The dream. My everything. I will never hurt you." He whispered caressingly with a blank smile.

They both fell asleep under the stars and somehow the world fell into place.

***

"Who is he? WHO IS HE!" A punch was thrown against the wall as if to emphasise the "!"

The yelling could be heard throughout the halls. The neighbours pressed their ears to their walls and tried to make out the sounds of mumbled threats.

"Oh don't be silly. He's just a friend – I never even invited him to the party anyways!" she said, choosing her words wisely. She had become accustomed to how he reacted to the simplest of things. She knew him, even though she never really knew him.

"Are you really going to doubt me?" she laid her hand on his as if to soothe him.

He threw her hand off of his. "SHUT UP!" His chest was heaving now – In. Out. In. Out. "Stop lying you worthless bitch. I know you cheated on me with him. You whore! WHORE!" The last word echoed in her head repeatedly – not just at that moment but for years to come.

"I never! I promise." She said earnestly, as if believing that the truth would save her. But he didn't care for the truth. His rage was no longer an intangible emotion, it had become a personified physical force. It came alive and stood next to him, empowering him to do what no man with a soul could do. Palms against her chest, he pushed and she ever so smoothly fell backwards down the stairs.

***

"I will love you till the end of time. I would wait a million years." He whispered into her ear as he ran his fingers through her hair.

A very struggled "I love you" ran across her lips. But she wasn't facing him. She couldn't. Not after what happened the day before.

***

"Let's make pancakes!" echoed from the kitchen. But she continued to lay there, wondering which mask he would be wearing today. She got up and before walking into the kitchen, she took a deep breath and put a smile on her face.

"I'd love that"

He set the table. It was silent until a strained apology filled the air. "I'm sorry about the other day"

She waited.

"It will never happen again – I promise" he said as forced tears filled his eyes.

She hesitated. But then looked at him. She moved her way closer to him and put her hand on his chest. Thump. Thump. Thump. His chest spoke to her.

"It's alright. Come here" she pulled him in and held him tight. "I love you"

***

"I'm sor-"

"I WILL HURT YOU! I DON'T CARE IF YOU BLEED. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"

He held her to the wall by the neck. She couldn't move – she stared at him with sorry eyes as if to say please, let me go or you're going to kill me. He could read them.

"I HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE IF I DO!"

"But I love you. I've done everything for you. I've stood by your side in the darkest times when no one else was there." She gasped for air. "Please! I LOVE YOU!"

He loosened his grip and hugged her.

***

She locked herself in the bathroom. She could do nothing but cry. Who was this man she shared her home with? She thought she knew him. Who is he? she screamed in her head as if to ask God for an answer.

She stared in the mirror. A perfect hand print glared her in the face. "A full hand print" she said quietly to herself as she ran her fingertips along her neck.

"Morning baby" he said with smiling eyes.

"Mor… Morning" she pulled the neck of her jersey higher.

"I have my show tonight, but sound check is in an hour. So I won't have time to pass by the hospital."

"That's alright. I'll drop by and sit with her for a while. I'll bring her some flowers – she likes flowers" she said with a gentle smile.

He kissed her goodbye and walked out the door. She locked it – as if it to protect herself from him coming back.

***

Big dreams laid in front the couple. She loved him. And he obsessed over her maniacally.

***

"Get out of my way. I don't have time for this shit." His 100kg body forced past her, pushing her to the floor. "I have to get ready for my show" he said as if to emphasise what was more important in his life.

She focused her gaze on the floor. The world that had fallen into place was now falling apart, by the second. She couldn't keep up with his masks – they were being changed too quickly and they were piling high in the corner.

"Let's go. Get in the car".

Not a word was said. But the silence spoke loudly to her, muffling her own thoughts. Silence, she thought.

"You better keep your mouth shut when we get out this car. If you even think about telling anyone about what's happened, I will shut your mouth myself". He pulled into the parking lot. "And don't you dare tell them I broke my hand from punching the wall, or the next time it will be your face."

"Then what should I say? They're going to notice!" She said with scorn.

"I broke it at the gym. Ok?"

"Fine."

***

"You're psychotic! This is no kind of life!" she screamed back. "Your mask is skin and bone – there's nothing there but palpable hate!"

She knew she was taking a chance, but her heart was bursting now and she could ignore it no more.

He struck her – Again and Again. He grabbed her and flung her toward the window. Not a word was said – his raging eyes and gritting teeth said it all.

He's going to kill me echoed in her mind.

He opened the window and pushed her towards it. She looked down and suddenly the ground seemed fifty floors away. He turned her around and leaned her backwards into the gaping hole. "I HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? I DON'T CARE IF YOU BLEED LOVE FOR ME"

"Please! Stop! PLEASE!"

"YOU THINK YOU CAN MATCH ME? I WILL PUNCH YOUR FACE IN AND KILL YOU!"

Empires rose within him. He felt God-like. This was wrong, but he had no conscience to tell him otherwise.

He was angry that she had gone out without telling him. She tried to understand his anger, but how did such a simple thing become a life-threatening disaster?

She closed her eyes and brought it in herself to push back. He fell backwards and she ran for the door. But he grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to the ground. Raging and growling, he panted rabidly. She couldn't even recognise him.

He loved the control. It was the only thing that made him feel less of a hollow man. It distracted him from the reality of knowing he was worthless with a black soul.

***

The door slammed. He'd left for work.

Now's my chance!

"My freedom is best" she said aloud as if to convince the air. She grabbed everything she could and ran out the door.

His home was now as empty as his heart.

****

***

**

He looked into her eyes dreamily with a cold glass stare that couldn't have been foretold at the time.

"I went to a fortune teller as a kid" He said, breaking the silence. "She looked at my palms and – and, well told me that I'd marry a beautiful girl with fair skin and green eyes… just like you". He paused, almost sincerely. "I laughed about it at the time, but then I had this dream as a teenager, a dream of…" silence fell thick for just a moment "…you."

"Of me?" she said with a raised brow and blushing smile.

"Yes! And then I realised that you were the beautiful girl the fortune teller had told me about." He touched her face ever so slightly and she leaned into the palm of his hand.

"You're my soulmate. The dream. My everything. I will never hurt you." He whispered caressingly with a blank smile.

***

She lay there quietly. Perfect hand prints marked her body.

"I love you" He said as he ran his fingers through her hair. "I will always love you".

A relentless series had begun.