Episode 7 & 8 : The Shadow Vipers’ Hideout
She peed on her pants.
Not that she peed on her pants, it’s just a phrase she used to explain how nervous and scared she was.
“Oh my goodness,” someone exclaimed.
“Finnain had a girlfriend,” another voice chimed in.
“She’s ugly,” said a third.
“That can’t be his taste,” a fourth added.
The class went on with different whispers, and Seraphina heard every word. She immediately bowed her head, wishing for nothing more than a peaceful life.
“Isn’t she Mr. and Mrs. Blackman’s daughter?” someone asked, snapping Seraphina out of her thoughts. She started to shake in fear. If her father heard about this, he would be furious. He had always told her not to embarrass him.
She immediately grabbed her bag, shoved her books inside, and ran out, no longer wanting to hear the whispers. She frantically searched for the toilet, rushed in, and entered one of the stalls. She sat there, trembling in fear, her father’s voice ringing in her ears.
“Why were you born?” her mother had yelled, tears streaming down her face. Seraphina, who had been just five years old at the time, saw deep hatred in her mother’s eyes. She was pulled into another nightmare.
Unaware that she was reliving the past, she whispered, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been born. I’m sorry.” She closed her ears and eyes, trying to block out the voices.
When she slowly opened her eyes, there were no tears, just pain and numbness. She was used to it. She used to cry, but she had already accepted her fate. The pain was unbearable. She wanted it to go away. All that was left was an empty space in her chest.
Cut.
She wanted to cut to feel a little bit of pain.
She grabbed her bag and took out the razor. Raising her blazer, she brought the razor to her skin. She dug deeper, and blood rushed out. This was the only way she could cope with the pain. She knew that no matter how many times she cut herself, her father knew but never cared. He just made sure it didn’t leave a scar. So every Saturday, she went for skin treatment.
She hated it. She hated that her father knew but still decided to do nothing. After she was done, she cleaned her wounds, flushed the toilet, and stepped out of the stall, only to be surrounded by four girls.
SHADOW VIPERS HANGOUT
Finnain’s eyes narrowed as Seraphina abruptly bolted out of the classroom, leaving behind a trail of whispered rumors and startled glances.
The smug satisfaction he had anticipated swiftly dissolved into uncertainty.
All he had aimed to do was to instill enough fear to keep her from talking, and to his relief, it seemed to have worked as he sauntered down the corridor, basking in the adulation of his admirers.
“Finnain, what the hell was that? You have a girlfriend!” Jasper and Stellan’s voices rang out simultaneously, the accusation laced with disbelief that reverberated painfully in his ears.
“Who is she?” Rafferty’s anger, as predictable as ever, seethed beneath the surface.
Finnain remained silent, evading their questions as he led them to their exclusive hangout spot.
Slumping onto the couch, Finnain closed his eyes, attempting to shut out their relentless queries.
“Finnain, talk to us,” Stellan pleaded urgently, the desperation evident in his voice. He knew if he didn’t provide answers, this interrogation would never cease.
“She was there when I… when I took care of Allen. I had no choice but to kiss her and claim she’s my girlfriend to throw off the police,” Finnain confessed finally, the weight of his admission hanging heavy in the air.
A stunned silence followed his revelation, punctuated only by their collective disbelief.
Stellan broke the silence first. “You did what?”
Jasper and Rafferty remained speechless, their shock palpable.
Without another word, Finnain stormed off to his room, unable to face their incredulity.
Jasper, still reeling from the bombshell, muttered to himself, “Did Finnain just… kiss a girl?”
“I think so,” Stellan replied with a bemused smile.
“I wonder how her blood will taste,” he added nonchalantly, seemingly unfazed by the gravity of Finnain’s actions.
“This is why you’re the dumbest among us,” Rafferty retorted sharply.
“And you’re the weakest,” Stellan shot back, reigniting their argument with renewed intensity.
Meanwhile, Jasper quietly slipped out of the room, consumed by thoughts of Seraphina—the girl Finnain had kissed, who miraculously still lived. She could change everything; Jasper hoped fervently that she might be the one.
Seraphina tried to break free, but one of the girls grabbed her hair and yanked her back, delivering a stinging slap across her face.
“Finnian is mine!” the girl shouted furiously.
“Hold her down, girls! I’ll teach her a lesson,” commanded the tall blonde, as the others pinned Seraphina down while she struggled in vain.
“Let me go!” Seraphina screamed, fear and anger coursing through her.
Jessica grabbed a broken mop handle and advanced menacingly towards Seraphina, who looked terrified.
“What are you doing?” Seraphina demanded, her voice trembling.
Meanwhile, Jasper had been searching for Seraphina and heard her cry for help. He rushed into the girls’ bathroom and froze at the sight before him.
Seeing Jasper, Stella released her hold on Seraphina, her eyes instantly lighting up with admiration.
“Jasper,” she murmured dreamily, stepping towards him. But Jasper ignored her, striding purposefully towards Seraphina.
Gently taking her in his arms, he could feel her trembling. His gaze hardened as he stared down Jessica, who shrank back in fear, clutching Seraphina’s bag.
Jasper swiftly carried Seraphina away from the hostile group. She continued to tremble with fear, grateful for his intervention. What would they have done to her if Jasper hadn’t arrived?
Stopping abruptly, Seraphina glanced up at Jasper, who offered her a reassuring smile. She knew he and Finnian were friends, and that implied danger.
Suddenly feeling overwhelmed, she pulled away from him.
“Thank you,” she muttered hurriedly, walking away, not wanting any further involvement with them.
“Hey,” Jasper called out, reaching for her wrist. Seraphina flinched, instinctively covering her blazer sleeve where it had slipped up.
Jasper noticed the cut on her wrist.
Seraphina recoiled, expecting disgust or condemnation from Jasper. Instead, he smiled gently.
“I promise I won’t tell anyone,” Jasper reassured her, his voice soft.
“Thank you,” she whispered gratefully.
“I’m Jasper,” he introduced himself.
“Seraphina,” she replied quietly.
They stood in silence for a moment.
“Can I have your number?” Jasper asked tentatively.
Seraphina hesitated, torn between fear and the compulsion to comply. She nodded cautiously, reluctantly agreeing.
For the rest of the day, Seraphina avoided Jasper, Finnian, and their gang. She noticed the disdainful stares, even from Sarah, who had once shown her to the principal’s office. Whispers followed her everywhere, a constant reminder of her new status.
As the school day finally ended, Seraphina waited until the classroom cleared out. She hesitated for several minutes, waiting for the hallway to empty of hateful glances.
When she finally ventured outside, someone grabbed her wrist and forcefully pulled her into an empty classroom. Seraphina was about to scream, but when she looked up, she froze in fear.
It was Finnian, his eyes burning with fury as he glared down at her.
What had she done now? Seraphina’s mind raced with fear.
Finnian seized her by the neck, slamming her against the wall, his grip tightening around her throat.
“Stay the hell away from Jasper,” he growled, his dangerous aura adding to her suffocation.
She struggled to push his hand away, feeling herself gasping for breath. Unintentionally, her blazer sleeve slipped up.
Finnian’s eyes darted to the cut on her wrist.
Instantly releasing his grip, Seraphina collapsed to the floor, coughing and struggling to breathe.
Finnian grabbed her wrist forcefully, pushing her blazer further up her arm as he stared at the deep cut.
An unknown anger surged through him.
“Who’s the bastard that did this to you?” he demanded dangerously, sending chills down Seraphina’s spine.
Episode 9 & 10 : The Price of Defiance
“Who’s the bastard that did this to you?” Finnain said, a bit of anger in his voice.
Why does he care?
He knew she was the one who had cut herself. He knew that feeling very well. The feeling of unbearable pain, the feeling of wanting to take away the pain. The feeling of being rejected, with the only solution left being to cut.
He’s been there. Worse than anyone.
Seraphina, shivering in fear, immediately pulled her arm away. Her eyes darted around, looking for an escape, as if the walls were closing in on her. “Leave me alone,” she said, grabbing her bag with trembling hands. But Finnain wasn’t having it; he blocked her way, his presence towering and unyielding.
“I asked a question,” he said, his voice matching the intensity of his eyes, sending a chilling wave of fear through her body.
“Why do you care?” Seraphina found a spark of courage to question him, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Finnain was taken aback. No one had ever questioned him. The air between them thickened with tension. He doesn’t care, no, he’s just curious. He knew she had cut herself. Why is he curious? He has never been curious about anything.
Seraphina noticed his silence and kept going, her movements hurried and desperate. “I kept my mouth shut. Now leave me alone. You’ve made my day worse already,” she said before bolting out the door.
She rushed outside, her heart pounding in her chest, noticing her driver was already there. She immediately got in, slamming the door behind her, and they drove away. The cityscape blurred past her window feeling numb down as usual, but she knew all she wanted was to scream of anguish.
Finnain stood there, rooted to the spot. Not moving. His hand on his hair, he let out a primal scream, “Fuck!”
He hates this. He hates that he’s like this ever since he met her. He’s fucking losing it. She’s messing with him.
His fist collided with the wall, the pain in his knuckles a welcome distraction from the turmoil in his mind. He walked away, his steps heavy with frustration and confusion.
Jasper, who had been secretly watching from the shadows, stepped out. A smirk made its way to his mouth, curling up slowly as if savoring the moment.
This could be it. She could change everything, he thought, his mind already racing with possibilities. With that, he walked away, a sense of purpose igniting within him.
MOB GANG
Blue sat in his room with a smirk on his face. The dim light cast shadows on the walls, but the darkness didn’t bother him. He thrived in it. All he wanted was to bring down the Shadow Vipers, and most importantly he wanted to kill Finnain with his own hands. The funny thing was that they had once been friends. They had cared for each other long before Jasper, Stellan, and Rafferty came into the picture.
But everything ended when she died.
The memory of her flooded his mind, the pain as fresh as the day it happened. In a fit of rage, he smashed the glass cup in his hand, watching as everything shattered into tiny pieces. Just like that, he was going to shatter Finnain and the rest of his gang. That’s why he started his own gang, the Mob, to get revenge for her.
Sitting back in his chair, he took the file that one of his gang members had brought. As he opened it, he laughed at the pictures of a girl kissing Finnain. Never knew that bastard was capable of loving. This is it?
“Aaron,” Blue called, and Aaron immediately entered, his posture hesitant.
“I have a job for you,” he said to his younger brother.
“Don’t drag me into this mess of yours with the Shadow Vipers. I don’t want to be part of this,” Aaron said, looking at his elder brother with a mix of frustration and concern.
Blue looked at his younger brother, his eyes softening. “Please, just this once. I promise I’ll send you out of the country once it’s done,” he pleaded, his voice almost breaking.
Aaron looked at his brother. He had always loved him and had begged him not to pursue his revenge, but Blue was stubborn. All Aaron wanted was for them to be together as a family. Knowing that he couldn’t say no, he sighed before looking back at his brother.
“Fine,” he whispered.
“Thanks, Ron,” Blue smiled, relief washing over him.
“Don’t call me that!” Aaron yelled, while Blue’s smile only widened.
Blue grabbed the picture of Seraphina and showed it to Aaron. Aaron took it, examining the girl in the photo.
“Yikes, she’s not my type, but she’s beautiful,” he said, his tone light but his eyes serious.
“Your job is to befriend her, make her the closest thing to you, and leave the rest to me,” Blue said, his voice turning cold.
“Don’t tell me you’re planning to—”
“Yes, Aaron,” Blue replied, clicking his fingers. “I am.”
Aaron hated seeing his brother like this, but he nodded, resigned to his fate.
“Keep a low profile. Finnain must not find out that you’re my brother. You’ll be starting their school next week,” Blue instructed.
“Okay, brother,” Aaron agreed, his voice tinged with sadness.
“I promise, after everything is done, we’ll finally be a family. The one our parents failed to be. Just please help your brother,” Blue said, his voice softening with desperation.
Aaron nodded before hugging his brother tightly. “Brother, I love you. You know that, right?” he said, hoping his brother would just forget about the revenge and choose peace.
“Yeah, I know, and I love you too,” Blue said, hugging his younger brother, who meant the world to him. He hated dragging his brother into this mess, but Aaron was the only one Finnain didn’t know about. He promised to protect him, even if it meant endangering him. He felt like the worst brother ever.
“Brother, don’t forget that you’re the best, even though you always think you’re the worst. You mean the world to me,” Aaron said, his voice earnest.
Blue nodded, still finding it hard to believe it. He sat back, contemplating his next move. His mind wandered back to the days when he and Finnain were friends. They had dreams, plans, and a bond that seemed unbreakable. But her death changed everything. The betrayal, the loss, it all led him to this moment. He had to see it through, for her.
As the night wore on, Blue’s room grew darker, mirroring his thoughts. He knew the path he had chosen was dangerous, but there was no turning back. The Mob was his creation, his weapon against the Shadow Vipers. And with Aaron’s help, he was one step closer to his goal.
He looked at the shattered glass on the floor, a symbol of his broken past and the shattered future he was planning for Finnain. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the days to come. This was just the beginning, and he was ready to do whatever it took to bring them down.
For her. For revenge. For a twisted sense of justice.
And as Aaron left the room, Blue’s resolve hardened. The game was on, and he intended to win, no matter the cost.
ROYAL HIGH SCHOOL
It was Seraphina’s second day at Royal High School, and the whispers were still there, like an annoying buzz she couldn’t escape. She grabbed her book and made her way to her class, her head held high despite the prying eyes and hushed voices.
Jessica, who looked at her with pure hatred, saw an opportunity. She put her leg forward, tripping Seraphina and making her fall face-flat on the floor. The sound of laughter erupted around her, echoing off the walls of the hallway. But the last thing Seraphina would ever do was cry. She had endured worse. Little did they know she was no stranger to pain.
Seraphina calmly picked up her book, adjusted her glasses, and walked away without a single tear. This composure only made Jessica boil with anger. How dare she not break down?
“Calm down, Jess,” Mandy said, trying to placate her friend.
“We’ll teach her a lesson,” Rose added, her voice seething with anger.
“I don’t want to be in this mess and then have Jasper hate me. Did you see the way he looked at me when we bullied her in the restroom?” Stella said, her voice trembling. The three of them stared at her as if she were crazy.
“What the fuck are you saying, Stella?” Jessica yelled, her face red with fury.
“I don’t care if she’s Finnain’s girlfriend or not. Don’t drag me into this mess. As long as Jasper doesn’t hate me, I’m not going to play the stupid game you’re playing. The last thing I want is Jasper staring at me with so much hate.
As long as she isn’t Jasper’s girlfriend, then I’m fine. Solve your problem yourself, Jess. Just count me out,” Stella said, grabbing her book from her locker with trembling hands.
“So you like the new girl?” Rose said, feeling disgusted.
“Don’t quote me wrong, Rose. I hate her just as much as Jess does, but I’m not going to hurt her if it means Jasper will hate me. After all, she’s Finnain’s girlfriend and not Jasper’s. Count me out and solve your problem yourself,” Stella declared, slamming her locker shut before walking away.
“That bitch!” Jessica yelled, her face contorting with rage. She stormed off like a volcano about to erupt, leaving Mandy and Rose standing there.
Mandy sighed, her face showing signs of frustration and worry. “Jess is losing it. She needs to calm down before she gets herself into trouble,” she muttered.
Rose nodded in agreement. “Yeah, but she’s not going to listen to us. She’s too blinded by her hatred for Seraphina. I just hope this doesn’t blow up in our faces.”
The day was finally over, and Seraphina was grateful she didn’t come across the Viper boys. She spent her day in the library, losing herself in books, and finally, it was time to go home. She waited until the hallway was empty before heading to her locker, putting her books away. As she opened it, a piece of paper slipped out.
She picked it up and read:
“Thank you for the information. If you want to know more about Finnain, let’s meet this evening at the bar.”
Seraphina stared at it, confused. Information? She never told anyone anything. She looked for a name, but there was none. She figured the person must have sent it to the wrong person, but Finnain’s name being mentioned made her uneasy.
As she was about to slip the note into her pocket, a hand snatched it from her. She turned to see Finnain, his expression darkening as he read the note.
“You fucking told the Mob gang?” he yelled, and Seraphina stared at him, confused.
“I knew something wasn’t right about you,” he said. “Now you’ve given me a reason to kill you.”
Before Seraphina could say anything, Finnain pointed a gun at her, his finger on the trigger.
“Finnain, stop!” Jasper came out of his hiding place, having watched everything unfold. “This might be part of the Mob’s plan,” Jasper said, trying to reason with Finnain. “And she might be part of the Mob too.”
Seraphina, who didn’t know what was happening, sighed tiredly. She was exhausted from being treated this way, from living in constant fear. Maybe it was better if she just died. She placed her head against the barrel of the gun where the bullet would come out.
“Do it,” she whispered.
Jasper’s eyes widened in horror. “Seraphina, what are you doing?”
“Do it, Finnain. It’s not like I have anything to live for. Not like my parents actually care about me. I’m tired of living in fear—from you and my parents. Just end my miserable life,” Seraphina said, closing her eyes. At least in death, she would finally be at peace.
“Fine,” Finnain said coldly.
“Finnain, no!” Jasper yelled, but Finnain pulled the trigger.
Episode 11 & 12 : A Test of Trust
Finnian pointed his gun at Seraphina, who had given up on humanity and her life, deciding to finally find peace in death. She was tired. Tired of being treated like her existence was a bane to her parents. The treatment, the harsh words, everything, she was exhausted.
There was no saving grace for her. Maybe she’d find peace in death. Finnian, staring at Seraphina, gritted his teeth. She didn’t beg like before. He hated it. But he heard everything she said about her parents. He knew that feeling. He knew it so well.
“Finnian, please,” Jasper pleaded.
Finnian glanced at Jasper, but he wasn’t having it. Ending her life would end her suffering, and he would gladly do it. Then he pulled the trigger.
“Finnian, no!” Jasper yelled.
Jasper, who didn’t expect Finnian to actually pull the trigger, immediately pushed his hand away, causing the bullet to go in another direction down the hallway.
“What the fuck!” Finnian yelled as he and Jasper fell to the floor.
Seraphina, who didn’t feel the impact of the bullet, slowly opened her eyes and saw that Jasper had hit Finnian’s hand just in time. Finnian, staring angrily at Jasper for pushing him away, immediately threw a punch at him, making Jasper lose his balance.
Finnian continued to throw punches at Jasper’s face, venting his rage. Jasper didn’t hit back. He understood what Finnian was feeling. He understood, and that was why he let Finnian pour his anger out on him.
Seraphina watched in shock as Finnian pummeled Jasper. Reflexively, she used all her strength to push Finnian away. She immediately rushed to Jasper, whose face was now bloody, with swollen eyes, swollen lips, and a broken nose.
Finnian stood there for a second, something flashing in his eyes. Was it guilt? But it was gone in a millisecond. Without a word, he turned and walked away, leaving Seraphina and Jasper behind.
Seraphina cradled Jasper’s head in her lap, tears streaming down her face. She whispered, “Why did you do that? Why didn’t you fight back?”
Jasper, wincing in pain, managed a weak smile. “I couldn’t. I understand him. He’s hurting just like you. Just like me.”
Seraphina looked up, watching Finnian’s retreating figure. She wondered if he would ever find peace, or if he would continue to be consumed by his rage. She looked down at Jasper, who had risked his life to save hers. In that moment, she realized that maybe there was still some hope left, even in the midst of so much pain.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice trembling.
Jasper nodded slightly, his swollen eyes closing. “We need to stick together. We can’t let the darkness take us.”
Finnian walked away, seething with rage. He had lost control again, something he never did with any of his brothers. But today was different.
All he wanted was to end her life, not because he wanted to, but because he believed it was the only way for her to find peace.
He knew that feeling all too well. If he had encountered someone who could help him end his own life back then, he would have welcomed it with open arms.
He was consumed by a darkness so thick that he kept sinking deeper and deeper into it, with no hope of rescue. No one could save him. He had always been misunderstood, and only the vipers comprehended his true nature, especially Jasper. And now, he had hurt him.
Finnian loathed himself for hurting Jasper, but he was also consumed by anger. Why did Jasper care so much about that girl? Did he like her? The thought gnawed at him. “Fuck,” he yelled, pulling at his hair in frustration.
No, there was no way Jasper could fall in love. Not Jasper, the one person who understood him best. Even if he did fall in love, it couldn’t be with her. No, not her. She’s mi— Finnian stopped himself abruptly. What the hell was he thinking? It’s not like he cared, right?
Finnian mounted his bike, needing to clear his mind. The roar of the engine matched the tumult within him as he sped away, the wind whipping past his face. He couldn’t shake the image of her from his mind, nor the rage he felt towards Jasper.
Seraphina and Jasper emerged from the hospital, her face set with determination. She had practically dragged Jasper there, insisting that he get checked out. Now, outside the stark, sterile building, she tried to call a cab for him, but Jasper refused, saying he wanted to take a walk. After failing to convince him otherwise, she reluctantly waved him goodbye and entered a cab herself. Her driver had gone off four hours ago, leaving her to fend for herself.
The cab ride home was silent, the darkness outside reflecting her own exhaustion. She longed for the comfort of her bed, to collapse and let sleep take her away from the turmoil of the day. But as she entered her home, she was taken aback to find her parents waiting for her.
She had barely set foot inside when her father, Steven, stormed towards her. Without warning, he slapped her across the face, the force of it leaving her stunned. He looked at her with a hatred that pierced her soul.
“Father,” she whispered, her head bowed.
“You abomination! What am I hearing? I told you not to embarrass me, and it’s only your second day and you’ve already done just that!” Steven yelled, his voice dripping with anger.
Seraphina stared at the floor, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. She was in pain, both physical and emotional, but she held herself together, refusing to let a single tear fall. The words her father hurled at her became a blur. Finally, mustering her courage, she looked up and asked, “Why do you hate me so much, Father?”
Steven let out a harsh laugh. “I’ll gladly tell you,” he sneered.
“Steven!” Mariam, her mother, cried out. “Don’t!” she pleaded, shaking.
“The night before our wedding,” Steven began, ignoring his wife’s protests, “your mother here slept with my friend, or should I say my once friend. She cheated on me with him the night before our wedding,” Steven yelled, his eyes blazing with fury as he glared at Mariam. “And then she birthed a bastard and passed it off as my child.”
Seraphina’s eyes widened in shock. All her life, she had thought that her father’s disdain was due to her own failings—not studying hard enough, not being the perfect daughter. Tears began to stream down her face, years of suppressed pain finally breaking free.
“Why?” her mother sobbed, unable to look at her daughter.
“Why didn’t you divorce Mother?” Seraphina whispered, her voice trembling.
“And let the press know? I couldn’t risk my business. Even if it meant staying in a loveless marriage with a bastard child,” Steven said coldly.
Seraphina could no longer hold back her tears. She turned away from her parents, her heart shattered. Her mother called after her, but she didn’t look back. She walked out of the mansion, her sobs growing louder with each step. She had no idea where she was going; she just kept walking, needing to escape.
Eventually, she found herself in a park. Her mind was in a whirl, and she was so consumed by her grief that she didn’t notice her surroundings until it was too late. She stumbled upon a scene that made her blood run cold, Finnian, a member of the vipers, killing someone in cold blood.
She cried uncontrollably, unable to hold back the torrent of emotions any longer. Jasper, who had been nearby, heard her sobs and instinctively followed the sound. His eyes widened when he saw Seraphina.
“Phina,” he whispered, rushing to her side. He enveloped her in a hug as she sobbed, his heart breaking for her. He had always seen Seraphina as the little sister he never had.
“It hurts,” she stuttered, still crying. “Fa-th-” she choked on her words.
“Shhhh, it’s okay. I’m here,” Jasper whispered, placing a gentle kiss on her head. He knew immediately that her parents had hurt her. His fists clenched, and he gritted his teeth, anger boiling inside him. Once things were settled, Finnian would make sure to deal with everyone who had ever hurt her.
Jasper tightened his embrace, placing another kiss on her head, trying to offer her some comfort. Meanwhile, Finnian, who had gone to the hospital to buy some treatment for Jasper, decided to take a stroll, thinking about how he could give it to Jasper without having to say sorry or show any emotions.
“Fuck this,” he muttered, finding himself in the park. As he turned a corner, he stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening at the sight before him. Jasper was hugging Seraphina, who was sobbing uncontrollably, while he placed a tender kiss on her forehead.
The bag of treatment Finnian held fell to the ground. Everything around him turned red. His breathing grew heavy as his inner demons, which he had fought so hard to keep at bay, were unleashed. They screamed for blood, for vengeance.
“Kill him!”
“Kill him!”
“Kill him!”