The Dimitri mansion
The doors opened slowly.
Esmeralda stepped in.
Her steps were steady
Her uniform was creased. Her hair slightly out of place.
Her eyes… distant like she had left something behind on that street.
Silence filled the mansion.
Then
"MAXIM!!!"
The roar shook the walls.
Esmeralda froze.
Footsteps thundered through the hall as Mr. Sergei appeared
Still in his coat.
Face pale with restrained fury.
Eyes burning with something far worse than anger.
Maxim stood at the center of the hall.
" Oh God I'm fucked."
Mr. Sergei closed the distance in seconds
"…Father, I—"
The Mr Sergei grabbed him by the collar and dragged him forward violently.
"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?!"
His voice cracked with rage barely contained.
Maxim struggled slightly.
"It wasn't supposed to"
SLAP.
The sound echoed like a gunshot.
Maxim's head snapped sideways.
Silence fell.
Dead.
Absolute.
Mr. Sergei leaned in
Voice dropping to something colder.
"If anything… had happened to her…"
A pause.
His grip tightened.
"I would have buried you with my own hands."
Maxim's breath hitched as Mr Sergei continued.
"I told you to get your revenge on Carlos not to make my daughter the the target," Mr. Sergei continued, voice shaking now just slightly.
"Just so you know…"
"…you are lucky to have the Sergei blood running through your veins else by now you will be in a coffin somewhere ."
That sentence broke something inside maxim.
He released him roughly.
Maxim staggered back and barely maintained his balance. His face burned as he felt humiliated to the core.
Mr. Sergei turned
But before leaving he said.
"…You disappoint me Maxim....you shatter my heart into pieces with your foolishness."
The words lingered longer than the slap.
Esmeralda's Room
A soft knock on the door.
"It's me honey, may I come in."
"Of course you can dad, anytime."
Then the door opened.
Mr. Sergei stepped in like a cat dipped in cold water.
Esmeralda sat on the edge of her bed.
Hands resting on her lap.
But her fingers were trembling.
"…Are you hurt?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"No."
A pause.
"…Not physically."
That made him stop.
He stepped closer.
"Tell me what happened."
Silence.
Longer this time.
He didn't rush her.
Didn't interrupt.
Then
"…They came for Carlos ," she said quietly.
"There were too many… even with help from Carlos gang members."
Her voice was steady
But her eyes weren't.
"They didn't stop there."
A pause.
"They saw me."
Mr. Sergei's jaw tightened.
"They grabbed me, pinned me down like I was some helpless bitch…"
Her fingers curled slightly.
"Although I was helpless."
Silence.
Mr. Sergei closed his eyes briefly.
"…And then…" she whispered.
"…he and his friends showed up."
His eyes opened.
Sharp again.
"Who?"
"…Andre."
The name hung in the room.
"…He didn't even hesitate."
Her breathing slowed slightly
As if replaying it.
"He moved like he was some savage beast."
"He beat them up really badly," she continued.
"…broke them."
Mr. Sergei didn't interrupt.
But his gaze sharpened.
"He kept going," she whispered.
"Even when they couldn't fight back,even when they begged he didn't stop."
"…I thought I was watching someone die because if not for his friends that held him down only God knows what will have happened."
Mr. Sergei exhaled slowly.
"…The only joy I have is that you are safe."
A pause.
"…I owe it to Andre and his friends, I should atleast admit that "
Mr. Sergei's expression changed.
Subtly.
But deeply.
"I will reward them," he said calmly.
"Handsomely."
Esmeralda shook her head slightly.
"…Dont make this look more complicated than it already is."
Mr. Sergei's voice lowered.
"Then what do i do."
Esmeralda smiled " Just make sure those men rot in jail for the rest of their lives. As for my school mates I will thank them personally".
Mrs. Jenkins' Residence
Dinner sat untouched.
One plate.
Empty chair.
Mrs. Jenkins sighed.
"…He didn't eat, what's wrong with him?"
She walked upstairs to his room.
Knocked gently.
"Andre?"
No answer.
"Andre?"
Still no answer
"I don't care what you are doing, I am coming in."
She opened the door.
And saw Andre sitting by the window.
In the dark.
Still.
Silent.
"…I see you are practicing how to be batman?" she said lightly.
No response.
"Someone's is not in a good mood."
She stepped in and closed the door behind her.
"You know," she began casually, "when I was your age, I skipped dinner too."
Andre looked at her curiously.
"why?"
She laughed as if she was in a trance.
"…Turns out I was just hell broke, not mysterious like you."
Silence.
"Don't you know how to atleast give a decent smile."
She moved closer.
Studied his face.
"…Hmm."
A pause.
"You look like someone who punched the day and lost."
Still nothing.
She sighed dramatically again.
"Alright, let's escalate."
She sat beside him.
"If you don't come eat…"
She leaned in slightly
"…I'll assume it's heartbreak."
"…Should I find her?" she added.
"Or him. I don't judge."
A very small shift.
Barely there.
Mrs. Jenkins caught it instantly.
"Ohhhhh… did i just see a chuckle" she smiled slightly.
"So there is someone."
Andre exhaled quietly.
"…There isn't."
"Ah," she nodded.
"Tell me she's beautiful."
Andre exhaled again
"Just stop it! Old hag."
Silence.
She softened.
"Well as for the nickname I like it so talk to me. I'm all ears."
A long pause.
Then
"…I lost control and i hurt all lot of people today."
She didn't react.
"…Hmm well did they deserve it?" she asked calmly.
"…Yes they did."
"Then why are you sitting in the dark like you lost something?"
That question lingered.
Heavy.
Andre didn't answer.
Mrs. Jenkins leaned back.
"…Some people hurt others because they enjoy it."
A pause.
"…And some do it because they don't know how to stop. And I haven't lost control in a while but when I saw her pinned down i-."
Mrs Jenkins smiled widely
"Did you just say her? We need to throw a party for you, wait! What's her name?"
"Let me guess is it the neighbors daughter."
"Nope it's not her."
"Then who."
"You won't know her even if I told you"
Silence.
She stood.
Walked to the door.
"Come tell me about her over dinner," she said gently.
Then added
"…or I'll eat your portion."
A pause.
"…and I'm not physically stable enough to handle that much food. I might you know, start to throw poisonous gas"
That
That finally broke through.
A loud laugh.
"You disgusting old woman."
"…There you are," she whispered.
Andre stood slowly.
And for tonight
The darkness stepped back.
Just a little.