His Possession To Claim

Aria strolled around the farm, arms crossed tightly, the cool breeze brushing against her skin. The sky above her was painted in shades of orange and pink, the sun sinking lower toward the horizon. She watched it, a beautiful sight, as the light softened the rough edges of the fields around her. It felt as if the day itself was taking a deep breath before giving way to night. The rolling hills and quiet barns seemed to pulse with life in a way that was both comforting and isolating.

"You've been absent-minded these days," Mr. Andrew's words echoed in her mind. "Is it a personal issue? Family trouble? Something you want to talk about?"

Aria's lips thinned at the memory. She hadn't said anything to him, just shook her head in response. The concern in his voice had felt like an unwanted weight. Why did people always want to talk about things that hurt?

"Aria," he'd continued, "you're one of my best students. I don't want to lose someone like you. Your grades are slipping, and you've been skipping extracurricular activities."

The words still stung, and despite the beauty surrounding her, it was hard to shake off the heaviness in her chest. The soft wind blew past her, lifting strands of her hair, the wind carrying a fresh scent of grass and earth. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes for a moment. It felt good—the breeze, the quiet of the farm, the way the sun gently painted the sky. For a second, she could almost forget everything else.

She had come to the countryside with her classmates for a school trip, thinking it might be the break she needed. But the schedule had been so packed, leaving her no time to truly escape the stress of school and life. By the time night came, everyone was too tired to do anything but sleep.

Her apartment, though, was a different kind of burden. It was cold, dark, and empty—just like the hollow space inside her. Here, at least, the farm had people, and the peacefulness of it all helped her focus. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that staying here was just another way of running from something she didn't want to face.

"Aria, what's wrong with you lately?" she muttered to herself, her voice barely audible against the rustling leaves.

Without warning, tears blurred her vision. She hadn't planned on crying, hadn't even realized she needed to, but now that the tears were coming, they couldn't be stopped.

"Dad... I'm tired," she whispered as if he could hear her. The grief still stung like it was yesterday.

Her father had been murdered when she was barely eight years old. He had only stepped out to get a birthday present for his wife,who knew it would be the last time they would see each other again? The memory of his bloodied body left behind in their backyard haunted her, though the killers had left no trace. The world had turned dark for her mother that day, leaving her a shell of the woman she once was. As the only child, Aria had been forced to grow up quickly, taking on the responsibility of not just herself, but also caring for a broken mother.

The tears flowed, and she didn't even try to stop them. But there was no one to hold her, no one to tell her it would be okay. She wiped her eyes roughly with the back of her hand, trying to pull herself together. Crying won't change anything, she thought. You have to keep moving forward. But it didn't feel that simple.

She looked up at the sky, watching the sun dip lower, painting the clouds in beautiful hues of purple and gold. The scene before her was so serene it almost didn't seem real, the sunset casting a soft glow over the fields, making everything seem distant and untouched. She felt as though the earth was breathing with her, as if the land understood her pain.

Her father's death was a wound that never healed. It was the kind of pain that stayed with you, hidden beneath the surface, resurfacing whenever you least expected it. No matter how many times she tried to bury it, it always found a way to creep back in. And it had been too long now, too many years since that day. The scar of it was still too fresh.

She shook her head, the thought of him too painful to linger on for much longer. She had promises to keep—promises to herself. She wiped the remaining tears from her face. You just have to keep going. Tough times never last, she repeated, though the words felt hollow as they left her mind.

The thunder rumbled in the distance, a low warning of rain. The sky darkened, and the cool breeze turned into something more ominous, carrying the weight of an impending storm. It reminded her that the day was coming to an end—today, their last day on the trip. She had to pack up and prepare for their return to the city, back to reality.

As she walked back toward the quarters, lost in her thoughts, she spotted Daphne and Jared near the edge of the farm. A slight pang of something sharp and unpleasant twisted inside her. She tried not to look, but it was hard not to see them. Daphne had her arm around Jared as if to stake a claim, and Aria couldn't ignore the twinge of jealousy that flared in her chest.

Daphne, always the opportunist, noticed Aria and immediately pulled Jared toward her, her possessiveness obvious in the way she held onto him. She knew Aria saw Jared as more than just a friend,a girl's instinct hardly lies.

"Aria, are you okay?" Daphne called out, her voice dripping with fake concern as she came closer. "What happened back there in class? Nothing new going on in your life, I guess?"

Aria clenched her jaw, the irritation rising in her chest. She didn't answer right away. She didn't need to. You're just trying to get under my skin, Aria thought. And unfortunately,it was working.

"Anything I can help with?" Daphne pressed, her voice so sweet it was almost sickening.

Jared, clearly uncomfortable,looked between the two. He wore a worried look as his gaze lingered on Aria. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a classmate calling out for his help.

"Jared, over here! I need help with these!" The boy was struggling with an armful of equipment from their field trip.

Jared, eager to escape the tension, shot Aria a look and mumbled, "Be right back." He sort of felt freed from Daphne, who had been clinging unto him possessively throughout the whole trip.

The moment he was gone, Daphne's pleasant smile melted away, replaced by a cold, calculating look. It was like watching a mask fall off, revealing the real face underneath.

"Before I forget," Daphne said, her voice taking on a sly edge, "Mr. Andrew said to go to the cottage near the horse stables. His tent is there. He needs you to pick it up."

Aria furrowed her brows, puzzled. "His tent? But Mr. Andrew didn't bring any tents. He said the workers' quarters were big enough for everyone, remember?"

Daphne shrugged with a casual air, clearly enjoying the confusion she was stirring. "Ask him yourself, but he's not here right now." She flicked her hair over her shoulder and turned to leave, her smirk almost too wide to be sincere. "Ciao."

Aria stood frozen for a moment, doubt gnawing at her. Why would Mr. Andrew leave a tent in that cottage? she wondered. The cottage was located at the far end of the farm, near the edge of the property, a place no one had been paying much attention to.

Her curiosity won out, and after a moment of hesitation, she decided to go check it out. At least she had an excuse to escape for a while, away from the tension and the uncomfortable presence of Daphne. The clouds were thickening rapidly, and the thunder rumbled again, louder this time. It was clear a storm was coming.

As she turned to head toward the cottage, a slight unease settled in her chest. The farm had been unusually quiet, with only the soft rustling of leaves in the wind breaking the silence. Maybe it was just the storm approaching, she tried shrugging it off,still, something about the situation didn't sit right with her. She couldn't quite pinpoint it, but she decided to press on anyway. At least the cottage would offer her a moment of solitude to clear her mind away from the hustle of the farm. The weather was getting colder with the continuous rumbling of the thunder.