Janice's hands began to shake.
"Ian"----- she whispered.
He didn't wait for her to finish."Let's go".
They ran.
The night air felt heavier than before.Every step toward Mia's house felt like walking toward a storm.
When they got there,Mia was standing outside her gate,tears streaming down her face.
"He was here",she said,her voice breaking.
"He kept knocking-----saying he just wants to talk".
Ian's jaw tightened."Where is he now?"
Before Mia could answer,a shadow moved across the street.
The guy stepped forward slowly,hands in his pocket as if he owns the place.
"I just want five minutes",he said calmly.
Ian stepped in front of Mia.
"You've had enough time".
Janice grabbed Ian's arm "don't .Please".
The ground didn't shake.
But everything else did.
Because this wasn't just about Mia anymore.
It was about jealousy. About pride. About love turning into something dangerous.
And Ian had to choose-------
Fight
Or prove that love doesn't need violence to be strong.