Chapter five: Cracks in the Armor
The next few days dragged on, each one filled with awkward interactions and Damien. The group project was progressing, but it seemed like every time they got a step closer to completing they were on the verge of a major confrontation, and every time she saw Damien, She could practically feel the wall between them getting higher.
She tried her best to focus on work, but there was moments when she couldn't help but wonder why Damien seemed so determined to make everything harder than it needed to be. Was it really just project? or was there something more behind his constant pushback?
One afternoon, as Nina and the rest of the group met in the library to finalize their research, Damien's cold presence was unmistakable. He sat at the far end of the table, his laptop open but his eyes focused on something far beyond the screen. Leo, as always, was trying to break the tension with a joke, but even he seemed a little on edge today.
"We need to start thinking about how we're going to present this," Leo said, throwing a piece of paper in the air for dramatic effect. "I mean if we're going to make this about inequality, we should at least be a little flashy about it, right?"
Nina rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Flashy? You want to make a PowerPoint look like a movie trailer?"
"I'm just saying, we should make engaging," Leo said shrugging. "Not just facts and data. It's got to be something people remember."
Nina thought about it for a moment. "That could work, actually. If we put the right emphasis on how inequality impacts people emotionally, the data will speak for itself."
Damien's voice cut through their conversation like a knife. "This isn't a damn movie. It's a research project. Stop trying to make it into something It's not."
Everyone felt silence. Damien hadn't even looked up from the laptop.
Nina's pulse quickened. "Maybe the point point is to make people care, Damien. Maybe the point is to actually make a difference, not just put together a boring report that no one is going to remember."
There it was again- the tension between them, so palpable that even Leo was biting his lip to keep from saying anything. Iris, sitting next to Nina, gave her gentle nudge.
"We all have different approaches," Iris said softly, her gaze flicking to Damien before landing back to Nina. "But we can find a middle ground."
But Damien wasn't having it. He snapped his laptop shut with a finality that made everyone jump. "I don't think any of you get it. I'm here to get this project done perfectly, and I don't care how It's done. If yo can't handle that, then maybe we shouldn't be working together."
For a moment, there was complete silence in the library. Even Sophie, who was usually calm mediator, looked at Damien with an expression of disbelief.
Nina stood up abruptly, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. She was done. "Fine. You know what, Damien? If this is how It's going to be, then maybe you should do it all yourself. I'm done."
And with that, she turned and walked out of the library, leaving the rest of the group stunned and unsure of how to respond.
Nina's Reflection
The walk home was long and filled with tangled mess of thoughts. Nina's heart was pounding in her chest as she replayed the argument over and over in her head. She couldn't believe how quickly things had escalated. What had she said that set Damien off like that? or was it just the constant pressure of the project, the expectations of his perfect world that had him spiraling out of control?
When Nina finally reached home, the warmth of the familiar house felt like a safe haven. Her parents were in the kitchen again, the scent of dinner filling the air. But today, Nina didn't feel like being around anyone. She needed a moment to think.
After dropping her bag by the door, she went upstairs to her room and collapsed onto her bed. Her phone buzzed, and she groggily reached for it. It was a message from Iris.
I known It's been though. Just don't let him get under your skin. You're doing great, Nina. We all believe in you.
Nina stared at the message for a long time, her heart softening. She couldn't afford to let Damien's anger cloud her judgement. She had to finish this project, and couldn't let him dictate how it would go. But at the same time, she knew this was only a part of the bigger issue-Damien wasn't just difficult; he was hiding something.
She needed to figure him out.
Back in his mansion, Damien stood in front of a large window overlooking the estate, his hands jammed into his pockets. His father's voice echoed in his mind, harsh and unforgiving, as it had so many times before.
"You need to get your act together, Damien. Don't let anything or anyone stand in your way. The Blackwood name doesn't tolerate mistakes."
Damien's father, Richard Blackwood, was a man who demanded perfection-his entire life, every step he took, was about maintaining the family's status. For Damien, It had always been about proving himself. But lately, he was starting to feel like he was losing himself in the process.
"Damien, are up there?" his mother, Elizabeth Blackwood, called from downstairs.
Damien sighed, turning away from the window and heading downstairs. He found her in the living room, sitting in a chair with a cup of tea, a look of concern on her face.
"You've been quiet lately," she said, her voice gentle. "What's going on? You've barely said a word since you started your group project."
Damien hesitated before answering. "Nothing. Just the usual. It's fine.
But hi mother wasn't convinced. She put down her tea and stood up, walking over to him. "Damien, I know you. I can tell when something's bothering you."
Damien opened his mouth to argue but stopped himself. The truth is he was starting to feel like he was drowning in expectations-his father's, his own and now the pressure from his classmates. The group project had become a playground, and Nina Cruz had become an unexpected adversary.
"I don't like her, Mom," he muttered, more to himself than to her. "I don't like how she challenges everything I do. She's making everything more difficult than it needs to be."
Elizabeth looked at him, her eyes soft but knowing. "Sometimes, Damien, the people we clash with the most are the ones who show us something we're not ready to see about ourselves."
Damien wasn't sure if he understood what she meant, the words lingered as he left the room.