Tears pricked at Charlotte's eyes, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Mika, you're bullying me! Stop it! Stop it right now—!"
"No..." Mika finally spoke, his voice low and dangerous, his hand already rising for another strike as he went on to say, "You promised, Charlotte. Yesterday. You said you wouldn't interfere. You said you'd stay out of it. But—"
SMACK!
"Ah! I—I did, but—!"
SMACK! SMACK!
"But what?" His hand came down harder, the sound wetter now, her skin burning under his palm. "You promised. And yet here you are, again, sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."
SMACK!
"Ow! Ow, Mika, please—! It hurts! I'm sorry, I just—I didn't think you'd—!"
SMACK!
"Didn't think I'd what?" Another strike, this one so hard her vision blurred for a second. "Didn't think I'd hold you to your word? Didn't think I'd make sure you learn?"
SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!
