I was making spaghetti for dinner. My favourite. Why? It was my birthday, and if nobody was around to treat me I was damm well going to treat myself. There was a delicious looking (and most definitely severely unhealthy) chocolate cake sitting on the kitchen counter. All. For. Me.

Then loud and clear, and much to my surprise, the doorbell rang. It had been 18 months since the cold-blooded killing of my parents, and most people were too afraid - I was a witch, apparently - to associate with me. Curious, I opened the door and got the best shock of my life. Hideously childish balloons, cupcakes, presents and cheering greeted me. That wasn't even the best part. Ravi, and the rest of his gang, were all smiles. Along with the boys were the only females left in the world brave enough to be my friends. One of then, Yebin, had introduced me to Ravi as she had known the boys since the dawn of time and had proof - her brooding boyfriend, Leo, as he was known as, had recently proposed to her after however many eons of dating. Eunseo, my childhood bully and later close friend, was smiling so wide her face was stretching. She was another "gang girlfriend". I gagged when I saw Jaeun and Ken - he named himself after Barbie's boyfriend - acting ever so cutesy. And then there was Lici, holding the biggest burrito I had ever seen. And it was mouldy.

...I didn't quite understand her.

The night turned into one of laughter and joy, but some unknown terror kept rearing its ugly head at the back of my mind. Images of black eyes, blood, broken glass and a terrifying stranger simply wouldn't leave my mind in peace. I was laying across Ravi's lap when I experienced the lightbulb moment.

"A dream! That's what it was!" I snapped my fingers suddenly, impressed with myself. Ravi, on the other hand, was baffled.

"Serin, gorgeous, care to explain yourself?"

"I had a nightmare that there was blood all through my house and then there was this creepy guy who I thought I knew but..."

Ravi became visibly more interested. "A guy?"

"Yeah. He was so familiar, I knew him from somewhere, but I can't place where..." I trailed off. My eyes widened. "Wait. I remember. The creepy guy with the feathers and black eyes was," I stabbed a finger in his direction, "you".

He smiled widely. "Aish, my girfriend is too cute." He ruffled my hair playfully. "Was I that scary? You know it's not real right, baby girl?"

"I'm serious! It was terrifying! You painted my house with freakin' blood!" I pouted cutely, until I noticed the silence. "Ravi, where'd everybody else go? I didn't notice them leave." I sat up and ignored the disappointment on Ravi's face.

He chuckled and pulled me into a familiar and comfortable embrace. "Who cares if they disappeared, Serin. All that matters is you and me. I don't want anyone to stand in our way, baby girl."

The hug quickly grew constricting - at least in my view - and I willed myself to remain rational. And that's when the black started dripping down my walls. It was a thick, oily liquid and darker than anything I'd seen. I began to shake as I looked up and saw it had covered the ceiling. And trapped my friends up there. All that was visible were faint outlines of their gasping faces, the black filling their mouths and eyes. It was horrific. "R-r-r-ravi...." I stuttered.

He noticed my fear and instantly was on high alert. "What? What's wrong baby?" At my lack of response he grew more frantic. "Serin. Serin! Please tell me what's got you so scared! Tell me so I can help you, Serin! SERIN!" He shook my shoulders gently.

"Am...I...going...crazy...Ravi?" I managed to find my voice without screaming, but I sounded pitiful, vulnerable. Ravi hated it when I got like that. His expression was kind, trustworthy. "What are you talking about, Serin?"

"Look around us and tell me what you see."

His eyes scanned the room, first in shock, then in horror and finally in panicked anger. ". Serin, baby girl, I love you. No matter what happens this much will always be true. I'm so sorry, so so sorry I can't protect you from this."

"Wait Ravi what's happening?" The black was creeping along the floor towards the couch we were on. "I love you. More than anything." He kept repeating it, head in his hands, a desperate chant. "Ravi I love you too. So much. But what's going on? Why are you apologiz-" I lost my voice.

His eyes were black. Not like last time. Completely black, holes in his otherwise perfect face. He reached for me and picked me up.

By the throat.

I  clutched onto the hands wrapped around my neck, trying to free myself but dots were appearing in my vision. "Please, Ravi....thought you...loved me?" I croaked out.

He leaned in closer until our foreheads were touching, grinning like a mad man. "Hmmm? Did I say that? I don't quite remember that part. What I do remember," he squeezed tighter on my throat, "is you refusing to be completely mine. You should know, baby girl, that I loathe sharing. You pissed me off, Kwon Serin. And you will belong to nobody save for me. Not in life, and," he chuckled, "not in death." The last part he whispered as he snapped my neck.

I woke up screaming. Wait. I wasn't dead. It was all a dream. Relieved, I went to get out of bed.

Except, I wasn't in a bed. Or my house, for that matter. I was in a splintery wooden chair which was nailed to the ground, and I was bound to it by metal chains. There was dried blood on the side of my face, I could easily feel it. Was it my blood...? In any case, I was sore, tired, parched and starving.

I briefly looked around. The room was dark save for one dim lamp. Where was I?

The birthday party was obviously a dream as a) I was still alive and b) my birthday wasn't for another five months and c) my parents had been dead for three years now.

The last thing I remembered was....Being smashed into a kitchen counter head-first by my psychotic (ex?)boyfriend. Well crap. What I thought had been a dream was real. And I feared for my life, my dignity, my sanity and my heart. Because it still loved Ravi. The real Ravi, that is. Not this sadistic unnatural creep that had kidnapped me.

As if on cue, a door materialised out of the darkness as it swung open, light from outside spilling in. Along with a chuckling figure. He walzted slowly over to me and lifted my chin up with a hand to look him in the face. Pure black eyes.

"She finally awakes. Five full days of writhing away in that chair in such a manner I was tempted to end you as a mercy. Are you sick of nightmares, baby girl? You finally ready for the real me?"

I turned my head away from his mocking. "Release me."

"Say please."

"Please...Ravi."

He doubled over in laughter. "How funny are you, baby girl?"

Anger stirred within me. "Don't call me that!"

He recovered from his episode. "Why not? It's my pet name for you, my symbol of affection, if you like."

"No, it's my boyfriend's nickname for me. You are not Ravi."

He snickered. "I. Am. Ravi. Get it through your thick head. I'm just the side you never saw, being the incredibly loving boyfriend I am. Besides," he trailed his hand up my cheek, "we both know how much you love me. You'll stay here, by my side as you deserve."

I shook his hand off. "Let me go, Ravi. If you want me to be happy."

"Happy? You don't deserve happiness, you little wretch. And besides, you're assuming I return your love, which I definitely do not."

He turned to leave, and frustrated tears rolled down my face. "LET ME GO!!"

He turned back to face me, suddenly deadly serious. "I can't let you leave, Serin. The fun's only just beginning."