Underestimated [COMPLETED]

Chapter 14 - Zak's Ripped

ZAK'S POV

Something was touching his hand. He was vaguely aware of it but couldn't be bothered to look down and find out. His head was too heavy to move, despite the fact that it wasn't hard to drop his chin. He'd never felt this way because he'd always been bothered to move when needed. Now he felt like he had no energy to even breathe properly.

Whatever it was that was in his hand, it was cold and soft like melted marble, a feeling that he'd felt before and should know what it was without even looking down, though nothing came to mind at the moment. His mind was too preoccupied to think on the same wave length for long.

Something kept bringing him back to one particular detail: Gems' behaviour was strange. She would never say all of those things about him and Jasmine being together. She would never even suggest anything of the sort. It was the complete opposite of what she'd been saying for the past few days. The idea of her suddenly changing her mind seemed near enough impossible.

It was awfully suspicious. It was as if she had no idea what she was saying, like it was someone else inside of her...which wouldn't surprise him because he'd seen another side of Gems that he didn't like one bit. Who knew what other sides she had? He still loved her, of course, but hate was very close to love. Maybe he felt both for her, for different reasons. He was sure that that was a very bad thing, especially as he only wanted to feel one of those emotions.

He looked down at his hand, curiosity getting the better of him. At first he couldn't see anything because of his own large hand that covered it. However, the thing wriggled against his palm as if it knew it was being watched. He opened his eyes wide and slowly opened his fingers. Inside, he saw a white hand with dark red nails, curling against his palm and twitching only very gently against the lines on his skin. Even more confused, he followed the hand up to the white wrist and up to the lower arm, turning around as he did so, going higher up with his eyes to the face, to see who it was.

Jasmine...

Wait... Jasmine?!

She smiled at him warmly, even though she was hardly warm herself. Her fingers rubbed against his wrist as he looked her up and down to make sure he wasn't imagining it. She was definitely there. He couldn't mistake those eyes and that beautiful flow of hair.

Her other hand reached forward slowly and she lifted his hand to cup it in both of hers. She was freezing but it was pleasant and it felt so good to touch her again. He sighed with relief as the empty feeling he had had moments before vanished. Colour filled his cheeks. He felt happier, better and more relaxed. His sick feeling had disappeared and he wondered whether he had ever felt ill at all or whether it had just been in his head. He slackened his stance and half closed his eyes as if fatigued.

"Jasmine." he repeated and enclosed her in a warm desperate hug, wrapping his arms around her slender form so that she leaned against his chest, her head just under his chin. It was like a proper reunion. It felt right but wrong at the same time. He was just glad that she was there, that she was safe and wasn't lost or she hadn't done anything stupid to herself because of Gems. He didn't care how it looked to anyone else.

She hugged him tightly and smelt his boy smell. Her arms were bone crushing - how did she get so strong? - but it was nice. She flexed her fingers against his back and adjusted her head on his chest, enjoying the moment of being wanted, he supposed.