The Angel Track

Chapter Six - The Admin Vortex

Chapter Six - Admin Vortex

   One moment Arianne was ready to whip out a sarcastic comment, and the next she could feel Cale's warm breath mingling with hers. His hands raking through her hair in an almost soothing rhythm. Without thinking, she leaned her face up to meet Cale's lips.

  They barely brushed before she finally came to her senses and pulled back, shocked. It had seemed as though Cale had simultaneously reached the same conclusion, judging by the fact he was sitting ramrod still. Ari was sure her own expression mirrored the disbelief written in every line of Cale's face. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Did her IQ just drop or was she just purely insane?

   "What the fuck did you think you were doing?" Ari practically yelled, as she raised herself up swaying on her feet from fatigue.

   "You were the one who ki--" Cale started, also stretching himself skyward.

   "Don't even say it! I'd rather not gag, thank you very much." she interrupted scornfully.

   "But it's true and it looked like you enjoyed it." he stated with a wink.

   Blood rose to Ari's already flushed skin. She just stabbed him with a cold look and shook her raven-wing hair back. "Let's just forget that, vomit-inducing lapse of judgment, ever happened." she said with an expression she hoped showed disgust.

   "So quick to deny your love? It’s okay, I know it's there." he mocked while pointing to Ari's heart.    She immediately batted it away angrily and forced out through clenched teeth, "I'm not Bella, I don't pine. Try and mess with me, but it won't work. Now what are we going to forget?"

   "Fine! Already forgotten." he held his hand up in a gesture of surrender, an act Ari didn't believe for one damn second.

   "There's a good boy, now run along to bed." she mocked in a patronizing tone.

  To her disbelief he made his way over to her bed and stretched his lean body across it, patting the spot beside him. She marched up to the bed and, in a business-like manner, raised her boot-clad foot and brought it down. She succeeded in shoving him off the flimsy mattress. With an exasperated look, he turned to her and raised an eyebrow.

   "You can sleep on the floor; I'll grab the spare blanket." She explained still angry about the incident. She didn't understand how she could have let that happen. She was in control of herself, and the only way to be in control was to trust no one but herself.

   Cale just let out an exaggerated sigh and walked to the spot she indicated. He contemplated taking off his boots but a closer look at the grime encrusted floor made him decide against it.

   Arianne watched from the corner of her eye as she retrieved his blanket from Sam's room. She threw the sheets on Cale and then continued her nightly routine. As she reached the door to bolt it, she dragged her hands across the board and felt small stabs of pain as the splinters pierced her skin. "Mother Fu-rry! " she exclaimed as the small splinters caused blood to well up in perfect circles on her palm.

   "Mother Furry?" Cale questioned as he got up and walked to her. "Let me see, I said let me see!" He pleaded forcefully as he took her soft hands in his rough palms. Arianne wrinkled her face as he yanked out nature's very own shrapnel.

   He then covered her hand with his and concentrated. Slowly, the pain receded and Ari felt a tingling in her palms as he mended the tiny punctures, much like his own bullet wound. She didn't know what to make of that random act of kindness, as always she was weary.

  "Thanks, you didn't need to do that." she said awkwardly. He backed off and collapsed into his makeshift bed. Damn, he looks drained, she thought to herself. Taking a leaf out of his book, she made her way to her bed, pulling the boots off her swollen feet.