Soul Bound (Completed)

Chapter Five

          I got a text from Christian towards the end of my shift.

          Where are you? Donna said you were ill but you're not at home. Call me? Love you xx

          I didn't reply. I couldn't think of a single thing to say. Talking to him would lead to a confrontation I wasn't sure I was ready to have. But at the same time, I was kind of ready for a showdown. I was so fucking angry. Angry at Christian for doing this to me, for making me feel this way.

          I'd had a terrible day, and because I'd spent so long in that damned refrigerator, my tips were shit and the other waitresses had given me dirty looks for the remainder of the night. I wouldn't be surprised if I got called into the boss's office next week – someone was bound to have complained.

          It was an anxious ride home. I was close to frustrated, furious tears. I'd go haywire if Christian was still there, waiting for me. I wouldn't be able to hold back all the raging hot anger and sadness that had continued to grow inside of me.

          It was pitch black outside by the time I pulled up to my drive. I saw immediately that Christian's car wasn't there, leaving me feeling a strange mixture of relief and hurt at his absence. It confused the hell out of me.

          I hoped that I'd jumped to all the wrong conclusions earlier. I didn't know what I'd do if my fears turned out to be true.

          ***

          I got out of bed after a restless night's sleep the next day, feeling exhausted. I'd had the most strangest of dreams last night – one after the other. I dreamt about my tattoo, and running through the forest on four paws. I felt empty now that I was awake, and had the strangest sensation that something huge was on the horizon for me.

          Knowing that I probably wouldn't be able to avoid Christian today, I decided to go for a run to clear my head.

          I pulled on a black sports-bra and matching shorts. Grabbing my iPod, I headed out the door.

          It felt like we'd undergone a heat wave this past summer, the temperature having been far greater than the typical Californian weather. I ran as fast and as hard as I could; thinking of nothing but the exertion of my muscles, and the heat of the sun against my mostly bare back. The temperature today – although considerably cooler – was still sweltering.

           I passed a group of middle-aged women at the park. Dressed in their brightly-coloured lycra leggings, they struggled to push themselves forward. A new gym had opened nearby and a program for the older generation to get fit was being promoted. I smiled when one woman shouted, 'keep it up, honey,' after me.

          Beads of sweat were dripping off my body by the time I returned home, so I headed straight for the bathroom.

          After showering, I saw that I had a couple of text messages on my phone. One was from my mom, asking about how I was doing. I replied, telling her that everything was fine. I'd fill her in on Christian when she got back, but I didn't want her worrying when she was so far away. There was another text from Christian, whishing me a good morning. I ignored that one. The final message was from a girl called Tawni who was in my English class.