spoken word. (gxg)

eight.

eight.

The night was gorgeous. Its unforgiving cold was cut only by the thin jacket I was wearing, then by the thicker one June placed upon my shaking shoulders when she approached me. Her knuckles were dripping blood, and when I looked up at her towering figure from the damp ground, she wouldn't meet my eyes. The darkness cut severe planes across her face, painting it in a wickedly stunning way.

The observation only served to further my confusion. My body yearned for her-- her protection, her warmth-- but my survival instincts screamed to get away. Logically, I knew she wouldn't hurt me. Maybe it was the shock, but when she reached to touch my shoulder I flinched away. Her eyes flickered with... hurt? The darkness was playing tricks on me.

"Mia," she breathed, eyebrows furrowed, "are you okay?" I didn't speak. She ran a bloodied hand through her hair, which had fallen loose in the confusion. It was wavy from being braided and framed her shapely face in a lovely way. I trained my eyes on the ground-- now wasn't the time to think about how attractive June Willow was.

"A bit after you left, I realized that you left your phone. I wasn't worried until I saw that you had a key and all of your money in it." Her voice was frantic, distressed. I could only imagine what her eyes reflected. Fear? Mine surely did.

"How did you find me?" My voice wavered. She helped me up, letting me lean heavily on her shoulder. I tried not to cringe away from her touch.

"Stand up-- the ground is sucking all the heat out of you."

"How did you find me?" I insisted, somewhat delirious. She helped me stumble across the pavement, opening the door to a large truck and shoving me in it. It was warm inside, and I found myself relaxing involuntarily. I clutched the jacket around me closer. It smelled like vanilla.

"Mrs. Lee said you told her you lived in the neighborhood near the elementary school, so I drove around to try and find you. Thankfully I was close enough when you screamed." She fumbled with her keys, plugging one into the ignition and turning it to start the engine. The truck roared to life, pumping a steady stream of warm air my way. She reached into the back, stretching her body. I tried not to notice how her shirt rode up to reveal her stomach. She tossed a heavy blanket at me.

"Emergency blanket," she explained, but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Do you want to go home, or..."

"My phone," I instructed, "call Charlotte. My password is five-zero-five-six." She took my phone out of her pocket, doing as told. She must have put it on speaker because soon the voice of my motherly neighbor filled the small cab.

"Mia, honey? What's up?"

"Um," I started, voice quavering, "are you home?"

"No, I won't get done until 9. Why?"

"Uh, nothing, don't worry about it," I told her, trying to school my tone so it was more reassuring. It didn't work.

"Are you okay? Do you need me to come get you from somewhere?"

"No, it's okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Um, thanks. I'll see you."

"Alright, text me if you need anything."

"Thanks. Bye," I said as she hung up. June handed the phone to me, her expression concerned.

"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked. I didn't answer. Instead, I closed my eyes, letting my head fall back pathetically on the passenger seat of her truck.

"I don't want to go back," I said, referring to my apartment. She understood.

"Do you want to come back to my place?" As exhausted and numb as I was, my heart still leaped.

"Will your family mind?" I wanted to know.

"They won't," her voice was low, soothing, "I promise. We have a guest bedroom that you can use. My mother will love you."

"Okay," I murmured, too tired to argue. She reached out, presumably to lay her hand on my knee, before hesitating and pulling it back. I fell asleep in moments as she pulled out and navigated to her house. I only woke temporarily to notice the rocking of my body as warm arms carried me through a biting cold to the warm rush of heat from a house.

"Oh," a woman gasped. June replied, but it was too low to hear. Movement, and then I was placed onto a soft bed. Darkness consumed me again.

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A/N:

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Thoughts on June?

Mia?

This one was a little short, sorry!

Feel free to leave comments/suggestions/edits!

UPDATES EVERY MONDAY (except this week)