Lessons of the Heart and the Liquid it Pumps ||

23: Aiden's Revenge

My skin tingled even though it was numb with the cold. It could sense him and it didn’t like it. I wanted to tell it to get over it but I couldn’t very well talk to my nerves aloud in from of Mr.Marrs. I’d leave the crazy talk to when I got home. If I got home,though it certainly seemed like I would be. Mr.Marrs didn’t feel upset and I’d felt him upset before so I knew how terrifyingly nerve-racking it was.

We pulled up to the duplex. “Thank you.” I muttered and climbed out of his truck as quickly as I could. I rushed up to the door of my house and pulled on the knob. My door, that was always unlocked, was locked. Aiden had actually locked my front door! I grimaced and marched the two steps over to his door and yanked on it. Locked as well.

“Aiden let me in!” I yelled through the wood as I pounded roughly on the door and the rain poured onto me. I waited and pounded again until my knuckles hurt. Nothing. I pressed my ear against the door and listened. The sound of insanely loud music reverberated through the house behind the door. He honestly couldn’t hear me that asshole.

I groaned and ran my hand through my soaking wet hair angrily. I failed at life. I looked up startled as the sound of a car horn sounded. Mr.Marrs sat in his deep blue pickup truck leaning over to yell out the passenger window as I’d seen him do much too often for my liking. But over the rain I couldn’t hear him even though I could see his lips moving.

I jogged up to his truck and leaned in the window. “Sorry, what?” I asked trying to hold in my anger.

“You left your shoes in m y truck.” he said and looked past me at the house. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh Aiden just locked me out and has music on so he can’t hear me knocking.”

Mr.Marrs nodded . “Allright well get in.”

My eyes widened surprised. “What?”

“I can’t leave you out here in this weather dressed like that.”

I looked down at my thin soaked tanktop and blushed as I noticed for the first time how tightly it clung to me when it was wet, showing off the lace pattern of my bra. “I-I-“ I stammered my cheeks flushed as I stood at a loss of what to do with my arms still wrapped around me for warmth.

“Get in.” he nodded again.

I obeyed still flustered and clambered into his truck closing the door behind me as he closed the window for me. “It’s fine really.” I mumbled as I looked down at my lap too embarrassed to even be frightened. “It wouldn’t be the first time he’s done this.”

I felt fabric being draped over me and looked up to see Mr.Marrs had put his coat over my soaked shoulders as I sat hunched over. “Slip your arms in and warm yourself up. You’re shaking.”

“I’ll get it wet.”I protested.

“I’ll throw it in the dryer when we get to my place.” he responded as he started his truck back up. “Arms in. Now.”

I fumbled as I hurriedly slipped my arms in surprised by his commanding tone. I pulled the coat tightly around me as I huddled against myself for warmth. “Wait.” I managed to choke out as he began to drive down the street. “Your place?”

“It’s not that far from here.” he nodded as he took a turn.

“Mr.Marrs I can’t go to your house.” I said flustered. Not looking like this. Not when I knew what he was.

He turned his eyes slowly to me. “And why not?” he asked his voice laced with foreboding.

“You’re-“ I paused. I couldn’t very well say a vampire. “-you’re my teacher.” I croaked. “That’s just weird.”

“I can’t very well leave you outside in the pouring rain.” he countered. “As your teacher I should also care about your well being.”

“But-“

He turned sharply cutting me off as I jerked against the door. “Seatbelt.” I obeyed and hurriedly put it on. “When the rain dies down I’ll drop you back off.”

“Mr.Marrs-“ I tried to speak again.

“If you are that worried about someone seeing us you don’t have to worry.” he reached into the back seat and I closed my eyes and flinched as he withdrew his hand and held it towards me. What was he going to do? Throw me in the back and kill me?

“Relax Isadora.” he sighed and I opened my eyes to see that he’d extended a winter cap towards me.

“Sorry.” I mumbled as I took it from him. “I’m used to Aiden hitting me.” I tried to cover up my nervousness as I shoved the hat down over my head to hide my hair and zipped up the coat to seal in the little warmth I’d created.

“He hits you?”

I nodded slowly. “Not hard. Just messing around. I hit him back. We’re rough with each other.” I tried to explain so it didn’t seem like Aiden was abusive or something.

We pulled into an underground parking garage for an apartment complex and he parked his truck. “Put your shoes on.” he ordered me. I did as he said and followed suit as I climbed out of the truck. He clicked the doors locked and I followed a few steps behind him as we made our way across the parking spots and to an elevator door. What was going to happen to me?