The Angel Track

Chapter Nine - Trammels

A currently, unedited and overdue chapter but I finally finished this chapter and wanted to upload it as soon as it was done! :D I really hope you enjoy even though it's long overdue and is probably riddled with spelling/grammar errors! :D Also, little warning it gets the teensiest bit saucy towards the end so yeah! :) Dedicated to Saddles for the chapter name and her general overall awesomeness.

Chapter Nine - Trammels

   Pacing the short space that occupied the side of her new room, Ari grumbled to herself. She was slightly miffed at the ability that Cale possessed. The ability to know exactly what to say to get her riled up. She judged that five minutes was more than enough time for him to change, so she left her room. With a deep, relaxing inhale of air, she proceeded to tap her knuckle gently on the white wood of the door.

   "Come in!" Cale's voice travelled through the door.

   Ari pressed the handle and pushed the door open and took a tentative step forward. Cale's back was to her as he began to pull a white t-shirt over his torso. Ari glimpsed a blur of black on his back and rushed forward to halt him in the process. Before she knew what she was doing she had taken the few paces between the two.

   "What are you doing?" he queried in a suggestive tone, as he spun around with his eyebrow raised.

   "Turn back around." Ari commanded seriously.

   "Hey, this show isn't for free you know?" Cale joked, but still turned around.

   Ari's eyebrows furrowed as she saw the number 0716.3 tattooed onto the skin of his right shoulder, with indelible ink. A sense of familiarity sparked in her mind, but she couldn't place its origins. Without thought, she raised a hand to trace the track of the inked numbers. Her finger had barely made contact before Cale twisted around and grabbed her hand.

   "What do the numbers mean?" Ari whispered the question, her throat suddenly draining of moisture.

   "Nothing, just leave it." Cale forced out the words through  a locked jaw. His expression was unreadable; a mixture of sorrow, regret and almost anger but not quite. He took a step back from Ari and silently slipped the t-shirt on.

   Everyone had their fair share of skeletons buried deep in their closets. She had so many it'd be more appropriate to call it a cemetery. Figuring it was best to not unearth this one, Ari decided to leave her questions for later.

   But she couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d seen a tattoo like that before. The only thing she knew was that it came from somewhere very bad, judging by the chills that trembled her body every time she thought about it. Maybe it was wise to dwell on it later.

 “I don’t suppose you’re hungry?” Cale asked, acting as if nothing had just happened.

 “Starved,” she replied, emotionlessly.

 “Okay, hang on I’ll go get something for us.”

   Her stomach rumbled in reply and with that he slipped out of door leaving Ari alone. Sighing, she stretched her arms and took in her surroundings. There was something about his room that just didn’t feel right.It was unlived. Military neat, his bed sheets in perfect right angles. If she were to stand in a monks room she imagined it wouldn't be much different. It was how she'd keep her own room if she was honest with herself.

   There was a small calendar on his bedside table, it was funny. Dates seemed out of place in a life like hers, what was the point? She grimaced when she saw the calendar said it was the 17th of November. She had turned eighteen four days ago and not even noticed.