Chasing Shadows | ✓

Part Two: Chapter Twenty-One

"YOU DIED NATALIE. BECAUSE OF ME."

Those weren't the words I had been expecting to hear out of Travis' mouth. In fact, it was probably the last thing I had expected. After all the scenarios I had come up with in my head, this wasn't even the icing on the cake. This was the final cherry, plopped on top to give the finishing touch. However, it appeared as though he regretted saying anything, and my body froze in its position. I stared blankly at Travis - not fully understanding anything.

"What. . .?"

He leaned forward in his seat and tried to reach for my hands, but I leant away in my seat. A hurt expression flashed across his face, but I suddenly didn't care about how he was feeling. I was sick of the lying and the secrecy and all I wanted was just one confession of the total truth and to be done of it. But with each sentence he spoke, the more questions it opened in my mind. Like a hurricane, my thoughts swirled around, but with no answers being given. My lips parted and I gazed at the boy across from me - suddenly unsure of how to feel about anything.

I thought I had found my person - someone I could place my absolute trust in, and not have to worry about them betraying or lying to me. But now, it seemed that all anyone seemed to do was lie to me.

A terse silence coated the air and neither of us spoke. Travis pursed his lips tightly and leaned back away from me, giving me the few moments to once again gather my thoughts. But it was hard to do that when I couldn't even seem to focus on one single thought before another came swirling in.

How had I died because of him? Did he kill me in a past life and was now reaping the repercussions of his actions by meeting me again?

The more possibilities I thought of, the more my head began to pound and ache. There was nothing more I wanted to do than to leave and just lie down on my couch and watch some Netflix to take my mind off everything.

"I need you to explain-"

However, my words were cut off when a sudden paralyzing pain shook my body. It was so unexpected, yet so jarring that I couldn't supress the pained cry. It was a fiery sensation that curled and swirled its way around my every cell and my back arched off the chair a little. Startled, Travis staggered to his feet; his voice panicked as he called out my name. I could hear him, but it was as if an invisible hand was clamped over my mouth and I couldn't reply. Air struggled to make its way inside of me and I soon found myself leaning over the ground - gasping for air that simply didn't seem to be there.

"Nat? Nat!"

His words sounded as if they were underwater - garbled and nonsensical to my ears. All I could see was his mouth moving, but then no sounds coming out. My chest was tightening with every second that passed, putting an unbelievable strain on my lungs.

"I. . . I'm okay," I choked out, my words garbled, "Just. . . one minute."

He lent by my side, eyes wide and panicked - unsure of whether to stay here or run to get help. My hand itched at my side to reach over and grasp onto his hand, but it was as if all the energy had been zapped out of my body and I lay limp in my seat instead.

"Should I call an ambulance?" he continued to fret and whipped out his phone to start dialling the emergency number before I reached over and took it out of his hold.

"No, no. Seriously, I'm okay - just give me one minute."

"Are you sick?" he asked, "We could have stayed home if you weren't feeling well."

The concern and sincerity in his voice made my heart melt. The way in which he was gazing up at me; eyes filled with worry and the golden-brown ring of his iris all but glowing in the light. I shuffled back in my seat, still wincing at the small buzzes of pain that radiated through my body. It wasn't as painful anymore, but it was an uncomfortable feeling that washed over me, yet there was no explanation as to why that had suddenly happened.