VOLKO

Chapter Seven

Safely tucked away in my room, where the chances of seeing Dean and Jake were slim to none, I stayed. Jake had done nothing wrong, and I'd bit his head off. I knew I'd have to apologize when I saw him. Blaming Dean was the easy option, but that would mean explaining to Jake what had happened and I wasn't ready for that. So on this occasion it was all me.

If I'd have told Jake what had happened in the woods, he'd have taken my side, backed me up with our father. What defence would Dean have?

Did he need a defence? Robert seemed to take Dean's vision of events as law.

The whole incident I wanted to pretend didn't happen, life was easier that way. What would I say anyway? I'd seen Dean talking to someone, ran and he held a knife to my throat. The story sounded just like that, a story. Not forgetting the last time I tried to speak out for myself. Internally I cringed as I remembered Helen's tearful face and the judgemental looks from the teachers.

No, pretending was the best way.

Checking myself quickly over in the mirror, I ensured the faint line where Dean's knife had been was gone.

I dressed in boring, clothing, hoping to fade into the background.

This time instead of taking the quickest route to the dinner room, I took the long one. The lengthy hallway hung hundreds of paintings. Some were of my relatives but most were pieces the family had collected over the years. Their eyes seemed to follow me, one of the reasons I tried to avoid coming this way.

They reminded me of all the things I wasn't, of the life I'd never had. Their faces screamed out I didn't belong. I couldn't help but agree.

Out of nowhere Dean appeared from around the corner, his footing so soft, if I hadn't been looking that way I'd never have known he was coming. Unfortunately, that meant hiding was a no go. In the face of adversity I opted for blatant rudeness, by turning on my heel and walking back the way I came. Leaving him in no doubt of my feelings towards him.

"Ah, just the person I was looking for, What's the rush? You seem to be in a lot of those today." His smug smile could be heard within his voice. Thankfully, I didn't have to look at it as well.

"I don't know what you mean." I said, still walking away from him.

"Don't you? Did our little..." He paused, before coming up right beside me. The fact was unnerving but I refused to let him know he affected me. Not after today. "Back and forth, make me so distasteful to be around?"

It became clear Dean wasn't about to go anywhere soon. I stopped trying to get away and turned to confront him. As I suspected, Dean smiled at me as though we were good friends.

"Sorry, I'm not sure what you're on about. There have been so many unpleasant interactions it's hard to say which one you're referring to." Good, stick to the plan. If I pretend it meant nothing, maybe I could laugh off the event... In ten years time.

Tilting his head, Dean gradually leaned towards me, until I could feel the wall beneath my fingertips. He placed one hand beside my face.

"I didn't realize my presence bothered you so much."

"It doesn't."

Annoyingly my eyes dropped to Dean's lips, they were full with a pale reddish tinged. The cruel smile vanished, telling me Dean had felt the change as well. The memory of his body pressed against mine earlier today unintentionally invaded my mind.

Unbeknown to Dean, I felt my nipples tighten as my thoughts took me down a path of self destruction and pleasure.

"Can you step out of the way please?" I managed to say in an unsteady voice.