Brake My Bones ✓

11 | Déjà vu

His blue eyes found mine, and the natural smile on his face faded at the sight of me. Okay, I knew I was tired, but he didn't have to kill my ego with that look. His eyebrows drew together, and, as he took a step toward me, I thought I might collapse.

My feet were numb from shock, and my body was trembling from- I didn't fucking know. What even happened?

Serenity's lips brushed against mine, and I felt her stiffen at the warm touch. Before she could move again, I dipped my head down and captured her lips with mine. A sigh fell from her, and I mirrored it with my own. Wow, it was like she was breathing life into me with that kiss. The tension in my shoulders dropped, and all I could feel, hear and touch was her.

I felt her lips curve up against me and knew it was a smile. I kissed her again. I kissed her smile. I wanted my lips to remember it and cherish it for a long time. Seeing it, I'd bet, would make me feel the same. But I wasn't seeing it; I was feeling it - her soft lips on mine, her nose on my own, the flutter of her eyelashes, and the faint brush of our chests colliding.

My chest.

Oh.

Oh, fuck.

I completely froze up. My eyes squeezed shut at the memory that flashed in my head. No. Fuck, no. I wasn't going to think about that. No way. Not when I was kissing a girl I genuinely liked. But that bitch kept coming back, and she was the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes and flung away from Serenity. Why did I get a sense of déjà vu when this was a completely different situation?

"Nico, I did something bad," I almost huffed when he was close enough to hear me. "I did something bad, and now I can't breathe."

"What the fuck?" He muttered to himself before reaching a hand out to touch me.

Usually, I'd welcome it or force myself to be okay with it, but I couldn't do it anymore. I turned my shoulder, avoiding his hand. He pulled it back to himself and nodded, seeming to be in thought.

"It's happening again, right? Like that time you came over and didn't say anything for days? If it is, I still don't know what to do, Gabby," Nico's voice was gentle, and I wished it calmed me down. It didn't. It only made me want to cry.

I pulled my hands up to my face, forcing myself to shut everything out and breathe. It was never this bad. I never struggled this bad to catch a breath.

"Oh, God," I choked out a small cry and sucked it back up, blinking away the tears that stung my eyes. "I just need to breathe. I need to breathe, and then I'll be fine."

"Wanna take a walk, Gabby? I think we should take a walk," Nico remained calm as he stood beside me, waiting for me to look up.

Once I did, I didn't look at him; only at the corridor that appeared to be stretched out longer than usual. This was a scene from a movie, wasn't it? So many movies and I can't even recall one.

"Come on," Nico's hand pointed out ahead of us, and he began walking.

I followed him soundlessly.

Until a chill ran down my spine, and I felt someone watch me from behind. My head spun, scanning the halls to see her. She wasn't there. She hadn't found me yet. But she will, and I won't be ready.

"Hey, everyone's in class, buddy. It's just you and me," Since he couldn't touch me to comfort me, Nico used his words instead.

"It feels like she's watching me."

I noticed the way he glanced at me as I told him that. His eyes were on my face, probably calculating something in his head. He was intelligent enough to figure it out, but I didn't think I wanted him to. His soul was too pure to find out what happened. That kind of stuff- I didn't want him to know.