Growing Into You (First Draft; Unedited)

liv.

Jayen

Folding the last shirt, I placed it gently into the small suitcase I had arrived with. Alexandra had offered me one of hers but I didn’t have that much to bring with.  

A harsh and grainy laugh echoed throughout the small room. “Where are you going?” 

My hands shook ever so slightly as I closed the lid and latched it shut, I didn’t need to turn around to see who was polluting my door frame with their presence. Ignore him. Ignore him. Ignore him.

“Hey.”

Ignore him.

“Look at me when I’m talking to you, bitch.” 

“What do you want, Jinan?” My voice betrayed me and shook as I struggled with each word, chewing each one carefully so I didn’t choke.

“Are you deaf? I asked where you were going,” he said, his voice carried the same malice it did the last time we were in this position.

“We. . . We had a deal,” my mouth went dry and I rubbed my sweaty palms on my pants, “you have to leave me alone. I won.”

“Turn around and look at me.”

I remained where I was and took a deep breath. “No. Leave me alone.”

He let out a harsh laugh. “You’re a coward. You only won on a fluke. I would’ve beaten you if they didn’t stop us.” 

My breath clouded in front of me. I hadn’t even noticed the drop in temperature. I shivered and rubbed my hands up my arms to bring some of the warmth that was here moments ago back. 

“S-Stop it, Jinan.” My teeth clattered together.

“Why don’t you stop me?” he snarled.

My finger had begun to go numb and my face was frozen. Despite this, I could still feel a faint tingle in my hands and feet, it was like pins and needles. . . or when you’re about to be struck by lighting. My eyes widened. “Please don’t.” 

He laughed. “Beg for it then. Beg me to leave you alone and I won’t do it. In fact, I’ll leave right now.”

“No. . .” Tears welled up in my eyes as I gripped my upper arms, I could hear the crackle of electricity and frost on the window at the same time. I fixed my eyes on the window, I could vaguely see Jinan’s reflection. Only his outline.

“Knock it off!” Maj yelled.

I heard a smack and a groan before seeing the reflection of Jinan crumple to the floor. I let out the breath I had been holding as I felt warm air brush against my numb cheeks. Shifting slowly, I faced the doorframe where Maj was standing over Jinan. She was holding a rolling pin with a small crack on the end of it. She looked vaguely surprised as she handled the rolling pin carefully.

“I did not expect it to work that well.” Maj said softly, “I should keep this in mind next time he decides to be a little prick.”

I gripped the bed frames for stability as I started walking towards them. “. . . Is he dead?”

Jinan let out a low groan and Maj kicked him lightly. “You big baby.”

She walked over to me and started to smooth my hair down. “Oh Jay, your hair is all static. What happened?”

“He was. . . I don’t even know what he was doing. He wanted to know where I was going. I didn’t tell him.” My lower lip shook and I bit down on it. “Is he going to be okay?”