MAD LOVE

Chapter 13

Then a knife appeared in his hand, and he pierced my heart...

I came to with a wild scream. It was my scream, and the first thing I saw were Jess's frightened eyes. The girl was desperately trying to wake me up all that time. Before I just tossed and turned, covered in cold sweat, but now my previous condition returned. Did that note open my recently healed wounds?

I'm going mad... And I'm driving all those around me crazy as well... It shouldn't be like this, there is no place for problematic people in polite society...

A knock on the door distracted Jessica from her questions and when she opened it to explain why the night's silence got shattered, I burst into tears, not holding it back. I don't want anyone to see me in this condition, so I decided to take up Amanda's offer and move to the apartment.

"The beginning of the school year party is tomorrow. I want you to go and relax properly. You need to get emotionally distracted, to not to close yourself inside your shell. We'll be nearby, nothing bad will happen," said Jessica quietly, sitting down next to me.

"We'll talk tomorrow, then." I turned my face to the wall, but I couldn't fall sleep for a very long time.

I spend all morning in bed, getting up only once to change my clothes in advance, because my unexpected guest did not make me wait long. But even Norton, sprawled next to me, could not get a rise out of me. Absolute apathy took hold of me. I was so tired of everything. I wanted to fall asleep and not wake up. The nightmare did not let me go, and the feeling of anxiety was getting stronger at a staggering rate.

What is he doing up so early?

While the brunette was there, one question had to be solved. Even if I would look like a complete fool, I don't like to be owe anyone.

"Mike," I said very quietly, turning to face him, "how much money did you spent at that restaurant for my birthday? Listen, we're strangers to each other, and I can't be in indebted to anyone. I have money and I would like to repay you."

Norton lay motionless. His body was so tense that the mattress sagged even more under this weight. Clenching his hands, he took up a sitting position, and gave me a death stare.

"Did I hear you right, Moore?"

The pressure of his stare was so intense, I started feeling like a Thumbelina, who would be crushed by the tension in the air. Without waiting for an answer Mike turned sideways, closed his eyes and sat in silence for a while. The flexing muscle in his jaw betrayed his anger, but it was clear from the deliberately breathing that he was fighting an inner battle.

Why was he so hurt by my words?

Norton opened his eyes and dropped a heavy glance at Milton, who lifted her head from her book and silently watched us in complete incomprehension. Jessica looked at me in amazement, a little disturbed by her friend's mood swings - a few minutes ago he was quite at ease.

"Guys, what happened?" However, she couldn't figure out the reason for the emotional outburst, and I felt like a real dullard.

What was I supposed to say? I want to return money that doesn't even count as a debt? I understood the absurdity of the situation, but I could not do otherwise. There was an oppressive silence in the room, and it drove me crazy after the nightmare. It would be better to have them all talking non-stop, filling my head with their chatter, instead of me laying here in silence, burdening myself.

Norton sighed heavily and rubbed face with his hands, as though getting rid of his inner tension. Then he turned and looked at me thoughtfully. It was obvious that he wanted to say or ask something, but did not dare, and I can't stand it when someone stares at me for a long time. I find it very unnerving.