I Love To Hate You

Chapter 8: "What is with everyone going all 'Hulk' on my ass lately?"

“Putting on a nice show for our friend, that’s all.”  He whispered in my ear.  He slipped his arm back off my shoulder and opened the door for me, giving me a little shove when I was too frozen to do so by myself.

I watched as he jogged back around to the driver’s side but before he got into the car he took a few paces towards the guy and I almost flew out of the car to stop him. He wasn’t going to start a fight was he? I waited for him to charge at the weirdo but he never did, instead he said something I couldn’t hear and turned back to the car; this time actually getting in and starting the engine.

“What was that all about?” I asked my voice still a whisper. Jaden turned to give me a quick strained smirk before pulling away from the sidewalk.

“Just making sure he gets the idea and stays away from you.” He said with a shrug.

“So where to?”

I leaned back into the warm leather chair and smiled slightly. He actually saved my ass and wasn’t a dick about it.

“31st Oakley Street. The big apartment building.” I said tucking my hair behind my ear. Jaden nodded without another word and we drove in silence.

I was still running through everything in my head. I was almost certainly going to get raped by that guy. Jaden saved me. And said saviour is now taking me home. A usual outing...Not. I began to bite my lip. This silence was really getting to me. Jaden isn’t going to start treating me like some little cry baby girl is he? I actually enjoy our verbal matches. He wouldn’t stop treating me like that because I asked him for help, and in return showed him how much of a loser I am,-right?

“We’re here Elyon,” Jaden said flashing me another smirk as he looked out the front window. I frowned and followed his gaze, wow. We were seriously there already.

Now comes the awkward part.

“Ugh, thanks for this Jaden. I was just about to steal something from that shop so the store clerk would call the cops on me...” I rambled wringing my hands together looking down at my lap. I really did consider this.

“Don’t mention it. I have no doubt you could have caused him some proper harm to his man business but...I think in the end you made the right call.” I looked up to see him watching me with a small, real smile. Did he know that was what I was really freaking out about?

I untangled my hands from themselves and opened the car door carefully, I could tell this was the type of car you didn’t want to scratch, and looked back over to Jaden before I got out.

“Thanks...again.” I murmured getting out of the car fluidly somehow keeping my bag on my shoulder.

“I would say ‘anytime’ but let’s hope this doesn’t happen again-okay?” He said leaning across the passenger seat to look up at me. I grinned back and shut the door. The window was immediately rolled down so I could see his brilliant smirk and raised eyebrows.

“Okay I got it. Geeze, it won’t happen again.” I said rolling my eyes and stepping towards my apartment building.

“Good. Now I have some beer to get back to.” The window was rolled back up and the engine began to purr.

Wait! Does that mean he just drove me home when he had already been drinking? Oh God if the cops saw us... In my horror filled state I hadn’t noticed Jaden had left leaving me alone on the dark empty street. I did the only sane thing to do.

Run all the way up to my flat, lock the door, put the chain on and hide under my covers.

I found sleep in the early hours of Tuesday morning only to dream of shadows following me into dark, twisting alleys...When I woke up it was to my alarm, my body was drenched in sweat and goose bumps. Maybe this whole ‘being stalked’ thing affected me a little more than I thought it did? Not that I would actually admit it though.