This Love, This Hate (A Lesbian Romance)

TLTH Chapter Thirty-Six

A/N: Sorry for the long wait! Here's another update. There may be more tonight, if not I'm hoping there will be sometime soon. I'm still having a lot of health issues so please bear with me. I'm so thankful for all of the readers, both the ones who speak out and those who don't. I'm glad you've come to like the characters as much as I have and I'm really thankful for your patience as well :)

This Love, This Hate

Chapter Thirty-Six

"Where are they taking her?" Zoe groaned as Jesse followed them down a neighborhood of beach houses.

"We're about to find out." Jesse noted, watching them pull into a driveway up ahead. He parked beside them in the double-wide driveway and they all got out as Paul lead the way with a set of keys in his hand.

"I'm willing to bet this is Paul's house." Malarie guessed, beach bags in hand and trying desperately to play off how worried she was about Raine. Though she'd only known her a few short months, they'd all grown so close to her, adoring her and how much she bettered Zoe.

Once inside, Easton gingerly set Raine down on the couch, bundling her in two thick quilts before instructing Paul to get her some water and going to draw up a bath to hydrate and warm her up. Raine sat numbly on the couch beneath the blankets, staring dully ahead of her and feeling completely drained and emotionless. She'd practically had the kiss of death and woke up to only pain and her lips on Easton's, her lungs on fire, her skin as ice to the touch. Missy hurried to sit on one side of her while Zoe gimped over to the other and each let themselves in under the blanket and took hold of one of her arms before resting a head on each of her shoulders. Raine was so grateful that now, of all times, people picked up on a time when the last thing she wanted to do was talk about what she'd just experienced. First there was Randall, and now this. All life wanted to do was violate her and take her breath and feelings and voice away.

"Her bath's ready. Uh...Zoe, if you wouldn't mind, she probably doesn't want to be alone right now." Easton suggested awkwardly after the trio had sat in silence for a little while.

"Yeah, yeah of course. What took so long?" Zoe asked, slipping out of the blanket and helping Raine to her feet.

"You'll see. Make sure you stay in there long enough to fully warm her up. We won't be going anywhere anytime soon, I promise." Easton vowed, coming to Zoe's side and helping the two of them down the hallway.

"Thanks, Easton." Zoe murmured, turning to hug him an extended moment, "I...I don't want to think about what would've happened if you weren't there today."

"I would've done it for anyone." Easton whispered back before watching the two of them head into the dimly lit bathroom.

"Oh..." Raine trailed off, halting completely as she took in the considerately lowered light, some sort of vanilla scented bubble bath filling the enormous corner tub, and the slightly cashmere colored bath water.

"He's trying to help. Come on, let's get you in there." Zoe defended softly before moving to untie the strings of the top of her bikini. Raine hopped away at the touch and Zoe bit her lip and looked away, fighting back tears, "Okay then, I guess you've got it..."

"I'm—I'm sorry," Raine stammered, lifting violently trembling fingers to get the ties herself, "I've been through a lot lately and I'm...I can't right now. Okay?"

"Do you want me to even get in with you?" Zoe asked with an irritated tone to her voice, still stubbornly focusing her eyes on the bathroom counter beside them.

"Of course I do!" Raine cried, tears welling up in her eyes as her bikini dropped to the tiled floor and she turned to face Zoe. She stood there, shaking like a leaf, tears streaming down her nearly iridescent cheeks and beside her slightly violet lips, eyes poring desperately at Zoe's, waiting for her to have the courage to meet her gaze.

"You're too cold, co—come on." Zoe choked, meeting her eyes a brief moment before quickly untying her own bikini.

"Look at me, damn it!" Raine sobbed, putting each trembling hand on Zoe's cheeks and forcing her to face her, "You have no right to stand here and act ashamed of me right now."

"I'm not ashamed, just...can we please get in the bath? You need to warm up right now," Zoe bargained, snaking her arms around Raine's frail waist and pulling her against her own naked form, "I...I love you. I'm worried about you, and I'm trying to understand."

"There it is again. I thought you were pretending you never said it..." Raine whimpered as she allowed Zoe to guide her towards the tub and into what felt like hell-fire.

"It feels warmer than it is, take your time." Zoe noted softly, standing in front of her in the water as she shivered even more violently. After a few long minutes, they both managed to sink fully into the bubble-filled water, Raine leaning back against Zoe while Zoe wrapped her arms around her lower stomach, resting her chin on her dainty shoulder.

"I don't know if I can say it back right now. I'm still trying to process everything that's happened lately." Raine said after what felt like a year of silence.

"I didn't say it so you could return the favor, Raine. I said it because I meant it." Zoe sighed, struggling to keep her voice calm. She's been trying her hardest to be calm and understanding, but it's always been so much easier for her to default to anger.

"How...never mind." Raine dismissed, shifting to turn on her side and rest her head in the nape of Zoe's neck.

"Okay, then," Zoe muttered. It was quiet a long moment, Raine actively fighting sleep, even before Zoe spoke again, "Let's warm up your face. Blue's not really your color."

"Okay, do you see a rag anywhere?" Raine allowed, sitting up and rubbing her eyes as the memory of the ocean pulling her into the black unexpectedly hit her. She immediately stiffened, her eyes popping back open before clearing her throat, "I'll uh...look in the cabinet."