Torment & Struggle (A Blood & Lust Novel)

Chapter One

    “Again, why?” Josh urged, asking the follow up question we’d both been thinking.

    “Well…” she hesitated, her hands clasped together on the table, fingers playing with her newly acquired Drake rubber bracelet. She kept us eagerly waiting for what felt like five minutes, until she finally took a deep breath. “Compared to Willa, it feels like something out of the world’s worst romance novel.” She mumbled, defeated.

    “What do you mean, I mean, why would you compare it to me?” I asked, totally confused by the exchange. Then I made the big mistake of glancing at Josh when I see that he was eyeing me suspiciously, and at the same time, looking just as confused as I was. Then I quickly remembered that I’d forgotten to include him on the obvious.

    She sighed. “Well, from what you told me, you and Draco are…like Beyonce and Jay-Z.” she reiterated, and Josh’s confused expression quickly dissolved, turning into something that looked outraged.

    “Why didn’t anyone inform me about this?” he asked incredulously.

    “Sorry. I forgot.” I mumbled feebly.

    “How could you forget? Especially when you’re dating one of the hottest guys in the universe!” he finished with a high note, before he sucked in a lungful of air.

    This time, Raven decided to intervene sparing me the outraged monologue Josh was about to do. “Sweetie, she had a good excuse for not mentioning her boyfriend. She’s just been trying to find the right moment to tell you, especially what’s been going on with her Mom and all that jazz.” She said, and I threw a grateful glance toward her, for reminding him of something that he already knows.

    Josh quickly became sullen.

    “Oh,” he mumbled apologetically.

    I swallowed the pessimistic emotions that would take over my body whenever someone mentions my mother, and her terminal cancer.

    “It’s okay.” I said, my tone soft but firm, hinting I’d rather not talk about this now. I felt like I was lying to the entire world when I added a smile, hinting I’m no longer mad at Josh anymore.

    “You guys ready to go?” Raven asked after checking her phone for the time.

    “Sure.” Josh said; I nodded.

    We got up, gathered the loot we’d purchased at some of the clothing stores, and made our way toward the parking lot. Raven went home with Josh in his used Cadillac, while I went home solo in my dark blue Honda Accord, and all the while, I was fighting back the tears that had threatened to appear earlier.

    That night, I eagerly paced the floor of my bedroom, my eyes flickering toward the window, waiting. I knew that my parents are now asleep, so it shouldn’t be long of a wait. But why am I suddenly feeling like I’m about to suffer heartbreak within the next five minutes?

    I began rubbing the scar on my neck nervously, and at the same time, I began to wonder—just like I do almost every time my hand touches it—where, or how I’d received the scar in the first place. Then, with the recent events that had occurred, not long ago, I know that my scar was somehow…special.

    Needing a distraction, I began fluffing my long, auburn hair; checking to make sure my pale, freckled skin was clear though I know that I’ve already washed it.

    Relax, I told myself. You’ve done this before, and it’s not like you’re meeting the president, or Johnny Depp.

    A slight rapping on the window suddenly made my heart race faster. I quietly ran toward the window, drew back the curtains, and felt a smile growing on my face, erasing all of my earlier worries.