When the Raven Calls

Chapter 11

I SAY THAT QUITE LITERALLY, too.

"Ow!" we both said, stumbling backwards.

"I... um... oh," I said, looked up and seeing him. "Sorry."

"I'm fine," he said, obviously uncomfortable. In that moment, I had never wanted so badly to laugh and say, 'oh, you thought I was serious?'. I had never wanted to badly to wake up and realize this was all a dream, to not have things be so awkward between us.

But I didn't, because I had promised Macey I was done with secrets.

But damn. I mean, I never thought it'd be so hard.

"I was just on my way to the kitchen," I said, flushing. "I guess I'll see you later?"

"Actually," he hesitated, but pushed on. "I'd kind of like to talk, if that's alright with you."

"I... yeah, that's fine."

He looked meaningfully at Macey, but she just stared him down stubbornly. "I don't trust you."

He blinked. "What?"

"I don't trust you," she repeated, and I looked at my best friend with a mixture of gratitude and disbelief. "How do I know Sam's safe with you?"

"Macey," I said quietly, "it's okay. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" she said, equally quietly.

"Yeah. I'm safe."

"Alright. I'll meet you in the kitchen in a few, okay?" she said, her green eyes studying mine carefully.

"See you there."

I waited until she had walked out of the room before turning back to Thomas, who was watching her leave.

"She's really protective, isn't she?"

"Yeah, well, since she's the only one who made sure I was alright and was there to comfort me, she's only one with any right to," I said coolly.

He looked away, uncomfortable. "Look, Sam--"

"What?"

"I just... I want to know why you didn't..."

"Tell everyone? Because I didn't want people to freak out and start treating me differently. Clearly, though, I over-reacted. You can tell because you're the only person besides Macey who's spoken to me in the last week," I said sarcastically, grateful that my tears had finally run dry.

"It's not like that!" he protested.

"Oh, really? So there's some other reason everyone's been avoiding me like the plague?"

I waited for a moment, but his only answer was silence.

"That's what I thought," I said, turning to leave.

"No, that's not what I--dammit, Sam!" he said, and I turned back around, glaring at him.

"What? What the hell do you want from me?"

"How about an explanation? I think I deserve to know why you lied for who knows how long to all of us about everything!"

"Oh, for the love of--because of this, you idiot! Because I hate you all acting like I single-handedly ruined everyone's life by being Tainted without even pausing to consider what it's been like for me!"

"You think that's what I care about?" he asked, flabbergasted. "I don't care about that! I want to know why you didn't trust us--why you didn't trust me--enough to tell us about it."

My eyes were stinging with unshed tears, but I knew I wouldn't cry, because I had been out of tears for a day and a half.

Because of this idiotic jerk, standing in front of me.

"You think I'm that dumb? That I really believe everyone would've just accepted it? At best, I would've been treated differently forever; at worst, I'd have been thrown out on the street to fend for myself. And don't you dare deny it, because I heard what Syrena said while I was out after the whole Yaxley incident."

"Gods, Sam, do you really have to make everything so hard all the time? I would've stood up for you! So would Macey and Chris and Aria and--" he stopped, taking a deep breath. "Look, never mind. You clearly don't want to listen."

"And you clearly don't want to see the truth!" I snapped, frustrated.

"Look, none of this is the point here! I just wanted to know... I wanted to know if you had also lied about your answer. About me."

And just like that, I was breathless again.

"This isn't important," I mumbled, hugging myself as I turned away, desperately looking back at the kitchen. Macey, where are you? Come and save me...

"Yeah, it is. And I think you did lie."

"I did not."

"Then why can't we talk about this?" he asked, and I made the mistake of looking up at him, seeing his big, beautiful eyes and the way they captured mine.

"Dammit, you idiot," I sighed, exasperated. I crossed the space between us in just a few strides, guiltily loving the way he looked--like a cross between terrified and hopeful.

"You make me to all the hard work," I said before tilted forward, my lips meeting his.

It was just the barest brush of something--like a fleeting hint of spring, a promise of the heat to come--but it was more than enough. My body was electrified, and judging by the way his arms had tightened around my body and he was kissing me back fiercely, I assumed he was as well. I vaguely realised that we had moved just was we tripped over the couch, landing on the floor. We barely paused for breath, and I let out a small laugh before going back for more of his addictive taste.

Or, at least, I did. Then we were interrupted by my best friend, who ran into the room throwing something at us and screaming, "GET OFF OF HER YOU GIANT JACK--oh. Oh."

We sprung apart like guilty children, flushing and straightening our clothes.

"Macey, I didn't know you could... ah... hear us..." I mumbled.

"Did you throw chocolate at me?" Thomas asked incredulously.

"It's worse for you than fruit?" she offered timidly.

I tried, I swear. I just couldn't hold it anymore, though, so I doubled over, laughing so hard I couldn't breath. It wasn't long before they joined me, all of us so loud that it wasn't long before we had woken up the whole house. I knew they'd come rushing down in a moment, that I'd be back to miserably defending myself, but at that moment, I just didn't care. I had friends, and I had laughter.

And for now, that was all I needed.