Lives Change

Chapter 27 - Warming Up

Terra's P.O.V.

My cheeks are pink and my fingers are numb. I've been sitting out by the empty, pool, pushing my sadness away and trying not to think of what Asher might be doing right now. The sky is turning gray, soon to be black. With a sigh that crystallizes in the cold air, I stand up and slowly walk inside. Damien and Derek are sitting on the couch, watching Sons of Anarchy. They look up when I come in. Damien's eyebrows raise in concern and he hurries to grab a blanket from the linen closet under the stairs before he rethinks it and grabs three. 

He rushes to wrap one around my shoulders, and leads me over to the couch, telling me to sit down. I look at Derek, feeling numb inside as well as out. His brown eyes look up at me under dark lashes, a wary look flitting through them before he offers me a closed-lipped smile and scoots over so I can sit in the middle. Damien plops down beside me, draping a second blanket over my legs. He throws the third one over my middle before finally relaxing a bit. He reaches a tan hand to feel my cheek, inhaling sharply when he feels how frozen they are. 

"Terra, why were you out there so long?" He asks.

I don't answer, staring at the TV which is now paused on a close-up of Jax. 

Damien sighs and rubs his face with both hands, frustrated.

Derek looks at me intensely, like he's trying to figure out what I'm thinking. I keep staring at Jax and lean into the couch after kicking off my shoes, snuggling under the blankets Damien piled on top of me, my coat and gloves still on. They keep staring at me but I don't blink, don't move, don't show or feel any emotion. Finally, Derek turns to face the TV and unpauses the show. Damien tries to focus on SOA but I can feel his gaze land on me more than a few times. We watch a few more episodes on Netflix and eventually my eyes start to droop and I yawn, leaning on Damien's shoulder. I can feel him tense beneath me, but my tired mind doesn't register it and I drift off to sleep as he relaxes.

------------------------------------------------------

Rain pours in sheets, blurring the beautiful meadow around me and soaking my clothes in seconds. I squint my eyes, trying to make out the shadow that's coming towards me in the rain. Suddenly, Jake is right in front of me, smirking. I scream and try to run away but my feet won't move fast enough! They feel like they're encased in cement. Jake laughs and grabs my arm just below my elbow, wrenching it behind my back and turning me around to face him again.

"Did you really think you'd get rid of me that easily?" He sneers.

I cry out from the pain shooting up my arm. "Let go of me!" I shriek, desperately trying to free my arm from his grasp.

Jake chuckles, watching me struggle. 

"Terra, Terra, Terra," he says, "We never got to finish what we started."

Suddenly, we're on the small bridge in the meadow, and I'm backed up against the railing with Jake pressed against me. He rips open my shirt, just like he did that night and I scream, struggling to get away from him, tears streaming down my face, blending with the rain.

"Terra."

Jake is smirking, his eyes so dark they look black. His shaggy, brown hair is clinging to his forehead, drops of water rolling off the tips. He grins and kisses me, laughing when I punch his chest with both of my fists. I close my eyes and keep punching him with all the strength I have in me, but he just keeps laughing. 

"Ow!"

Suddenly, Jake is gone and Asher's in his place, my fists hitting his chest. He backs away and glares at me.