RIDING AWAY

CHAPTER 19 - Back to square one? Not quite...

"What the hell, Blake?!" Jeremiah shouted at me after carrying me out of the water.

"Jere has her, now so calm the f*ck down, No!" Merlin was clearly still on the phone with his brother.

"I-I w-wanted t-to b-be numb again..." I wasn't sure whether my teeth were shattering because of the nerves or because of how cold I was.

"Numb?!" Jeremiah exclaimed. "You wanted to be numb?!" He was clearly angry. "I hadn't pegged you for one of those weak attention-seeking people!"

"Stop shouting at me, ok?!" Merlin went on. "Yeah ok, I'll tell Jere to shut the f*ck up!"

"I wa-wasn't seeking a-t-tention..." I argued.

"Oh yeah because drowning yourself while we're in your house isn't just that, then?!" He interjected.

I was once again tempted to use violence, only this time it was Jeremiah I wanted to slap.

"L-let me d-down, ass-ss-hat-t!"

Try to insult someone when your teeth are shattering! I knew he hadn't got my point when they both burst out laughing.

By then we were entering my room so I knew he'd comply soon. He turned the hot water on and put me down in the cubicle before undressing me until I was down to my underwear.

"I wasn't trying to drown myself..." I finally mumbled.

"You weren't?" Jeremiah asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

"No." I answered. "Not only was the water too shallow where I was but you'll never guess what?!" my voice was dripping in sarcasm. "I know how to swim..."

"Apologize!" I heard Noah shout at his brother.

"Ok, ok..." Jeremiah relented. "I'm sorry."

I shrugged.

"No has a message for you..." Merlin said a minute later while I was showering in front of them.

"Can I point out that the two of you are actually watching me taking a shower right now?!"

They both had the decency to blush before turning around with sheepish "Sorry, Blake." They didn't leave, however so I rinsed and dried myself quickly, to put an end to this uncomfortable situation.

I put on clean sweats and a long sleeves tee-shirt before slipping Noah's hoodie over my head. I then went to put my drenched clothes in the washer and sat in the living-room sofa.

"No has a message for you..." Merlin repeated now that he had my full attention.

I sighed, expecting the worst.

"He doesn't want to be your friend either..." He said and my head snapped up at that.

"Well, that's good, it will make things easier..." I commented.

"I don't think you understand..." Merlin started again but I'd had enough.

"No, Merlin! I don't think you understand! I'm not sure what you hoped to accomplish by coming here, but now that you know why I left, I think it would be for the best if you let things be..." I was speaking loudly enough for Noah to hear. "Your brother pushed me away one too many time for me to believe that he really wants me by his side. We were never meant to be, end of story..."

"He regrets telling you that, you know?" Merlin insisted.

"How come he didn't know you were here, then?" I had trouble masking my frustration. "Or better, how come he hasn't tried to contact me himself?" Both were now gaping awkwardly. "Guys, I know you mean well but sometimes no matter how much we want something to happen, it doesn't work out and that's exactly what's happening now..."