Tainted

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Nova stood still as granite as she watched Ryan's retreating form. Her anger had dissipated a little hearing Ryan's words. How long had she worried about their friendship? Long enough.  

Forcing herself to turn she caught Seth's eyes, as he too were watching Ryan leave. They stood their a moment just staring at each other. Neither willing to be the first to break the silence. 

In the background, Nova heard the bell ring for classes to end, birds echoed their song beautifully and the sound of her heart contradicted all of them. She felt like she was trapped in this one moment. Standing here staring at the most gorgeous man that ever had been created. 

Half of her wanted to run and fling herself in his arms. To hold him, cry and kiss him everywhere. How she loved him. This is what her heart wanted. What it had cried over when she thought she would never see him again. Her Seth.. 

But before she could run and make a complete fool of herself she remembered everything he had done. He made a bet that cost her her life. 

I mean I ended up in hell over it! Literally! She tried to remind herself. And, not to mention that beautiful woman in his cabin. Less we forget. That part of her wanted to go over and hit him for putting her through all of that. 

So she stood there doing neither. She wanted to take an air of nonchalance, and act like everything was no big deal. But everything was to far gone for that. Staring into his beautiful blue eyes, she willed him to tell her the truth, every gory piece of it. 

That's when something like lightening stroke her. Her eyes widen when she realized what color his eyes were. Blue! And not just any murky blue, but a pale almost clear blue. She couldn't be seeing this, she told herself as she rubbed her eyes, then opened them to check their color. There were the same color as a Siberian husky's! And they were moving closer, a mere few inches from her. 

Try as she might, she couldn't look anywhere else. She felt trapped in his intense stare. She stood frozen as he reached up and laid his hand on her cheek. 

"Nova," he breathed as he lightly laid his forehead against hers. Sighing he released a long breath, like he had finally come home. 

And that was what broke her trance. Shaking herself out of the instant comfort she felt at his touch, she jerked her head back, and stumbled over the bench, falling to the ground. 

She gasped as her body fell to the ground at a odd angle. Pain shot through her leg as she tried to right herself. Oww.. she groaned inwardly as she looked back and caught Seth's amused look. 

Anger rekindled as she jerked herself upright in one unfluid motion and let him see every ounce of her contempt.  

"Why are you here?" she growled in a voice she was sure that belonged to someone else, in its intensity. 

Surprise fleeted across his features as his amusement turned into confusion. He bunched his eyebrows together as he looked away from her. If she didn't know any better she would of thought that she had hurt his feelings. 

Steeling her heart she refused to feel bad. Not when he had too many things to answer for. 

It seemed like an eternity before he answered, "Was I wrong coming here? I had to see you Nova. I had to know you were ok.." he pulled that wondering look back at her. 

"Well as you can see I am fine!" she lied, "I mean I managed to survive hell, loose my boyfriend, and make it to school today. I think I'm doing pretty good. Damn Good." her voice grew to where she ended up shouting at him.