Love's Beat

Chapter 15

     No longer amused now, she asked, "And exactly how did you get my combination?"

     The buffoon had the gall to grin. "There are lots of things you don't know about me." Another sip of the heavenly brown liquid she was craving so badly. "And among them is that I know how to get my way into anything be it past a club bouncer or a mere lock."

Ember had no reply to that completely egoistical comment. She could only sigh.

     "Right then. But these aren't going to wake me up." She shook the packet, making the mini candies rattle. "You know what would work better? A good dose of caffeine ought to fix me up real good," she hinted.

      He pulled the cup back while taking a sip from the other one, an eye trained on her the whole time. "I'm not giving this up, Miss Ashe, so forget it."

      She groaned and slammed her locker door shut after getting her books. "Then hide it away or I'll attempt to tackle you to the floor and risk my perfect record to get it from you," she growled. "I didn't think you were actually nice enough to actually get that for someone else."

     "I'm hurt that you think so little of me," he assumed an injured tone. "For your information, this is for somebody important whose name goes along the lines of Me, Myself and I."

     "Figures," she scoffed. "Well, you can bring your not-so-lovely self and your coffees for one somewhere else then. And do not mess with my locker again or I'll mess with your face." Smug, she turned to leave but her body froze mid-turn when she saw something that made her heart sink down all the way to the tips of her toes.

A girl with a long blonde ponytail had her back to Ember while she was wrapped in the arms of a tall, lean red-head. Time seemed to move in slow-motion as Jaden released her after hugging her for a long while, only to lean down and peck her on the cheek.

Ember knew she should've just turned and walked away but her feet were practically super-glued to the floor. Apparently she hadn't gotten enough of the torture of Jaden with another girl since her eyes stayed fixed on the scene that was fracturing her heart into a million tiny pieces.

      "Ember." She vaguely heard her name being called but she couldn't focus on anything except the way Jaden was now embracing his lab partner. "Ember. Emmy. Hey, you alright?" Jesse shook her shoulder but she couldn't for the life of her tear her eyes away from them.

At an agonizingly slow pace, Jaden lifted his head from the blonde's shoulder. He paused when his gaze clashed with hers then zeroed in on Jesse's hand on her shoulder. Those hauntingly beautiful dark eyes flashed with so many emotions. Hurt. Regret. Possessiveness. Anger. They all left as soon as they came, all but one. That one soulful look managed to wrap yards of barbed wire around her heart and make her feel just how ravaged it was.

With that one look, it lashed open so many scars within her.

      "Betrayal!" his eyes accused, loud and clear.

That was the last straw. She spun around and sprinted down the hallway, running like her life depended on it. She ran and didn't stop until she was out of breath, panting with loud huffs and her legs weak from exertion. She found herself at a deserted stairwell that was isolated enough that no one would stumble upon her.

Her knees buckled and she caught herself on the railing before collapsing in a heap onto the steps. She sucked air into her lungs with fast, laboured breaths, hoping it might ease the constriction around her chest. Black spots marked her vision and the world started tilting upside-down as a wave of dizziness hit her. She squeezed her eyelids shut so she wouldn't succumb to the lure of oblivion that lurked in the darkness.