Try (bxb)

Chapter Four

We were siting across from each other in the warm coffee shop near the school, my hands wrapped around a warm mug, shaking slightly. It starts to burn my fingertips through the heat protector and I set it down. Jason is leaning back against the booth, one arm slung over the back of it and the other resting on the table.

"Okay. So explain now." He says, and I wince at his harsh tone. I think that he sees it, because his eyes soften and he removes his hand from behind the booth, leaning forward.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to scare you, I'm just confused."

I shook my head, looking down at the table and trying to keep my breaths even. I can't do this. I can't. It's too soon.

"I just really struggle with, um, anxiety. That's all," I say quickly, and he immediately looks concerned.

"Oh, darling, it's okay. I won't hurt you- you know that right?" He says, concerned. Guilt shoots through me and I nod slowly. It's not like I lied to him; I do have anxiety. And depression. And an intense trauma-induced fear of men. And no virginity. The list goes on, and I sigh.

"I know," I lie smoothly, giving him a fake smile. I lie a lot and I'm pretty good at it.

"You're a terrible liar- you still don't believe me."

Well fuck.

"I'm sorry. I just don't trust very easily anymore."

"Anymore?" He picks out, and I blush and look away.

"I'm gonna go. I don't really feel well and I definitely am not going back to school just so that they can find me again. So, bye." I rush out quickly, standing. As I do, my arm brushes my steaming hot mug of hot chocolate and it falls onto Jason's lap, and I stare wide-eyes as he jumps up, cursing profoundly.

"Shit shit shit shit," he mumbles, trying to brush it off with his hands and only succeeding in burning his fingers. He curses again and grabs some napkins, trying to sop up as much of the scalding liquid as possible.

Guilt floods through me as I watch him, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. My gosh, I need to stop crying. It's ridiculous. I burn someone else and then i start to cry. What a joke.

Jason throws the wad of napkins in the trash can next to our booth and then turns to me, wincing.

"I'm not going back either," he mutters, obviously in pain, "so let's go."

I follow Jason out of the coffee shop quietly, feeling a lump in my throat. Why did I always screw everything up? What's wrong with me? I let him go a good ways ahead of me, thinking.

"Stop!" I hear behind me after a little whole of walking, but I ignore it, thinking that it's just someone else yelling on the street- perhaps at a rowdy child, or a dog that keeps pulling too hard on the leash.

Until someone grabs my sweatshirt from behind and yanks me back against their chest. I immediately start to panic, frantically shoving and writhing against them, but their strong arms keep me where I am. I can see Jason in front of me, walking farther away. Not realizing I'm even gone.

"Jason!" I call out desperately, and he whips around confusedly, then stares at me in surprise for a half-second before snapping into motion and starting to cross the space between us with long strides, growling in a way that makes me whimper and fight harder to get free from whoever is holding me. I don't know how I can even understand what's going on around me, I just focus in the fact that Jason is almost here.

"LET GO!" I scream, locking eyes with Jason pleadingly, and then he's there in front of me before I can scream out another word, snarling in a way that doesn't seem at all human, sending a shiver down my spine that doesn't even have to do with the arms locking around my waist.

"Well well well," a voice chuckles in my ear, holding me tightly and making the panic even worse. It's a man. My fear goes into overdrive. I start sweating and kicking, thrashing wildly against arms of iron. My yells are muffled as one hand goes over my mouth, and a voice pierced it's way into my ear.

"Shhhhhh," it hisses menacingly "I don't like when my pets bite."

I can feel the blood rush out of my face and I go limp, my breathing turning into hyperventilation, making my entire body heave. This isn't some freak coincidence- he really truly wants to harm me.

"I'm afraid that this pet has already been claimed," I hear as if from a long distance. "Let him go. Now."

Spots dance in front of my eyes as the man drops me and I sag to the floor, gasping for breath, terror pushing it's way through any stray logic left in my mind.

"Not for long." The voice snaps, and then I hear footsteps receding and I feel another hand on me.

I can't panic any more this time. I'm focusing all my energy on trying to breathe, so distracted that I barely feel it. 'In, out, in, out,' I think to myself.

My head is tilted up and I can see Jason's never-ending blue eyes above me, electric with nerves.

"Chris. I need you to breathe, okay? Slowly. Slowly, real simple, in, out, in, out." I try my damnedest to line my breathing up with what he's saying.

"Good job. Almost there, darling, just focus on me. In, out, in, out. Come on Chris, you can do it. I'm right here, nobody is going to hurt you. I've got you," he coos softly, like I'm a child waking up from a nightmare. The spots slink away from the edges of my vision and I blink frantically, trying to clear the blur on my vison until I realize that it's tears.

I let them fall. I can't feel much but I know that I'm cold. So cold. I start to shiver violently, quaking.

"J-j-Jason. I'm s-so c-c-cold," I stutter. He stares at me in shock for a moment and then curses and picks me up straight off the floor. My mind is too foggy and my body is too shaky to even protest. My breath is still coming in frantic pants and I can hear his voice in my war again.

"I'm going to take you to my place, Chris, okay? You'll be safe there."

In a voice like a child's, I ask the only thing that makes it into my struggling mind.

"Will it be w-warm?" I choke out past my lips. Jason looks down at me almost fondly and I feel his arms tighten. His arms...how can I feel his arms? Why is he so close?

Before I can process anything more than that, my head lolls onto his shoulder and I stop thinking. It hurts my head too much to try.

"I'll keep you warm, darling." I hear whispered into ear, and it is warm. His breath makes the side of my freezing face thaw, and I try to relax.

'Darling,' I think to myself. I like when he calls me that. I like the way it rolls off his tongue and makes me feel safe.

I doze in and out of consciousness for a little while, and I'm right on the edge when I hear his voice again.

"We're here," he says, and I faintly wish that he had called me darling again before I pass out.

A/N

Sooooo who's the freaky guy?? Idk, idk... Just kidding I know :) yay. IM SORRY THAT ITS SHORT AND SUCKY. IM TIRED.