Blood Slave

Chapter Fourteen: Dead and Miserable

My eyes widen as I look up at Clipper as he gives me the most serious look ever. At first, I thought he was joking, but the way he's looking at me... 

He's completely serious. 

"Clipper... I thought..." I trail off. "I thought we were just friends?" 

Clipper's jaws visibly rub together as he looks away from me. "I'm really beginning to hate that word," he growls darkly. 

I've seen him serious before, but this is... He's really taking this seriously. 

"I'm dating Arin, Clipper. We're just friends," I tell him gently. 

He turns his head to look at me. There's not a single shred of disappointment in his eyes. Just frustration. He actually looks angry. 

"I'm not telling you to dump Arin, okay? Just let me show you that you're with the wrong guy. Arin is..." he trails off. "He's not good for you, Echo." 

"And how would you know what's good for me?" I snap. 

Clipper looks at me like I'm completely stupid. "Because I'm your friend, you dumb ass. Sometimes I really wish I wasn't, but I can't help it." 

"You can't help what?" I ask him with a frown. 

His eyes widen slightly in embarrassment as he looks away from me again with his eyes glued to the floor. "I can't help what I feel," he admits quietly. 

I stare at him for the longest moment feeling sorry for him. I've been friend-zoning for how long? Still, that's got to hurt. "I'm glad you're being honest with me, Clipper, but can I please have my clothes so we can talk more comfortably about this?" I ask him. 

He nods as he grabs all my clothes and hands them to me before walking out in silence. 

I sigh as my eyes close. He didn't come out and say it, but he did hint that he likes me. Now I have a lot of questions. 

After getting dressed, I go into Clipper's room where I see him lying on his bed with his head resting on his pillow. His blue eyes shift over, meeting mine. "Close the door," he says quietly as he sits up. 

I shut the door before moving towards his bed and sitting down on the edge. "Arin wouldn't be happy about this." 

"I don't care," Clipper states. 

"My dad wouldn't like it either," I tell him. 

He shrugs. "So? I don't care." 

"Do you care at all?" I ask him with a frown. 

Clipper frowns deeply as he looks at me. "I only care about things worth me caring about. Your dad and Arin really don't deserve anything from me. Not even my attention," Clipper says with a hint of arrogance like he thought he was better than my dad and Arin. 

"Am I worth your attention?" I ask him curiously. 

Clipper's blue eyes soften. "Every bit of it." 

"So...is this...a crush that you've had on me? Or a phase? Something?" I ask him. 

His eyes close as he shakes his head. "It started out as a crush, but it isn't a phase. And I know what you're doing, Echo. You're trying to deny this because it will only make things complicated for you." 

"Well, you don't have a racist dad and boyfriend," I snarl. 

Clipper's eyes snap open as he glares at me. "I once had a dad, too, Echo. He wasn't perfect either. I don't know why you're making this so hard when it's not."