Saving The Pirate (Book Two)

35. New Day, New You

I ran a brush through my hair, letting my yellow strands glide through, stopping when I had knots, and there were quite a few.

No matter how many times I ran that brush through my hair, I always had knots. They were hard to get out, and it was hard trying not to wince about it.

Tears streamed down my face as I pulled at one knot, but I enjoyed the physical pain. It was better than feeling nothing, right? It was part of living, and I sure as hell knew I was doing that.

After countless attempts of pulling and tugging, my hair gave in and smoothed out, and I managed to pull my brush free.

I put the brush down and looked at myself in the mirror, wiping away my tears. I couldn't believe how ugly I looked when I cried, and I wondered if Ailsa looked the same way. Did her face turn puffy and red? Did her bottom lip drip to her chin?

It was easy to compare myself to Ailsa because she had it all. She had the looks, the smarts, and she had Christopher. I had the one thing she hadn't, and now I could hardly say that, but that didn't matter now because things had changed.

After getting dressed, I went and washed my face, wiping the last of my tears away. It was a new day, and I had a new attitude —a clean slate, and I wasn't going to let anything get in my way.

I gave myself one last good look in the mirror and pointed at myself. "New day, new you, " I said and held my head up high as I walked to the door connecting Christopher's room to mine.

I knocked and waited a minute, and after nothing, I did it again, sure that I was going to get an answer this time, but didn't. Where the bloody hell was he? Did he not care what happened last night?

There was a sharp pain in my stomach that said he didn't, that he wasn't guilty whatsoever, and I was afraid it was true. But I chose to ignore it and tried the door, finding it unlocked.

I opened the door a little and looked inside. Instantly, I looked at the bed, and who did I find? No one. I looked around the room, and there was nobody. The room was bare.

I shut the door, realizing where the bloody pirate was. He was with her. I held my breath and counted to ten.

Calm yourself, Anne, it doesn't matter anyway. New day, new you.

Exhaling, I walked to the door, wanting to come down for breakfast. I was hungry, and maybe I would catch Christopher there. I smiled to myself at that fact as I opened my door,  but just as I was about to step out, my heart stopped when I found Christopher asleep against the wall across from me.

I jumped back in fright and yelped, but that did nothing to wake him. I calmed myself and ran my eyes over him.

He was in terrible condition, his hair falling over his eyes, his shirt and belt hanging open, stink wafering from him. In simple words, Christopher Taylor, the man I knew, was a mess, a complete and utter mess.

And there he was sitting outside my door.

Unsure of what to do, I gave a little kick at his boot, but that did nothing. I kicked harder, still nothing. I gave one last good kick, and it made his head slip from the hand he was balancing it on, finally waking him.

"Piss off!" He groaned, barely opening his eyes. A sneaky smile curing up my face as I kicked his shin, and there, the pirate finally opened his eyes.

"You bloody son of a— oh, it's you, " he said, rubbing his head. I crossed my arms over my chest and stood up tall, looking down at his worthless presence.

"Damn right, it's me, " I said with authority.

Christopher looked up, shocked by what I said. But then again, it could be the alcohol talking.