Chapter Thirteen- Your nightmare have just begun
Joining Track was fun until I realized that Ms. Barbie was on it too.
Thursday morning was hot like the pan I had accidentally put my hand on. Which by the way made me look at my left palm. It was mostly healed now. The burn didn't hurt that much anymore but the recent scratches did. Last couple of days went without any Easton drama especially after the party on Friday. I tried apologizing to Ms. Barbie but, she was on a mission called Cassandra-have-plaque-run-away-from-her.
Which made this whole situation kinda complicated. Hence, the reason I was in school on early Friday morning with fuming Linda situated on my right and irked Easton on my left in the waiting room of our Dean's office.
"Ms. Rhodes, Madam Principal is waiting for you in the office."
Sighing, I stood up but instantly winced, almost falling back down when his strong arm wrapped around me, saving me from the fall.
I didn't know how much falls Easton had saved me from.
Which only made the guilt of keeping something vital from him worse.
His eyes absorbed me until he raised a brow, ostensibly annoyed.
Well, it wasn't my fault he got involved in too. That's his own damn fault!
*Yesterday*
The bell rang signaling the end of school and start of my track practice. I joined it today because I learnt that by being in sports I would be able to up my GPA. Which I needed to do badly if I wanted a good college in future.
I met Tabby and Jeanette at my locker like usual and we chatted about everything and nothing in particular. Arnold had asked Tabby out on a date and I didn't know if it was such a good idea. I asked her to not reply yet but soon I'd have to tell her my answer. We both knew what Alden would say, so there was no way talking to him about it.
Jeanette had been quiet these last couple of days. I tried to ask her if everything was okay but, she always shrugged saying everything was fine and it was just in my head.
But her sad eyes told another story everyday.
And it wasn't like I could nag her until she'd spill. Could I? I was new to this friendship thing and was trying to figure what was appropriate and what wasn't.
She hugged me bye and walked away. Left alone in the hallway, I contemplated going to the track practice. I joined them because I knew I could run. But I wasn't dumb to think that there was no difference between morning run and track run. But I couldn't back out now. The ship had already sailed.
Swallowing my fear, I walked down the hallway and abruptly halted when I saw Arnold. His back was to me but, I could tell by the way he was standing so close to a girl, that there was something beyond friendly going on.
Anger surged through me and I started to stomp towards him when I saw Easton heading my way.
I came to a stop.
Shoot me now!
I took a deep breath and turned around walking in the complete opposite direction from the school's ground.
I took a chance looking back and air escaped my lungs. He wasn't there anymore. Guess, he wasn't coming for me after all.
Paranoid, much?!
Last night I found his weed which was just behind the sugar jar in the upper cabinet. I was making some cold coffee when I found it. Before I could put it back, Linda walked in and I got so afraid that I pushed it all down the sink and threw the plain plastic wrap into my jeans pocket.
I didn't know if he'd found it yet or not, but I knew he would absolutely kill me if he knew what happened to his weed-- or who happened.
I rushed toward the back door, leading to the playground. Half part was for the volleyball players with net and everything, other side for soccer players.
My side was right beside the white border line which divided soccer and track.
How wonderful! Now, Easton would easily kill me.
I ignored the stares from the soccer team players and as well as from my own team. Heat was already doing a number on my skin. I kept my head down and walked. I was forcibly stopped and stumbled back because of a stupid pair of pink sports shoes which bumped into me.
I gazed up and shut my eyes, inhaling through my nose.
"Nightmare!" I muttered under my breath.
A poke of her bony finger made me flinch and I stepped back. I hated that she towered me. This was the time I wanted a magic wand damn it!
She chuckled, poking again, "Your nightmare has just begun."
I licked my lips, feeling the heat of all the stares on me-- especially his, which made my skin tingled and turn hot red. I took a deep breath and smiled up at her. Then without a word, I shrugged, sidestepping her and walking to take my position at the start line.
I started stretching and the intensity of that particular stare made me rub my arms because goosebumps poked all over my skin. I couldn't let him do this to me-- to my body. He had to look away, and that would only be possible if I would catch him looking at me.
I fidgeted with my hands and bent down, pretending to touch my toes, slightly twisting in my position to catch him looking at me.
My breath hitched in my throat when our eyes met. Shit! I was stuck.
I couldn't breathe or move.
His eyes held my heart captive, as he roamed them all over me. I straightened and turned around to fully look at him.
He was leaning against the fence, legs crossed at the ankle. Dressed in his red and yellow soccer uniform, his elbows resting on the fence behind him. His dark as night hair shading a contrast to the bright afternoon.
Even though he just saw that I had caught him checking me out or whatever he thought he was doing, he held my eyes like he wasn't apologizing for it. And it brought a whole damn zoo to jump in my stomach.
I was wearing the school's track uniform. Which Ms. Barbie's dad had sponsored. In other words, she got to choose our outfits for us.
It was short for my taste-- too short actually. Black and red was the combination of my tank top which hugged me like a second skin, and the shorts were only few inches down from my butt. At least, I could wear my comfortable sneakers and not her fancy pink shoes. My hair were pulled back in a high ponytail, leaving couple of stubborn strands out to dance with the wind.
My tattoo was on display and I hated that. I wished my tank had sleeves or something.
His eyes felt like cold fingers tracing my skin and my mouth went dry.
Elliot came running and smacked right into him. A laugh escaped me as I watched Easton lean away and growl, rubbing his shoulder.
I shook my head at their playful banter, looking away and instead caught Alden's eyes zeroing on me. Kill me now please!
Did he see the whole exchange?
Shit!
I was so dead.
"If you're ready... can we start!" Ms. Barbie got in my face and for the first time I felt the need to thank her. I wouldn't have been able to look away from Alden's strong angry gaze if it wasn't for her.
Why? Why did I chose TRACK?!!!
I shut my eyes and nodded at her. "Sure."
Once done stretching, coach blew the whistle and we all started to run. I ran as fast I could, even faster remembering details from the last week. The party where Easton wrongfully judged for too many things I wasn't. The way he stiffened under my touch when I bandaged him. The buzz of electricity which jolted my inside on his touch-- even with his gaze.
His lips when he kissed Jeanette that morning and then on Friday's party. I shut my eyes for a second and pushed my legs faster. It hurt!
The power of his dimpled smile on me. Which always made my legs tipsy.
The frigidness he'd been shedding towards me since... well since I came.
Last couple days I'd not even once crossed paths with him. He was hardly home. And even when he was, I was hiding in my room.
I hated seeing the hate in his eyes for me.
Two days ago accidentally, I heard him talk to Linda about Tesla we borrowed. He said something about his Nanna and the drive with her for the last time. I really couldn't understand what it meant but Linda apologized saying she forgot about that. That she was just trying to help us. Then a glass shattered and before any one of them could walk out and find me eavesdropping, I ran back up to my room and shut the damn door.
Out of nowhere, one second was running and then falling. Before I could even blink, came the cold and hard ground to welcome me. I fell on my knees, the impact so hard, I placed my hands on the ground to stop from hitting my head and slid an inch further. They got all scraped. The pain shot through me and I winced, falling on my butt and glancing at my knees.
Everyone on the track laughed, clicking pictures of me. I wouldn't cry. Not in front of these monsters. Assholes. Tears poked at my eyes but I refused to shed them. There was rope tied to make me fall. This was all planned. A guy came rushing; probably Brianna's minion and quickly untied both ends of the rope and took it away. And now, I had no proof to get them punished. Amazing.
My breathing was uneven, my entire body shivering. I had to straighten up and leave. Why couldn't I move? They kept laughing and talking and clicking pictures. A loud shriek got everyone to turn their attention away from me.
I glanced back just when Easton grabbed that rope boy's neck and threw a blow to his ribs. I winced for the boy. He was nothing compared to Easton. The boy fell to the ground, screaming in pain. Crowd gathered around him while both coaches whistled to settle the loud chatter.
Easton's eyes met mine and in couple of seconds he was right beside me. Kneeling down, he carefully watched my wounds. "You're losing blood." The blood was trailing down my leg and further down. The burnt hand felt like I had placed it in a boiling water this time.
And once again tears pooled in my eyes. I could've manged to hold them back if only his eyes hadn't trapped mine with all those emotions swimming inside of him. I felt his warmth and comfort and it made me cry. I didn't do crying.
Tears fell down to my cheeks and his eyes almost widened. I guess he too thought I never cried. He put his arms around me and pulled me closer, scooping me up. In front of all his muscles and very tall frame, I probably weighed nothing.
I hooked my arms around his neck, pulling myself closer to him. I knew everyone was watching us. Even the coaches, who ordered Easton to take me to the nurse. Alden was nowhere to be seen. He probably left before this happened otherwise Easton wouldn't be holding me right now.
I closed my eyes, listening to Easton's wild thudding inside his chest.
I clutched my arms tighter around his neck, afraid I might fall. But, I knew it wasn't possible. He wouldn't let me fall.
"How are you feeling? Does it hurt a lot?" Easton whispered leaning to my ear. His voice deep and dark like the first night we met.
I nodded against his jersey, breathing his strong and sweet scent deep into my lungs. I was too exhausted to speak. All my energy was completely drained out of me.
"She needs help! Now!!" Easton's panicked voice made me smile. He was worried about me. That was a first.
I opened my eyes when he laid me on the cold single white bed. Nurse drew the curtains around, letting him stay with me because apparently, I was holding his hand and didn't let go.
Without a word she started working on my knees. She cleansed the blood around my open wounds, and I squeezed his hand in pain and fear. Tears streamed down my cheeks, when the unbearable pain hit my knees and my hands. I had to let go of his hand, because even holding his hand hurt me for too many reasons.
I felt the pressure of his warm fingers on my chin, forcing me to look at him.
Easton knelt down beside me. We were now on eye level. I licked my lips when his hands came up and cupped my cheeks, keeping me from looking at what Nurse was doing to my knees. And knowing how bad it hurt, I glued my eyes to his.
His thumbs wiped my tears and he smiled. The dimple smile.
Immediately my insides started to untangle and the pain dulled in the background. I kept my eyes on his dimple. While his enchanted mine.
He licked his lips and I swallowed the huge lump in the back of my throat. His hair were messed up but, because they were short, they hardly looked out of order. My fingers tingled to touch him. His long thick lashes. His dimple. His tiny browinsh-black mole at the side of his chin. Well... he never been this close to me, that's why I missed it before. Other than that, his skin was flawless and a beautiful shade of tan-pink from the outside heat.
His thumb swiped under my eyes-- probably where the left over tears were. Then traced my cheeks, my freckles, my jaw, and finally settled at the center of my chin. It was almost as if he was an artist and I was the blank canvas which he was filling with bright colors.
I could hear my heart in my ears and I knew the hair on my body had stood up.
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach, making me squirm under his touch. I bit my bottom lip and his gaze ever so slowly traveled up there.
His thumb forced my bottom lip to jut out, then grazed the outline of it. "Easton..." I breathlessly whispered, shutting my eyes and memorizing his touch.
"All done! See you didn't even wince once." The loud noise of Nurse prickled our little bubble because I snapped my eyes open the moment I felt the loss of his touch. He stood up looking at the Nurse while she told him to call someone from my home so they could take me home.
"She lives with me..." he ran a hand through his hair. His shoulders too tight, flexing his back muscles. His other hand formed into a fist. "Some charity project my dad has started."
Each and every word he spoke stabbed me with knife in the heart. I had never felt an ache like this before, but now when I did, I wished I hadn't. It's the world's worst feeling.
What we shared just moments ago, felt like a dream from my head. All fake and made up because the stiff, cold guy who spoke those words could never have shared something so special and intimate with me.
I refused to cry and shut my eyes. Just before leaving, he mumbled, "Can you also bandage her hands, she scrapped them too."
"Sure."
Then without a glance back, he walked out.