Cursed Love

14

  Hurt. Pain. Fear. It was all I have ever known all my life. I should have known I would not experience anything other in my life. It was how things must be. I was a fool to believe anything different. 

  It all started on the 23rd of February, the next year. The December holidays passed in a breeze, peppered with occasional Chemistry and fighting lessons, mixed with a couple of meal times with James and a splash of quality time with him, it was...not a bad holiday. Sure, we had a few moments, but nothing big happened. 

  Looking back, I cannot see why I was so surprised. It was inevitable. Predictable. So many Jameses, how can I not to slip up? What was I possibly expecting? It was so obvious...

  On the 23rd of February, we were walking together, back from school. We splashed down the dark and dingy alleyways, chasing each other, our laughter ringing loudly in our ears, reverberating around the dirt-stained walls. We finally stopped as I ruffled James's hair mischievously. He grinned, his teeth white and perfect as ever. 

  Suddenly, my gut twisted so hard that I could not help but cry out. I gasped as the pain receded, my heart thumping hard in my chest, my eyes wide, adrenaline pumping hard in my veins. "Lorna?" James asked concernedly as I turned my head, looking side to side, up and down. This time, my fear was not for me, but for James. But even that did not register in my head as I kept my eye out for danger. 

  My keen eyes swept the place, my body tense, like one of a cornered alley cat. My feet shifted around, my arms up, ready for any attacks. "Lorna, are you---" 

  "GET THE HECK DOWN!!!" I screamed and he ducked. The assassin's feet swept past his pretty little blonde head and contacted with my chest. I fell back with a huff and bent down, gasping for breath. "Not bad, princess." The assassin smirked and sashayed towards me, knife out. Oh, hell no. I slid out my dagger strapped to my inner thigh and in one powerful burst, stabbed the assassin. 

  She dropped to the ground, revealing James. Bodies littered the ground around him, but he tired and the assassins grabbed him, giving him something that made him strangely weak. They swept away with him. "No!" I exclaimed as they flew up to the roofs with him and a grappling hook. With a snarl, I knocked out the three advancing assassins in a wide slash.

  Despair and fear welled up in my chest. I cannot lose him. I can't! I climbed up to the rooftops quickly and broke into a sprint, chasing after the silhouettes of the assassins, pure fear and adrenaline fueling me. I gained on them, only to be interrupted with another five assassins. I growled in frustration. Oh hell no. You're not getting away.

  I boxed one's ears, kicked two off the roof and slammed one's solar plexus. I took a hit to the ribs, barely feeling anything at all, and stabbed the last one in the chest. I took off running again, but this time, I was smarter. I was not as reckless and stayed to the shadows, letting the assassins think I was finished off.

  I followed them stealthily to an abandoned construction site. They went in and I studied the guards. Okay, I think I know what to do already. 

  I walked up to them coolly. One of them went like, "You! Fairy! You're supposed to be taken care of!" Oh well, there goes Plan A. Let's do Plan B then! I smiled sweetly at the two guards before jabbing their Adam's apple, blocking out their air supply. I smiled triumphantly as they crumbled to the ground. "Jesus, You don't welcome a girl with swords out. Rude." I stalked past those unwelcoming and ungentlemanly guards with my head held high. 

  I climbed up the flight and flights of stairs as I cursed myself under my breath. " Me cago en la leche." Spanish. "Vollidiot." German. Hjulet snurrar men hamstern är död." Swedish. And...well, you get it. The list goes on. See, when I am really pissed, I tend to curse in different languages, so bear with me.