A Thief's Kiss

25| Hurt

Chapter 25: Hurt (Aria's POV)

"Have you learned your lesson yet?" 

I sniffled even more. 

"Tell me!" She yanked at my hair. 

I cried out, trying to push her hand off. "Yes! Yes! I've learned my lesson! I won't take your perfume ever again, auntie! Please!" 

She let go, pushing me away, making me stumble back and crash into the wall. 

I wiped my cheeks aggressively, even though they stung from the slaps I received earlier, anger bubbling in me as I cried. I miss my mom. I just want to go back home. "

Stop crying for God's sake!" she snapped. 

I immediately quieted down, forcing myself to hold in any more sobs and tears. 

"Do not ever try taking anything from my room ever again while you clean! Understand?" 

I nodded frantically. 

"Now go finish up your chores. Go!" 

I ran back into the kitchen and resumed doing the dishes, accidentally dropping one in the sink, wincing as I did. 

"Aria!"

I gasped, quickly, picking it up and trying to clean them all and then run out of the house. 

"Aria, what did you drop?!" 

"N-nothing, auntie!" 

"Aria!" 

"It's nothing, I swear!" 

"Aria!" 

"Aria!" 

I gasped, opening my eyes and sitting upright. I was sweaty around my neck and was breathing very heavily. Panting. 

"Aria! Jesus, are you all right?" 

I blinked, looking to my left where Alexander was now sitting up, holding me. "Wh... what happened?" I asked, trying to catch my breath. 

"I- I don't know. I don't know. I just woke up to you crying and whimpering. You sounded like you were hurt, are you okay?" 

"Hurt?" I asked in confusion. 

"You sounded like you were being hurt. Are you all right? Wh- what happened to you? Here, have some water." He handed me the bottle, opening it for me quickly. I took it from him, gulping down nearly half of it. "Are you okay?" 

"I... It must have been a bad dream. I'm fine." 

He watched me carefully. 

"I'm fine. I swear. It's nothing." "Aria?" "It's nothing, I swear!" I exclaimed. 

"Okay, okay! All right, it's nothing!" He put his hands up in surrender. "It's nothing, I won't ask. Just... here." He took the bottle out of my hands, putting it back on the nightstand. He sat there in silence while I held my head in my hands, slowly coming back to reality. 

"I'm sorry," I mumbled. "I'm sorry if I freaked you out." 

"Freaked me out? No, I-" 

"Nothing happened. It was just a nightmare. Nothing happened," I repeated it, mostly to myself. 

"Okay, just come here." He put an arm around me, lifting his hand to touch my hair and I flinched involuntarily and pulled away. 

"No, I'm fine. You don't have to do that."