See Me

29

The smile on my face was gone. Melted away like liquid wax that had dripped down the side of candle.

Jax's gaze was on me instantly. He walked through the door, with Cain close behind him. He was smirking, like he always is. But his eyes, they were angry. He quickly ran them over the two of us. Me, clutching Zane around the neck like my life depended on it, and Zane squeezing me around the waist.

"I hope we all get hugs like that, Seren." He teased into the air.

Zane set me down when he heard Jax's voice. He made to step away from me, but I didn't let him. I glued myself to his side, like a scared toddler would to their parent. I snaked my hand into the arm of his hoodie, wrapping my fingers around his bare wrist. Zane looked down at the sudden contact in surprise, before glancing at my face. He understood my expression instantly, and he started to canvass around us.

I wanted to yell and point at Jax, scream the danger is right there!

But I couldn't. I could never.

"Are you good?" Zane asked, peering back down towards me.

"Mhm." I hummed out. I willed myself to remain calm, to remain impassive. "Just glad you're here."

Zane smiled back at me, like my words genuinely made him happy. He opened his mouth to say something further when he was interrupted.

"Who brought you here, Seren?" Jax asked as he inched closer to me. I wanted to shrink away, fade into to pale blue wall behind me. Obviously, I couldn't do that. I turned my body towards Zane instead, trying to box myself away from Jax.

"Yeah, Seren. Gavin told me that Austin brought you?" Zane looked back at me curiously.

"Austin?" Cain interjected as he approached us. "What are you doing with Austin? He's not a good guy, Seren."

"Why, because he sells weed?" I wanted to roll my eyes at Cain, but I couldn't look in that direction. I couldn't look in that direction because I knew what else was waiting for me there. Jax.

"Among other things." Cain replied, and I watched as Zane's eyes flickered up to his.

"Seems like Zane here isn't so special." Jax added. It sounded like he was joking. I would have laughed, if this was two weeks ago. I would have laughed and rolled my eyes. Maybe even swatted his arm.

I knew better now.

But Zane didn't. Zane rolled his eyes, muttering for Jax to shut up, under his breath. Zane's eyes didn't see the danger. Mine did.

"Are we going in?" Cain asked, gesturing to the entrance way we were standing in.

"You sure you're okay?" Zane asked me again, his eyes were narrowed slightly. He knew I wasn't.

I nodded, trying my best to smile. I didn't trust myself to speak because then I would have to lie. Zane knew when I lied, he always did.

He nodded back at me, before pulling on my hand. It had still been clasped around his wrist, I hadn't realized how tightly I had been squeezing.

I was disappointed, the feeling exploding deep inside my stomach, as he pulled my hand away from his wrist, disconnecting us. I felt like I was watching someone pull the needle of my lifesaving IV line out of my arm. That feeling only lasted a second, however, as he intertwined his fingers with mine. He gave me a reassuring squeeze as our hands fell to his side.

He looked at me cautiously, making eye contact with me. As if he was reaffirming my permission for him to touch me like that. He didn't just have my permission, he had my gratitude.