Perfect Storm

Chapter Four

          "Taylor, what are you doing here?" I asked from behind, I could tell he was fuming. 
          "What am I doing here! What are you doing here Sadie!" He yelled back at me, I jumped at the sound of his voice. He'd never been this angry at me but recently it's like all we ever did was fight.
   
         "Hey man I think you need to calm down." Clark tried to reason with him calmly but Taylor wasn't having it.
         "No, you need to stay away from Sadie, Kent!" He said shoving Clark. I could see a sick look come across Clark when I noticed the glowing green color shine through his fingers. Clark stumbled, tripping over the coffee table and hitting the ground.
          "Taylor what is your problem!" I yelled at him manuerving over to Clark. He struggled to lift himself up as I kneeled beside him.

         Taylor moved towards him, grabbing him by the collar, the beads still in his hand. Clarks face turned a shade of green in the light of the green beads.
          "Taylor put him down!" I yelled again, but it only made him angrier.
          "Fine, I'll put him down." Taylor remarked in an exasperated sarcastic tone, shoving Clark towards the railing. Clark stumbled and grabbed for the railing nearly toppling over it as he clung tightly.

          "He's had enough Taylor!" I pleaded with him, Taylor finally looked at me for the first time since he'd walked into the barn.
           "Let's go." Taylor said under his breath as he turned to walk down the stairs. I ignored him and rushed over to Clark who was slowly regaining his strength as he stood himself up against the railing. I slid my hand under his arm and helped him steady himself.

           "I said let's go Sadie." He sharply remarked turning around to face me again.
           "I'm not going home with you Taylor." I responded quietly as Clark seemed to magically regain his strength and stand up straight.
           "Sadie!" Taylor yelled again, I was scared. I'd never been scared of him before, but something about him seemed to have snapped. He'd always been the jealous kind but never this bad.
          
         "She said she's not coming Taylor." Clark responded, his voice was loud and assertive but not quite a yell like Taylor's. I looked over at Clark and back at Taylor.
         "Sadie..." Taylor seemed to be almost pleading at this point. I felt a strong feeling to just run down the stairs and get this over with, but Clark grabbed my arm tightly, it was a weird feeling but it felt safe.
         "Taylor...were through." I finally broke the silence, I felt my words cutting through my own heart like a knife but it felt weirdly relieving at the same time. Clark released his grasp in surprise and looked me over for a second in confusion. I already had tears welling in my eyes as Taylor stood frozen staring right at me.

   
           "Take your stupid bracelet." He mumbled chucking the emerald bracelet into the dirt and glared at Clark as he walked out of the barn cursing under his breath. I finally felt the wall Inside me come crashing down as I broke down in tears.
           Clark put a hand on my shoulder and pulled me into an embrace as I cried into his chest. I felt safe in my little bubble, but the pit in my stomach came back when I knew I'd have to face my mother.

          Almost as if he could sense my fear, he pulled me away still holding his hands on my shoulders. My tears staining his white shirt.
          "I can walk you home, it's really dark." He said softly and caring. I nodded, wiping the tears from my cheeks as we walked down the stairs, his arm sliding over my shoulders. We got to my bracelet and I bent down to grab it watching it light up again, he seemed to be fine but I could see the pain behind his eyes as I held it tightly in my hand.
           As I rubbed my fingers over it I felt an engraving, "T+S", I couldn't understand why it angered me so much that he'd do that to my bracelet. It also gave Clark time to recover since I'd walked away.

       "I almost wish he'd kept it at this point." I said quietly under my breath. But somehow he'd still heard me.
       "It's worth more than that, if you want I can sand it off for you." He said with a weak smile. I looked it over and nodded, handing it over to him. His hand seemed to lock up around it without his control.
        "Clark are you okay?" I asked, trying to pry his hand open from the bracelet.
        "I-I'll be fine just wait for me in the house." He said between his teeth as he stumbled over to a workbench and pulled at the bracelet.