Ultraviolet

Chapter Forty-One: Coma

A haze settled over me as I watched Hadeon walk back down to the bar. It didn't feel real. If someone told me I'd hallucinated the entire thing, I think I'd believe them.

I refilled my glass with water and gulped it down quickly, trying to reorganise my thoughts. What happens now?

Shower, I answered myself. The high of what just happened had abandoned my body and the exhaustion of being awake since so early in the morning hit me all at once. Shower, I repeated, shower then bed.

After grabbing my pyjamas from my room, I stepped into the bathroom and locked the door. I stripped off and turned, catching myself in the mirror. My lips were bright and swollen, and a small smattering of pale red bruises marked the skin over my left collarbone.

My mind replayed the moment Hadeon left them there, and goosebumps rose on my arms. The feeling that resided in the pit of my stomach started to stir again. I quickly twisted on the cold water tap and stepped inside, letting the freezing water pierce my skin.

I hadn't been able to finish a simple, innocent date with Ty, without thinking about Quinton. I ran away, afraid I'd never be able be with someone with the ghost of him haunting me.

Being with Hadeon, I never thought of Quinton. Not Once.

Once I was out of the shower and dry, I pulled on my pyjamas. I'd never given much thought to my pyjamas, I wore a ratty t-shirt with holes in the sleeves and a pair of shorts I'd had since I lived with my grandparents.

But now, looking back at myself in the mirror, I was self-conscious. I turned to the side and changed my posture. Would Hadeon be able to see I wasn't wearing a bra?

Everyone returned home, their heavy footsteps and the close of the door echoing down the hall. I crossed my arms over my chest and walked out. Jess glared at me, clearly still very much angry about tonight. My eyes flicked to Hadeon, who's sight dropped down to my bare legs before meeting mine, but then I turned back to Jess.

"Good night, guys." I said to the three of them, but my eyes remained trained on Jess.

Then I went into my room and closed the door behind me. I stayed there at the door, listening to the shuffling of feet as Jack and Jess went off to bed. I turned to throw myself into bed when a small knock came from the other side of my door.

I quietly pulled the door open to meet Hadeon's dark eyes.

"What?" I asked softly. I was dressed in daggy pyjamas and my hair was wet from the shower. Surely going from seeing me in that white dress to seeing me like this was enough to make him regret tonight.

"Just wanted to say goodnight." He whispered.

"Oh," I nodded. "Goodnight, Hadeon."

He quickly looked to the left, where the door to Jess and Jack's room was. I guess the door had been closed because he reached through the gap, dug his fingers in my damp hair and kissed me.