His Scars

16. Chicks and Hickeys

Pretty short chapter. I like bits and don't like other bits. And because I haven't written in a few days, I've lost the flow so I need to do a little planning for what's going to happen next. 

I mean, I have scenes and ideas written out, but no sequence to them. 

When the Lord closes the door, he opens a window. But shit, I can't find the freaking window. 

SAGE

I tried to ignore the hickey I saw on Kane's neck as he sat next to me. I smiled through the pain and showered him with affection, resulting in eye rolls from him. 

He had been with someone else last night. Matt always texts on the group when there's a party. 

MATT: Guys, party tonight. Down?

SAGE: Can't tonight, Matty 

GINA:  Sorry Boo thang. I'm going to see my real boo tonight. Try not to miss me too much

KANE: Sure. 

MATT: @Kane Great. Here's the address. We'll take a cab from your place. We're getting shit-faced!

KANE: See you then.

I knew then what the likely outcome would be. I knew there would be some girl. 

I looked at my fingers and gulped as the image settled in my mind. His body and hers and what they might be doing together.

"Yo." Kane said snapping me  of my thoughts.

"Hmm?" I whispered. The teacher had already begun teaching.

"Something is going on with your face." He said making my nose scrunch up.

I thought I looked pretty cute today.

"It happens often when you're stressing." He supplied and my heart melted.

He was pretty perceptive and the fact that he could tell when my  mood fluctuated touched me. I had to remember that he was a friend first. He wanted only my friendship. 

He was finally a proper fixture in the friend group. He was no longer "Sage's friend." He was now, a friend to both Gina and Matt. 

I tried to keep my mind off what Kane may have been doing the previous night but that hickey seemed to taunt me. 

It didn't help that when I was walking to the cafeteria for lunch, by myself -- I would be meeting Kane there -- that I was stopped by a very familiar little blonde. She was beautiful by any measure but she was also the devil incarnate. 

Tori Grace. 

She smiled a glossy smile at me. Her eyes always looked dead to me. They were beautiful but there was nothing in them. 

"Hey Sage." She said, her voice, syrupy sweet. 

She stepped in front of me. "A little birdy told me that you're obsessed with a certain scar-faced little bad boy." 

"A little birdy told me you're a bloodsucker and that I should stay away from you." 

She wiped the edge of her glossy bottom lip with her thumb. 

"Well our Kane certainly tasted unforgettable." 

I froze. 

Our Kane. Ours. But not really. He wasn't my Kane. So I had no business feeling the rush of anger that coursed through me at the thought of them together. At the knowledge of what that action of her wiping her lip might insinuate. 

I thought back to the hickey on his neck. Her mouth had been on him. Her hands. Her body. Did he enjoy it? Did he think she was beautiful? 

I stepped up to her, more confrontational than was typical for me. Her face was mere inches from mine. I saw the flash of alarm in her eyes. 

"Good. You know how I feel about him. If he wants to fuck you, that's his choice. It's none of my business. But if you think you're using him to get to me, you're mistaken. Kane won't do what he doesn't want to. He's probably seen through you're little game." I didn't know if what I was saying was true. 

"He's not interested in your petty agenda. You are nothing but a warm body to him. But let me get one thing straight, if you try to use him to get to me, I will destroy your pretty little face." The face in question went slack and her jaw dropped. I'd always thrown snarky comments her way when she tried to mess with me, but I had never shown any aggression before.

I felt a hand lay heavily on the top of my head and pull me back. I turned my neck to see Kane standing next to me. His frosty gaze had settled on Tori. 

"I wouldn't sleep with her if she was the last female on the planet." He said, and she frowned. 

"What about last night?" She said. 

"Oh you mean when you and your friends didn't take no for an answer?" Kane said, his voice low and icy. 

"What?" I growled. Anger surged through me at the thought of Tori forcing herself on Kane. I stepped forward and pulled my fist back, ready to make good on my threat, but Kane gripped my arm and pulled me to his side. The scent and warmth of him enveloped me, but did little to calm my rage. 

"Do you know how many people would kill to be with me?" She hissed. "How dare you suggest that I forced you." We were already walking away.

Kane pulled me towards the cafeteria and stood me in the line to get food. I was still shaking with anger so he grabbed a tray and got my food for me, more than I could actually eat. He then dragged me to our usual table and gently but firmly pushed me down into a chair. 

He pulled another chair close and sat down. His knees were touching mine. It cleared some of the fog away. And when I felt his fingers under my chin, lifting my face up to look into his eyes, it was like my mind cleared of everything but him. 

"I'm okay, Princess." He said, softly. His hand hadn't let go of my face and I hoped it never would. 

I could see the rest of my life with him and I liked this. The comfort, the compassion, this feeling of safety, looking into his eyes, the laughter, the love that burned inside me. 

"What the hell happened, Kane?" I bit out. "Did she...because of me?" 

I wanted to scream. Why did he always end up as collateral damage because of the psychos that were after me?

"No. It is not your fault. She wanted to sleep with me and thought she could convince me if we were put in the right situation. I thought about giving in at some point too." 

My heart squeezed in pain at that.

"What stopped you?" I asked. 

"I wasn't protecting your feelings." He asserted and I rolled my eyes. "But I was protecting our friendship."  He must have seen the surprise on my face. His lips tipped upward on the unscarred side, mesmerizing me, and he ruffled my hair. I frowned at him. "You really think I would associate with someone who's only agenda is to hurt you." 

I wanted to hug him. And then I wanted to kiss him. And then I wanted to declare my love for him. 

I did the last one. 

"I love you." I whispered and something flashed in his eyes. It wasn't anger or irritation. I couldn't quite pin the emotion. "This friendship thing, isn't so bad. I love that too." 

He swallowed hard and looked away. He pushed my tray of food at me and said, "eat."

I did. There was too much food though so when I was done, I begged him to finish it for me. He did, although he grumbled the whole time. 

The guilt and of what Tori had done still singed every fiber of my being. But my heart felt light and happy. 

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