October Academy

Chapter 74 - BONUS CHAPTER

warning. heavy smut ahead. 

By the time I make it back to the Nine Lives, it's storming something wicked. I feel weak at the knees and I can barely stand. I don't know how I make it through security. It's busy tonight, so busy that I struggle to push through the crowd to get back to Ben's apartment.

Suddenly I'm pushed from behind. I stumble forward, toppling into a stranger. When I look backwards to see who shoved me, I think for a second that it's Perry. I'm frozen in place. But the blonde in front of me isn't Perry.

It's Xander.

He's drunk, so drunk that he can barely stand on his two feet. Raph is beside him, trying to get his attention and failing.

"Why, Jade?" he shouts at me. His face is red and his hair is sticky with sweat. "Why?"

I try to turn around to get away but he grabs both of my arms and shakes me violently.

"Why did you leave her to die?"

"I'm sorry!" I shout back at him. "I'm sorry!"

"Why did you save him? Why did you save him and not my sister?"

"I'm sorry," I say but I'm crying steadily now, tears demolishing my cheeks. My whole face seems to swell up.

Xander is crying too now, still shaking me and demanding "Why!" to the point where I think he might hit me or throw me to the floor but Ben and some of the security guards peel him off of me.

I run away, up the stairs to Ben's apartment. I don't look back.

I slam the door and press my back against it. I slip down until I'm on the floor, crying in a pool of desperation and grief.

I sob. I can't hold it back anymore.

I sob until I fall asleep.

.

.

.

I wake up to the sound of something crashing – or maybe I was never really asleep but in some half state of hypnosis. The sound is coming from Callum's room. It's not even midnight yet, he's probably out drinking somewhere. Trying to forget what happened.

I slowly walk to Callum's room and open the door. He left the glass doors to his balcony open. The storm outside is getting violent, blowing harsh winds through the room. The curtains thrash wildly and rain floods in.

Shockingly, I realise Callum is here, sleeping in his bed. He tosses and turns, whimpering in his sleep. He must be having a nightmare, too. My whole life seems to be a fucking nightmare at this point.

"Jade," he mutters, talking in his sleep, then, "Watch... Look out... Jackson..."

I bite my lip, feeling some kind of sympathy for him. Is his dream about me killing Jackson? Or about Jackson hurting me?

I rush over to the balcony, and am assaulted by the flying curtains. I almost get tangled in them as I try to grab the door handle. The white sheer fabric encompasses my body as I reach for the handle.

Suddenly I'm thrown against the door. Callum's whole body weight presses against me, his hands wrapping around my throat.

I scream, "Callum, it's me!"

Callum's eyes lock onto mine and realisation kicks in. He releases me and crumbles backwards. "Oh fuck, Jade... I'm so sorry." He sounds a wreck. "I thought... I thought you were someone else."

I cough, rubbing my hand over my throat. "Who –"

Callum falls to his knees. "God, fuck, Jade, I'm so sorry." He bows his head and rests his forehead against my stomach.