Blue

Chapter 5

'I thought you were helping', said Elaine annoyed, as she placed two coffee mugs out, on the counter. 

'I AM helping, I call a totally sexy guy keeping you company in the kitchen, helping.' Neill announced in a cocky manner from the corner, where he sat perfectly comfortable on the kitchen shelf. 

'I don't allow people to sit on my kitchen shelf!' snapped Elaine. 

'Okay', replied Neill still staring at her. 

'Then get off you jerk. And stop staring!' 

'Aw, come one El. You're not that ugly. I swear my eyes don't mind, but thank you for the concern'. 

Elaine turned around having tested her patience enough. 

'If you do not get off', she spoke in a deadly whisper, 'I will throw this hot coffee on your pretty little face and burn you'.

Neill cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. 

'Did I forget to mention in our hot encounter back then, that I don't like being threatened or challenged?' 

Colour flushed Elaine's face and she recalled what Neill was referring to. She turned her back to Neill to hide her face. 

Suddenly, Elaine's arm was grabbed, as she was flung around and her face came in contact with Neill's chest. He stood there before her, waiting for her to look at him. When she refused to look up and stared intently at the ground, Neill lifted her face up by the chin with his hand. 

'Don't be embarrassed', he spoke softly as she stared into those immensely comforting eyes. 

In that one moment Elaine felt like she had left her body and mind behind. Now she was floating on the clouds. All memory and pain left her. It was as if she would never be able to feel sad again. If there was one second where Elaine would want her life to pause at, it was this. As she stared into the eyes of a complete stranger. Neill leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. 

The moment he broke the eye contact reality came rushing back to her. This was not Ian. She felt like a slut right now. As she wanted nothing more than to kiss this stranger with all she had. Her lips stilled burned where Neill's had met them. 

She felt the tears prick her eyes and she took a couple of steps back, stumbling into the coffee table. 

Neill took a step forward, but she held her hand up. 

'Leave. Please.' she begged. 

'I told you I'm not leaving.' replied Neill flatly. 

'I said, LEAVE', she yelling blinking back the tears. 

'The fuck Elaine! What is wrong with you?' Neill yelled back, taking another step towards her. 

Elaine reacted on instinct. She picked up a knife from the rack and placed it on her wrist. Neill stopped in his tracks. 

'If you don't leave now, I will kill myself.' 

Anger and fear followed by hurt flashed across Neill's face. 

'Stop over reacting Elaine, drop the knife.' 

'OUT!' Elaine yelled bringing the knife closer to her skin. 

'Alright, alright', Neill said softly, putting his hands up. 'Just drop the knife and I'll leave'. 

'Go', Elaine whispered back. 

Neill walked backwards to the door to leave, all the time his eyes not leaving Elaine's tear stained ones. Hurt was written all across his handsome face. 

As Neill left, a similar feeling of cold and despair seeped into Elaine's heart. This time however, it was stronger than ever before. 

She dropped the knife in the sink, and made her way to her bed. 

Elaine felt terrible, for feeling so good with Neill. She missed Ian. She loved Ian. But then why did it hurt so much when Neill left? She cried into her pillow for an hour. After which she fell asleep. But before drifting away, she whispered into the air, 'I'm sorry Ian, I promised to love you forever, I promise I will'.