How Could She? (Book 2.0) - INTERSEX

Chapter Nine

Olivia

As she sits with her back against the wall, I relax my back against her chest as my breathing goes back to normal. Her fingertips gently run across my neck at the markings she made, and I chuckle. "You're a rough lover."

She caresses the scratches. "Did I hurt you?"

I smile at her concern. "No baby, I'm okay," I whisper to her. She lifts my chin, and my head falls back into her chest.

"I'm sorry," she says, kissing my forehead.

"Don't be Ray. I missed this, I missed you." She smiles, but it doesn't reach her ears, and it quickly falls again. I lift my head and turn to face her, placing my legs on either side before squatting on her lap. She pulls me further into her as she buries her head into the crook of my neck. I smile at her clinginess and my hand travels up and down her back, soothing her. "What's wrong Ray?"

She sighs heavily into my shoulder and plants a kiss. "This is cheating Liv. Being with you feels so right though."

"Do you love her?" She doesn't answer me quickly, and pain sets into my chest as I consider that she might. I feel her head shake into my neck.

"No. I can never love anyone the way I did you Olivia... I've tried." I blush into the base of her neck; glad she can't see my face turning into a tomato right now. "I've been wanting to end it with her for a while now."

"Why haven't you?"

She pauses but her hands continue to caress my back mindlessly as she searches for an answer. "I didn't know how. I just didn't want to hurt her. She was there for me. I was broken and she was a good friend. I didn't date anyone for a while... so we gave it a try. She fell harder than I did, and I just couldn't love her back in the same way." I keep quiet just listening to her breathe against my skin. "I don't think I could ever feel the way I feel about you towards anyone else Olivia." I feel her lips on my skin, leaving kisses everywhere she can reach. She breathes deeply, "How did you get shot?"

Her question surprises me but none the less I answer her. "Um... I was on a mission, and it went south. Took a bullet to protect my partner." That's all I can really say on the matter. "So, a Firefighter?" I ask, trying to change the subject

She chuckles into my shoulder. "Yeah, after senior year when I saved your ass, I decided it was something that I wanted to pursue."

"Looks like that night determined both of our futures." She pulls back from my shoulder, looking at me with curiosity in her eyes.

"What do you mean? Is there something more I don't know about what happened that night?"

Curse your big mouth, Olivia. Her eyes widened, "It wasn't an accident, was it?" My eyes begin to blur as the distant memory of that night resurfaces.

***

After more than 7 hours of sleep, I open my eyes from my nap coughing to find a smoke-filled room. I slowly get up, not understanding what's happening, and head to the door of my bedroom. I open the door and see the hallway filled with dark gray clouds of smoke. My eyes widen as I begin to rub my swollen stomach and panic.

As I try to make my way down the stairs, my foot gets caught and I trip over something, and tumble down them. I hear a pop sound from my knee as I land directly on her stomach at the bottom of the steps. I roll over, grasping my dislocated knee and groaning at the sharp pain in my abdomen. I attempt to stand up but cry out in agony, falling back down.

I scream for help, but no one is home. I'm alone because my parents are out on a double date with the Reed's, and Rayden is supposed to meet me here after school, but I'm not sure of the time and I left my phone in my room. I continue to shout out for help as the orange and red crackling flames inch closer. Crawling into my mom's office, I shut the door and move close to the sofa, hoping I'll be able to escape the fire. My cries grow louder, as my smoke inhalation increases, making me cough even more. The smoke coming into the room increases as the fire grows, suffocating me. I begin feeling like I'm about to pass out and my eyes begin to roll back due to the lack of oxygen.