Lay Awake and Think

Chapter Four

He told her about everything that had occured since he last spoke with her. It took a while for the story to end but once he got to the part about calling her she stopped him.

"What are your feelings towards me?"

He turned to her, "I think...I really like you."

"How did you feel when Luhan left the dorm?" She tucked her hair behind her ear.

He wanted to say "Like I needed a hug none of the members could give me," but instead he settled with, "Lost. Hopeless, unimportant. I didn't understand why they just stopped."

Kre moved from her spot at his desk to sit directly beside him, "He hurts me," she pulled off her jacket and held her wrists out to him, "Everytime I say no he grabs me."

"Kre," Tao couldn't look at her arms.

"I don't leave.....because, I've been trying so hard to make him you," she laughed at herself, "But the original is always the best."

Huang acted on impulse and greed and wrapped his arms around her, "Let me make it stop," he whispered.

"We can't," she hugged him back, "No one can help me now."

"Why not?" He pulled her body closer to his.

She sighed and breathed in, "My mother and his mother are forcing us to get married. I can't get out of it."

"Show them what he does to you," Zitao unwillingly pleaded for her to let him back inside her world, "I'll do it with you. Just please....you're not alone."

She smiled, "Neither are you Zitao. Neither are you."

¢•¢•¢•¢

"Your son is a despicable human being!" Hei's mother shouted at the other, wealthier woman, "This marriage is not going to happen, ever!"

"But you need the money Aria," she smirked.

"I'd rather live in a box than to see my baby girl have one more bruise from that god damn monster you call your child!"

Kre tightened her grip on the chair as she sat in the hallway, listening to her mom shout like never before. Strangely she felt protected and liked her mother's power and fury.

"You should prefer it because that is exactly all you have left without my son," Gi sounded too righteous for anyone's liking.

"Hei," his voice bellowed down the hall before he came after her, running.

Kre stood up and sprinted in the other direction as fast as she could. At the end of the long corridor, she made a sharp turn, heading for the exit. She rammed into the wall and it slowed her just enough so he could grab her.

"Stop running!" He boomed.

"Never!" She whirled around and slashed his wrist with her pocket knife Aria gave her, "Stay away from me!"

"You crazy bitch!" He held his arm as a small stream of slow moving blood flowed to the floor.

She shook her head and backed away from him, "I'm not crazy. I know what's best for me, who is best for me; you're not taking him from me."