The Silver Butterfly Protection

Chapter 50 - Comfort is Cruel

Glimpse of Us - JOJI

"You made him weak."

"Xavier had to die! "

I felt a sudden outburst of pain surfacing on my knuckles as I responded to it by pulling my arm away.

"Bella the bad ass is sensitive to pain. I forgot."

His lips pulled up into a grin and I slapped his arm, only to regret doing that while he had a good laugh.

"Let me see."

He chuckled in his deep voice and I had to remind myself that I wasn't dreaming and to prove that I wasn't, he gently pulled my arm towards him and began examining it.

"I hope your knuckles and wrist heal Bella, because you'll need it more than I do."

River's voice rang in my head like an echo causing me to flinch when the dark haired boy tried the pack of ice over my terribly looking hand.

It was a threat.

I told myself.

River definitely didn't have good intentions. A cold feeling flooded my entire body and I froze when I tried to figure out what he meant by what he said to me.

No remorse. He was capable of doing the unthinkable. What he did to Xavier he could do the same to me.

I lost it when he dragged Xavier into the situation. For some reason I wanted to believe that Xavier was still alive but having the truth rubbed into my face had me feeling subtle.

He was gone but never gone.

That, I had to conclude as I recalled the pine scented letter that a possibly mysterious person had left in my locker some time ago.

I'm intrigued but battling with the fact that cut through me like a knife.

If he's alive then there's a possibility that he's in danger and if he isn't could I be in danger?

"Isabella."

The dark haired boy uttered my name with care. Something about his British accent was so comforting, especially during this time.

I stared into his blue eyes without saying a single word.

I didn't know what to do at that very moment. I couldn't even explain to myself what I was feeling. I've never felt this vulnerable until today. I felt scared, lost and most of all angry. It was difficult to handle all of these at once and I really wanted to scream.

And there it was... Comfort.

Nothing but comfort embraced in a warm look. It burned in his eyes and I had to tear my eyes away from him.

I sniffled back and hear him drop the ice pack before I was pulled into his chest and engulfed in a hug.

"It was never your fault."

He says, as he placed his hand at the back of my head and continued his comfort.

I was sobbing and it was too late to stop myself.

"It's okay to let it all out."

He breathed.

I inhaled finding comfort in the scent of him. It was a mixture of cologne and sweat but for some reason I didn't feel repelled. I felt drawn into his hold. He was comfort more than anything else, I forgot that we were frenemies.

My chest, which was heavy felt like a weight had been lifted off from it. He rubbed my back in circular motion while sitting next to me.

I leaned into his side as I dabbed my eyes with the tissue he had set on the coffee table.