Guilty

Juliette

"So my final point is we should set them up together. You know play some modern type of cupid," Emery finishes.

I frown at her, "I still don't know who Josh is...."

She groans loudly as she rolls her eyes at me. She should watch her attitude, I'm doing her makeup right now and could mess up her eyeliner. But I'm a good friend so I don't.

"Josh is Zane's best friend since their first year here and he doesn't talk ever so we should set him up with Kate!" she says excitedly.

I grip her head to stop her from moving around so much as I finish her eyeshadow. She's going out to the bar with some friends from her fashion classes but I would like to marinate in my bed with a facemask and a bowl of cherries.

"Emery, sweetie, you do realise the reason Kate doesn't talk is because she's deaf," I say holding in a laugh.

Emery's eyes widen and I choke down a bark of laughter, "No she is not, I've heard her talk before."

"Yeah barely ever I bet, and that's because she knows you don't know sign language."

I burst into a fit of giggles as Emery screams, "Stop it now is she?"

"Yes, I mean I'm sure she can talk but I doubt we want Josh who never talks and her together."

"I mean she's beautiful so maybe if she doesn't want to talk he can just gaze upon her and count her freckles," Emery offers.

"Who the hell counts people's freckles?"

"People in love with each other, I read a book once about someone who counted his boyfriend's eyelashes."

"That sounds creepy," I say with a smile. I mean I have no idea if I'd ever want someone to admire me that closely even if they loved me. I'm not flawless.

"Sounds romantic," She clarifies before tossing her golden hair across her shoulder and walking out of my room.

I roll my eyes and wash my face before snuggling up under the blankets and turning on an episode of Supernatural.

*******************************************************************************

I'm deep in a dream when a soft knock awakes me. I open my eyes tiredly as I glance around my dark room.

I'm so tired I could have probably imagined it, waiting in the silence of my room I don't hear another knock so I roll over and shut my eyes.

The moment I do another knock sounds from my door that practically vibrates off the walls. I climb out of my bed and stumble towards my door. I pause at the mirror and fix my hair before opening the door.

Zane stands there leaning against the door frame with his hands at his side, he looks down at me something indescribable in his eyes.

"I truly had nowhere else to go," he whispers, my gaze focuses on his hands and I notice that his knuckles are bloody and I think his cheek is bruised.

"What are you doing here?" I whisper, only slightly alarmed.

"Josh went out to the bar all my other friends are useless, I need you," Zane says, his voice strained.

I say nothing further, I'm not sure what to say to him so instead I step aside and let him inside my room.

I point to my bed and he walks over and sits down slowly, I turn on the small lamp on my desk. It basks the room in a small flourish of light.

My breath catches in my throat when I see him more clearly now, that bruise forming on his cheek is all different shades of blue and purple. His lip is cut and his black t-shirt is soaked in something that can only either be blood or sweat.