Hearts Quick to Burn

XI.

A few days passed without much talking to Lana, which happened almost every time we got too close. Maybe she was waiting for my message, but I was waiting for hers – in short, we were both insufferable.

I hadn't spoken that much with Henley either.

It was like before, when he came home from work in the evening, we saw each other, but I no longer had the feeling that there was this flame between us – he probably felt it, too.

Surely when the person thinks about someone else while you make love to them, it shows.

During the evening I received a message from him, but I didn't dare to answer it.

HENLEY: I'm in the car, I'll be there soon.
This time we really have to talk, even though I know you prefer to avoid this kind of conversation.

...

Having gone to bed before Henley arrived from work, I was woken up by a knock at my door. I got out of bed in my dressing gown and walked quickly to it.

I unlocked it, finding Henley's face, colder than usual.

As I approached him to kiss him, I was pushed back a few dozen centimeters further.

"I told you we were supposed to talk. Not fuck," he said harshly.

"But it was just to say hi, like we always do..." I tried to explain, but he just shook his head.

"Don't act like I'm stupid Grace."

"Stop it, you're not like that usually, except when—" I stopped mid sentence, avoiding the mention of the time he slapped me.

His eyes dropped to mine, studying me with a look I couldn't describe. A mixture of disgust, hatred.

It just wasn't him.

"Except what, mh?" he asked me after a moment.

"Except the time you slapped me..." I whispered.

"Do you want it to happen a second time?!"

"No, I—"

He didn't let me finish, his hand crashing down on my cheek so quickly that I didn't see it coming.

Holding it with both hands, I pulled away in fear.

"Tell me what you wanted to talk about and then get out of my house," I told him angrily.

"You're with someone else?" he asked, getting straight to the point.

"No," I lied, making him slap my other cheek, screaming that I was lying, and I had to step back again as he was approaching me.

"How would you expect a girl to stay with you if you act like that at the slightest inconvenience?" I yelled at him. "And if you don't even believe her?

"Shut the fuck up!" he yelled back.

"Get out of my fucking house."

He left, slamming my door, and I refrained from shouting at him that a door could also be closed in a civilized manner.

But instead, I just broke down in tears. My first thoughts landed to Lana. Maybe being with her was less simple. But she would never have raised her hand on me.

I didn't want to take her as my second option for when I wasn't feeling well, but I sent her a message, because I knew she was the only person who could comfort me.

GRACE: Lana, can you come downstairs from my building and pick me up?
i hope you're not asleep, but you're the only one i feel like talking to
sorry if i'm bothering you or anything, i don't want to be a burden