Blue For You

Part 10: And a myth?

As they pulled away from the venue, the streets blurred past the car windows. The night was quiet, but inside the car, the tension was palpable. Jayson gripped the steering wheel a little too tightly, his jaw clenched in frustration. Aria sat in the passenger seat, staring out at the dark city, her thoughts spinning as fast as the tires on the pavement.

"That woman," Jayson muttered after a long silence, shaking his head. "Marrowstone? Balancing fates? She's out of her mind. I've heard the story before, but it's just a myth. Some old legend that's been exaggerated over the years."

Aria turned to face him, her expression uneasy. "But Jay... what if it's not just a myth? What if there's some truth to it?"

He scoffed, but his voice softened. "Come on, Aria. Magic stones? Witches? It's all nonsense. You and I both know that. The real issue is that she somehow got close to you, and that's a problem. Not some fairy tale about fate."

Aria wanted to agree, wanted to dismiss the whole thing as ridiculous, but something about the woman's eyes, her voice, stuck with her. There had been a strange certainty in her words that left Aria's skin crawling. She shivered involuntarily.

"You don't think I'm overreacting?" she asked, her voice quieter now, vulnerable.

Jayson's expression softened as he glanced at her. "No, I don't think you're overreacting. What happened was freaky. But we can't let her get inside your head. People like that... they thrive on fear."

He turned the car onto his street, and a few moments later, they pulled up outside his place. The security lights flickered on, casting long shadows across the driveway. Jayson exhaled heavily as he parked the car and turned off the engine.

"You're staying here tonight," he said matter-of-factly as they got out of the car. "No arguments."

Aria didn't protest. She followed him inside, the warmth of his home doing little to calm the icy fear still clinging to her chest. As they settled into the living room, Jayson tossed his keys onto the kitchen counter and turned to her.

"I'm tightening your security," he said, his tone resolute. "Starting tonight, no more going to the bakery by yourself late at night, and I'm calling in some favors to make sure your place is watched. Whoever this woman is, she's not going to get near you again."

Aria sank into the couch, rubbing her temples. "I don't want to live in fear, Jay. But it's like I can't shake this feeling that something bad is coming."

Jayson crossed the room and sat beside her, his expression softening as he reached out to touch her arm. "You're not going to live in fear. We'll figure this out. And if this Marrowstone nonsense actually means anything, we'll deal with that, too. But right now, we take practical steps. That woman's not getting anywhere near you."

Just as Aria was about to respond, a wave of dizziness crashed over her. Her breath caught in her throat, and the room seemed to tilt. She gripped the edge of the couch tightly, her knuckles white.

"Jay... I feel strange," she whispered, panic rising in her voice.

Jayson's eyes widened in alarm as he saw her pale face. "Aria? Hey, hey, you're okay. Just breathe, alright? Focus on me. Slow down your breathing."

Her chest heaved, her breaths shallow and rapid. She tried to do as he said, but it felt like the walls were closing in on her, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get enough air. Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to speak.

"I... I can't... I can't breathe," she gasped, gripping his arm.

Jayson's heart raced, but he kept his voice steady. He shifted closer, placing a hand on her back and gently rubbing slow circles. "Aria, you're safe. I promise you. Just focus on your breathing, alright? You're having a panic attack. It'll pass, I'm right here."