Beyond Boundaries

Chapter Ten

This chapter is dedicated again to my ex, who reminded me how amazing this book is no matter how much of a slop I think it is or how I also think that nobody might actually read it. You have every right to be mad at me.. Wait, no you don't. Tf..

CHRISTIAN

  "Deep breaths Christian, take very deep breaths" I continuously remind myself as I tried extremely hard to contain my anger and another foreign emotion that had suddenly sprouted in me, the moment I saw Lani talking with my cousins.

  I knew it was jealousy. That I was jealous over a girl I haven't even made mine yet. At least not publicly. So maybe the emotion wasn't so foreign.

  If it was at any other time, I'd be unbothered. Happy even, because she was finally warming up to them despite her earlier complaint about feeling left out, like she didn't belong.

  But this wasn't any other time. This time, she was mad at me and wanted damn well for me to know it.

  How did I know?

  She had barely spoken to me for the past two days and the only recognition she had given my existence was an 'excuse me' she had muttered when I intentionally bumped into her in the living room.

  Which had driven me nuts.

  Yes, I should've known better and opened up to her but it wasn't as easy as she made it out to be and if she'd just.. If she'd just..

  Damn it Lani, just look at me.

  I fist my hands in my hair and tug hard, willing myself to look away. To not memorize the smile lines on her face as she laughed, to not go over there and break Drew's fingers where they curled around her wrist and were inspecting her palm.

  'Drew is family. Jordan is family. Elise is family..' I go over my lines again in my head.

  I make the all too reoccurring mistake of glancing at her again, unfortunately, at the same time Travis walks over to whisper something in her ear.

  Something that makes her eyes widen a bit before she gives him a full blown smile and suddenly, I no longer care who is family and who isn't.

  Before I can think better of it, I'm storming towards their direction. And way before I can register my actions, I'd sent Travis to the floor with a punch to his gut.

  Collective gasps go up around me but I barely register it as I rely on muscle memory to help me locate her arm and take her with me.

  "Chris, let go of me."

  I don't.

  "Chris, stop."

  She struggles again and I turn to face her but the look on her face has me instantly dropping her hand.

  She's staring at me with a horrible mixture of anger and shock. Shock that I'm able to treat her this way.

  I open my mouth to apologize but nothing comes out and she's still there staring at me with such pain in her eyes and I can't take it anymore.

  I take several steps back from her, race to my room and slump on my bed face down.

  What the heck did I just do?

  The door opens minutes after and I rightly guess that it's my brother. Afterall, he was right there when it all happened.

  "Ok, what the.. what was that?" I could tell he was trying not to swear in my presence.