A Thousand Year Obsession ✔

10. Don't Let Him Find What You're Hiding

10. Don't Let Him Find What You're Hiding

An insistent ringing started up, flooding the small car with a sweet jingle. Derek's head snapped towards me and I winced in my seat, swiftly pulling out my phone. He snatched it from my grasp before I could answer it, somehow keeping the car from swerving while he did so.

"Give that back!" I cried.

"You were never supposed to find it." He said sharply.

"Well, I did."

"Obviously." He muttered. "Who did you call?"

I stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"When you first found it, who did you call?"

"I didn't call anybody!"

"Don't lie to me!" I flinched as his harsh tone slammed down over me, quickly avoiding his gaze when he turned to look at me.

"They'll get worried if I don't answer." I mumbled quietly.

Derek sighed and tossed the phone back to me. "Tell them you're fine and coming home. That's it, you hear me?"

I nodded and quickly pressed the phone to my ear.

"Shaie, you can't believe what I just found out--" Juliette started.

"I'm on my way home." I said briefly.

She paused. "Oh--you are? Well, anyways, I've got to tell you this--"

"I'm fine, Juliette, splendid actually. Thanks for asking." I said cheerfully.

There was silence at the other end, before inaudible whispers began. Then silence greeted me once more.

"Okay, see you later." Juliette said, before quickly hanging up.

I glanced at the phone briefly before Derek snatched it away from me.

"How much longer?" I asked after another moment.

"Ten minutes." He answered shortly.

My eyes flickered over to his form, gazing sadly at his light honey brown hair and vibrant blue eyes. He was handsome, intriguing. And it was exactly that, that made me most confused.

"Derek?" I whispered uncertainly.

"Hm?"

"Why?" My voice stayed low and quiet, a hint of bafflement coating the word. "Why do you have to do this to me? There are hundreds of other girls out there. Why does it have to be me? Why do you threaten me? Why me?"

Derek only laughed bitterly, clenching his fingers tighter around the wheel.

"I can't expect you to understand, Morgana."

I sat up and turned towards him. "Try me."

The car gradually slowed to a stop along the side of the road and Derek shifted in his seat to face me.

"I saw you first when you were thirteen. You were picking flowers in a field. I was out riding." He began, a distant look shadowing his eyes. "My horse was out of control. She was running wildly towards you. But instead of getting out of the way you stood in front of her, holding out your hands. And my horse stopped. You grabbed onto the reins and helped me down. You took me to a small cabin in the woods and made sure I was alright." He paused then, pressing his lips together. "I was mean to you. I was rude, ungrateful. But you just fought back, set me in my place. I left the next morning. I never saw you again until five months later when my father sent me to stay with your parents for a week while I was traveling." His eyes slid back towards mine, resting softly on my gentle grey-green eyes. "I started to fall for you that day, Morgana, and then when I stayed at your home, I began to fall in love. Everything you did, every word, every smile, the way you walked, I loved it all. But you didn't love me back. You disliked me greatly. You hated me." His eyes hardened as they gazed into mine, his hands curling into fists. "And you still do."