Tainted

Chapter 13: First Impressions

Before I had the chance to answer, he applies more pressure to the grip he has on me. "I asked you a question." He then turns me so that I could face him.

"What did you steal?" His eyes then gravitate towards the book on the ground.

I finally find the courage to speak. "I'm one of Matt's friends." Fear is relevant in my tone.

"That's what they all say!" He shouts.

My eyes wonder past the man's figure. I spot Matt out of the corner of my eyes. Relief quickly strikes me.

"Daniel! What are you doing?" Matt quickly questions.

Daniel quickly turns towards Matt. "I told you to keep your door locked. See what happened? Another one got in." 

"She's not a robber, she's-" Matt begins but then stutters.

"She's what?" Daniel responds.

After a moment of silence, Matt finally speaks up. "I was just trying to help her."

Daniel releases his grip on me. "Just like how you tried to help Anne? Matt, you can't keep trying to save the world. It's pointless."

My eyes gravitate over the red marks on my arm. I gently rub my arm in an effort to ease the pain. I catch sight of Daniel's eye contact. 

"I'm sorry for the attack." He comments. "It was just an instinct taking over."

I simply nodded. I doubt that he needed a response or forgiveness from me. Then he does the unexplainable. His hand grips around my wrist. 

"What are you doing?" Matt almost yelled.

"I'm taking her back. You're just giving her and yourself false hope." He replied while pulling me out the door.

"Let go of me!" I ordered.

He smiled at my order. 

"You're hurting me." I muttered.

"You're hurting yourself by moving so much." He stopped walking down the hallway and looked back at me. His hand pulled on my arm and he read the mark that was imprinted on my arm. "Subject 347." He whispers to himself.

"Why don't you just get Edw-I mean, one of the guards to take me back?" I suggest.

Maybe he saw right through me. "It's fine. I just take you back myself."

"How do you even know what door it is?" I thought out loud.

He takes hold of my arm again and begins walking. "Your arm has everything I need to know." He says, referring to the mark. 

Daniel finally stops moving. As he opens the door he makes one final threat. "Don't come by Matt again. You'll regret it next time."

The door then slams shut behind me.

Blue eyes peer through the darkness of the room.

"Why are you always disappearing?" Cooper notes while pulling me into a hug.

I know that I can't tell him anything. It's common sense not to say a word. "I have no clue. Don't ask me, ask them."

He smiles softly. "Now what?"

"Umm..." I quickly stumble for words. 

He laughs at the silence that occurs afterwards. "Come here." He grabs me by the waist and pulls me towards him.

He leans down slowly with his eyes locked on my lips. I simply close my eyes and wait. Cooper's lips brush against my cheek. A shock flows through me, igniting my thoughts.

I never wanted to get too attached to someone out of fear of losing them. It happened with my mother and it happened with Cooper and Natalie. 

His eyes are searching for a response. Sadly, I forgot to mask my fear. He lets go of me and backs away. "Sorry." He mutters as he walks to the bedroom and closes the door.

Still too shocked to move, I didn't call after him. I somehow found comfort in being alone.

I sat down on the carpeted floor. This all worries me now; What Daniel said about how Matt tried to help Anne. It didn't make sense. I'm still trying to find meaning of his threat. If he didn't care, he would've already just reported Matt and I. 

My arm seems to burn from the amount of force applied to it. When held up to the light, it's red flesh is exposed.

Ice.

There has to be Ice here, or some other way of relieving my pain. My legs move towards the refrigerator. I open the top door to be greeted by a humming noise. The ice tray was surely there. After placing ice inside of a plastic bag, I applied it to my arm.

I felt better almost instantly.

There was the sound of fumbling coming from the bedroom. I think I hurt Cooper. It's days like this when I wish that I could just forget everything for the day and take a break.

Deep inside I knew that I couldn't just leave this open-ended. I slowly walked towards the door. My knuckles then knock on the wooden surface.

"Cooper?" I call out.

I open the door wider to see him sitting on the bed. In his hands he runs his chain through his fingers. Cooper doesn't even bother to look up at me. I hover over him.

I gently take his chin and lift it. "There's no need to be sorry." I close my eyes and lean in.

His lips touch mine for a brief second but the door then opens. I pull away from him as quickly as I leaned in.

Anne walks in baring a smirk on her face.

"Sorry to interrupt. But-" She begins.

"Great. Where are you taking her now?" Cooper comments.

"I was going to take you to see Natalie but I guess you don't want to leave then." She says while slipping out the door.

"Wait!" Cooper calls after her but she doesn't appear. 

He turns to me. "We'll pick this up later?" He offers.

I give him a slight smile and he's off after Anne. I decide to follow after him only to run into Matt. Remembering Daniel's threat, I attempt to brush past him.

"Anne told me you were kissing him." Matt blurts out.

I turn around and narrow my eyes. "Did she?" 

He takes the time to step closer.

"Is that true?" He questions.

"I don't see how that's relevant to you at all-" I begin avoiding answering.

"Answer me." He demands.

"Why should I?" I tease.

"Avery, the venom can spread through kissing." He pauses. "You just put him in his own coffin."