Temporary Hate

Chapter Eleven

I was just biting into my pancake when my phone rang. I groaned and barely resisted banging my head against the cold counter. "Hello?"

"Sergeant McDough?" Staff Sergeant Justin Dashner asked. "Sir," I said unconsciously straightening in my chair. My mother looked at me suspiciously. "Are you aware of your deployment Thursday morning?"

"Yes Sir." My mother paled and she looked at me with a pain filled expression.

"We'll be sending you to the hot zone Sergeant," he said. I schooled my expression so my mom couldn't see the bad news written over my face. "Yes Sir."

He hung up and I continued to eat my breakfast. "Who was that," my mom asked. I shrugged. "No one important."

She scowled but let it be. "Hi guys," Sam said as she skipped into the room. She wrapped her arms around my neck from behind and kissed my cheek. My mom smiled at the two of us.

This is your last tour Gavin, I reminded myself. I rarely get sent to the hot zones but each time I go I see some shit that can't be unseen. Spending eight to twelve months watching people kill each other and your teammates bleeding to death is fucking terrifying. "Gavin," someone said. I snapped out of my thoughts and cleared my throat. Judging by the faces they were making it wasn't the first time they had called my name. "You okay? You've been staring at the wall for the past few minutes," my mom asked.

I nodded and shoved the rest of my food into my mouth. "Do you want to head to town with Sam and I? There's some stuff I have to pick up." I shook my head. "I think I'll just stay here and chill," I answered.

"Are you sure you're okay?" My mom asked again. "I'm fine ma."

I have no idea what I am going to do crossed my mind as I watched the car pulled off. Having no clue want to do with myself I wandered into the living room and turned on the tv. When I woke up however long later the game was over and a piercing noise rang through the house.

I walked to the door tripping over myself the entire way. "Yeah?" I asked as I swung the door open.

"Hey Gavin," a voice that I'd recognize anywhere squeeled. "What are you doing here Katherine?" She pouted in a way she probably thought was adorable and sexy. "I can't stop by to say hi?"

I let out a halted laugh and shook my head,"but that's not why you're here yeah?" She smiled slyly. "You always were very smart you sexy beast of a man," she said lowering her voice. "What. Do. You. Want?"

She rolled her eyes and pushed past me into the house smelling strongly of alcohol. I sighed and shut the door.

"Where's your she-beast?" I heard her ask from the kitchen. "Excuse me?" She smiled, laughed and patted my arm reassuringly. Like I was a child.

"The girl from dinner last week. Where is she?" Anger flashed inside me but I tamed it quickly. "She's out with my mom. You know, doing human things," I answered sharply. "Trying to earn your mommy's approval I take it?" She asked rolling her eyes.

"She earned it before I was even back in Tennessee."

"We were a good couple back in high school weren't we?" She asked completely changing the subject. "You slept with people behind my back. Including my baseball coach Katherine!" I exclaimed. She shrugged as if that didn't matter and searched the fridge before pulling out of a pitcher of lemonade. "He begged me. What kind of girl would I be if I turned him down?"

"The kind of girl that doesn't cheat on her boyfriend!"

She shrugged unashamedly and poured herself a glass of lemonade. "Well you disappeared in the middle of senior year! Before prom!" She slurred drunkenly.

"I went to go fight a fucking war!"

"Well no one asked you to!" She screeched slamming her glass down causing glass to shatter and spread throughout the kitchen. Katherine clutched her hand and screamed. A long sliver of glass was lodged deeply in her hand but thankfully not out the other side. I quickly grabbed her arm and held it over the sink as she sobbed. I handed her a towel and instructed her to try and wipe off extra blood while I got the first aid kit. When I arrived back in the kitchen Katherine was still in the same position as I had left her.

"I have to pull the glass out, this is gonna hurt some," I warned. She nodded and bit her lip as I slowly pulled the glass out. When the glass was finally out I picked up the alcohol. She tried to pull her hand back but I glared at her.

I poured some alcohol on a tissue and pressed it against the wound.

She cried out and her uninjured hand squeezed my thigh painfully. By the time I had finished stitching her hand and wrapping it she was basically writhing in pain and crying nonstop. I handed her some pain medicine and a glass of water which she swallowed quickly.

"You hungry?" I asked noticing she had sobered up some in the last thirty minutes. She nodded sharply.

I quickly whipped together a ham sandwich for her and sat next to her to examine the gauze wrapped around her hand. "Try to keep out of water so try and take showers instead of-" I began, looking up at her but was cut off by her lips sealing over mine. Instinct took over and I pulled away. "Katherine...." I trailed off shaking my head. She smiled sadly and nodded as if she finally understood. "It's okay. I shouldn't have done that. It was stupid and I'm sorry. Your a good man Gavin McDough and I have done enough damage to your life," Katherine stated, her sincere words winding me.

"I'll walk myself out," she said as I made the move to stand up. And then she was gone.

An hour later Sam and my mother finally arrived and I helped them take care of the groceries. "You okay?" Sam asked placing her palm over my chest. I lifted her fingers and kissed each one, loving how her eyes darkened with each kiss. I smiled and nodded, "I'll tell you about it later."

Later turned out to be midnight when I was getting ready for bed and found her sneaking into my room.

"Katherine came by tonight," I said. She froze as she crawled into my bed. "Your ex?" At my nod she continued,"what did she wants?"

"To reconcile I think. She kissed me," I said watching her reaction closely. Her mouth tightened and the light in her eyes dulled a bit. "I pushed her away. I think she understands that I don't want a relationship with her. She apologized and said that it was okay," I said tilting my head. "Oh," was all Sam said as she laid down. "Oh?" She shrugged, "I'm happy that you pushed her away."

I laughed and got into bed, "me too." She smiled and kissed my cheek before snuggling up to my chest.

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I'm sorry it's been a while I lost my phone but found it in my coaches car last week.

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