I'd Kill Just To Protect You

Chapter 3

I felt extremely bad for upsetting Marley. I shouldn’t feel bad since it wasn’t my fault for not knowing what happening to her parents. Even when Chloe kept my mind of her by fooling around in bed later, I still couldn’t stop feeling the way I did.

Chloe ended up falling asleep with her naked body next to mine, while I just lay there to think about Marley. I really hope she doesn’t hate me.

I crawled out of bed, throwing on a pair of jeans so I could do something to keep myself entertained. I walked into the lounge room to see the light on. Weird. I’m pretty sure I left the light off. Maybe Eric or someone is up. I hope Eric isn’t up. He knows I don’t like him being up after nine thirty on school nights.

But it wasn’t Eric. It was Marley who was sitting on the couch, writing in her notebook. I wonder what she is writing about. Maybe if I sneak over to her quietly I could look over at her shoulder and see what she is writing about.

It was almost like she knew I was in the room. She looked up at me and quickly closed her book.

“Hey,” she said.

“Hey.” I sat down on the couch beside her. Marley curled up on the couch, clutching her notebook to her chest. She looked uncomfortable with me sitting there. “Can’t sleep?”

Marley nodded. “Yeah. What about you?”

“I have insomnia. I don’t sleep as much.”

“That must be horrible.”

“Yeah, it is. So, what are you writing about?”

“Nothing.”

“Well, if it’s nothing, can I read it?”

Marley stared at me. She looked like she was trying to read my face and figured me out. It seem like she still didn’t trust me. “Um, no. I don’t feel comfortable with you reading it.”

“Why not?”

“I just don’t.”

“Well, if you get your work published then you can’t stop me from reading it then.”

“I know but I don’t feel comfortable with someone reading it until I have finished writing it.”

“Okay, let me read your finish works.”

“Are you deaf? I said no.”

Marley got off the couch and walked towards the kitchen. I stood up and followed her.

“Marley, I’m sorry,” I apologised to her.

She walked over to the fridge and rested her back up against it as she turned to me. “How do I know you are sorry?”

I stared at her before speaking. “Look, I’m sorry. I know we got off on the wrong foot, but let’s just start over again.”

Marley didn’t answer me. Instead she turned and opened the fridge. I got angry at the way she ignored me like that. I grabbed her arm and slammed the fridge door shut, making her face me.

“Damn it, Marley, answer me!”

Tears appeared in her eyes and I felt horrible for raising my voice at her.

“Look, I understand you want to look out for me and make sure I’m safe from that criminal,” Marley said. “But can you please respect my privacy? If you can respect that, then maybe I will let us start over again.”

I stood there, stun that she even said that to me. Marley took one more look at me before walking away, walking towards her room. I continued to stare at the door way that she had walked through even though she was no longer standing there. I shook myself and then flick on the kettle, putting together a coffee for myself before sitting down on the couch and turning on the television.