dear violet ➳ andy biersack (currently editing)

25

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chapter
twenty four
andy

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"Jesus Christ, Andy what the fuck happened to you?"

I spun around as the door clicked open and CC strode in. His hair was loose and slightly tangled, his face just slightly paler than usual, and his mouth set into a perfect O of shock as he took me in.

I shook my head tiredly, smiling in an attempt to convince him that I was alright. "Nothing. I was ambushed by some guy. The police caught him. It wasn't a big deal."

Jake and Jinxx had reacted almost exactly the same way (Ashley was still out clubbing), and all I had wanted was to downplay it all, to be left alone.

The two of them had let it go by now, and the three of us were in the lounge, me watching while Jake and Jinxx played an experienced game of cards.

Now, Jake and Jinxx had paused to watch CC with wary eyes.

CC made a choking noise. "Somebody ambushed you?"

I sighed heavily. "The police caught him."

But CC continued to stare at me with shock, worry and mild horror - as if I were a wreck. (Maybe I was).

I wondered what he saw when he looked at me. My eyelashes still felt wet, though I had refused to cry in front of anyone. I was shivering, despite the warmth of the hotel and I could imagine that the bruises clouding up my face were turning horrible colours.

Jinxx rose from his position on the couch and moved to clap me on the shoulder, causing me to wince slightly.

"He's fine now, C," he said lightly. "Nothing broken."

CC relaxed at last and moved into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water, still glancing at me worriedly.

I shot Jinxx a thankful look. He smiled and clapped my shoulder again before turning back to his game of cards with Jake.

This was why I was so fond of Jinxx. He could turn a situation around completely with just a few words. He was a very chilled person, and sometimes it was hard for even an adrenaline-high CC to be too hyper around him.

I leaned back against the wall again and stared out the window, focusing on the sound of Jake and Jinxx bantering to drown out my thoughts.

Out of nowhere, there came a sharp knocking on the door.

"Ash, it's open," Jake called from the couch.

I let loose another sigh through my teeth.

Fucking fantastic. I would have to explain myself to Ashley too, now.

I steeled myself as his footsteps neared us, trying to reassure myself that maybe, if I were lucky, he would be too drunk to notice the state I was in.

I turned around anyways, starting, "Ash, it was nothing, just some -"

I froze as a mixture of agony and shock ripped right through me like a bullet.

It wasn't Ashley facing me.

It was Violet.

Her lips were pulled down at the corners into a deep frown, her copper eyes shadowed and her expression shuttered. Her skin was turned pale as alabster, her hair wild and windblown; a white lion's mane around her achingly beautiful face.