Claws.

28

CHAPTER 28

Anger bubbled and boiled like poison in my veins. It stung in my arms and neck. It itched, irritating like a midgey. Overwhelming and white-hot it overtook my entire soul.

But at the same time my heart swelled in sadness...

And disgust.

A storm of emotion, I watched from the door way as I saw Aiden and another woman lip-locked, her pressing into his chest. My heart thumped in my ear drums and I could feel my fiery pulse in my palms and neck. Leona began pushing her way to the surface; outraged, horrified, betrayed.

Suddenly, Aiden broke away from the whore- bright red and flustered. His eyes moulded into something clouded but then he saw me and misery over took their navy discs.

"Jamie-"

"What the hell?!" I demanded. Leona growled through my tightened throat. I could barely breathe for the tears choking me.

"I-"

Grabbing the cold door handle, I spun round, slamming it behind me.

'He's a dick.' Leona hissed, upset.

Somehow driven forward by my emotions, I trembled forward. Follow me. Why isn't he following me?

"Jamie!" His voice berated on my ear drums. "Kitty wait!"

His hand clamped down on my arm sending a shock through me. With a clenched fist I rounded on him, my knuckles hitting him square in the jaw. He fell backwards and to the floor with a thud on the wood.

"Okay... I deserve that." Aiden said, caressing his jaw. "But Jamie please listen to me-"

"No!" I hissed. Salty tears stung at my eyes. "I- I can't believe you-" A pathetic sob wracked through my body, before I turned and left him. As I stood at the threshold of the doorway, I sniffed. "Stay away from me."

---- --- ---

"Jamie? Are you ok?" Asher asked as I loped into the kitchen.

I sniffed. "Boys are dicks."

Asher hugged me. "Well, I'm not." He smiled comfortingly.

'Don't listen to him. He's a boy... I don't want to talk to any of them today.' Leona mumbled

"Want a drink?" Asher suggested.

Nodding, I rubbed my eyes.

"So did you and Aiden argue?" He asked as he set the kettle off.

I nodded.

"About someone else or...?"

I nodded again. My tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth which was as dry as sandpaper.

"Well you can tell me about it, y'know?" He said. He handed me a purple mug filled with brown liquid. It looked like coffee, but smelt strange...

"What is this?" I asked.

"Oh, it's coffee, but I put some tonic in it- it's my, er, granddad's special soothing recipe." He said, smiling.

Taking a sip, the warm taste of some unfamiliar plant unravelling on my tongue. "It's weird..." My vision began blurring a little on the edges and my head felt thick and heavy.

"Jamie?" Asher inched closer.

"What was that?" I asked, smacking my lips together to alleviate the taste.

"Jamie..." He placed a hand on my cheek. It was warm... He leaned in and kissed me softly.

'Stop!' Leona mumbled, almost sleepily.

"Asher stop..." I mumbled. My head was so thick... I could barely hear anything- it was as if my senses were... I don't even know...

He kissed me again. I tried to push him away but my arms were floppy. I had no sense of anything. At all.

----- -----

"Jamie... " Aiden mumbled, shaking me. "You have to listen to me, please!"

I turned over in the bed. I clasped my forehead in my head in my hands as I felt my head ache. "Aiden? How-"

"Please listen!" He implored. "That girl was drunk! She just randomly came into my office and started kissing me I swear!"

"Why didn't you-?"

"She's surprisingly strong- and I couldn't beat her up! She was drunk and I didn't want to hurt her, it would definitely look bad..."

"How did I get here?" I asked, still holding my head.

He brushed aside a strand of my hair. "You were asleep on the sofa downstairs and I brought you up here." He kissed my forehead. "I'm so sorry. You've got to believe me. I'd never hurt you like that."

Nodding, I decided it made sense. The woman had seemed a little wobbly on her feet...

'He's not lying,' Leona told me, 'his heartbeat is steady.'

"I forgive you." I said. I noticed a red mark on his jaw line. "Sorry about punching you."

"Oh thank the gods!" Aiden sighed. "I couldn't bear to lose you...And don't worry about it- I deserved it for making you upset." He kissed my cheek. I felt a strange tug in my chest. I couldn't remember anything from yesterday after punching Aiden... my mind was blank.