Turned

Chapter Thirty

He and I got dressed, I picked up the wrong shirt, passing it to him, he used it to pull me in for a long, passionate kiss. Whatever I was, it didn't matter, at least in those moments, it didn't matter. I felt like I could handle it but that was probably the blood talking, doing that for me, controlling it for me. Still, I ran my hands up and down his chest, avoiding his scar to avoid his discomfort.

"It's okay" he promised.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable" I whispered.

"You're not" he whispered back.

I pulled my shirt down and sighed as my phone vibrated. I looked at it and rolled my eyes.

"I... it's Matt, Leo wants to party"

"Leo?"

"A friend, he usually ends up being a drunken mess at the end of the night"

"Sounds fun" he replied delightfully sarcastically.

I sighed once and texted that I'd go. An idea sprung into my mind, one I didn't see Nick ever agreeing to but still, I had to ask.

"Will you come with me?" I asked. "I know... it's early but I really want you there... please?"

"I... I'd love to, sure, why not? Are we headed to Nightshade?"

"No, probably to Supernova... if you go... I don't mind saying you're a friend... whatever you want"

He smiled, caressing my cheek with one hand, holding my other hand with his other. He passionately kissed me and my world again seemed solid.

"I don't mind introducing myself as a friend but if you... if you want introduce us as something else... I'm not going to complain"

We headed to Nightshade together. Leo was surprised to see me with someone but Matt smiled as if he knew all along. I didn't bother to hide that I was happy around Nick, that he was the sunlight at the end of my dark tunnel, so bright, he illuminated the way, allowed me to crawl up the pipe and into the daylight with him. 

"You two look good together" Matt commented.

Leo didn't say much, I could tell he still liked me and Kyle but Kyle and I weren't meant to be, we weren't happy together, just wrong for each other, badly suited and it ended badly. It left me worried about being hurt, wondering if I should take the leap of faith with Nick and I was honestly glad I did... I'd never felt that way for anyone else in my life. 

"Together? What?" Leo asked.

"We're together" I explained. "Sorry, this is Nick, my boyfriend"

"Oh, when did you and Kyle..."

"Ages ago" I snapped.

"You two were great" Leo commented.

I didn't know how Nick felt but I was disgusted. He held my hand but I didn't care what he said, Leo was out of order and I wanted to tell him exactly what I thought.

"Kyle and I didn't work out, we broke up, it left me heartbroken and afraid, I was scared of relationships, until I met him, until I finally pulled myself together and took the next step. Nick and I are together and I think we're good together" 

"Leo, you're drunk already?" Matt questioned.

"I had a few drinks before you guys came" he admitted.

"I'm sorry Nick, I'm really sorry" I whispered.

He held my hand, his fingers locked with mine. "Don't apologise for other people, I can handle it, believe me"

I wanted to believe him but I knew what Leo could be like. He was a good friend once but now... not so much, more a drunk than a good friend who called Matt and me to sort him out, to put him in a taxi and get him home. We did what we could for him but he often drank when things got out of control in his life. When he spiralled, he drank, the drinking caused him to spiral even more until he'd drank so much, he was in a taxi, being sent home and looked after by his girlfriend or Matt.

"Nick... I..." I started to apologise but was again silenced with a kiss.

"You don't need to apologise, trust me" he whispered softly.

"But I feel like I should" I explained.

"There's little you could do to me, that you'd need to apologise for" he explained. He looked down at his phone and sighed with a bitter annoyance. "I need to go, I'm sorry"

"It's not because..."

"No, not at all... I promise you, if I could stay, I would" he started to explain.

"No, no, I understand... I completely understand" I replied.

I watched him leave and it was like someone had ripped out my heart and stomped on it. All my anger was suddenly directed at Leo, I couldn't help but hate him, if Matt wasn't there, I'd have killed him, I wouldn't have been able to help myself, stop myself, Leo would be dead.

"You're a fucking arsehole!" I snapped as I swung for Leo.

"Jack, Jack don't, stop, please" Matt begged as he tried to stand in between us.

"My only chance of happiness and he breaks it, he ruins it like he does everything else!"

"Jack, please" Matt begged.

"Oh, fuck off, you and Kyle belong together, you two will get back together, if you learn to keep it in your pants" Leo snapped with slurred words.

I couldn't help it, I pushed Matt out the way and pushed Leo. I was so close to punching him, I wanted to, I wanted to kill him, to rip his insides out and pull them out of his nose. I hated him, more than I'd ever hated someone in my life. I wanted to rip his face off but the smell of blood hit me. I looked down at Matt, hoping I wouldn't see a broken bone, thankful when I saw a small cut on his hand.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine... just don't kill him" Matt replied.

"I'm really sorry" I said again with a heavy heart. "Is it bad?"

"Minor, I'll be okay" he promised as he wiped it on his jeans. "I'll... I'll get him home, see you later"