glass touch

Chapter 12

Aaron got to the Sanctum five minutes after Cass had left.

I was sitting in the same place when I finally heard the doors open. They creacked and moaned until Aaron finally shut them again. I  gulped.talking to Cass had taken a weight of my shoulders but now that Aaron was actually here I was beyond terrified. I watched as he emerged out of the darkness and onto to the golden floor. He looked almost heavenly in the light from the skylight and the stained glass window. The foil in his hand caught the light from the sun shining through the ceiling.

I got up and began to step out of the darkness so he could see me, but he knew I was there without even looking my way.

"  the first thing you should know..." he began then finally looked over at me as I stood and a few feet away from him. He turned my way and I could see he was clutching not one but two foils in his hand. He passed one to me and I caught it clumsily between my stomach and my forearm. "...Is to be vigilant."

So this was it? I didn't get a hello or even just a wave? We were just starting? I sighed and clutched the handle of the foil in my right hand. I could feel sweat starting to pool in my palm mainly because I was so nervous around Aaron. I watched him as he flipped his hair out of his eye and got into the same stance he always gets in when he's about to fence. It's amazing to watch. The way he stands so gracefully yet so watchfully. He's ready for anything but he has a certain movement about him that fascinates me.

"Okay..." I answered. Trying my best not to get distracted.

He twirled his foil in his hand and stood up straight, through he stil kept his feet spread apart.

"Being quick isn't always the most important thing. Sometimes you must take time to think.it doesn't matter if you look cool or what other people think. All that matters is beating your opponent and using everything around you to your advantage." Then he bent a little and met my eyes, rolling up his sleeves. "We're going to try this. If I see any mistakes, I'll show you what you're doing wrong."

I messed with my collar. He hadn't even taught me anything yet and we were already going to start practicing?

I shook my head and sighed.

"Why are you making me do this?" I asked him. Standing up out of my own stance and shrugging. "You've barely taught me anything yet."

He smiled a little cockingly and shook his head. "I have more faith in you than you think. Now we start."

Nope. There were no French words. No preparation. He just lunged at me trying to sick me in the arm with his foil. I jumped back in surprise. everything froze.i thought for a second, trying to think of what I should do before he comes at me again. Once he lunged again, I blocked his attempt with my own foil.our foils resisted each other and broke apart in a half circle. He stood back for a second taking a few deep breaths.

"Good keep that up."

But I didn't want to take a break to talk. I was past that. I came at him in a blaze. His eyes widned and he messily blocked my attempt to stick him in the stomach with his foil. He'd obviously been unprepeared. He let out a chuckle then rolled his sleeves back up and came at me again. I ducked out of the way so that I was behind him, spun around and just as he was turning around plunged my foil against his chest.

Then something weird happened.

A force  hit me so hard that I thought I was suffocating. It was a forgein feeling that I'd never felt  before. When I opened my eyes. I was on my back and against the wall, something was dripping form my nose. I pressed my finger against my cupid's bow, where I felt the leaking. Blood was on my finger. My nose was bleeding.

Had he kicked me?

I looked up at him the sudden realization. He stood in the middle of the round golden floor starting down at me with concern and devastation on his face.my eyes widned. He must have kicked me. it was the only explanation.

"You...?" I chocked out, trying to stand. My knees were too weak.

He dropped his foil and dashed over to me.

"No I didn't,I never touched.... I can explain." He crouched down to me. I cringed away.

"You kicked me," I finally got the words out.

I was shaking in utter fear. I knew that Aaron was mean,but I never knew he could be this destructive. Something was still making my heart flutter though, no matter how much he'd hurt me, he still gave me that rush. That sense of familiarity. That at home feeling that can't be replaced by anything else.... Not even my own home.

"I swear I would never touch you." Then he shook his head and looked down at the floor beneath us. "I should have known this would happen..."

I was aboutto aks him what he was talking about but he interrupted me by throwing my arm around hs shoulder and helping me up. Once I was on my feet, he kept his hand on my shoulders to stabilize me. his touch felt like electric velvet. I shivered. He met my eyes one last time before backing away and plopping down on the steps that lead up to the podium in front of the stained glass window.

"Wh-what happened to me?" I asked him still afraid and very much confused.

He looked back up at me with his hands folded.

"I cant tell you that."

There was a lump in my throat that wouldn't go down. I was beginning to get impatient. I had every right to know what had happened to me. I needed to know so I could protect myself next time it happened if it ever happened again. Aaron wasn't lying about not kicking me.i could see it in his eyes. I could feel it but my head swelled along with my anger.

"Ni tell me what happened." I persisted stepping a few feet closer to him.

He sighed in defeat and buried his face in his hands.

"Oh Caitlyn..."

My name rolled of his tounge like it belonged there.it sounded even berrwe when he said it than when Cass said it. I liked hearing it. My name and his voice were perfect together, mixing them together was music to my ears. I closed my eyes. I was no longer angry.

"You've always been so stubborn." I heard him mutter under his breath,

Then, my anger came back like wildfire. But it wasn't really anger. It was shock that he would say something like that when he's only known me for so long. Plus he's barely talked to me. he's as much of a stranger to me as I am to him. I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth in frustration.

"Don't say that!. You don't know me!" I exclaimed.

I could hear him growl under his breath... he balled his fists together shot up from the steps then stormed over to me.

"You need to shut your mouth before I say something I regret." He barked his silver eyes wide. I could see the golden rim around his pupil darkening to  amber,

"And what would you say to me? More of your weid shit?" I snapped. Our noses were almost pressed together.

He pressed his hands together as if he was about to pray and closed his eyes. It was obvious that he was doing a terrible job at holding back his anger. His mouth was twisted into a frown and his eyes were shut tighly. When he finally opened them he met my gaze and pointed towards the two huge wooden doors on the dark sid eof the room.

"You need to leave. We both do." He whispered.

I shook my head. "I'm not going anwhere or doing anything for you." I whispered back nodding.

He scoffed then stomped to the other side of the room without looking at me. I could hear a heavy rain starting to pelt against the skylight. The room darkened. Aaron grabbed his foil and threw his backpack over his shoulder.

"Fine then," he scowled paying me one last glance,then taking off towards the doors. "I will"

Then he pulled the doors open so hard that I thought they might come right off the hinges and crush him. But they just closed slowly and creacked as I watched the rainy foggy weather envelope him through the shrinking crack in the door.