Echo in Her Mind

Thirty-One.

Bethany awoke with a start. Her head was pounding and her eyes were still swollen from the tears she shed. The hotel room was pitch black, and she looked over to the clock on the nightstand next to her that illuminated in the dark. It read: 3:55am.

"Ruben?" Bethany called out, and reached out to the turn on the bed side light. She was shocked to find the second bed next to hers empty. Bethany began to panic and raced to the bathroom to see if he was in there. He wasn't.

Her heart was beating rapidly, and her mind began to think the worst. It wasn't like him to not come back to her. Unless The Watcher wanted to keep them apart like last time? But he said he had things to take care of. Maybe he needed Ruben's help last minute?

Bethany had no idea what to do, but she hoped that Ruben was okay, and not lying in a ditch somewhere. She knew he was very much capable of taking care of himself, but that didn't stop her from worrying.

Her mind played back their interaction last night, and she understood why he left the way he had, but she also thought he would've been a little more patient with her, considering everything. She barely had time to process all of these life changing occurrences, let along these newfound desires for Ruben. Bethany wasn't ready to give herself up to someone when she couldn't even decipher the feelings between her body and mind. He clearly thought he was going to get into her pants last night, seeing how disgruntled he was when she stopped their make-out session.

Maybe that's all Ruben wanted from her to begin with. That thought hurt, if she were being honest, but it was the only thing that actually made sense to her at the present time.

Bethany looked over at the clock again, and she realized it had been a whole hour that she was lost in her depressing thoughts.

The door knob of her hotel room began to jiggle furiously, and Bethany didn't know whether to feel relief or anger as Ruben appeared behind it, stumbling his way in, and almost falling on the tile floor of the entrance.

Instantly, the smell of alcohol hit her nostrils, and it was clear how intoxicated he was. As Ruben looked up and found Bethany sitting on her bed, a glare being thrown at him, he rolled his eyes and crossed the room to his bed; not even giving her the time of day.

"Where were you, Ruben?" She asked, and wasn't sure if she should have, but she was worried sick about him.

Why?

"Out," was all he said, lifting his shirt from his body, and Bethany instantly froze at the sight. All across his neck and chest were bite and scratch marks. Even with her lack of experience, she instantly knew what they were from, but that didn't stop her from asking.

"Are those what I think they are?"

Ruben looked down at his chest, and simply shrugged in response.

"Answer me, Ruben." She spoke louder this time.

"You really need to learn to mind your own business little girl," Ruben spat.

Little girl? Since when did he refer to her as that?

Bethany stood up in a flash, and pulled the covers away from Ruben as he attempted to lay down and sleep.

"Who the heck to do you think you are?" Bethany screamed. She didn't care what time it was, or if anyone could hear her shouts.

"I believe I am your superior, and you are beginning to get on my last nerve." Bethany flinched away from his words. "I went out, I had a couple drinks, and slept with a woman I just met. What's it to you?"

Bethany's stomach dropped as she took in the words that Ruben had just spoke. The hate in his eyes was evident, and she couldn't remember him ever looking at her like that before.