Blue // Daniel Seavey

Chapter 25

Tori

Running out the front door, my heart pumping at a thousand miles an hour, I quickly pull the tight bobble from my ponytail, letting my hair fall free. A drop of rain instantly falls onto my skin, slowly running down the side of my cheek. It's cold and rainy - but that won't stop me from walking home. My feet splashing against the shallow puddles that are already forming, I quickly make my way down the driveway, trying my hardest to get as far away from that damn boy as I possibly can.

"Tori!" That familiar voice calls, the sound of the front door slamming shut behind him, filling the silence of the night.

No.

Don't follow me.

Go inside.

I can't see your face right now.

Ignoring his call, I continue to walk forward, trying to reach my target - and my target is anywhere that's not near him. The driveway is long, and I'm still making my way across it, until I reach the large, metal gate.

Please be open.

I place my hands on the bars of the gate, finding that they're cold against my skin, and I vigorously begin shaking it in hope that it will open because I really need to get away. But it doesn't. It's locked.

Goddammit.

"Tori," he repeats, his voice much softer this time, much quieter, much closer; he's behind me. "Please don't go. Just talk to me for a minute."

"No." I answer quickly, my head hanging low and my damp hair falling forwards as my back remains facing him. I'm in complete fear of giving him my gaze, my breathing short and shallow. I bite my lip, "Daniel, I want to go home."

My brain is aware that I'm being unfair to him, that I should give him a chance to say what he wants to say. I should hear him out. But my heart is beating so fast that I don't care about how selfish I'm being.

"Tori," he says again, his voice soft and welcoming. It surprises me that a boy who was once so cruelly-spoken is now treading around my feelings so carefully. And it's that change in him that's making me feel so much more guilty. "Just talk to me." He persists. "Look at me." He places his hand on my shoulder, urging me to face him, and the sudden contact startles me.

Almost instantly, I shake his hand off of me, my hands clenching around the gate. "The gate's closed, Daniel. Open it. Please, let me go home."

"There's no way in hell that I'm going to let you walk home alone while it's late, cold and raining. I'll drive you home," he pauses, "only after you speak to me."

"Daniel," I demand, my teeth gritted, still not facing him. "Just open the gate."

There's a long silence. Inhaling a deep breath, the rain continues to fall onto my clothes and skin, making me shiver. "Please just open the gate. I'm cold and I want to go home. Please."

The tone in my voice sounds like I'm pleading, begging for him to release me. The heavy silence returns, until he finally speaks:

"No."

My body slowly turning around to face him, I find his tall body stood close to mine, his eyes penetrating through me as he stares down like a predator watching its prey. The rain immediately becomes heavier when my eyes engage with his own, almost as if it's reflecting my emotions. Feelings and emotions are pouring, flooding, cascading through my body. Just like the heavy rain.

Quickly, my hair becomes drenched, his body becomes wet, his soaked black shirt sticking to his body.

"No?" I say, my eyebrows creased. I clutch onto my wet jacket for support, my arms wrapped tightly around my body, as if I'm protecting myself. I need to protect myself from him.