Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 5: Detective boy and his little personal hurricane

"Where did this bruise come from?" Nyx frowned as her fingers caressed the purple blotch on James's cheekbone. "Did you fight someone?"

Embarrassed, James evaded Nyx's eyes. "I... I was trying to reach the pickles jar on the cupboard and jumped... I hit the corner of the cupboards door."

Nyx looked at her boyfriend with disbelief in her eyes, not believing her ears. How clumsy can he be? She stroked the bruise again, before pressing her lips against it. "You're too clumsy. What if one day you hit your head and become silly?"

James wrapped his arms around Nyx's waist and pulled her in a tight hug. His nose buried into the side of her neck, inhaling her sweet scent mixed with the perfume he had bought her. "I would still love you even then."

***

By the time the ambulance came, James had gained conscience, but his eyes were unfocused, and he looked a bit confused. Nyx was sitting on the floor, his head on her lap as his dark eyes wandered around the numerous faces above him. At some point, some of the customers decided that this whole thing was very interesting and started taking pictures of the unconscious James. Nyx tried her best to fight them all, but all she could use to fight were her words, as she was temporarily being used as a pillow.

"The killer..." James mumbled under his breath. That word sent shivers down Nyx's spine, and she really considered just dropping his head and leave. Killer? KILLER? What the fuck is he talking about? WHO IS A KILLER?! You're still alive, it doesn't count!!! "No fingerprints..." Then his dark eyes landed on her face. He looked at her in a confused state, not saying anything. Nyx really couldn't bare his eyes looking at her like that. It gave her the illusion that these five years have been nothing but a bad dream.

The reality, however, wasn't like that.

"You will be fine. Okay?" Nyx wiped away the tears with the back of her hand then touched James's face softly. Her fingers brushed past the pale scar under his eyes awakening the sudden desire to ask him about it, but she had to bite her tongue instead.

To him, she was nothing else but a stranger.

The paramedics picked him up. Right then, Nyx found her chance to leave the place and find her freedom. She really considered leaving, to put an end to all this crazy nonsense even though she wanted to stay by his side and make sure he was really okay... however, just as she took a step away from him, James grabbed her wrist and wouldn't let go of her as he still muttered creepy things about blood and knives.

Where did the knife come from? It was clearly a salt cellar? Did I turn him stupid?

Nyx tried to free herself, but concussion or not, James had a very strong grip. The dork wouldn't let go.

"You can come with us if you want." One of the paramedics, the youngest of them, said.

I want to come, but that's not the point, lady! Things are more complicated than they seem. Even the dude with the concussion has no idea how messed up things are!!!

The paramedic saw how the man held onto his girlfriend's hand and didn't have the heart to part them. On the other hand, Nyx didn't know how to feel about that. A part of her felt smug about it, but the other part, the one that looked down at James who was clearly trying to kill her less than five minutes ago, and was now lying down on the stretcher trolley, muttering things about blood and murder couldn't help but think that something must be wrong with this young lady. Nyx clearly told her that she hit James with the salt cellar while he was chasing after her with no peaceful intentions in his head. Why would she still think they were together?