Dangerous »ᴄɵᴍᴘᴌᴇтᴇ«

EIGHTEEN

EIGHTEEN [Madisyn "Freak" Simms]

When I woke, it was pitch black outside and my clock said that it was twenty-eight to midnight... Looking around my room, I wondered what woke– Something hit my window. Moving over slowly, I pulled back my curtains, only to jump back as the noise sounded again. Hearing a whispered cuss outside, I frowned.

"Syn!"

Syn? But I recognised the voice, even if it was a whisper-yell. What was Blade doing here at near midnight? Opening my curtain again, I looked out to see Blade standing outside in nothing but trousers and a shirt. I flushed as I looked back over at my chair which held Blade's jacket. Raising my hand to the window to gesture one-minute, I quickly threw on jeans, a shirt, and a jacket, grabbing Blade's jacket as I did.

Moving as quickly, but as quietly as I could, knowing that I had to pass my mum's room where the creakiest floorboards lay, I tried to jump over most of them, but after my first jump, tears rose as my stomach pulled. I'd forgot about that in my excitement to see Blade. Continuing cautiously, I finally made it to the ground floor and was quickly unlocking the front door and rushing out.

Blade smiled as I came into view, as I came close, he spoke normally, only a little quieter, it was like every word was a secret, and it was ours. "How are you?"

"My stomach hurts if I jump or move too fast," I replied.

He stared at me, his eyes widening as he leant against his car, arms folded. "Jump? Syn! Why are you jumping!? You're supposed to be resting!" I could hear care in each worried word that he spoke and it warmed me.

I frowned. "Why do you call me Syn?"

He smiled. "Madisyn. You're my sin."

I didn't get it, I wanted to say, but I didn't. "Why are you here? It's nearly midnight."

"I wanted to make sure you were okay, I figured that with nearly eleven hours of sleep you'd be up. Did I wake you?"

I blushed, glad that our street wasn't heavily lit so that he couldn't see the heat that was pounding through my cheeks at his words. I shook my head even though he had. "I woke before you started throwing stones."

"Oh really? So you made me throw pebbles for five, nearly ten minutes?"

"O–Oh, um... you might have woken me."

He laughed, pulling me closer to his warmth. How was he warm? I wondered as I shivered against his heat. He looked down and frowned. "I shouldn't have dragged you out, your freezing."

"I'm okay."

"Uh-huh, I'll see you tomorrow? Or the next day?"

"Tomorrow."

"See you then."

Moving away at the same time, I yelped when my hair yanked at my scalp. Blade froze before he cussed under his breath. "Seems I don't want to leave." He gestured his bracelet, silver and bronze bracelet with thorns, and I giggled in response. He sighed, but it sounded almost happy?

Pulling me closer to him again, I stayed a breath away as he slowly but surely unwrapped my hair from his bracelet. Once it was finally free, he pulled it off, and on lifting my arm, he clipped it around my wrist. It was loose, but it wouldn't fall off.

"But–"

"No, keep it. I owe you that and more for failing in my deal of protecting you. I should have known something like this would happen, but... I'm sorry, Syn."

I shrugged. "It's okay. We all make mistakes."

He shook his head angrily, but I didn't fear it. I didn't fear his anger that could melt metal and snap bones. If I was honest, I felt protected, safe by it.

My breath caught at his next action. His hands swept up to cradle my face. Large, rough hands held my face as drowning black eyes stared into mine as though trying to see my soul. Then he moved closer before pausing again, his breath tickled, but while a whisper of fear screamed that I should fight. Run! The larger part wanted it. It wanted to lift up and touch my lips to his. But that speck of fear kept me from doing just that.

It seemed like hours until his soft lips touched mine like butterfly wings. After a moment, it became firmer, a hint of violence hung in the air, softened by much gentler emotion of care and trust. A moment later, he pulled away, I wanted to scream no! Yell at him for pulling away.

"Breathe Syn!" his hushed whisper reminded me.

Blinking my eyes open, I drew in a ragged breath to see him smiling at me.

Placing a firm kiss on my forehead, he turned me to facing my house. "Go sleep, I'll see you tomorrow."

Giving a nod, even though I wasn't facing him, I walked back inside in a daze. Only as the front door closed did I hear the purr of his car drive away... and it was only then that I realised I still held his jacket.

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