Delirium: Crash & Burn

Part V

Evie

His voice was gentle and warm, he spoke in a whisper as though he knew my head was already crowded with loud yells. He hovered over me. I didn't respond, I merely shuffled over in order for him to have space to sit by me.

He noticed my peace offering and gladly sat down next to me. His breathing was heavy and he almost immediately started tapping his leg causing the bench to slightly shake.     

I eventually spoke.

"Are you nervous?".

My tone was blunt and unforgiving. He chuckled sheepishly and took in a big gasp of air before stating, "don't flatter yourself, I am just cold."

I was taken back by his honesty. I was taken back by him all together. I had seen Cole around school every day that week after the incident in the car parking lot. He refused to look in my direction yet alone talk to me.

I could tell he was a 'bad boy'. His body was covered in tattoos and he always wore dark brooding colours. He was always with that Harrison guy. They were inseparable, you would have thought they were brothers or something.

They both had these mysterious tattoos like they are a part of a cult or something. My eyes would always lock on the same tattoo I saw on his arm that first day.

It was a phrase of some kind, written in Latin I think. I ached to ask them what it was about but at the same time I felt as though I wouldn't want to know.

They were the kind of boys that played with girls, not in the nice way as young kids would play with each other. But the games that would cause girls to feel insecure and vulnerable. The  brutish and rude games. Cole and Harrison were so self-assured it made my skin crawl.

There was something about Cole and Harrison that was both intoxicating and irritating. But for some reason, I disliked Harrison the most. It was a sickening feeling of distrust and suspicious charged by an undeniable feeling of sexual tension.

I cocked my head to the side to look at him, I mean really looked at him. I took in every contour, shadow, and line of his face. His skin appeared soft, under the tree lights his skin was a light brown, his eyes were piercing and intense.

He had a nose piecing which was accented by a small silver ring. He ran his hand through his curly hair furrowing his brows as he did so. He appeared frustrated and confused. His lips curled upwards almost into a smile but pursed his lips and frowned instead.    

"You remind me of someone."

I was almost amused but remained neutral and didn't smile. I continued to look at him, admiring him. His face, his voice, his mannerisms. He was so sexy it was driving my crazy.

"Me?" I said tormenting him in a lagging tone.

I moved in closer to him, slightly touching his tattooed forearm, instantly feeling his arm contract.

"I can't remind you of someone because there is no one like me."

At that moment I became someone else through an explosive few seconds of true confidence. He would either find me deceptively charming like Eve found the Serpent or obnoxiously abhorrent and self-assured.     

His face lit up, he was practically glowing, he attempted to stop himself from showing any signs of emotions, but he couldn't deny that he found me annoyingly alluring.

"What are all of your tattoos about?" I asked suddenly changing subject. I saw his breath hitch in his throat as if he was unable to answer.

"Wouldn't you like to know." His voice was venomous and sharp.

I was lost and confused how one question could change his whole body composition. It must have been a sensitive subject. The old Evie wouldn't have pushed further and would have apologised acknowledging her place. But I wasn't her anymore. I continued to press.

"That's why I asked." I retorted mockingly.

His head snapped in my direction and his eyes narrowed at me. I felt a small hint of fear from the dangerous warning look he gave me.

"Curiosity killed the cat." He virtually spat at me, warning me to back  off the subject, but his reeling only made me want to ask him more.

"Easy there. You bark the fair bit, to say I only asked one question." I purred in response which I could tell drove him up the wall with frustration.

He sighed and his shoulders dropped. I knew no girl had ever step up to his brutish approach and no doubt people would submit to his anger and rage with apologetic whimpers.

He looked down at his arms as though he questioned the tattoos which marked him. He traced the outline of a tattoo of a cross on the lower section of his arm. It was about 5 cm long and was shaded in at the sides, underneath it was a phrase, it looked like Hebrew or Latin. I couldn't see what it was as it was upside down to me. I cocked my head to get a better look at it.

"It's a Bible verse." Cole responded to my curious manner.

I scoffed internally at the idea of a guy like Cole being a Christian or a part of any region at that. He was so rude and so angry how could he be religious.

"It's not what you think it is you know, religion."

It was like he was reading my mind, my face fired up suddenly embarrassed that my judgemental mannerisms were showing.

I remain muted, unsure of the waters which I was treading on.

"It just means we are all accepted and we can go to heaven no matter what we do on earth." He took a sharp breath of air in as though it was painful.

His words rang in my ears. I thought of what he said repeatedly. No matter what we do. The idea brought both peace and pain to me. The idea of my dad in heaven made me feel at peace, he deserved to be in a good place. However, the idea of my mom in heaven with him made the nauseous feeling return to my stomach.

"Don't look so disgusted. I'm sure you're no angel either." He snapped at me, mistaking my silence as judgement rather than reflection.

There was something about his childish defence and pouting that made me chuckle out loud. As I laughed he snapped his head back in my direction and swiftly moving close to me, cupping my head between his big hands. I immediately stopped laughing, I was transfixed and frankly a little scared.

"What's so funny, Williams?" he taunted. His hand remained fixed to the sides of my head, firm but not harsh. He hovered over my lips with his soft pouting lips. My body tingled and hummed.

"Do I make you laugh? or are you just laughing at me?" he breathed over my lips. My mouth parted automatically ready to be kissed. But just as my eyes flickered closed Cole let go of my face causing me to snap my eyes open, horrified.

"Whe-, why, what?" I couldn't muster many words, my heart was beating out of my chest and my blood boiled under the restrictions of my veins. Cole laughed, a deep boyish laugh. I instantly felt exposed, embarrassed.

"You're not how I thought you'd be, Williams."

He leaned in, breathing over my neck into my ear and spoke to me, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You are so much more interesting."

I suddenly became suspicious and I was on high alert, I did not know what to think of him. At that moment I was transfixed but slightly worried. I couldn't tell whether he was genuine or a false representation pretending to be authentic.

I had to be clever.

This was a mad man's game and I was a new contender.