Sight

Thirty One.

AVERY 

My tears seemed to burn as they scalded my skin, running into crevices deep and cold. My whimpers, echoing my pain, it played tricks on my mind, like I was the victim, when really, I was the sole reason for the hearts breaking around me. I lied to Maria, I made her believe a boy who could have changed her world with love was a monster, but only because he was.

He killed Skylar, one of the purest, carefree souls to have ever graced the Earth. Her death was a mystery, maybe even pointless, but Daniel's hands gripped it out of her. For that, he must be punished.

My slamming heart dropped when I heard a thumping on my front door. I was lain on my bed, red hair knotted and dirty, spread over the pillows in rainwater and salty tears. "Mom!" I yelled, clearing my throat, hoping my mother was home from bingo night down at Mrs. Pellington's home. "MOM!" I yelled louder, knowing my voice was simply carried but not heard.

No mother home here.

I pulled herself out of my bed, groaning and rubbing my itching face, I looked like I hadn't showered in days, when really, the rain outside adding only a more dramatic scene to my heartbreak of forever knowing, my best friend was now to be a stranger to me.

I rolled my eyes at the faint thunder that boomed the distance, "Not a movie." I murmured to myself and stood up, picking up my robe and dragging my door open with complete and utter exhaustion.

The door's thumping only seemed to grow louder as I descended the steps, "I'm coming, Mrs. Oliver!" I yelled at the door, remembering my mother telling me that she had borrowed Mrs. Oliver's umbrella and must ensure that I returned the item.

Only when I opened the door, the sweet middle-aged lady I expected at the door, dressed in a clear raincoat and a shivering smile, while her front golden locks got sodden by the rain that proved the forecasters wrong this weekend, never appeared.

"Not Mrs. Oliver, love." He grinned.

"Hello, Avery." Alexander said, smiling as he rolled his lips into his mouth and hunched his shoulders over to protect himself from the maddening rains.

"Alex? What're you doing here? Why aren't you with Maria?" I questioned as I raised my hand to shield my face from backlash raindrops off of his body, my alarmingly red hair already dampening.

"I heard she was being discharged soon. She's going to be given mandatory therapy, but, other than that, she's stronger than what we presume." He smirked and I nodded, my eyes instantaneously flooding with tears with the memory of her. It was odd, how my heart's tricked me into believing I hadn't seen Maria in years, like maybe she was dead. When really, it had only been a day.

"That's...that's good." I said, a cruel smile on my face, full of pain and malice, full of loneliness.

I sighed as I pulled my rubber band from my hair which I had attempted in tying when running down the steps, the loose red curls falling, rather ungraciously, around my face and catching its unruly reflection in Alexander's clear gold eyes, almost angelic, like glass reflecting everyone's obvious superficiality.

"You're rather beautiful." Alexander smiled, his eyes crinkling at the edges, and my heart swelled with inability to comprehend the beauty of him and his ridiculous accent.

"What're you doing here, Alexander?" I asked, gesturing him to come inside, as he nodded, entering the house, shaking off his leather jacket, sprinkling water droplets in every direction, silver and glass shards trickling down to rain and create stunning mirages for those who knew only simple beauty.

He turned around then, cracking his knuckles under his strong palms and carefully cared cuticles, "I sent, or rather, left, Maria a voice message yesterday. And I've realized something, astounding." Alexander said as he took step towards me, but my feet planting in place, dis-acknowledging the minute act.

"What does that have to do with me?" I instantly found a requirement to add in as Alexander impatiently looked over at me, a low grunt resounding from the back of his throat. "Do you ever stop talking?" He asked and I shook my head.

He chuckled under his breath and took another step towards me, for some reason, I could smell smoke on his skin, but I could also feel the warmth of his skin.

"She's...problematic." He sighed and I narrowed my eyes, "Excu--" "Ah ah!" He rose a finger to cut me off, "Please, just listen." He asked, and as his red lips moved and the softness of them could almost be felt on the pads of my fingers, I bit my lip, as well as my tongue.

"You make me happy." Was all he said before continuing or waiting for me to speak again, "You and Maria are two of the most complicated women I've ever met, but you're somewhat of a prize after my heart, Aurora." My head suddenly felt light headed as my middle name passed his lips. His eyes the color of leaves in autumn, amber and pale, screaming beauty and sincerity, screaming love and pain and disastrous futures, but futures of life.

His slick hair suddenly seemed out of place, not perfect, messy and worn. I noticed how tired he looked, how lost he seemed, like a boy only looking for guidance.

"Stop me." He whispered as he took two large steps and seized my body in his hands, my hips being molded under his touch, rough and gentle, thunder and sunrise, dawn and dusk. Our noses touched, Alexander almost picking me up, forehead to forehead as he bent his body to fit mine. "Stop me." He said again, their lips feverishly close, I rose my hands to his hair and touched its roots, Alexander seemed to physically flinch and revolt at the thought of a person's fingers in his hair, but I didn't care. My fingers wove itself through his thick dark hair, and he seemed to relax under my touch, become undone, his eyes hooded, he seemed almost dangerous as I looked at him, feeling breathless.

"No." I whispered the words on his lips and he pulled back, looking at me, and kissed the top of my cheek, licking his lips, knowing he tasted the salt atop it and knowing the tears that once marked my skin.

"You're impossible to find." He whispered, looking at me, every inch of my face, slowly he kissed the corner of my lips, causing a shiver to creep under my skin, aching and wanting more, why did I feel like this was a dead end?

His hand rose behind my head and cradled my motion under his control, then with force of need but grace of distance, our lips melted into each other's.

His hands roamed my body, around my waist, his lips warm and inviting, and my lips feeling the urgency behind his actions. His mouth opened over mine, his tongue running over my lips, my heart exploded as mine opened with his, joined together and twisted together, the breathlessness consumed me, the unfamiliar ground scared me, but I was safe, I felt safe.

He grazed his open palm along my thigh, which I wished wasn't in pajama pants at the moment, slowly he grunted as he pushed me up against the wall behind me, my ankles locking around him as he kissed my neck, "Avery." He whispered against my skin, and slowly began to chuckle, and so did I, my giggle tickling my throat, "What is it?" I looked down at him as he laughed into my chest, "You're bloody pathetic, love."

My eyebrows creased and I looked at him, a frown darkening my face, "What?" I asked and he dropped me suddenly, but not before grabbing my neck and slamming my head into the wall behind me.
After that, all I saw was darkness, and all I felt was blinding pain. 

--- 

Hello my lovelies, i know the previous update had mentioned that the book was over, when infact that was clearly not true. I was recently going through all my writing pieces and files and clicked the manuscript of this book and realized there was one more unpublished chapter left. This is how the book truly ends. I am so sorry for not having realized earlier, it probably doesn't even make sense to anyone out there now, but it was important to me to keep this work completed to the work I have truly done. 

This book means the world to me and I hope it'll forever continue to confuse and intrigue every individual that reads it. The ending is something that makes the book all the more enticing and makes everyone crave another part to the story all the more, including myself. 

Thank you all so much for making this possible for me to share and truly enjoy sharing my work as I wrote it. Sharing my writing pieces was something that genuinely terrified me but now I realize, slowly, that it is something to be proud of. 

I love you all so much and thank you for supporting me through this journey, I truly hope to see you all very very soon. 

Love you, crazies x