Amiss

Astray - Teaser

Staring up at the ceiling for the past however many hours hasn't helped, so I drag my eyes down to the bedside table, spying a couple of Ava's bobby pins and a hair tie. A sign that she was here.

Pathetically I wish all of her stuff here, that this was our room, that the smell of her would never fade from the sheets. But the reality is I was always going to stuff this up somehow.

Groaning as I roll off the bed, my feet slip into a pair of slides and I grab my packet of smokes from the top of my dresser. I've been desperately craving a smoke for the past hour and finally cave. I step outside and light a cigarette the second my shoes touch the porch. The first puff fills my lungs as relief courses through me when a familiar voice makes me tense.

"You're the one who cheated, remember, Asshole!" I look down the street to witness Kyal grabbing Ava. This motherfucker again.

My lit cigarette falls to the floor as I clench my fists. Ava tries wrenching her arm free but struggles in vain. The bag of groceries she was holding clatters to the footpath.

"That was three weeks ago. Three weeks! And now you're living there, and fucking him?!" Kyal almost spits as he speaks he's so livid.

"Let go of me!" she screams as I descend the steps.

"Such a whore, you can't even deny it, huh?" My fiery stare lingers upon his vice grip on Ava's arm.

"Back the fuck off," I bark at Kyal, and surprisingly he releases his hold on Ava before pivoting around to face me. He's immediately shaping me up as I advance on them. In the light of day on equal footing, I tower over him. Not that height is everything, after all. I may have the longer reach but just gave up the element of surprise.

"Speaking of the junkie," he says bitterly with a smirk. Kyal loosens his jaw, ready to say something else presumably unpleasant when I hit him. Aiming through his head, my fist connects with a satisfying crunch in the centre of his face. I smirk with satisfaction as the force of my punch reduces him to the pavement.

Kyal moans in pain as he cradles his broken nose in his hands whilst blood oozes through his fingers. Ava stares down at him with wide eyes before she looks at me. She seems stunned into silence, and I don't know what to say. I don't know how to talk to her anymore without making things worse, so I turn my gaze to the subdued Kyal.

"Believe me when I say if you hurt Ava again, I'll break something else of yours," I tell Kyal menacingly before striding past him to collect Ava's dropped groceries. "Come on," I murmur to Ava, and she nods compliantly. We silently walk together down the footpath, and I'm careful not to touch her even though my hand hovers behind her back.

I'm keen to get her away from Kyal, but I hesitate as we walk up the porch steps. I wouldn't blame her if she didn't want to come inside. My heart skips a beat as she twists the doorknob and lets herself indoors. Out of the corner of my eye, Kyal gathers himself up and hobbles away.

~

Author's note: The sequel to Amiss, Astray is coming soon! Take care where ever you are in this messed up world. ✌❤ Xoxo