Dragonfly

Chapter Thirteen

I stood there, completely still and barely able to breathe. It felt as though something was crushing my chest, making it an impossible task for me to take a single breath. My heart hammered against my ribs, causing the fear and panic to spread through my veins like icy fingers, slowly turning my blood to sludge.

“What did you just say?” Finally, Lewis spoke. His words broke through the uncomfortable silence that had formed and sliced through it, cleanly like a knife would cut through butter. He stared at me, clearly waiting for a response but I found it difficult to find the words I so desperately needed to speak, “What did you just say?”

“I-I’m F-Fae,” I stuttered quietly, my lungs barely taking in any oxygen. The room began to spin around us, or that’s how it seemed to me. I grabbed the arm of the sofa as I attempted to steady myself.

“Y-you’re Fae?”

“Yes,” I whispered as my gaze met his.

“And you didn’t tell me? Why didn’t you tell me when your kin decided to reveal themselves? You could have told me at any point, instead of string me along like a fool,” said Lewis.

“I didn’t know. I haven’t known for long, I swear. When you took me to the hospital, everyone else knew that I was Fae besides the both of us. I had no idea,” I blurted desperately hoping that he would understand.

“How long? How long have you been keeping this from me?” Asked Lewis.

“A day or so,” I muttered. Slowly, I backed away from Lewis and pushed the unusual thorns, that had grown from my shoulder blades, into the cream wall in an attempt to cause myself to feel something; anything, that wasn’t the fear and panic. I felt the sharp pain spread over my shoulders, causing my eyes to fill with tears. I bit down on my lip until I could taste the sweet metallic liquid fill my mouth.

“Why didn’t you tell me straight away?” Asked Lewis and I could see the pain and hurt in his eyes.

“Because I was afraid,” I mumbled as I pushed away from the wall, my body filling with immediate relief from the pain.

“Why would you be afraid?”

“Haven’t you seen how Fae have been treated over the last few days? How much people have drastically changed? Their morals and attitudes and values… like its all gone down the drain because not everyone in the world is human! Why wouldn’t I be afraid? There is a lot to be afraid off at the moment!”

“But why would you be afraid of telling me? You know-” Lewis began but I cut him off,

“Because I was scared of losing you! I didn’t know what you would think or how you would react!” I blurted.

“Scared of losing me? You won’t get into a relationship with me because you’re scared I’m going to abuse you, what is going on in your mind?”

“I don’t know… everything is so confusing at the minute,”

“No, I know that you know what is happening in your mind so tell me,”

“No! I don’t!” I snapped angrily.

“Tell me the truth Riley!” Lewis shouted back. I could see the hurt, the pain and the anger burning in his pale blue eyes.

“I’m scared of losing you because I love you!” I blurted without thinking before clasping my hands over my mouth.

“Why are you so afraid of telling me how you feel? Why are you so afraid of showing anyone how you feel?” Lewis questioned calmly as he slowly approached me before he pulled me into his strong, warm arms. “Riley, I have done nothing to hurt you. All I have wanted to do is show you how I feel,”