“You’re missing something, Harlen. I saidneeded-” I swallow hard, and then continue, my voice desolate, empty of all emotion. “I don’t need you anymore.”
There’s a knock at the door.
I know the walls are soundproof, so whoever’s on the other side will not be able to hear me.
So, I ask a question I’ve wanted an answer to for a long time. “Was it you? Did you pull me out of the water?”
Another knock.
Harlen’s eyes drop, tracing the curve of my lips before flicking back to mine. “Yes.” His voice is barely a whisper.
My eyes mist over, then I bite into my trembling bottom lip, breathing out, “Why did you save me just to kill me?”
Another knock. This time,louder.
Harlen steps forward, his forehead coming down on mine. “Fuck, Cherry, you need to-”
Cutting him off, I finish the sentence for him. “I need to leave.” I swallow the tangled mess in my throat. “The same way you did.” My hands come to his hard chest, and I push him away from me. He’s at my side, his eyes locked on my temple. I can feel every blade of his anger now.
I struggle to unlatch the lock with shaky hands, and he doesn’t help.
Cameryn and Harmony stare back at me as I open the timber onto Harlen roughly. I can tell they don't suspect shit. Theyprobably think he’s in the bathroom, or they haven’t given his whereabouts any thought.
“We are going to head back to Chase’s, Come with us,” Cam states.
I move through the door, away from my office, and head down the hall, the same way I came earlier. “I’m going to rain check, sorry. Another time?”
The girls are in front of me, and I decide to take one last subtle glance over my shoulder before I round the corner.
Harlen is standing at the door, his arms raised above his head as he holds on to the timber at the top of the frame. His, what were once so bright blue, eyes, have now turned overcast.
Good.
You left me.
And I fucking hate you.
Idrive the weight of my vibrating body into my heels, my fingers latched around the top of the obsidian painted door as I fight my unspoken words.
They say time heals.
And among the silent space, uncrowded shadows, and clear consciousness, one would open their mind to seeing the events and uncanny actions that haunt them in a different, more peaceful way.
Though as humans we fight against the truth.
We don’t want to see the clear path, the smooth surface, and polished edges of hope. We are stuck on the rough terrain, sharp peaks, and blistering boulders of pain. We lash out to protect ourselves, instantly deciphering what we believe in that moment is the truth—and calling bullshit on what we think is not.
“Why did you save me just to kill me?”
Her words hold their weight because they’re her truth, what she believes is veritable.
And I’m fighting against the need to make her wrong, because I’m persistent and, honestly, more than anything, I’m kind of pissed off now.
The spill of cherry curls twirling down her spine, and the curve of her small waist and toned ass, accompanied by the lingering scent of sweet cherries and vanilla marshmallows has my chest clenching as she walks away, turning herback onme.
Cherry is a waiting game I know all the rules to. I know what makes her bend and snap, what has her falling apart. I know exactly what she needs, what makes her come undone.
The actions are at my fingertips, only Cherry is as stubborn as me, and we thrive off adversity.
