《Uncaging Wren》Chapter 18
Advertisement
Wren
I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy waking up next to Huxley. It was every dream I had as a teenager come true. He made me breakfast, spent the day with me. He made me feel special, important. Part of me wondered why I kept pushing him away, fighting this thing between us. As much as I hated to admit it, I knew he was right. I know that no other man will ever effect me the way he does. I'll never feel what I do for him for someone else.
But I still don't know if I can trust him. I want to, I really do. But part of me thinks that if I give in, let him have my heart, if he hurts me again I won't be able to survive it. The pain would be all consuming, overwhelming. I'd never be the same person again.
That thought is what makes me keep him at an arm's length for the next two months. We spend time together, building a friendship. He seems frustrated at times, but he seems to realize that years worth of pain can't be erased in only a few weeks. He is respectful of my boundaries, but whenever we spend time together I feel my walls falling more and more.
I have a terrible night's sleep, so I decide to head to the diner early. My college aged help is back at school, so I work breakfast as well as lunch. Waking up early is fine, I decide. I can help Jim get ready for the morning rush.
I drag myself out into the cold, dark morning, shivering a little as the icy tendrils of wind float across my skin. I pull on my gloves, smirking at the thought of plastering my cold hands against Huxley. He hates it, I know, but he lets me do it anyway. The diner already has a faint glow of light from the back and I smile to myself, yawning a little as I push open the door. Jim pokes his head out from the kitchen and gives me a curious look.
Advertisement
"Morning, sweetie. You're here early." He says and I nod.
"Couldn't sleep. Figured I'd make myself useful." I say and he gives me a warm smile.
"You work too hard, honey. Why don't you take a few days off?" He asks and I shake my head.
"There's no where I'd rather be than right here with you." I say with a bright smile and he chuckles.
"Come here." He says, waving me towards him. He opens his arms for me and I practically launch myself at him. The fatherly embrace is something I've been missing since my parents flew south for the winter. He gives me an affectionate peck on the head before pulling away to look at me.
"You're so young, Wren. It's ok to live your life." He says and I give him a sad smile.
"I don't know what I want that to be." I say and he chuckles a little, tugging on the hair in my ponytail.
"I think we both know what you want. You're just nervous to admit it. I understand that. Just don't waste too much more time. We only get so much of it." He says and I blink back tears before nodding.
"You're right." I say and he barks out a laugh, giving me a pat on the back.
"Of course I am! With age comes widom so I should have a shit ton of it." He says making me giggle.
"I'm gonna go get the front ready." I say, hugging him again before heading out.
"Alright. I'm gonna get some pancakes going. That new recipe is selling like crazy." He says and I smile back at him.
"It's Huxley's recipe." I say and he chuckles, shaking his head.
Advertisement
I head out to the front and start to flip the chairs off the tables, making a mental list of everything I need to do. Fill the salt and pepper shakers, order more flour, proof the new menus before I get them printed.
The next moment I'm forcibly propelled off of my feet, landing on the ground and sliding until my head smacks into the wall. My brain becomes fuzzy as I lift my head gingerly, groaning at the pain as I try to understand what's happening. My eyes move around the diner until they reach the kitchen. Flames are barreling through the small window opening and I gasp in shock, pushing myself to my feet.
"Jim!" I cry, limping towards the door and pushing it open.
My eyes widen in horror at the scene.
The oven is in pieces, flames licking out of it and up the walls. The sound is overwhelming, like the roaring of a lion as I try to locate Jim. Smoke is filling the small space, but I hear a pained moan from the other side of the room. The shelving system fell in the explosion, food and supplies littering the ground. I try to climb over the shelving, but it's hot to the touch. I hiss at the pain in my hands as I try to go around it, coughing and sputtering as the smoke fills my lungs.
"Jim!" I croak out again. I see his foot twitch, but he makes no other movement or sound.
My heart is beating frantically in my chest, my eyes watering from fear and smoke as I push through the debris trying to get to him. I try to push the boxes out of the way, but my strength is waning. I catch sight of him, his head covered in blood and his arm laying at an awkward angle. I scream his name again, but it comes out more of a cry as I frantically throw things out of the way.
Just as I clear a path, I hear a horrific creaking sound. I look up and gasp as fear takes over me. I watch with horror as the ceiling begins to collapse. A mess of plaster, insulation, boards and dust begin to fall on top of me. I lift my arms to protect my head as I watch a piece fall on Jim. I let out a pained cry, as I realize he make no movements to free himself. I reach for him, pushing through the new obstruction, laying on my stomach to crawl towards him. Another snapping sounds rings out from above me and I look up, watching as if in slow motion a beam falls, crushing my leg.
I cry out in pain, trying to push it off of me but it's too heavy. My breathing comes in pants as smoke and dust fill the space. I cough harshly, trying to breathe but I feel like I can't catch my breath. My strength gives out and my body collapses backwards, laying on the ground as I fade from conciousness, staring up at the morning sky through the hole in my ceiling.
Advertisement
Almighty Daughter Runs The World
A prominent tech mogul from another world, Ye Zhuo, was reborn as the fake daughter of a wealthy family. In the past, the fake dog in the manger was loathed by everyone in her social circle and was notorious for her foul reputation. She was not only an illiterate deadbeat but also an illegitimate daughter who was mocked. “She is not even worthy of being the real daughter’s little finger!” “Illegitimate daughter! Shameless!” In response to that, Ye Zhuo simply chuckled. ‘Heh-heh… fake daughter? Illegitimate child?’ Despite being dealt a bad hand of cards, she could still shake up the world and stir up a storm! She went from being the fake daughter of a wealthy family to the CEO of a renowned tech company and went from being a deadbeat to a talented girl that everyone envied – from having nothing to being at the top of the world! Let’s feast our eyes upon how she put on the act of a lifetime!
8 637Reborn To Love
“So, what do you want?” He Xinyan quickly glanced up into Gu Yechen’s face and frowned. Why did he look so familiar? Where did she see him before?
8 69700Onyx Lycan Nightclub
[18+] A Lycan's favourite meal is a fresh virgin mortal. If you dare visit the Onyx Lycan Nightclub in Dire Wolf City, it's just a matter of time before you fall to a Lycan's deadly wolf charm.Contract to Entry: Onyx Requirements. No panties, dispose of them at the front. Swallowing isn't optional. If you die it's not our fucking fault. Signed, Lycans of Dire Wolf City. Your signature, blank space.WARNING:HEAVY ADULT CONTENTHORROR-ROMANCEEROTICA
8 401Ashlyn’s choice
In 1830, 19-year-old Ashlyn and her friend Edith are to be introduced to London society and find an eligible gentleman to be wed to. Ashlyn’s heart is painfully torn between her love for Edith’s brother Jared and a commitment to her father – to marry a wealthy man with an enviable title and save her family from bankruptcy.Ashlyn’s world comes crashing down when her father promises her hand to a wealthy but dull Duke of Manchester. Is her childhood love forever lost to her or will there still be a chance for her to get back her happiness?
8 211Dalaric
a hehe bookDalaric "Ricky" Mikael was known for two things; being the country's best assassin and being a silent brute. His demons enveloped him in darkness and he saw no light at the end of any tunnel.Until a girl, who's weird and wears nothing but a pair of black jeans and t-shirts that are too big for her, called him pretty.(No one dies in the end)Word Count [145k]#2/170K in Cute : 14/9/2020 #1/54.9K in Anxiety : 19/10/2020 #4/50.8k in Crazy : 7/10/2020 #7/28.1K in Goodgirl : 21/9/2020 #1/22k in Interracial : 16/9/2020 #1/13.9K in Cold : 21/9/2020 #1/11.5K in Adorable : 9/9/2020 #1/4.1K in Serious : 4/9/2020 #3 in Young AdultTrigger Warnings : abuse & ptsd (mentions of psychotherapy) Copyright @ARKHNN 2020 - All rights reserved.
8.57 32342Growing Pains
-A soulmate story-Sam and Eli are best friends, they have been for years and they tell each other everything. Well, almost everything. Elias Grey has felt every cut, bruise and fracture that Samuel Rivera has received for eleven years. He has no idea why or how, but he doesn't care, just as long as Sam never finds out. The connection between them is anything but normal and everyone is convinced that there is more between the two of them than meets the eye. But Eli's affections are strictly platonic, or at least, he thinks they are.Fate ties us to our future. Could there be more than just pain keeping Sam and Eli tied to one another?
8 343