[17]

With my arms wrapped around my body, I stomp down the muddy path ahead of me, listening to the sounds of the forest around me. Riku is beside me, glaring at the ground and kicking loose stones into the distance.

The rain has calmed down and only a few droplets are now falling from the sky, sinking into my clothes and seeping all the way down to my icy skin.

Earlier, when I wanted to make my way back home, Riku followed me. He didn't say one word, nor did he even glance at me, he just followed me silently with his eyes everywhere else than me.

We have already walked halfway through the forest and are only minutes away from my house when Riku suddenly speaks up, "Why did you hug me?" Instantly, my cheeks heat up.

"I- I don't know," I mumble quietly, my skin suddenly burning rather than freezing.

"That's not an answer," he raises his voice. "Why on fucking earth are you so different?" His words trigger something inside of me, causing my stomach to sink.

Different.

I hate that word. Not only because it causes me anxiety attacks but also because it hurts so much more than all the other curse words.

A shiver runs through my body as the anxiety rises to my chest. It tightens, cutting off my ability to breathe. I stop walking, my feet suddenly too heavy to be lifted.

I squeeze my eyes shut and curl my hands into my fists - something I tend to do a lot.

It doesn't help though. Suddenly, the raindrops that land on my skin feel like needles, and the wind that envelopes my body feels like a fire, burning around me.

I try to inhale at a steady rhythm, breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth, but the pace of my heartbeat just quickens even more.

All of a sudden, I feel hands snake around my body and pull me into a hug. My right ear slams into the person's chest, their heartbeat pounding against it. I concentrate on it.

Its steady rhythm slowly calms me down as it rings through my ears.

After a while, the person lets go of me, but they leave their arms around my waist. Like expected, I'm met with Riku's expressionless face when I raise my head. But it still causes my heart to leap inside of my chest.

I just hugged Riku for the second time today.

And he was the one who embraced me first this time.

Gazing into his eyes, I spot the golden flecks that are swirling around in his orbs again. They are faint and only visible when you're close enough. Our faces are only mere inches apart though, so I can see each and every fleck.

His touch feels so much better than Cooper's.

"S-sorry," I blurt out.

"What for?" he questions, his voice stoic.

" . . . H-having an anxiety attack about something so petty."

His face stays the same - no twitch to his lips, no spark in his eyes, no arch in his eyebrow. His face stays frozen.

"Stop it." I furrow my eyebrows. "Stop looking at me like that. It confuses me."

Instantly, my eyes jump to his chest, even though I'm not sure what he means. How do I look at him? Why does it confuse him?

Before the questions can cause any further headache, he untangles himself from me, his warmth unwrapping itself from my body. The cold replaces his body as it engulfs me. Goosebumps spread on my skin.

"I'll go," he declares, causing my eyes to look up and see that my aunt's house is already in view.

Diverting my gaze back over to Riku, I see his eyes linger on me for a couple of seconds before he turns around and disappears down the path.

Why do I confuse him?

After watching him for a while, I slowly turn around as well and let my feet carry me over to the front door. Dread fills me as I stare at the door knob. Is Cooper still here? Did anyone notice my absence? Did they worry?

I pull out my phone out of my pocket, wipe the few water drops on it off with the sleeve of my hoodie and turn it on. Immediately, the numbers glow up and stand out on the dark background. 7:48PM.

Sighing, I slide the phone back into my pocket and grab the door knob. The door creaks quietly when I open it, making me bite my lip.

I quickly slip through it and shut it behind me as quiet as possible. I don't want to face anyone right now, to be honest. I just wanna take a warm shower and bury myself in my bed. So, I take off my shoes, and make my way up the stairs.

The house is quiet, a very welcomed silence embracing it. Maybe they already left?

"Chase!" My eyes widen.

I whirl my head around to the source of the voice and spot Kai standing on the foot of the stairs, a look of relief showing on his face. "I'm so glad you're fine. Why did you just disappear? Did something happen?" he walks up the stairs, stopping right in front of me.

"I- uh, needed fresh air. Headache," I lie through clattering teeth. Surrounded by the warmth the house provides, I notice even more how drenched and soaked my clothes are. My fingers and toes feel numb and the tip of my nose feels as if it was dunked into some lake in the Antarctic.

"God, what happened to you?" When Kai attempts to feel my forehead, I stop him.

"I-I'm fine, really. You should go home, i-it's getting late," I mumble.

"But-" he cuts himself off. A sigh escapes his lips before he turns around and walks back down the stairs. "Fine. But you know that you can always talk to me, right?" he asks, slipping into his jacket.

I nod my head. I know.

"Good. The others already left. By the way, Chloe arrived just a few minutes after you left for the kitchen. I don't know if you saw her, so just so you know." I send him a look of gratitude, my lips displaying a tiny smile.

"Bye." I wave my hand at him as he slips through the door and disappears behind it.

Heaving out a sigh, I continue my way to my room. I grab a pair of pajamas, strip off my clothes and walk to the bathroom. After around half an hour, I eventually find myself in the warmth of my bed, struggling to fall asleep like usual.

I pick up a few pieces of clothes that are strewn around my room and stuff them into the laundry basket. A yawn escapes me.

Last night was like usual. Nightmares. No sleep. Downwards spiral of depressive thoughts.

I spot a black jacket lying on the ground next to my bed. Shit.

I forgot to return it to Riku yesterday. Did he walk home without a jacket on?

I run my hand through my hair, guilt settling down in my stomach. I pick up the jacket, ready to throw it in my school bag to hand it to Riku in school when an unpleasant smell invades my nostrils.

I look at the piece of cloth. It had dried over night, but due to that, it's stinking now. Riku's scent has intermingled itself with the earthy smell of wet clothing, creating a more than unpleasant smell.

Clicking my tongue nervously, I throw it in the basket. I'll just return it to him as soon as it's washed.

I nod to myself before I swing my backpack carefully over my shoulder and walk to the laundry room. I set down the basket and turn around, silently praying that my aunt won't notice anything.

The walk to school is like usual. Peaceful and quiet. Birds are chirping as I walk through the forest, and a bit of the rain that had gotten stuck on a few leaves patters down on me once in a while.

In school, it's also like usual. Kai and Gwen are waiting for me at my locker and I almost fall asleep in each and every of my class.

But when lunch rolls around, the routine is broken.

I stroll down the deserted hallway, me being one of the only ones in there since everyone else is already in the cafeteria. My fingers are hooked around the straps of my backpack, holding them tightly, when someone suddenly bumps into me. Their shoulder hits my injured one, making me yelp out in pain.

I stumble backwards, my breath getting caught in my throat.

"Watch where you're going," someone sneers, their venomous voice echoing through the hallway.

I raise my head. A guy is glowering down at me, a scowl playing on his lips. His friends are snickering behind him, while somehow still glaring at me. My stomach drops when the guy takes a step closer.

He's taller than me, towering over my 5"6' form. His head is held high and his hair are neatly gelled into place, not one strand randomly sticking out.

"You. Aren't you that little wimp that shielded his friend from Hamming?" With every step he takes, I take one backwards, until my back suddenly collides with a locker. A hiss escapes me. "I wonder why he didn't punch you," the guy said, putting his hands on either side of my head, caging me.

He leans in, his hot breath on my ear sending a shiver down my spine. "I would have," he whispers darkly and before I know it his fist has already collided with my stomach. Hard.

I bend over, clutching my stomach. I groan out in pain. His punch isn't nearly as hard as Riku's, but it's still powerful, and particularly hurtful because of the old bruises that are littered on my stomach that still haven't healed.

"You're actually pretty fun." He grabs my chin harshly and forces me to look up. His eyes lock with mine, a dark look spreading within them.

I whimper. I'm took weak. Too weak to defend myself. Too weak to defend my friends. Too weak to defend even a damn ant.

I'm useless.

Worthless.

A mistake.

"Aw, is the wimp cryi-" Suddenly he is ripped away and slammed into the locker on the opposite side of the hallway. "Who the fu-" he cuts himself off, paling at the guy in front of him.

I can only see the guy's back, but judging from the tattoos that are covering his right arm, I know exactly who it is. My suspicions are proven to be right, when he speaks up.

"Touch him again and I'll cut those fingers off. One. By. One."

It reminds me of how he spoke in that alleyway, with the guy he had beaten up and then when he punched me in the gut.

It sounds dangerous, and scary. It sounds deeper than his usual voice, almost as if he were another person.

The guy who hit me starts trembling violently, whirling his head around to look for help from his friends. They have already ran off though, the noises of their sneakers squeaking on the freshly polished floor echoing through the room.

Riku takes another step closer to the guy who doesn't waste another breath and runs down the hallway, his arms flailing around in the air.

I let out a breath of relief. My stomach is throbbing in pain and my bruises are burning, it's torture. When my knees suddenly give in, I fall to the ground.

But before my body could collide with the floor, someone grabs my waist and holds me in place. Their touch is gentle, careful as to not dig into my hips, but it's still strong enough to prevent me from falling.

I raise my gaze. My eyes instantly lock with that familiar pair of dark brown eyes, our faces close enough that I can see the golden specks within them. My heart skips a beat.

He helped me. Why did he help me?

"Nobody can touch you, understood?" His grip tightens. "You're mine now." My eyes widen, my breath getting stuck in my throat.

"W-what?" I whisper, my voice shaky.

"You're mine now," he repeats.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hey there,

short question:

Either way, you will find out

Stay safe! Love y'all!

❤

- L I S A