Vicious Romance

Chapter 36

By the time I'm out of the building, my muscles are burning with exhaustion. My skin stings and I can feel a few cuts on my face, but I'm in no mood to fret over them. Too much has happened in the last couple of hours.

I've exhausted myself, have a dislocated shoulder, and I'm sure my face resembles a sweet potato- but I've gotten no real information on The Black Marker. Other than the fact that someone I know may, or may not be out for my head.

I repeat the phase in my head, and a sense of annoyance fills my head. Seriously? Someone, I know? Who is sick enough to befriend someone, and run out to them, murdering them?

I'm sure that breaks all the friendship rules there are.

But seriously, who?

I want the answer to be Noah because, oddly, it would hurt less if he were the one marking the X on my head. Yes, I have feelings for him, but I've known him for a month.

Everyone else in my life has been around... forever. I can't even begin to imagine how painful, and how expected it would be for me to be killed by the hands of someone I care about.

The world truly is a cruel place.

By the time I cross the street and get to the building, my stress seems to mold itself into a feeling of calmness, and collectivity.

I don't know why.

I still have to go up, see if Jaya's alright, and make sure that Noah isn't a serial killer of sorts- but I don't know. Something in my gut says that everything's alright.

Funny, isn't it?

When I get in the elevator, my laziness gets the best out of me, and I feel my muscles relax against the hardness of the elevator walls.

Once the doors of the elevator open, I groan in annoyance as my body refuses to move. I count to three, hoping that my body will give in to the need to move, but it doesn't.

My limbs finally push themselves when the doors of the elevator threaten to close with me in the metal box.

I fumble out in the hallway, my feet tripping over each other before I softly collide with the wall, groaning in annoyance.

Using the wall as support, I use my shaking legs to crawl to my apartment door, cursing at myself for picking a unit that's far from the elevator.

I manage to get to the door in one piece, ringing the doorbell, gasping for breath. It feels like forever before the door opens, and Jaya comes running, and hurriedly takes me into her arms. I wince as she presses against my left shoulder.

"Let go," I croak out against her grip, and she lets go in alarm, confused. I point to my shoulder in explanation, and her eyes widen, taking in the sight of my current condition.

"What happened to you?" she asks as I readjust my weight, leaning on her from the right side of my body.

"Nothing," I lie, as she helps me through the door.

"Seriously di?" she scoffs, guiding me through the hallway to the couch.

That's when Noah's eyes land on mine. Shock paints itself on his face as he stares at me from top to bottom. I stop in my steps, forcing Jaya to halt, watching him watch me.

We stare at each other, but within seconds he rushes to my side, taking me off Jaya's support, and readjusting my weight on him.

"What the hell happened to you?!" he questions in urgency, wrapping his arms around me, bringing my head to his chest.

Warmth fills up my body as I lean into his chest, letting my fingers crawl up around his waist. Instant comfort speeds up to me as I sigh in the muscles of his chest.

But my moment of peace is ruined as soon as I recall my thoughts from earlier.

Noah. Murdering me.

My jaw hardens, and I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to push the morbid thoughts out, but they've made a nest in my head.

Stop it, Hally, now's not the time.

I let out a wince as his hands squeeze my biceps, jolts of pain going up my left shoulder.

Why did he do that? Does he know? Did he do it on purpose?

Panic runs in his eyes, and he pulls away looking at me quickly, his hands still on my shoulders.

"Shoot, did I hurt you?" he stupidly asks, and I groan at him in annoyance.

"My shoulder, stop it," I moan, and he quickly retreats his hands, keeping them to himself.

I lazily lean back into him, ignoring the warnings in my subconscious. I take a sharp inhale of the minty air around him, and my muscles seem to relax.

"Dislocated shoulder," I fumble without any context. I feel both Noah and Jaya's eyes trace me, but they don't say a word.

Instead, I feel Noah's arm buckle around my knees, and another arm holding my head. He carries me to the bed, being conscious of my shoulder.

He carefully puts me down, sitting me up against the bedtime, placing a pillow behind me for support. I groan drowsily, my limbs stinging, my throat dry.

"Water," I croak in desperation as Noah climbs on the bed with me, readjusting my head so that it's leaning on his shoulder.

He looks at Jaya, and she rushes to the kitchen, taking out a water bottle from the fridge. She brings it back to me, and without hesitation opens it up for me, giving it to Noah.

He places the bottle to my lips, and I slowly take sips of the liquid, despite the fiery feeling in my throat.

"Jaya. Splint. Coat closet- top rack," I command, and for the split second when our eyes meet, I catch her worried look harden as the realization of my injuries process in her head.

She rushes off to the coat closet, and Noah's fingers find their way to my hair, stroking them softly.

"What happened, love?" he asks, trying to keep his voice steady. I don't need to look at him to know that he's angry. I can practically feel his body shaking as he scans me, again.

"Work," I admit, not bothering to save him from the truth.

His muscles underneath me harden, and I can tell it takes everything inside of him to not get up and beat someone up.

"Are you okay?" he asks, and I scoff at the question.

"I had a dislocated shoulder- which I popped in myself. But on top of that, my body wants to fall apart," I spit, laughing silently to myself.

His body softens, and he interlaces his fingers in mine, kissing my hair.

"I'm sorry love, how did this happen?" he asks in concern.

I swallow hard, ignoring his question, leaning further into his support.

"I'm tired," I start. "I'm going to try to sleep," I state, closing my eyes, adjusting myself so that I'm comfortable against his body.

"Okay, love," he manages to let out after several seconds of hesitation.

As my eyes flutter shut, my muscles cool down, and the last thing I feel is Noah's tears against my cheek.

A/N: No comments for this chapter. I don't even know what this is. Lo Siento. Comment what you think's coming next.

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