when they call my name

ch. 20

alexandria black

I have a habit of doing things on my own. More so, trying to do something without any help.

Eddie would get so frustrated when I wouldn't ask for help. Whether it was homework or something at the bar, I always came to a solution by myself. I must admit that it's because I've had no one to put my trust in on that big of a scale. I've trusted a handful of people in the past, and I trust Eddie...but no one with my life.

Imagine the fear I had when I wake up next to Christian.

He's the quietest I've ever seen him. Black hair drooped over one eye and his lips are still swollen from the night before. Tattoos are painted all over his chest to his diaphragm, beautifully marking his skin.

I lost my virginity last night...to him.

Break his heart.

That's what Antares said. To break his heart and leave it at that. I tried last night when he came home by lying about wanting to be home with Landon instead of him. I saw the anger in his eyes and how desperate he was to unleash it. I just didn't think he'd actually do something about it.

I needed a shower before making my next move. What comes after? Do we date? I've never done this before, and I need the most respectable outcome from it. I can't treat last night like a one night stand because it felt more than that.

The devil to worship you, that's what Christian said to me when he was behind me, pulling my hair until I could hardly breathe. If that's the worship he mentioned earlier, than I'll gladly fall to my knees for him and let him.

I'd even consider worshipping him as my own personal idol. Is this what falling in love looks like?

As I quietly rise to my feet, my blood runs cold as ice and my limbs ache. I assume it's from having rough sex for the first time, but the closer I walk to the bathroom in just a black t-shirt, my lungs are on fire and my mouth tastes like gasoline. I started to suffocate.

In the hallway, I collapse onto my side and trap my right arm under my body. I can't remember if I hit my head on the way down, but my throat is so sore I could barely make a sound.

Help me.

"Angel?" Christian's voice fades through blurry vision. His figure in the doorway takes me back to the first time I laid eyes on him. How innocent and naïve I was back then.

"Chris..." I could barely form a proper sentence.

He kneels next to me tries to roll me onto my back. I can only cry out in pain.

"Alex, try to breathe." His voice is loud and clear enough to make out what he's saying. "Fuck, I'm calling 911."

It feels like my blood is on fire, yet my skin is frozen. Is this what dying feels like?

I warned you, Alexandria. We had a deal.

"Antares." My body freezes and I subconsciously lift a hand into the air as if he was right in front of me. "Anta-"

"What the fuck, Alexandria?!" Christian's panicked voice turns into a roar.

Everything fades to darkness after that.

When I wake up again, I'm in the hospital. Needles and wires pour out of me as the air circulating above blows directly on top of me. The most annoying, yet softest beeping noises from the machine almost drive me insane.

I have to see Christian. I have to tell him about Antares' deal and what happened between us last night. At the same time, I just want to close my eyes and pray this is all a nightmare.