Growing Wildflowers | WLW

Ambrosia

It's hard to focus with her in the room. Even though Sophie gave me the blood bag before Jamie got here, it's like my body knows I need more to heal the wound in my shoulder. At least, that's what Faith told me on the beach the day I almost drowned. My body will try to repair itself any way it can.

"I know you're mad at me." Jamie's words take me off guard.

"I don't think I could ever be mad at you, Jamie." I pull her knuckles to my lips and kiss them softly.

Jamie's cheeks flush a light shade of pink. The color stands out against her tan skin and stream of freckles. "You weren't responding to my messages and..." Her lip quivers. She closes her mouth tight. "I thought you were mad that I was at Kelsey's."

A lump forms in my throat. I was. No. I shake my head. Not quite. "It pisses me off that your ex is more capable of protecting you than I am," I admit.

Jamie pulls her hand away. "Are you kidding me?" She motions to the wound on my shoulder. "Kelsey ran away when Parker showed up at her house. You took a bullet for me."

My chest goes tight. "Maybe..." I swallow, but my throat still feels scratchy and I can't tell if it's because I can't stop thinking about the blood pumping through Jamie's veins or because I'm about to cry. Probably a mixture of both. "Maybe the only reason I took a bullet for you is because I knew I would have drained you if it had gone any other way."

Jamie's shaking her head before I finish the sentence. "Bullshit."

"You don't know what I've done." I try to push myself higher in the bed, wince, slide back down. "You don't know how many people I've killed."

"Stop trying to chase me away, Gwen." Jamie's shouting. I've never heard her shout like this before and it makes everything in my body go still. She cools off almost immediately, her words taking on a new tone. "Not now," she continues. "Not when we've come this far."

"I'm sorry." It's the only thing I can think to say. The only thing that sounds appropriate. I don't have to tell Jamie she's right. It's obvious. Even if it wasn't intentional, I was hoping Jamie would realize she doesn't want to do this anymore and break it off with me. "I thought maybe if you saw the real me..."

Jamie takes my hand in hers again. "I do see the real you, Gwen."

I don't know how to respond. Maybe Jamie's right. Maybe she does see through the labels. Maybe she can see me for my intentions, not the monster in my head.

"There's... One more thing," Jamie says, her expression uncomfortable. "Is there something..." She snaps her hair tie against her wrist. "Saying it out loud sounds crazy now." She lets out a nervous chuckle.

I take her hand in mine and squeeze. "I don't think anything you can say will sound crazier than what's already happening."

"Fair." Jamie nods. "Fine. Um. Is there something going on between you and Sophie?"

"Me and Sophie?"

"I know. I just..." She blows a long breath out. "She's a vampire. And... So are you. And she seems like she really likes you and I guess I just got nervous that maybe... Maybe, she's better for you than I am."

I laugh. It's obvious Jamie wasn't expecting me to laugh because her cheeks flush. She slaps my side playfully. "Gwen, I'm trying to be open with you."

"I know. I know. I'm sorry." I stop laughing and pull her closer. "It's just... While you were worrying about Sophie, I was worrying about Kelsey."

"Kelsey?" Her face screws up in disgust. "Why Kelsey?"

I shrug. Or , try to, with the ache in my shoulder. "She is your ex. But also." I clear my throat, thinking about what Jamie's mom said to me after she nearly killed me. "Let's just put it this way. I don't think your mom likes me very much."