Love is Ours {See Final Author's Note}

Chapter Eight

[I'm going to apologize now for the fact that this chapter is considerably shorter than the others.  I hope you like it anyway!  Thanks to everyone who has read or voted for this story!  Your support means a lot!]

[Sierra]

I reluctantly got into the cab with Tam, giving Ramin a little wave as we drove away.

Tam took my hand as we set off down the busy streets of London.

"So, are you going to tell me where we're going?" She finally asked.

Tam chuckled.  "Is it wrong for me to want to take my girlfriend out on a Friday night?"

Sierra smiled good-naturedly, but on the inside she was fuming.  Her time with Ramin had been interrupted because Tam wanted to take her on a lame date?

As the drove in silence, Sierra was still annoyed and, if she was being completely honest, angry.  Her recent dates with Tam had felt like a waste of time.  Her time didn't seem wasted when she was around Ramin.

She and Tam ended up going to a nice restaurant, where Sierra, who was still in her rehearsal clothes, felt completely underdressed.  She mentally cursed Tam again for not warning her ahead of time about their date.

They made small talk about how rehearsals had been going and spoke of opening night, which was quickly approaching.

After an hour of awkward conversation, Tam finally asked for the check.  Sierra didn't make any attempt to help pay, not that Tam would've let her.  They walked out together and looked for a vacant taxi.

Apparently everyone in London was out that night, and no unoccupied taxis drove by. 

"Guess we have to walk, then." He said, taking Sierra's hand.

Her first instinct was to pull away, but her common sense told her not to.  If Tam sensed anything was up, he'd pounce immediately. 

As they walked down the crowded street, Sierra's mind flashed back to rehearsals that day.  The way Ramin's big brown eyes melted her heart when he was so close to her.  How she'd felt safe and protected in his arms.  How natural it had felt when they'd kissed.

Luckily, their walk passed by quickly, and they were soon outside of Sierra's flat.  Tam leaned in to kiss her goodnight, but she abruptly turned her head so he got her cheek instead.

Tam didn't say anything as he pulled back, but Sierra could tell he was confused.

"Goodnight, Tam," she flashed him a quick smile.  He stiffly smiled back before turning away.

As Sierra was turning away, Tam grabbed her arm sharply.  She whipped her head around.

"What's going on, Sierra." He demanded through gritted teeth.

She swallowed and tried to pull her arm away, but he just tightened his grip.

"Nothing," she breathed.

"Now, come on; I know that's not true," he spoke as if he were talking to a child.

"I'm...just tired.  From rehearsals," she lied.

"You're always tired," Tam retorted.  Sierra felt herself growing angrier by the second.

"Let me go, Tam." She snapped, trying to wriggle her arm away.  But he wouldn't let her go.

"You'd better watch out.  I won't put up with cheaters, you hear?" He hissed before shoving her away and disappearing. 

Sierra rushed inside and closed her door, leaning against it.  As she slid down to the floor, she felt a sharp pain in her arm where Tam had grabbed her.  In the dim light, she saw that a purple bruise was already blossoming on her forearm. 

How was she going to explain that?  She didn't want to tell anyone for fear of what Tam would do.  Sierra began to quietly cry.

What would Ramin do if he found out?  She was embarrassed to say that Tam had done this because of him, although Tam hopefully didn't know it was Ramin she was thinking about.

Finally her crying escalated into full blown sobs.  She buried her head in her lap, trying to muffle the crying. 

After what felt like hours, all the years had been drained from her body and she fell into a restless sleep in a heap on the floor.