Heathens (being edited )

Chapter Thirty-One

O A K L E Y

I wasn't sure if I woke from a simple day dream or a long empty dream but when I had came to my senses, I found myself staring at the dense forest outside my window. I tried to remember how long I had been staring outside for but my head thumped when I tried to recall the time and what happened before. Now all I could register was the searing sun light tearing into my cornea and the distance pitter patter of light rain drops against the window pane. I could also faintly smell the aroma of herbal tea from downstairs and the smell of moist earth from outside. "Oakley sweetheart" I heard in an almost dreamlike voice and I glanced to the door when I heard my mother's footsteps thud quietly against the stairs. Immediately my mind went into a state of frenzy once I picked up two strong scents. The scent of cookie dough and spices and the other having a strong blast of aftershave and antiperspirant.

"Oakley. Are you awak....oh you are" she said quietly once she had made it to my doorsteps but I couldn't find myself to reply to her. Instead I stared at her openly while I studied her choice of attire. A grey skirt suit with a sleek pencil skirt and a red top covered by a neatly ironed and starched grey jacket. Just looking at her I felt the familiar small tug of yearning when I realized she had to go to work everyday. Part of me wished she wouldn't stress herself to work all day but without her working we'd be left homeless. Then sometimes I'd just wish I had a fathe....or something like that. "Are you feeling any better from when you passed out yesterday?" she said as she moved towards me elegantly and pressed the back of her hand against my forehead. Passed out? Yesterday? I tried to recall at least one thing that happened before I began to focus on the sunlight earlier but my mind was blank.

I stared at her and she frowned at my lack of conversation but honestly I couldn't fathom my blunt display of hostility. Even with her; I dint remember her pissing me off in anyway. Gradually I relaxed and I forced myself to muster up a lazy shrug. "Well. Let's go downstairs. You need to eat and....if you feel like you are able to go to school then tell me" she muttered as she moved outside and made her way to her room for her things. Although I would've preferred to disobey and lay in bed instead of getting something to eat; my stomach clenched tightly to remind me of the very weakly attempts of meals that had made up my daily diet. I sat up and cringed at the rigidness that cramped up my spine and had somehow caused a feeling of nausea to fill me up.

Regardless, I forced myself to my feet and held on to almost everything I passed for support as I made my way downstairs. I tried to ignore the feeling of anxiety shifting up my spine but I couldn't. Although I couldn't immediately put my finger on what had made the bereft feeling that had filled my chest, as sound as I had made it to the kitchen I knew exactly why I felt like that. As soon as his crystal blues that seemed somewhat bloodshot caught mine I paused in my tracks. And for the seconds to follow all I heard was my own racing heart and his off-tempo breathing. His platinum blonde hair had been brushed back from his face and he was dressed differently than I had usually seen him. This time he was in a grey long sleeved body top and darker grey sweats. He leant on the kitchen's counter beside a plate of pancakes and a large mug of herbal tea beside it. Both were untouched so I knew that either he didn't have an appetite or it wasn't meant for him.

My second assumption was confirmed when he took up a Gatorade bottle and turned it to his head without tearing his gaze from me. Immediately I felt self conscious of the loose night gown I was in but my whole body went slack when I began to relive a memory. One of me soaring through the air and colliding into something. Something that made a crash, and I wasn't flying. I was shoved......by him. Is that why I blacked out? Is that what he told my mother? That I had simply passed out when he had singlehandedly almost killed me? I heard a low growl cut through the kitchen then when I had began to focus on him, he had settled to gentle coughs and a clear of his throat. "Good morning Oakley" he said in his voice that usually sent me to cloud 9 and even though internally I knew it still did, at that moment I was nothing but disappointed and fearful of his past actions.

I narrowed my eyes skeptically at him then folded my arms on my chest. Is that why my back felt like it was being held together by tightly woven strings and a thin glass center? Why I felt so light headed and sore all over? Did anyone even know what happened? Where was Jason? I groaned at the memory searching that had been poking at my already sensitive brain then I made my way over to the counter. Even though I would've preferred to just go and get my food, I stopped in front of him and stared at him, burning the guilt into him because no man that laid there hands on a woman was ever to be forgiven. Then he lied to my mother......was he always like this? "Oakley. I need to speak with you" he spoke quietly and I folded my arms on my chest. "About?" I managed to spit in a hush tone as I nervously fisted the material of my gown discreetly. "I didn't meant to-" he continued but froze abruptly when I casually grabbed a hold of his wrist without tearing my gaze from him.

And if the temperature in the room wasn't low enough dew to the early morning rain; then it had significantly dropped after I wrapped my hand around his smooth, delicately pale and cool wrist. "You almost killed me" I muttered below my breath and for some reason I was actually cautious not to make my voice loud enough for my mother to eavesdrop. Why did I even ponder on saving his ass? He drew in a sharp breath then slightly leant away from me since our bodies were brushing against each other. "It was a mistake" he growled under his breath in frustration and I dropped his wrist and side stepped him to get my breakfast and my tea. "Oakley. You were on me while I was fighting and my body reacted off of pure survival instinct" he tried to explain but I had already began to trod the painful journey back up the stairs to my room. Half way up I caught my mother lingering on the stairs and her heart's pace sped up when she saw me.

"Oakley-" "Have a good day at work mom. Be sure to send home your best friend also" I said dryly as I grimaced and practically limped to my room. I locked the door and waited at the window the whole time until they both left.

A/N: HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE THIS. NEW OAKLEY IN TOWNNNNNNNNN. WE'RE ALSO AT #16 IN THE SCIENCE FICTION SECTION CURRENTLY SO PLEASEEEEE VOTE. COMMENT AND SHARE THE BOOK. PLEASEEEEE ❤️❤️❤️❤️✨✨💖