Retaliation

Chapter 22: Love is a Poison

Chapter 22

Music Choice: I'm Not Your Hero - Teegan & Sara

Ash had followed Vi out onto the deck. Vi had her arms crossed, her hands rubbing her elbows, displaying that she was clearly upset. She was leaning against the wooden rails of the deck, looking out into the light blue ocean and afternoon sky.

“Hey, what the hell was that about?” Ash asked, standing next to her. Violet was clearly distressed, her eyes watery. The bright purple that once was the color of her irises was now overtaken with a dark, almost black color. Vi refused to move, or even acknowledge Ash’s presence. “Vi, did you hear me?”

“Aren’t I entitled to being alone?”

“Not right now. So I’m going to ask again. What happened between you and Drew?”

“He broke me. Is that what you wanted to hear? Are you happy now?” The tears Violet tried so hard to keep at bay had escaped. Her face covered in tears, her eyes looking down at her feet.

“What do you mean, ‘he broke you’?” Ash was confused, pulling Violet down to a lawn chair. Vi crisscrossed her legs, as she began to explain her history with Drew.

“He and I were in the same group, same set of Angels who were training to be Virtues and Mentors. We were best friends. We would always hang out and make fun of each other. We could read each other, tell when one was upset or excited. We would talk using my Telepathy, since he didn’t have that particular gift. He could’ve been miles away, and we could still converse.

“And then, I fell for him. Hard. I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I was in love. But I was afraid, afraid of his feelings, and of my own. I didn’t want to get hurt, and I didn’t know what his feelings were.”

“Couldn’t you have read his thoughts?” Ash interrupted.

“Drew knew how to evade thinking about me when I was around. So I kept my feelings hidden. I didn’t want him to know, and then have him tell me he didn’t love me back. I thought I was protecting myself. That’s why I hate it when any of my Angels bring back another. I don’t want my Angels to break, like I did.”

“But, how did you break?” Ash asked softly.

“I had had enough. I was only torturing myself, keeping my feelings a secret from him. I finally decided to tell him. Tell him I loved him. I pulled him aside after one of our classes; I think we were learning about controlling a situation. Ironic, huh? I explained to him my feelings, pouring out my heart and soul. I let myself think there was a possibility of a ‘we’.”

“And he came crashing through my dreams. He told me, ‘God, Vi, I only see you as friend.’ And in that moment, my heart broke into a million pieces. And it never repaired itself. My world came crashing around me, as he walked away, never looking back.”

“He never talked to me again. We still shared the same classes, but we never looked each other in the eye again. He devastated me. Our friendship was over. We graduated, became mentors of our own Flights, and never saw each other again. Until I came here.”

“He was trying to apologize to me. He kept trying to make me read him. He was too cowardly to even apologize out loud. To actually say ‘I’m sorry’. And I refused to accept it. I had spent most of my life, my Angelic existence, making sure no one ever made me feel the way he made me feel. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. That’s how he broke me.”

“And he never fixed you.” Ash whispered, looking into Violet’s eyes. They were still releasing tears, not as many as before, but enough to label it as crying.

“Love is a poison. It makes you think it’s wonderful, even makes you think you’re happy. But once that love ends, so does the happiness. And you’re left behind, as collateral damage. You’re broken, un-fixable. I know, I should believe in the power of True Love. I did, and look where it got me.” Violet answered, wiping the tears away, and drying her face with her black jacket’s sleeve.

“Vi, I’m so sorry.” Ash leaned in to give her a hug, his arms protective. She was so vulnerable. “Do you want to go back to our House?”

“No, we need to solve this. I can put up with this for a bit longer. For Keith.” Vi answered, trying to put up a brave face. “Why are you thinking about Dani?”

Ash was taken aback, only realizing then that all he could now think about was Dani. Her eyes, her lips, her in all her entirety. That was all he could think about.

“Did something happen between the two of you?” Vi asked slyly, her eyebrows rose. She already knew the answer.

Yes.

“You kissed her!” Vi squealed. “Aw! Forget what I said about love being a poison. If it were real True Love, it would have never ended. Ash?” Only then did Violet realize the distanced thoughts Ash was having. “Are you confused?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“After the kiss, Dani didn’t say anything. It was like it never happened. She just pulled back, and then Zeke and Paige came, ready to leave, and we left.” His voice filled with pain. He had never felt this way about any other girl. All Asher could do was think of her, the other girls before her didn’t matter. That whole part of his life was like a blur, like it was a distant memory.

“Talk to her.” Vi whispered, her hand rubbing his arm, like an older sister. Vi, no matter how annoying, how crazy, how out-of-control she is, always loves and cares about her Flight. Even when she first met Ash, there was a natural sibling-like bond between the two. They fought like a brother and sister, but they also cared about each other like a brother and sister.

“Vi…”

“I’m serious, Ash. Talk to her, check in on her. She may be confused too. Maybe you just caught her off-guard.”

“OK, I can guarantee you she was not caught off guard.” Ash muttered, a slow smile appeared across his lips, his pearly white teeth now visible. He sat, looking past Violet, reminiscing about the kiss Dani and he had shared, her hands through his hair, her soft pink lips, her perfectly smooth skin. And he suddenly wanted to do it again. He couldn’t wait to see her once more.

“You really like her, huh?” Vi smiled.

“You mind staying out of my head?”

“I didn’t even have to read you, Ash. You’re smiling like an idiot.” Vi chuckled. His smile only continued to grow, thinking about Dani. Pushing Ash, Vi said, “Go! Talk to her.”