Different.

Chapter 20: Fire and Ice

Chapter 20

Fire and Ice

***

"Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice."

-Robert Frost

***

"Kaylee, wake up."

I groaned at the sound of my name, still halfway submerged in sleep despite the rude interruption, and swatted away the hand that was on my shoulder. "Shut up," I mumbled through thick lips, pulling the covers back over my head.

I was just starting to slip back into dreamland when the blanket that was keeping me warm was roughly yanked off of me, and I was pushed out of the bed at the same time.

Yelping, I threw my hands out in front of me at the last second, barely breaking my fall.

Well, I'm awake now.

"What the hell!?" I grumbled, sitting up rigidly and rubbing the side of my head that hit the floor.

Luckily the bedrooms in Valerod were carpeted, (or at least mine was) otherwise I would've been getting a face-full of rock.

Alex's eyes bore into mine.

I don't know what I expected really, but it wasn't the distant hardness that had turned his face colder than ice.

I waited for him to apologize, or even just explain why he was there.

He didn't.

"Uh...what the hell is your problem?" I snapped finally, pulling myself to my feet while I attempted to burn holes in his skull.

He laughed angrily, stare growing colder by the second.

The tension in the room slowly began to build between us in a way that instinctually made me weary of his every move. I knew he wouldn't hit me, but I couldn't help what was ingrained into my brain.

"Oh, that's rich, that is rich!" His voice escalated, just loud enough that it was over a normal level, but not quite a shout.

He was on edge.

That's-" he cut himself off with a bitter chuckle. "You want to know what the hell my problem is. Good one Kaylee."

"Yeah, I do, actually!" I responded with the same snarky snort. "You're the jackass who came barreling into my room like a god damn rhino!"

"You," He pointed a finger at me, taking slinking steps as graceful and dangerous as a lion stalking a gazelle. "You are the one who's destructive. You want to know how? You're playing games Kaylee. You're playing games with both of us. You kissed me back. You kissed me back, and it was amazing, and I thought that maybe, just maybe, for the first time in forever, I could be happy with someone. I could trust someone! I could let go! And then you go and fall into bed with someone else! Did you even bother telling him that not even 24 hours before you were making out with another guy?"