Love or Die

Tested

Jade stepped out of the bathroom, eager to get back to Travis, but heartbroken by what she saw when she did. Travis was on the ground, leaning his face close down to a girl underneath him. Jade gasped at what she saw and Travis turned, meeting her pained gaze. He looked down at Mandee who continued to smile happily and jumped up to his feet. “Jade,” he said, trying to rush to her. He knew what she must have thought and wanted to stop her and tell her something, anything to make that look on her face go away.

            “Stay away from me,” she cried and pushed her way back into the bathroom. Travis stopped outside the door, not knowing what to do.

            “See now wasn't that a lot less messier than my idea of killing her?” Mandee asked with an amused tone. “It's also not as fun, but the look on her face was fun on its own level. She will definitely want nothing to do with you now. I'd say my mission is half accomplished then.” Mandee began to laugh at the pain she caused and Travis' emotions took over again. He turned on her, clamping his hand around her throat and cutting off her laughter. Her eyes opened wide in shock of his strength. His hand continued to close in on her as she struggled to claw it for release.

            “Let me make this clear,” Travis said, true rage sounding through every word. “Whether Jade was around or not, I want nothing to do with you. I would sooner step out into the sun with the intent of burning, than spend the rest of my life with you. Do you get that? You haven't won anything today and you won't any other day either.”

            “Excuse me, is everything okay over here?” a police officer asked, noticing Travis' hand around Mandee's throat. Travis didn't loosen it even a little.

            “Yes,” Travis answered, turning to meet the officer's eyes. “We're just practicing for her self-defense class.” The policeman's eyes focused on his before nodding.

            “Okay,” the officer nodded, trance like. “Well be careful.” Then he walked away without another word. Travis turned back to Mandee closing his hand more to make his point before releasing his hold and she collapsed to the floor.

            “Quite a grip you have there, gorgeous,” she said, as though he had been holding her arm and not her throat. “Clearly the vampire strength didn't stop you from working out. But as far as me not winning anything, you're wrong.” Travis just glared at her silently, which made her smile. “I've won the satisfaction of seeing you break the heart of the girl who you claimed to care so much about. And even if I can't have you for the rest of eternity, that knowledge alone would keep me happy.” Before Travis could move to attack her again, Mandee was gone and he was left standing alone outside the bathroom, waiting for Jade to come out.

            An hour passed and Jade never came out. Travis was beginning to wonder if there was another exit he didn't know about when a woman came out, saw him and went back in before leaving for good. Travis realized Jade was having anyone who went in tell her if he was outside and he felt hurt by it. He knew she thought he had hurt her first, but all he wanted was a chance to explain what happened, even if he didn't know what he would say. Realizing it was the only way she was going to leave the bathroom, Travis stood in a different area where he could still see the entrance but Jade or anyone else that passed through wouldn't see him.

            Fifteen minutes and two women later, Jade finally and cautiously made her way out of the bathroom. She looked around her as she walked, hoping that Travis was gone. She refused to let herself cry about the situation while she was hiding but couldn't be sure she could control herself if she saw him. She had texted Liz to come pick her up and now she hoped she could do so without running into him. Travis watched as she hurried away from the door, fighting with himself on whether to go after her or not. He wanted to apologize, to make her understand that it wasn't what she thought. Even if she wanted nothing to do with him again, he wanted her to know that he would never intentionally hurt her; especially not that way. He never got to decide for himself what he was going to do because Liz pulled up in her car and Jade got in.