Iris - The Intended Series - Book 1(Reverse Harem, N.A, Brothers)

Chapter Seven

CHAPTER SEVEN

Lush green grass surrounded me, soft and bouncy under my bare feet. The sky was the purest blue as the sun shone down on me, heating my skin . I felt energised, I felt free and most of all I felt pain free. I was wearing an off the shoulder white summer dress that stopped just above my knees. The last time I had worn anything this revealing was before the accident. I looked down at my leg and at the smooth golden skin that looked back at me. I couldn't stop the tears of joy that fell unbidden down my face. As vain as it sounds, I loved to wear dresses and shorts but most of all I hated that I had to hide. But my scars made people uncomfortable, mine especially since I'd had a good portion of my calf muscle taken away. It wasn't hard to imagine the gore and pain that it represented and no one wanted to envision that.

I spun in a circle with my head up and my arms out, letting the breeze run up my legs and arms, cooling my skin and making me feel alive, marvelling at my perfect balance.

It was only when I saw five dark shadows walking over the crest of a hill, making their way towards me that I stumbled. But instead of waiting for them to come to me, I broke into a run for the first time in over two years and made my way over to them. It felt amazing, making the tears come even harder over what I was missing.

The urge to run into them was overwhelming. Something within me knew that they would catch me. But I still didn't know them or what they were so I decided to pull up short. Was it weird to say that I could feel them smiling, even though I couldn't see their faces? I felt so hyper aware of their presence. One of the shadows from the end broke formation, taking steps closer and resting his shadow covered hand on my cheek. I closed my eyes and sighed with contentment as heat and electricity ran through my body, energizing every single nerve ending, including the ones deep within my belly. It's thumb chased away a tear under my eye as it tilted it's head in question.

"Happy tears." I assured it and it nodded in understanding before grabbing me into a tight hug and enveloping me in darkness.

My alarm screeched in warning telling me it was past time to get up and go to school. My uncle's usual thud on the wall came right on cue indicating that I had well and truly come back to earth with a thump. I wanted to scream in frustration at the unfairness of reality as I jumped out of bed to go to the bathroom in the hope of seeing them again, that was until my leg crumbled beneath me quicker than my relationship with my uncle. Still running on my dream high, I had completely forgotten about the uselessness of my leg and within a matter of seconds my happy tears had turned to those of sadness.

Scraping myself up from the floor, I grabbed my crutch and headed to the bathroom. My shoulders sank after ten minutes of staring in the mirror and seeing nothing but my miserable reflection. Crestfallen, I took my pain pill and picked up my anti-depressants. Maybe I should take them. Not taking them gave me amazing dreams where I was pain free and I was fixed. They made me happy. But they also gave me hope and this hope would be dashed every morning when it was over, taking a small piece of my soul with it every time.

It was only when I was popping the pill that they appeared behind me. I couldn't stop the sigh that left my chest. Why was I becoming so dependent on them when they weren't even real? The one that had stepped towards me in my dream pointed to its face and then to me, indicating my tears once again.

"Sad tears, this time." My voice broke on a sob "My dream made me forget about my leg. I fell."

I watched through the mirror as it took a step forward and wrapped its arms around my body. Unable to feel a thing and only watching the comfort made me cry harder. I would give anything for a hug right now. I thought back to the other day when Caleb had wrapped me in his arms, it was my first hug since being told my mom had passed and that had been from a nurse. I channeled what I felt in Cale's arms that day at the hospital and tried to apply it to what I was seeing now. I was almost desperate just to feel one slight squeeze. It's head was tucked into my shoulder and I tried to nuzzle back but there was nothing. I could feel nothing. Nothing but hurt, pain and loneliness. I threw the tablet down the toilet.