26 Chapter 9A (2/2)

She frowned but nodded, before skipping towards the door. She stopped and grinned, before waving excitedly at me and then she was gone.

”Sorry about that,” Avian said, scratching the back of his neck ”she's had a lot of sugar this morning.”

”It's okay,” I said, laughing gently ”she's sweet.”

Avian smiled, clearly glad that his sister had not freaked me out too much, and nodded.

”So how are you?” he asked and my mind wandered back to last night.

I could still feel the boytoy's hands grabbing at me.

”I'm fine” I said, running my hands through my hair. That's when I realized I didn't have on the wig.

Or the contacts.

I blushed.

”You didn't exactly tell me what happened,” he sat on the edge of the bed and looked at me, his hands playing with the beads on his wrist.

”I know, I was just paranoid but it is okay,” I lied, avoiding his stare. He nodded, as if he didn't completely believe me, and stood up.

”I didn't know you were a blonde, or that you had green eyes. Why do you wear a wig and contacts?” he asked, stopping on his way out of the room.

”Thank you for last night,” I avoided his question and shot out of the bed, before stalking hastily towards the bathroom ”I'm going to take a shower now.”

I didn't wait for his answer; instead, I raced into the bathroom and slammed the door, maybe a little too hard in my eagerness to get far away.

I stood behind the door and listened to see if he had left yet

”I put some fresh clothes in the bathroom,” he yelled from behind the door ”they're on the rack.”

”Thank you” I yelled back, glancing at the clothes. It was another pair of sweatpants and a black hoodie. I waited until I heard the bedroom door close, then I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding in.

I glanced at myself in the mirror; my hair was all over the place as a result of my frantic escape last night, in addition to bed hair. There were tiny bags beneath my eyes and a drop of drool had dried on the corner of the right side of my mouth.

I can't believe he had seen me looking like a troll and hadn't run for his life.

I groaned to myself, as I brushed my teeth slowly. When I was done with that, I washed my face then got into the shower, turning the hot water up.

I stood beneath the shower, and let the water wash away the hands that had gripped my skin greedily; the tingling and disgusting feel of his breath on the base of my neck; the bruise that had formed on the right side of my mouth when he had slapped me.

I closed my eyes and prayed for the water to wash away the memories.