Her, To Home

He was silent again, staring at something on her side table, she noticed his face was thoughtful, a flash of happiness crossed his face like he just heard something delightful but it was gone as soon as it came but she wasn’t fooled. She knew him long enough to know how he showed his happiness, it was rare but it was there.

“20th November, you’ll be eighteen.” He spoke in a silent voice but she heard it, the small pride, happiness when he said she’ll be eighteen.

She didn’t say anything in reply but maybe because he was not expecting one.

“Where are you going to college?” He asked.

“None of your business.” She mumbled.

“I would hate to remind you O’Brian but I will anyway, everything which belongs to me is my business!” His voice was rough, harsh.

“And I told you, you don’t own me!”

He was suddenly a hair away from her face again, making her eyes go wide again. His strong scent hitting her with force.

“Now, we both know that is not true, sweetheart.” He whispered and then put his nose on the crook of her neck making her stop breathing all together. He took a deep breath and then was suddenly on the edge of bed again, far away from her.

He murmured something under his breath and ran his hand through his already messed up hair.

“June said, you are better off without me, are you?” He finally asked.

“You want the truth?”

“Yes.”

“No matter how painful it would be?”

“Yes.”

“Then it is a pity it’s not painful at all.”

“You really want to hurt me?”

“Maybe it would lessen the pain I went through.” Her voice was quiet again.

Again, in a blink he was inches away from her, taking her hands in his, looking her dead in the eye. His warm hands brought a different kind of heat along.

“Did it really hurt?” He asked and his tune confused her, it was like he couldn’t believe he had heard her right.

“It still does.”

“I’m here now.”

“You are leaving soon.”

“I can’t stay.”

“Then you shouldn’t have come.”

He dropped her hands and leaned back, his face didn’t show anything, it was blank again.

“You mean it?” He asked.

“Not really.”

She saw the relief flash in his eyes and this time she was surprised, she held him with her words, still had a hold on him, she still mattered.

“If you had said otherwise, I wouldn’t have believed you.” He said and that is when she noticed the something in his hands, it was glittering in the light coming from outside, she recognized it right away.

“You kept it.” he said those words with a new sense of happiness.

“How could I not?”

“I guess it’s not a surprise that you knew it was from me.”

“No, the surprise was that you actually broke into my room.”

He just shrugged.

“You still have the one from the first year?” He asked instead.

She rose up slightly and sat on her elbow, pulling out the chain from her shirt, holding it in her hands as gently as she was holding a child.

“It was very beautiful.” She said softly.

“Reminded me of someone I know.” He answered.

“I hope it wasn’t expensive.”

He snorted and instead of replying asked, “You don’t wear the bracelet?”

“It might come under me and break while I’m sleeping.”

“I don’t care, I don’t want you not wearing it.”

And with that he grabbed her left wrist and put the silver braclet on it again, his fingers burning her skin. He didn’t let go of her wrist but placed it against his cheek.

“Can’t we talk?” He asked quietly.

“What good would that do?”

“Maybe you will forgive me?”

“There wasn’t anything to forgive. I don’t own you.”

He snapped. He stood up in a flash and paced towards the end of the room, put his hands on the wall, his back facing her. She could see his body shaking with rage. She didn’t understand, why was he so angry? What did she say? Did he even have a right?

A voice in the back of her mind said yes, he did. He didn’t deserve it, he should get a chance to explain, but was he ever going to?

She watched as he walked towards the window, his body still slightly shaking, effecting his walk. He sat on the ceil and just before jumping turned and said, “I will not leave empty handed this time, O’Brian.” And jumped.