Sudden Bite

Chapter 18: Loud

“Alexander?” I call out softly, shaking him slightly when I wake the next morning. In all honesty I couldn’t believe that we had both slept through the night soundly, outside and on the hard ground; even now he slept soundly – was he really that tired? I shook his shoulder slightly and he finally woke up, squinting slightly due to the bright sun.

“Wha-?” He muttered, clearly disoriented.

“We fell asleep while star gazing,” I explain while he seats up, pushing the heel of his palm against his temple, scrunching his face up in pain. His head. “Is your head hurting? Is it the cut?”

“No… no I’m good,” he explains dropping his hand and waving away the topic before sighing, “I really need to get home.” I assume he meant because of his mother, she seemed fairly strict from the things that Alexander has briefly mentioned about her so I nodded in understanding and stood up to walk him out. Gathering up the blanket I shook off any grass before bringing it inside and dumping it in the laundry room as Alexander slipped on his shoes at the front door.

“I’ll talk to you later?”

“Of course,” he nodded, smiling a lazy smile. Cupping the side of my face, fingers slipping through my hair, and tilting my head up slightly he leaned down and caught my lips with his. The sudden kiss caught me off guard but definitely wasn’t unwelcomed. He looked half asleep as he gave me yet another kiss, this one placed against my forehead.

“Drive safely,” I remind him as I open the door and he steps out of the house.

“Always do,” he grinned assuringly before waving and getting into his car. It wasn’t until he drove out of sight that I went back inside, closing the door behind me. I really needed a hot shower.

It was still early and it was Sunday morning, so both Sam and dad seemed to be fast asleep. Because of that I moved around the house quietly as I went up to my room, grabbed some clean close and made my way into the bathroom, turning the shower on instantly. Sleeping outside next to Alexander hadn’t actually been that cold, my back was just sore from the less than plush surface we laid on. The hot water that rained down on me worked on the knots in my back and soon I felt loose and comfortable again.

Since I was already awake and cleaned up for the day I decided that there really was no point in going back to bed, so instead I found myself quietly going into the kitchen to make myself some coffee and pour myself a bowl of cereal. The house was quiet but in a way that made me content, birds chirping somewhere outside the window that was cracked open just an inch. My peaceful morning came to an end all too soon when Sam came down for his own breakfast, looking surprised to see me up and in the kitchen alone. But there was more to it, I normally slept in on the weekends so it wasn’t weird for him to be surprised, but he almost looked… angry.

“What the hell was that last night?” He demands a little too aggressively for the early morning hour.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean why is your damn boyfriend beating up my friends at parties? And why did you two disappear after that only for me to find you guys cuddled up in the back yard? You do realize that you’re dating an asshole right?” My face went slack with disbelief. Sam finally seemed to accept that Alexander was important to me and now he was suddenly completely against the guy again? Did he have such little faith in me who and who I’d chose to surround myself with? And honestly it hurt… why was he accusing instead of asking about what happened?

“Maybe next time ask me what happened first instead of believing your friends right away, ya?” I shot back, my pain coming out as anger, “Because your friends are the real assholes, they were the ones sexually harassing me – again – and all Alexander did was defend me and himself when they continued to attack him. My boyfriend was being a good boyfriend, now why don’t you try and be a good brother. Maybe next time say good morning and ask how I am before getting mad at me.” Disgusted that someone who once believed me over his friends, someone who once trusted me, would come downstairs at start yelling at me first thing in the morning.

Grabbing my keys off the counter I march right out of the house and into my car, flip flops all to protect my feet from the ground, and drove away without another thought.

Sam and I bantered all the time, and sometimes we fight for real, but lately Sam and I aren’t as close as we used to be. I thought that with what happened with mum we were able to lean on each other again, and I thought that when Sam said that he finally understood why I liked Alexander he had accepted him. But just like before he was jumping to conclusions, probably thinking of those rumors when he heard that Alexander was in a fight. Not to mention that he blames me, his own sister, his best friend, for what happened when I was the wounded one. It wasn’t fair and I wanted my Sammy back. I wanted us to talk like we did before, I want him to trust me first like before… I wish he would take a moment and try to understand me. I’ve spent so many years alone with just Sam to keep me company and when I finally, finally, find someone, he can’t trust my judgment. He continues to think the worse of Alexander when I think the world of him. It was wrong.

I hadn’t really been paying attention to where I was going, it was like I had been driving on auto pilot, but eventually I parked only to realize that I was in the parking lot of the park in town. Fields of green grass stretched for miles, paths winding through the grass and through the forest since we were towards the edge of town where the greenery flourished. Everything was blooming because of the time of the year and I think that’s why I unintentionally came here… it was fresh and vibrant, it was calm and beautiful. Just what I needed right now to calm my racing heart and raging emotions. Whenever I got worked up I always thought I was being over dramatic, every break down and panic attack to me was just me blowing things out of proportion and maybe this time was no different… but I was still hurt. If not because Sam accused Alexander then because he decided to yell at me and get mad at me first thing in the morning. Shouldn’t he have been worried when I suddenly disappeared from the party he wanted me to be at?

Locking my car behind me I began to make my way down the nearest path, focusing on nothing but each step I took and every inhale and exhale. I’m not sure how long I did that bit eventually I was pretty deep in the forest, taking a seat on one of the many benches that were scattered along the pathways. I had curled up on the bench since my toes were cold but the coolness was soon forgotten as a jogger came around the corner.

“Alexander!?” I exclaim in shock, it had only been two – maybe three – hours since we last saw each other and he had returned home. He was wearing different clothes now, sweatpants and a plain muscle tank top, obviously suited for his current run. Instantly his steps come to a halt and he almost takes a step backwards when he sees me.

“Kit?” He asked looking confused, panting from exhaustion. Why was he so tired? For the last few days everything seemed to drain him so much quicker than it should; this was no different. To be honest, after getting over the initial shock, it made sense that he was here, Alexander was a pretty athletic person despite not being on a single sports team and his place wouldn’t be that far from the park that was perfect for runners. However, I seemingly had no reason to be here.

“Sit, you look exhausted,” I tell him, unfolding my knees and patting the spot next to me. He didn’t sit as close as I expected.

“What are you doing way out here?” He asked, still sounding out of breath.

“Fought with Sam, needed some fresh air,” I vaguely explain, not really wanting to think about it right now.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” I ask as he tilts his head back and closes his eyes. “You seemed a little out of this morning when you left this morning… and the past couple days as well. How long have you been running? Are you staying hydrated?”

“I’m fine,” Alexander snaps, cutting off my downfall of questions, only to quickly apologize, “I’m sorry, you’re right I haven’t been feeling well lately but that’s no excuse to snap at you.”

“It’s alright,” I tell him honestly; I was being kind of pushy with all of my questions, even I could admit that it was starting to sound like an interrogation. The breezed picked up for a short moment before going back down, however, it was then that Alexander suddenly grimaced like he was in pain. I couldn’t help but furrow my eyebrows down in concern.

“I should probably be getting back home,” he says as he quickly stands up.

“Get some today, okay?” He nods and offered me a short lived smile before going back the way he came. I continued to sit there for a moment, worried about him, worried that he’d get hurt or even go unconscious on his way back. But I couldn’t think like that, if I focused on the ‘what ifs’ too much I’d surely send myself into a panic.

Standing up I began to head back the way I came. Reaching into my back pocket to check the time I suddenly freeze. My back pocket was… empty. I’d left my phone at home. I really didn’t want to return just yet but it looked like I didn’t have much of a choice, I might have needed time to cool down but I didn’t want to worry dad. Sam could worry all he wanted for all I cared this morning.

When I eventually arrived back home I found dad and Sam in the kitchen, seeming to have a conversation that heated on one side (and that side is Sam’s).

“Welcome back Catalina,” Dad greeted making Sam suddenly stop talking, his arms that once had been waving around dramatically dropping to his sides, his back reminding towards me. He didn’t look worried so Sam must have said that we argued and I left.

“Hi,” I reply quietly as I come back into the kitchen; I needed another cup of coffee if I was going to get through today.

“Sounds like you and Sam had an exciting morning,” dad comments. Honestly I wasn’t in the mood to do this now, I just wanted to forget and move one but truthfully… if that happened there would be a clear rift between Sam and I and I really didn’t want that. “I’ll leave you two to sort it out but if I hear yelling again I’m stepping in,” he tells us before leaving the kitchen with his own mug of coffee along with the morning paper.

Sam finally looks at me but before saying anything he comes over and hugs me. “I’m sorry.”

It’s quiet for a real long moment before Sam continues, “I was a jerk, I shouldn’t have blamed Alexander and I should have talked to you before yelling at you… I’m also sorry that my friends are jerks, I hate that they did that to you.”

“You have some good friends,” I quietly tell him honestly… they just all weren’t that great.

“Alexander is good to you, I’m sorry I keep jumping to conclusions and assuming the worst,” Sam says, ignoring my comment as if it were irrelevant.

“I know you’re weary of people… but your judgment is also a little off.” Sam was cautious when it came to people ever since mum left, the truth was he hasn’t made any new friends since she left because he doesn’t know how to trust like he did before. How was he to know that some of his friends would group up to be not so nice people? And I understood that, I just wish he had trusted me and my judgement.

“I know,” he regretfully replied before hugging me tighter, “I’m sorry.”

“Me too, let’s forgive and forget ya?” I smile softly at him when our hug ends.

“I feel like I should apologize to your boyfriend too.”

“It’s alright – just quit assuming things okay?” Sam saluted at me as if promising to do so making me laugh lightly.

What a dramatic morning to an otherwise boring day.