Clinging To Secrets

3

"Sophie!" I hear someone squeal making me jump and as soon as I turn around a familiar blonde jumps on me and my head collides with the ground landing with a massive bang. "Ow" I groan on the verge of tears, Riley gets up frantically "Oh Goddess! I'm so sorry, I was just really excited to see you and-"

"Ssh" I say groaning and turning over gripping onto my head just wanting to curl up in a ball and die, as my head is throbbing. "What happened?" I hear a low growl cut through my head, I knew by the way his voice effortlessly captured me even with an aching head who it was, it was Jason, and still, for some reason, he had an annoying effect on me.

His arms encircled me lifting my head up and onto his lap as he stroked my hair making me want to fall asleep as the pain seemed to drift away. "I kind of- well- I didn't mean to-" I hear Riley stutter "What?" he snaps "It was an accident" someone else, probably Nate, says in Riley's defense. "I'm fine" I say sitting up as I snap out of my trance and stand up, quickly holding onto my head as the pain returns, I feel tingles shoot up my side which means Jason is touching me, so I get away from him, frustrated with myself for letting this guy effect me like this.

"Are you sure, you're alright? You don't look to well" my brother says "I probably have concussion but I'll get over it" I say, looking around and realising all of my friends and my brother and his friends were here, I could sense Jason's eyes boring into me making me feel really uncomfortable. "Great, come on Sophie we have that thing remember" Piper says obviously seeing my uneasy state, she grabs my arm and spins me around "Where are you going?" I hear Jason snarl, me and Piper both wince at his tone "Geometry" I say out of nowhere, mentally face palming myself for saying that as school is over, "Geometry?" Kian asks "Yup, it's really hard right Piper?" I say "Oh yeah, that geometry I just don't get it" she says "Well, bye" I say pulling her with me out of the parking lot, back into school and to the library where it was always empty and quiet with no one around to question us.

Piper drags me over to the far side of the library pushing me making me fall back, but on my ass not my head this time "Why is everyone pushing me around today?" I mutter to myself "Huh?" Piper asks as she sits across from me both of us with crossed legs, I wave my hand dismissively.

She looks at me as if trying to read me, she has been doing a lot of this lately "Can you stop?" I ask bringing my hands to cover her eyes, she slaps my hands away. "What was that about?" she asks me "What was what about?" I ask "Uh-Jason?" she says as if I'm the stupidest person ever, I instantly get that weird feeling at the mention of his name making me put my head in my hands "Don't say his name" I say "Why? What's wrong? Do you like him?" she asks, I roll my eyes as I sit back up and grab a random book from the shelf flicking through it, as if Piper would disappear.

She rips the book from my hand tossing it over her shoulder making me gasp and quickly retrieve it brushing it with my hands to get rid of any damage "You can't do that" I hiss at her as I place it back on the shelf. "Stop being so geeky" she sighs I open my mouth to reply but she cuts me off "Answer my questions" she says, I look at her face seeing the signature Piper face, her tongue making her left cheek pop out and her eyebrows both raised and her eyes staring straight into my soul. This look was the equivalent of 'Stop bullshitting me and tell me the f*****g truth' but in an expression.

I sigh knowing I can't get her to drop it "I don't know, he's just- ugh!" I groan putting my hands through my hair and leaning back on the shelf "Just what? Hot? Rude? Cute? What is he?" she asks prying for information "Scary?" I say "I don't know why but he gives me this feeling, but I don't know what it is. Sometimes he just straight up scares the s**t out of me, you know his growls and rudeness, and he just radiates power making everyone want to just quiver in a corner." I say "But then I also want to- just sometimes-I don't know why" I say annoyed with myself and Piper as she starts to have a go at me but I just block her out until she punches my shoulder, hard. "Ow!" I say "You're not even listening to me" she says making me roll my eyes

"Sophie-"

"Piper just go"

"But-"

"Please, I'm confused, I need to clear my head"

She sighs and stands up "Fine, but I am getting answers from you sooner or later Sophie Olsson" she says "Whatever" I say as she sighs again and leaves "I'll text you later" she says. I wait a few minutes gliding my fingers over the rows and rows of dusty books, as Piper's voice echoes in my head "Do you like him?" she asked. I honestly don't know, there is just something about him part of me wants to stay away from him and then the other, well, enjoys his company? I don't know. I groan hating the fact that I was thinking about him and he was in my brain, for the last few days since being at Cassie's, in the middle of class I'm doing a algebra equation then his head pops up and I can't concentrate, it's been happening basically since I met him and I don't like it, I don't like him.

-------------------------------------------------------

"s**t" I mumble to myself as what first started out to be a light drizzle is now rain hammering down, on my sweat soaked body. And this is all because of stupid Jason. He is always there if he's not in my head, he's standing somewhere around me making me want to scream at him and push him away. He has been spending a lot of time at my house recently, hanging out with Zac and the guys and he always does things that make me uncomfortable. He tries to be near me by pulling me to him or he pins me to a wall, trapping me in all of my nervousness, so for the last few days I have been staying as far away from him as possible. I'm glad at school he's not in any of my classes but Zac, Jason, Kian and Nate have decided to move to our table so I am going to the library, eating my food, listening to music, reading, anything to stay away from him. He has something that makes me want to just shout in frustration at the effect he had on me.

Right now, I'm running I have been running for hours going nowhere in particular, with music blasting through my head, the rain splashing down on me, and cars, buildings, trees and the occasional person all passing me in a blur before my eyes, it was surprisingly relaxing.

Despite the relaxing and freeing feeling of this run, I can't help but feel on edge because of those guys. I noticed a car the other day outside of school and those two men were standing by it staring directly at me, I just got in my car and drove home, not thinking much of it. But, here they are again, following me, part of me wants them to just do whatever they want to do but the other part wants to run away. So I finally decide. I sprint. I hear the guys' behind me, their heavy feet slamming on the floor making my heart rate rapidly increase. I get to an unfamiliar street, I have no idea where I'm going but I just run, eventually I come to the end where there are multiple turnings, all of which I don't recognise, I stop, contemplating which way to go and just as I am about to start running again I collide with the ground.

I scream as I fall knowing who has me, he flips me over restraining me, he laughs at my weak attempts of breaking free or hurting him. The other guy is stood there watching, laughing, but both their laughs are evil, making me shiver in fear. "Get off of me!" I screech scratching his face and managing to leave claw marks on his cheek making me smile smugly, he slaps me making my head snap to the side, as the hot, stinging sensation burns on my cheek making tears threaten to fall, but I refuse to let them. "How are you sure she is what they are looking for?" the other guy asks, the guy currently on top of me looks back and his grip slightly loosens as he replies to him, I get my crappy old iPod and slam the corner on his head and kick him off of me.

The other guy comes at me grabbing onto my waist digging in his hands, I punch his jaw, making his eyes flare with anger and me terrified, he trips me up slamming me onto the floor and punches my stomach and slaps me again. But, despite the pain I am not going to give in as I fling my arms and legs about eventually I hit something causing him to fall back, I stamp on his arm as he is still gripped on my waist and I waste no time as I run for my life across the road, jumping over a fence and ignoring the pain erupting from my whole body.

As I rush to god knows where, I realise that I know this place and I head in the direction of my house just a road over. I don't slow my pace as I approach my house still having the weird feeling that they were behind me. I get to my door, wrapping my hand around the handle and flinging it open, I launch myself in and slam the door.

I crouch down raking my hands over my face and to my hair, not caring that I'm wiping sweat, tears and rainwater all over me. "ZAC!" I shout ignoring the c***k in my voice as my emotions are all over the place, I hear people coming and then arms are instantly wrapped around me, the familiar tingles shooting through me as I'm lifted off the ground.

"What happened?" Jason asks concern laced in his voice "T-these guys they a-attacked me" I stutter, "What! Where are they, I'm gonna kill them" he snarls making me wince at the pure anger radiating off of him. "It's alright Sophie" Zac says seeing my fear of Jason, Jason looks down at me, his expression softening as he sees my state, he turns to my brother and that's when I notice that all the guys are here. My face flushes with embarrassment and I dig my head in Jason's chest just wanting to disappear, "I'll sort her out" he says.

He starts walking through to the kitchen and sits me on the countertop, he turns around looking through the cupboards I look down at my outfit suddenly feeling very self conscious seeing as I am only in a sports bra and shorts, with bruises and dirt all over me, I can't imagine what he must think of me right now. The thoughts in my head make me feel nervous well, his presence makes me feel nervous, so I look in my lap and pick at my nails now noticing the slight bruising and cuts on my hands.

Suddenly, massive hands gently grasp mine making them look tiny, I look up to see Jason looking intently at my hands as he gets rubbing alcohol and cotton pads from the first aid kit and wiping the blood and dirt off of my knuckles, making me wince slightly as it stings.

My eyes drift to his face, examining every feature intently seeing his god like looks again, making me feel weak and as if my legs would collapse, I'm really glad I'm sat down or I would totally faint, his emerald green eyes are hidden as he is looking down making me want to see them again. His hands move to my stomach and waist where there is blood dripping from the claw marks where the guy dug his nails into me, I hear a growl from him as he rakes his hands through his hair then grabs some more supplies and wipes the blood, his touch is a lot rougher this time as his hand presses on the big bruise left after the guy punched me, I try to not say anything but he pushes again making me wince and whimper slightly.

His hand instantly retracts and he looks at me worried, his eyes wide "Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you" he says, I smile lightly "It's fine" I mumble, he sighs and his hand raises up to my face to my left cheek as sadness and slight anger flashes in his eyes, obviously seeing the mark from the two slaps I received. He growls under his breath and turns around as he cusses, almost poetically.

I watch him walk over to my freezer and when he comes back he hands me ice "Keep it on your cheek and stomach to stop it from swelling" he says his voice soft and gentle like a lullaby, I do as he says, he takes a few steps back until he reaches the island and leans against it watching me, his arms are crossed over his muscular chest and his stance just screams sexy at me, I can't help but bite my lip as he puts a hand through his hair again.

His eyes flash black and he tips his head back groaning and snaps his eyes shut "Don't do that" he growls. "Sorry" I mutter looking down, feeling embarrassed. He comes over to me and stands in between my legs his head in the crook of my neck and he inhales, as his hands rest on my thighs making me freeze not sure of what I should do, he suddenly pulls back and looks at me startled "f**k, what are you doing to me?" he mumbles before rushing out and leaving me once again breathless and confused.