Painful Pleasures

The locket

April'sPOV

I had never slept next to anyonebefore...ever. So when I wake up and feel the warmth that has enveloped me, Idon't want to open my eyes.

Not now...

There is so much sunlight and I silentlycurse myself for forgetting to close the binds as my eyes flutter open.

Chest and muscles is all I see, big andglowing in the sunlight. Then I look up, and silently say a prayer of thanks asI notice his closed eyes.

Somehow, in the midst of the night, insteadof backing him, I was facing him. Our legs and hands had intertwined and asmuch as I want to push him away...I don't have the guts to.

To give up this warmth and comfort.

My eyes don't leave his chest as theygently rise and fall...and then I notice it.

A tattoo?

Yes. A yin and yang tattoo close to theleft side of his chest and as small as a fist. I hold my breath as my handslips out from under his and goes straight to where the tattoo is.

This is wrong.

So wrong.

So very, very wrong.

Still, I can't help but trace my fingersever so slowly over the tattoo, feeling every curve, every touch of ink.

Why yin and yang?

The Chinese symbol of equality and balance.

Why a Griffin?

What stories are behind these signs of his?

My hands don't stop moving and my eyesfollow them as they go up to his morning beard stubble, his chin..

Uh-oh.

Busted.

Grey eyes are staring steadily at me, soflybut with so much questions...or thoughts? Or secrets?

"I'm on your bed." He says sosoftly and I feel his chest vibrate against mine as he speaks.

"I know." I whisper.

"You're touching me."

"I know."

"Should I leave?"

"I don't know."

I really dont. A yes or no could ruin thismoment and I'm not ready.

"I don't know your name." Iwhisper, suddenly realising it as his hand covers mine and puts it back on hischest.

"Ethan. Ethan Griphen." Hemutters.

I have no idea why we're both speaking soquietly but I don't want to complain.

Its like deep down, we are both trying tokeep this unknown spell safe and unbroken.

"Ethan." I say and suddenly Iwant to say it over and over again.

"You have grey eyes Ethan." Iwhisper, then add,

"What are you hiding in them?"

"What are you hiding in yours?"He whispers back and I feel his hand on my cheek, tucking a stray lock of hairaway and immediately setting my face on fire.

Ethan'sPOV

"What are you hiding in them?"Her soft voice said, eager green eyes never leaving mine and I knew she wasgetting caught up in the spell.

Hell, I am too.

"What are you hiding in yours?" Isay, putting my hand to touch the red lock of her that I had ached to feel. Shewent red immediately but didn't look away.

Tell me...

"Every moment of--"

Buzzzz.

Dammit. Dammit. Dammit.

Her eyes shift to my trouser pocket where Ihad safely tucked her vibrating phone and slowly, I watch as the spell cracksthen breaks all at once as she suddenly sits up and pulls every part of herbody that is touching mine close to her chest.

"I told you I didn't want it."She says when I pull it out, suppressing a groan.

I had used it to find her room, thanks tostudying and work based on computer science and now the damn thing had betrayedme.

"I forgot I had it with me, okay? Youdidn't take it earlier yesterday and--"

"Just go." She says and looksaway.

Every f*****g time. She is always chasingme away or running away.

Stupid bloody phone.

"Well, good morning to you to." Isay and get up.

"Good morning? This isn't a couplesretreat so don't expect any emotional words from me okay?!" She yells

"Yeah, yeah sure! Like you weren'tjust observing the colour of my eyes and begging to know my secrets!" Iyell back as I slip on a shirt.

"You're tripping." She rolls hereyes and walks over to the wardrobe.

"Keep saying that cupcake and it mightjust be true." I say and slip on my shoes just as she turns around andglares daggers at me.

"Don't you dare, guilt trip me! Youasked for one night and I've helped you. I owe you nothing now-- thank God--soplease leave! Before you ask for a strip dance!"

"You sure you're not going to cryabout it again?!" I yell and walk out, slamming the door.

***

"You guys went from 'tell me yoursecrets' to 'get out' in a minute? Intense." Trevor says, bursting intolaughter as I nurse my coffee while he pours cereal into a bowl. I'm standingnext to him in just a towel, thankful he had it in him to make coffee.

Somehow, talking to him always made me feelbetter.

"She is so stubborn, dammit." Isay, drinking from the mug while Trevor pours a generous amount of milk intohis cereal.

"Look at it the bright side, you sleptlike a baby."

He is right. I had never slept that long orquietly in...eons. Until I had felt the tingling of her wandering hands, I wasready to sleep all day.

"Ethan, it's okay. She's a girl incampus, you'll definitely find time to speak to her again." He says,munching on a mouthful as he walks over to me, eyes twinkling in amusement.

"Why are you so chirpy?" I askand he smiles even wider.

"I don't know, man. Its amusing towatch you have girl troubles." He says, stifling laughter as he takesanother spoon.

I roll my eyes at him even though Ichuckle,

"Keep amusing yourself and you'regonna have all that milk shoot out of your nose."

"Speaking of milk, we've got to getsome groceries. Its like a f*****g dessert in the fridge."

"Really? I can't tell since you're theone adding 10 pounds every day." I tell him as he flexes a bicep for me.

"Oh, April. April, April, April. Whathast thou done to my dearest cousin?" He says and takes off when I grabthe saucepan.

"Stop stuffing yourself and let's goget some groceries...I'm starving." I say as I head into my room to shaveand shower.

****

April's POV

Mickey mouse lamp.. where the hell can Ifind a Mickey mouse lamp?

Its all I think of as I stand in abyss ofnight stand lamp shades in Walmart.

You sure you're not going to cry about itagain?

Cry about it? How dare he use that on me?Then he had walked out and slammed the door so hard, my beautiful Mickey mouselamp had fallen down and smashed.

Sighing, I grab the Winnie the poo shadeand march out. After paying for it, I couldn't resist going to the clothessection to get some new clothes and by the time I leave the place, it's alreadynoon and I'm with four heavy bags and no car.

Great planning, April.

"Need help?" A familiar voicesays and I clutch my bag hard, ready to whack it at Ethan if I so much as sawhis grey eyes.

When I turn however, I feel the breathbeing knocked out of me as I stare at the blonde neatly cut hair and blue eyesthat were all too familiar.

"Oh my God." I whisper as hewalks over to me.

"I've been waiting out here for agesfor you to be done with that shopping."

"Jay?" I say, still not beleaving as my eyes scan him.

It was him.

Here.

In front of me, with that smile.

Jay. The guy who was cheating on me with myown sister.

Anger suddenly surges over me and he pausesjust in front of me as he observes my face.

"What the hell do you want?" Isay so slowly, my voice comes out strained.

"Don't worry, it's nothing about us.Before you bash my head with whatever is in that bag of yours, just hand me thelocket and I'm out of here."

WHAT?!

I nearly shout as his words sink in. Thelocket. The tiny silver trinket I had kept in my jewelry box that he had givento me on our first anniversary.

He was taking it back?

He was bloody taking it back?

He didn't even apologise, or show anyremorse or even fear but he was ready to take the one gift he had given me inthe entire relationship?

"You know you have got some nerveshowing up here demanding the only thing you had ever given me!" I yellbut his expression remains the same.

"Don't play this innocent crap with meApril, just hand it over. I know you have it."

He is wrong. I had donated it to charityweeks ago but if this is what he wanted...then he had another thing coming.

"You're an asshole." I say andtry to move when he blocks me.

"You don't want to do this, April.Hand the damn thing over."

"You son of a b***h. We've dated threeyears and I spent one of those years in the same college with you. I get ascholarship over here and you never f*****g visited for those two years and nowyou're here to take gift?! You f*****g coward. I hope you rot in hell."

He doesn't move but glares at me.

"I want that locket, April."

"Why? So you can give it to Ginger?!f**k you, Jay!" I scream.

"At least she had the guts to."He says with a smirk and I don't know how I managed to but the bags in my righthand drop to the floor and I smack him in the face so hard he stumbles a fewfeet back.

Before I can grab my bags, his hands are onmine, squeezing as he glares at me.

"You're gonna wish you didn't do that."

Ethan's POV

"This time, I'll be in charge of thecooking." I say as I drive away from the grocery store while Trevor checksthe items of the list.

"Look at us, doing grocery shoppinglike grown men." He says as he drops the list while I ignore him.

"Can we stop at Walmart for the beer?I need it for the game tonight." He says as the car nears the bigsupermarket.

"You always need it for a game. Trywater, we're not stopping." I say to him but he's busy staring out thewindow intently.

"Whoa, Ethan. Stop the car, that girlsbeing harrassed."He says and I turn briefly.

"What? Where?"

"Right in front of Walmart, theredhead over there."

Red head?

Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeecchhhhhh!!!!!!!!

"Jesus, Ethan." He says when Imake a drastic U turn into the parking lot and turn to look.

I knew it.

"It's April." I say, already outof my car as I march over to where the blonde bastard was gripping hershoulders and is shaking her.

"That bloody thing cost me a fortune,April! You better spit it out." He was yelling but her defiant faceremained, even though I could tell that grip on her must be bruising her.

"Let me go, Jay! Get your filthy handsoff me!" She screams at him just as I get there and grab him by the shirt,forcing him to face me as he let go off her.

"Hey! She said let her go!"

April's POV

I was almost certain Jay would answer mewith a punch but I didn't care. This is someone I had been ready to die forjust a month ago...and here he was hurting me in desperate attempt to take backa gift.

"Hey! She said let her go!"

Ethan's hands were already gripping him ashe let me go with shock.

Tears were already clogging my throat as Iwatched them. Ethan would do a number on Jay in a heartbeat considering hisbuilt up body and Jay's thin form.

But I still couldn't get a hold of allthis...he really wanted it back.

"Who the hell are you?" Jay says.

"The guy that is one second away fromturning you into pulp." Ethan growls out as Jay turns to me.

"You're banging a guy already in justtwo weeks? I knew you were always a trick."

"IF YOU SAY ONE MORE f*****g WORD TOHER--" Ethan begins, already raising Jay well above the ground.

"Both of you, stop!" I scream asthe tears roll down my face. My eyes wander from Ethan, who out of nowhere, washere ready to turn Jay into mush in a split second....to Jay, who I had adoredmy whole life, ready to crush me to take back something he had given me in afake proclamation of love.

I couldn't let Ethan get into trouble forthis,..because of me. People were already stopping to stare and a cop would behere any minute. And I just wanted Jay gone.

"You want your bloody money?Here!" I yell and dig into my pocket and throw my 750 dollar change at himjust as Ethan throws him on the floor.

Ethan walks over to me as I cryuncontrollably and he picks up my bags.

"Just take me away from here." Isay in sobs and he nods, not saying a word. As we turn to his car, he suddenlystops and turns around gives Jay a hard punch to the jaw, a loud crack ringingout as Jay falls to the ground again.

I get into his car, thankful that someonewas in front as I curl myself into a pitiful ball at the back, sobbing foreverything.

It was over now.

The first guy I thought had loved me justcrashed every truth to that possibility.