Beautifully Damaged

9. Insane

It was really hard to drag myself out of the darkness, it pulled at me, smothered me. I almost believed that it would be easier to stay here, to give in and be peaceful, weightless forever.

You know that's not it, Blaise Anthony.

A sick joke, that's what this was. The voices I'd run away from and tried to forget about came back for me, in my moment of weakness. Strangely, the man's voice was soothing- empowering even. It didn't worry me that he knew my name. Reluctantly, I pulled at the shadows, prying them from me; they had no place here, I had to get back.

Good girl, you get back to where you're supposed to be.

Despite myself, I felt a smile creep onto my face- though I knew it wasn't really my face. I was somewhere in between consciousness and the dark, for some reason, I was certain. The more I peeled back the layers of gloom, the more aware I became of my surroundings.

Warmth circled my body in the form of strong arms. Instantly, alarm bells sounded in my head. It took almost all of my energy to slide my eyes open, feeling the weight of the world on my lids. A sharp pain speared into my head and my eyes slipped shut. One thing was for sure- I wasn't getting away from anyone anytime soon.

"I hate to say it, but I told you so," The voice added to the hurt in my head, but for a different reason.

"Why can't I catch a break today?" I whispered, my throat catching on the words.

"Maybe because you didn't listen to me," I could practically hear the smugness in his voice.

"Just shut up, Alex, would you?" I snapped, shifting in his arms. "Why are you here anyway?"

"No thanks for finding you and carrying you?"

"No. Put me down," I forced my eyes open again and blinked against the light of the moon. When had it gotten so bright?

"If you say so," The smile wouldn't fail on his overly superior face.

Suddenly I was on my feet. My knees buckled instantaneously and I sank to my knees in the dirt. Great. Alex made no move to help me. Instead he towered above me, looking down at my pitiful state with a raised eyebrow over his cold grey eyes.

"Need help?"

I was tempted to say no, but I couldn't actually get back up. Sighing, I held up a shaking hand toward him, hating that I was so weak. "Yes, okay," As an afterthought I added, "Why are you such a jerk?" My voice broke over the last word and I inhaled again, saving my breath.

Alex stepped around me and crouched down, all traces of smugness gone. "Are you alright?"

I gritted my teeth and raised my eyes to look at him, "No, I'm not alright. Someone choked me and I passed out in the middle of the forest to be found by you." It probably wasn't fair to take it out on him, but why should I just trust him, anyway?

Abruptly, Alex stood up. "Someone tried to choke you?"

"No, they did."

His brows knitted together, he took my hand and hauled me to my feet, ignoring the fact that I swayed when he did. Patiently, I clenched my fists against the pain caused by his softly probing fingers against my neck.

"There aren't any marks."

My eyes widened as he dropped his hand. "What?"

"There's not," Alex ran a hand through his honey blonde hair. "Maybe you're just stressed, I don't know, but there's nothing there. Any chance you imagined it?"