Chapter 108 The Blues
685words
"It won't hurt," he said. "You already went through the change."
"I don't care. I'm not ready to go in there."
"You need to take a bath eventually."
"I'm aware of that," I huffed. "I'll do that in my own time and when I'm ready."
He sighed. "You know the longer you try to avoid it, the harder it's going to be once you really need to face it."
I peered anxiously at the waves rolling over each other, unable to shed the pain I felt when I went through the change. Kayn was right, though.
I was avoiding water. And, if it were up to me and I didn't stink or get gross after a while, I'd have avoided it for the rest of my life. I had no idea when I would be ready to face it, but I knew it wouldn't be today.
"I can't. I'm sorry."
"Why?" he asked. "What's stopping you?"
I peered up at him. "Does it matter?"
"Of course it does," he said. "You must have a reason for not wanting to go in there. What is it?"
The more I thought about it, the more I started to realize it had nothing to do with me evading the potential pain. I trusted Kayn and Ember when they said it wouldn't hurt the second time around. But…
"Come on." He took my hand and I stiffened. "Relax, I'm not going to throw you in. Remember when I told you it hurts when clothes fuse to your skin when you change?"
"Yeah, like I can forget. I had clothes on when I changed."
He cringed. "No wonder you're afraid."
"It's not that," I finally admitted.
Kayn paused. "I had a feeling this was about something else. Want to talk about it?"
"I don't know." I shook my head. "This is just a lot to take in. Up until a few days ago, I was under the impression that I was a human. A normal girl who managed to somehow stumble into a world she shouldn't have."
"But now it turns out you're one of those creatures in that world you stumbled into."
"Yeah." My eyes fell back onto the water. "It's a lot, you know?"
Kayn crossed the distance and pulled me into a hug. "I know. I'm sorry. I didn't think so when I dragged you out of here."
"I know you meant well if that helps?"
"But, I think this would help you move forward," he added, slightly pulling away from me to meet my gaze. "One less thing holding you back, if you get what I mean. That, and I'm pretty confident you're going to love it."
"I don't—"
Kayn's lips crashed against mine and every doubt or fear that I had slipped from my mind. The motion was completely unexpected, but I welcomed it like a gale force, wrapping my arms around his neck and clinging to him as if my life depended on it.
He stumbled back with me on top of him and we fell into the grass. He cursed against my lips and I pulled back enough for him to talk.
There's a rock sticking into my back," he wheezed. "As much as I'm enjoying this..."
"Oh!" I forced myself from his arms and got up onto my feet, helping him up. "Are you okay?"
He turned, picking up the rock and chugging it into the water. My eyes widened when he grabbed me and pulled me back down with him.
Laughter bubbled from me as he nudged my head closer to his until our lips found each other again.
"Still hate me?" he spoke through the kisses.
"Of course I do," I breathed. "You'll always be a complete jackass."
"True," he admitted. "But you love this jackass."
"I won't argue that."
At that moment in time, I forgot everything. It was just us and what we felt for each other.
No monsters, or evil people trying to ruin our world.
