Chapter Her Hurt And His Pain
Hera felt a little hurt when he pulled away from her. Why would she be hurt in the first place? He did a good thing by stopping whatever he wanted to do right? Why then did she suddenly feel bad about it? If he hadn't stopped when he did, she was a hundred percent sure that she wouldn't have been able to stop him. Trying to stop him from kissing or touching her was like trying to stop a bee from getting attracted to honey which was utterly impossible, to say the least.
Her hands instinctively went to her shoulders to touch where his lips had been earlier. She felt the multiple goosebumps as they broke out on her skin. An active volcano has erupted inside her no doubt.
She pulled up her fleece jacket to cover up herself while her other hand held onto the donuts a little tighter. If she didn't know any better, she'd say that she was squeezing the life out of them.
"Ready?" Bryce's voice boomed and she jerked back to reality. She must've been thinking to the point that she didn't hear him. Something must really be going on with her. Well, something had always been going on whenever she was close to him. She had to remind herself constantly that Bryce is too dangerous for her. The life he led was not something that she wanted to get attached to.
She smiled at him "Of course. Should I grab a plate or would you rather eat out from the pack?" She raised up the package and shook gently.
He paused to think for a while before saying "Let's eat out from the package. I don't want you stressing over nothing."
She muttered a silent 'okay' and proceeded to sit down on the floor by the edge of the bed. King cicrled around her and quietly placed his head on her feet. Bryce took the empty space right next to her and he watched her serve the meal for both of them. "Where did you go? Today after the game?" She had asked after handing one donut to Bryce who took it gratefully.
"Max's hotel" He replied casually and took a bite of his donut.
"Max has an hotel?" Her eyes lit up Instantly.
"Yup." He nudged her to continue eating "He has an hotel, a bar and a strip-" He paused and noticed her eyebrows arched at him when he glanced at her
"A strip what?" She looked at him confused.
"And a club." He corrected himself smoothly.
Thank goodness he didn't let that slip. What would he have said? And how would he have been able to salvage the situation if she had asked about what it meant. Heaven knew just how much she would've scolded him should in case she found out about it. The fact that he was willing to tame his tongue because of her had him reeling. His was letting down his walls gradually which was something that he never thought he would end up doing.
"Would you like to go there? Check out the place perhaps?" He asked when she had gone silent for a while.
She crunched her face in a weird manner as though she was lost in thought before squealing in delight.
"Of course I would. How about we go there the day after tomorrow?" She asked and his froze for a bit before letting his donut fall to the ground.
"We can't." His voice clipped.
Hera became alarmed. She had never seen him act this way before. It was like she was looking at a complete different side of him.
His jaw tightened and the scrowl on his face deepened.
"Bryce?" She reached out to hold his hands and he suddenly flinched, causing her to be scared as well. What just happened? And why was he acting like this all of a sudden? "What happened?" She proceeded to ask.
He pulled away from her touch and discarded the remnants of the donuts back into the package before standing up to full height.
"Nothing is wrong Hera. Please is it alright if you go back to your apartment?" He asked her nicely. He saw the shocked expression on her face and he knew that somehow he had hurt her but he cannot help it.
How on earth could he have forgotten what the day after tomorrow meant until she had reminded him unknowingly?
It was supposed to be a day that he should never forget. Never ever!
It was considered on of the worst days of his entire life so how could he forget?
"My apartment? Why?"
"I'll explain it to you some other time please." He begged with pleading eyes that she had no other choice but to give into his wishes.
"Alright then." She stroked king's fur with her hands and proceeded to give him a hug, one that he didn't reciprocate.
She crouched down to pick up the empty box from the ground.
"I'll throw this on my way outside" she announced but he only nodded his head at her, urging her to continue.
"Good night" she called out to him before exiting his bedroom. Maybe she said something and that's why he's acting like this. But then, what could she have said and why not talk to her about it rather than pushing her away? They had barely started talking again after an argument and now this? How was she supposed to cope when he's acting like this now? How would she reach out to him?
The minute she left, Bryce slammed the door behind her breathing heavily. She never should've reminded him of that day. Now it was going to live rent free in his
head before it passes. He'll be net
stay away from anything that might trigger his memory to that day, even if it meant staying far away from Hera.
Bryce located the calendar in his bedroom and there it was. The exact date circled on the calendar with red ink.
The exact day where all his
problems began and the exact day
where his lost his innocence as a child. He'll never be able to forget. It had haunted him for ages and it's only just a few days away. A few days to go through the pain again just like he had done every year.