Rick

Uncertainly, Jen begin to walk slowly in the room, she does not relax her stance, her eyes roam around my room and then fix on the bed, and her face turn pale. At that moment I really wish I could read her mind and could see how she is feeling right now, is her heart pounding like mine? My tongue thickens as my brain, all I want is to take her in my arms and kiss her senselessly but off course she won't allow it. I decide to freshen up just to cool my nervous, so meanwhile she can also have some space and accommodate herself in this room.

Dismissing her closeness and wayward thoughts, I turn on the shower and step under the warm spray. This has helped me to calm down my nerves, I don't understand how to take this news that I am sharing a night with Jen under one roof after long time. When I am done, I get out of the shower wrapping towel around my waist.

I let out a frustrated sigh when I find her immovable at her place where I left her few minutes ago.

"What's wrong now?" her heads snap and she looks lost, her eyes rounds and scare. When her eyes meet mine, her face turns a colour of beetroot. For goodness sakes, this is not the first time she is seeing me half naked...she has seen me more than that.

"Um..nothing" she answers averting her eyes from me.

"Good, so now can you fasten the process, so we can sleep, I don't know about you but I am very tired" She throw an annoy look at me, why can't I behave little polite to her rather than being a jerk but it's all her fault. Her reluctance and her hesitance, is riling him up badly.

"What do you mean?" she fumingly stare me, clutching my jacket closely to her body as that is the only thing guarding her from me. I step forward her, looking deep into her hypnotic eyes, instinctively she step back. I love this chase game around Jen.

"What are you doing?" she glare me with her big shiny eyes, her long lashes added to her beauty, I smile wryly observing her slight watchful frown.

Moving a step ahead towards her "What do you think am I doing?" her eyes widen is shock, her face says she didn't expect this answer.

"Precisely, I know what's going on your little head?" her fierce eyes shot on me as a warning, I dodge her hateful glares and concentrate on my task.

"In fact" another step forward from me, and another step back from her.

"I intend to demonstrate your little imagination" I whisper closing the distance between us, gazing her inevitable lips then flicking up to her face. Her back hit the wardrobe, startle with the intimacy, she raise her hand to hold me off but on time I grab her hand and smoothly pin her both hands to the wooden wardrobe on either side of her face, taking my final step.

She couldn't speak, the tension between us stirs up and there is barely an inch separating our body. Her face heat up, she struggle in my tight grip, funny if she thinks physically she can fight me, a fight with the professional fighter..

"It was stupid idea to accept your offer, shit, what  can I expect from the monster Rick" sucking her deep breath, she snap at me, her fiery eyes twinkle with anger, it does hurts worse than a punch in the gut.

"You seem too fond with my devilish side and desperate to bring that out, otherwise despite of being thankful that I shelter you, you act like a victim." I lower my head looking into her eyes.

"Be little appreciative Jen, you don't have to be tight headed every time. If you think I am going to take advantage of you than I am sorry.. if I wanted to fuck someone, I wouldn't be here at first place, I would be rather banging that beautiful girl who was more willing to take me to her bed" I am done being nice to her, it was true.. I declined a very tempted offer of the girl like always, she was inviting me with her bedroom eyes but the problem was my fucking heart, it still worships this stubborn woman.

Her face fluster hearing me, she scrunches her nose, I would have found this cute in better situation but right now, this irritates me.

"Fine, I don't need your help. It would be less repulsive than staying here with you" she has a nerve to go there, she knows I hate it when she says my touch repulse her. I start counting numbers in my head to control my anger but guess what, it's not helping at all.

"Ok, you win. It is actually a bad idea, I forgot you are changed Jen now. She can handle herself very well, stupid me who just wish for a peaceful sleep to both of us, anyways I am glad it sorted" Her face puzzle, she doesn't have any idea what I am going to do next, hell I don't even expect that from me, but Jen is very good to get worse out of me. I shift my body from her, freeing her from my grip.

"You can leave Jen, enjoy your night" I nearly laugh, watching her dumbstruck face.

Folding my arms, I signal her with my eyes, showing her the doors. She must have thought, I am joking but when her face drops, when she finally realize I am not.

"Yes I have changed Rick, but I can't say the same thing for you. You are still the manipulative prick, you think I am afraid to go out. I will gladly go" She retort looking into my eyes, raising her head high, she walk swiftly to the door. I clutch my hand into a fist, restraining my abusive side. When she open the door knob, quickly I am onto her but not to stop her, I harshly rip off my jacket from her and close the door in her face.

Jen

I blink my eyes off for few times, I can't believe what just transpired, he throw me out of his room and shut the door in my face. He is still the same heartless person, he has not only kick me out but taken his jacket...How could he?

I shiver and brace myself out of cold, this is ridiculously cold outside. I should have not argued with Rick, but why he has to talk about fucking someone... this is absurd but thinking him intimately close to any other girl, agitate me. Glad, I chose jeans to wear, it somehow keeping me warm but my delicate fabric of top is as good as nothing. Rubbing my arms, I walk on the corridor, I should knock on the Ryan's door, he has to help me.

I am about to move my feet, then a group of guys enter in the corridor, those guys have big tattoos over their shoulders and they are awfully drunk. I quicken my steps, they are on the way of Ryan's room, I have to pass them to reach there. I cautiously take my steps, avoiding eye contacts with them. I hear them mumbling something to each other, they are dangerously eyeing me. One guy with leer and abs of corrugated cardboard try to block my way.

"Sam, we are lucky to bump onto this little one, we don't have to sleep without any action" he laugh disgustingly, I give him a dirty look and turn away from him.

"Hey, she is the same girl, grab her quickly, her partner is in the next door" I saw that guy, he is the one who saw me two nights before at the same place. Before I could scream, the abs guy covers my mouth with his big hand. I jerk against the hand, I scratch him, elbow him but that man doesn't flinch. Without making any noise, they drag me to their room, his bad breath nuzzle my skin repulsing me, while they drag me through Rick's room, I pray to god that he will get the hint.

When there is no movement in his door, I allow the helpless tears to roll down on my cheeks. They push me in one of the room, I stagger knocking things off the dresser and anything which comes in my hands. Bulky guy roughly shoves me on the floor, laughing openly.

"Let me go" I scream, that guy comes toward me with creepy look, I close my eyes cringing inside. My life can't be worse than this, please help me, I can't live after this, suddenly a loud painful scream force me to open my eyes and there is no limit of my happiness when I find Rick on the door, punching a muscular guy. They are five giant men but Rick hasn't taken much time to make them flat on the floor. He is sweating and breathing hoarsely after taking down to all of them, my heart kick my chest when his lethal gaze stops at me.

I am terrified with his each step nearing me, is he going to abuse me as well. I get up on my trembling feet, cringing to myself witnessing so much blood on the floor. Rick approaches me and I am so shocked when he wraps his arms around me, pulling me against his chest. I freeze, shock electrifying my nerve endings as he hugs me close and his anger fades away.

"I am sorry, are you fine?" he move a step back to assess me concernedly, her eyes are mist with guilt. I shake my head, unable to voice my words. My heart squeeze inside in my chest the way Rick looks down to me with so much love, he shower kisses on my head and cheeks, mumbling sorry.

"Why can't I control my temper? Why can't" with this the softness in his voice vanish and he turn over the unconscious man and start kicking them violently. I have to get him away from this room or he won't stop unless they are dead.

"Please, stop Rick. Nothing happened, please stop" He doesn't pay any attention on my pleads, I rush to him and hold him from behind. His body stiffen, his hand surprisingly stop.

"Let's go from here Rick" I lick my lips and sallow hard when Rick pull my arms from him and haul me up to his room. Unsure, what to do I simply follow him.

He shut the door behind us and uncharacteristically, he silently move over and sit on the bed, resting his elbow on his thigh and covering his face with hands, his anger has not yet subsided for sure. Sadness tingle my spine, not thinking any more I sit beside him. Holding my tears, I glance the sad sight of him and couldn't hold my words.

"I am sorry" fidgeting with my finger, I wait for his response.

After suffocating silence he reply "Why always it has to be was between us?" he question me without looking at me and I feel strange and unfamiliar feelings settle in the pit of my stomach, I seriously don't have any answer for it.

"You have to understand, I am trying but I have a temperament issue, I am scared...i am scared because this will end up hurting you again and I don't want it." the helplessness in his voice slaughter me completely, I am restraining myself for holding his hand to sooth his pain.

"Jen, can't we amend ourselves and be civil to each other at least. Please" and this time his wet eyes looking at me, his eyes piercing through my soul and I can't take my eyes off from him.

"I am freaking out thinking, what could have happened if I was not there on time, I want to slap myself for putting you on risk and kicking you out in the middle of night. I know you hate me, loathe me, but you can't hate me more than myself. I despise myself since the day you left me." he shakes his head and let out a painful sigh, the remorseful tears running down his cheek.

"I am sorry for hurting you, Jen" He turn his gaze again on me, as I look into his eyes, I can see the thunder an anger that burn inside him and the regret that he holds within him. As I look into his eyes, I begin to think about the things that I have done wrong to blame him for everything when I know it's not all his fault. He had tormented past which has haunted and still haunting him, I blame him for the death of my father when he never asked me to put the gun on him and fired him, it was my decision. Your aggression and hate is not for his action but you are doing it to repent your guilt and forgiving him means you are betraying your dad. This is not fair on him, he has already suffered so much in his life and I am the keep adding on it. He is right, its high time to put our past behind and stop hurting each other. When he doesn't get any answer from me, he drift his gaze from me and sit looking down forlornly. I tense, the hesitance and reluctance is sipping from me, his words whip me like a thousand bullet to my heart and I could feel only the pain, sadly that pain is not mine but of him. Accidentally, I drop my guard and let my heart feel the pain and these estrange emotion from which I am running away for long. Following my heart, I put my head on his shoulder and hold his hand, tears dripping from my own eyes.

I feel his body get relax against my own and his hand tightly hold mine, no words needs to be spoken, our silence is enough to communicate our estrange feelings. I close my eyes inhaling his familiar fragrance, my quicken heartbeats are steady and slow, the feeling of content overwhelmed me, watching our intertwine fingers.... Seconds turn into minutes, minutes turns into hours... yet we are hinge to each other.

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