Yesterday she’d seen her doctor to check her cast and to see if she could take the sling off her other arm. Jade wouldn’t let me be in the room with her and the doctor and I worried when she took longer than the fifteen minutes I was told she’d be. Jade came out bright red and would barely look at me. I asked her what took her so long and she turned a deeper shade of red if at all possible. She was given prescriptions but refused me taking her to get them, I left the subject when she begged me to leave it alone and she promised as soon as we got home that she’d get my mum to take her to the chemist. I was curious but left it and tried to ask my mum but she wouldn’t tell me.
This afternoon when Jade had gone out with friends, I don’t even think she would have told me she was going except for the fact I came to her. I even kissed her goodbye. She was killing me. Her eyes used to hold fire, warmth, and love, but now were dull and almost lifeless. I needed my little bit back.
*****
I got a text at midnight telling me she was staying at Cassie’s house. Oh fuck no. I said I wasn’t sleeping without her ever again and I bloody meant it. Going to my car, I got in and drove to Cassie and Scott’s house. I called Scott and he stood smirking at the door when I pulled into the driveway.
“She’s in the spare room.”
Nodding thanks to Scott I went inside and up the stairs to the spare room. Not bothering knocking I opened the door and went to the bed.
“Stephan. What the hell?” Jade sat up, she wore only her bra and I could see the matching panties.
“I promised myself I would never sleep a night without you again. So we either go home or I’m getting in here with you.”
Jade crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine. Home.”
I went to the bed, picked her up, and threw her over my shoulder.
“Hey, put me down.”
I left the room, went down the stairs, and passed a laughing Scott who opened the door for me. “Can you get Cassie to bring her things tomorrow?”
“Sure, man.”
I left the house and placed Jade gently in the passenger seat. I smiled as she sat there fuming. I got in and drove us home.
“You know you’re a possessive idiot.”
I couldn’t keep the grin off my face at her fight.
“Only for you, little bit.” She harrumphed and turned from me to gaze out the window.
When we got home I went around the car, opened the door, and picked her up again, this time she laughed and my heart soared at the light carefree sound. Once in the house, I went to my room and placed her on the bed and then I stripped.
Her laughter turned into a gasp. She knelt on my bed and crawled closer to me.
“Stephan, is it real?”
The fingers sticking out from her cast came up and gingerly traced the heart and the key made with her name and sat ready to unlock my heart. “Of course it’s real.”
Tears rolled down her cheek and she sobbed. Shit, I’d hurt her. Crap.
“You’re crazy,” she hiccupped out. “You tattooed my name on your chest as a key to your heart. Are you insane?”
I sighed in relief when I realized she wasn’t crying because I hurt her. “I thought it was a good present. A way to show you how I feel. To show you you’re it for me. I will never hurt you again. I love you more than you could ever imagine.”
“Oh, Stephan,” she sobbed.
“Don’t cry. I didn’t do it to make you cry. I want you to smile. I want the light back in your eyes. I want you baking cupcakes and slices and dancing around the kitchen singing with your amazing voice. I want you with your fight back. I want you.”
“Stephan,” Jade groaned on a breathless whisper. She stood and came to the edge of the bed yanking me to her. Her mouth fused with mine and she pulled me down to the bed. I lay down and she straddled me. “You make it so hard for me. Every time I think I have my walls built high you not only knock it down you demolish it.”
“I love you, little bit.”
“I don’t hate you.”
I chuckled. “Progress.”
Jade shook her head and leaned down until her lips brushed over the tattoo. “You’re full of surprises. Thank you, crazy man.” She wiggled into the covers and I followed. Jade draped herself over me. “Good night, my crazy man.”
Smiling, I hugged Jade to me feeling like I’d won the best prize in the universe. She just called me hers.
*****
Jade
Distancing myself wasn’t working. The past week I’d tried everything, going to a different room to sleep which didn’t work because he was back to carrying me around when I said no. I tried being with Cassie and my other girlfriends, again he just invaded and they thought he was cute. Argh. Then I tried just reading and studying but the idiot would do the same beside me, touching my leg, arm, cheek or hair every chance he could. Then every time I saw the goddamned tattoo I went goo, goo. I couldn’t believe he got a tattoo with my name. It was an amazing design. The heart was on the left side of his chest just above his nipple. It had a lock in the middle and a key set in the lock that was made up of my name.