"Look at what you did to !" I scream.
Claire finally manages to shove away again, much harder this ti.
"You’ve lost your mind!"
"And you ruined my life!"
She lunges toward suddenly, her hand swings towards my face, the slap connects with my cheek and my head jerks sideways.
For a split second everything goes quiet again. Claire is breathing hard and her eyes wild.
"You think you’re the only one who got hurt?!" she shouts.
But she doesn’t get another second because training takes over and my body moves before she can swing again.
I grab her wrist, and twist
Claire yelps, her body bending awkwardly as I force her arm down.
She tries to kick but I shove her back again.
She stumbles over the leg of the chair, then she crashes to the floor. Claire screams again as I move toward her.
"You don’t get to cry now!" I shout.
My hands grab at her again, her hair, her arms...Anything I can reach as Claire starts fighting properly nw, scratching at , kicking and trying to shove away.
"You’re fucking crazy!" she cries.
But the anger burning through is stronger than anything she’s throwing back.
Years of pain, nightmares and trying to forget that night. She dragged it back like it was nothing...like..... like it was a ga.
My nails catch her skin again.
Claire screams louder.
"Stop it!"
"No!"
I shove her again and she tries to claw at my face but I catch her wrist again and shove her sideways, her shoulder hitting the chair with a dull thud.
She gasps in pain and that’s when strong arms suddenly grab from behind, firm and Unbreakable.
My body jerks as I’m dragged backward.
"What the hell....."
The grip tightens around my waist, pullin completely away from Claire.
I thrash imdiately.
"Let go of !"
Claire is still on the floor breathing hard. Hee hair is a ss and there’s scratch marks streak across her arms and cheek.
But I barely see her, because the person holding slls familiar. That scent hits instantly.... That cologne.
My stomach twists.
Zane fucking whitmore.
Rage explodes again as I twist violently in his arms, trying to break free.
"Get the fuck off !" I shout.
His grip tightens.
"Elaine....."
"Don’t fucking touch !"
I shove backward hard against his chest but he barely moves, the strength in his arms is ridiculous.
"Calm down..."
Calm down?did he just tell to calm down?
"Get the fuck away from !" I scream, turning toward him... and the second I see his face sothing ugly rises in my chest. Because he’s the reason Claire was ever in my life.
The reason any of this happened.
"Don’t you dare touch !" I shout again.
His arms loosen slightly but he doesn’t let go completely. I shove at his chest anyway, I’m furious and shaking
"Stay the hell away from !"
But Zane doesn’t let go of imdiately, even after I twist in his arms and shove at his chest, he keeps a firm hold around my waist.
My whole body is shaking, not just from the fight..... from everything.
Claire struggles to her feet a few feet away, breathing hard, one hand braced against the tile as she slowly pushes herself upright
Part of wants to go back and finish it while Another part of feels like I might collapse.
"Elaine," Zane says again, his voice low behind .
"Calm down."
Those words are the worst thing he could have said.
My head snaps toward him so fast my neck hurts.
"Calm down?" I repeat.
The anger in my chest spikes again.
"You think this is not calm?"
His jaw tightens slightly.
"She’s not worth this."
I stare at him.
Then I let out a short, disbelieving laugh.
"She’s not worth it?"
My hands push against his chest again and this ti he finally loosens his grip enough for to step away, the second I’m free, I move a few steps away from him like his touch burns.
"Elaine...."
"She’s not worth it?" I repeat louder.
Claire has managed to stand now.
She’s leaning against the table, watching us both with slightly swollen eyes.
Zane looks at steadily.
"You should calm down," he says again.
"Nothing actually happened between us."
I blink at him.
"Nothing happened?"
His expression stays serious.
"We never had anything real."
"And we definitely don’t have anything now."
For a mont I just stare at him dumbfounded.....then th anger explodes again.
"You think that’s why I’m reacting like this?"
His brows draw together slightly.
"What?"
"You think it’s cause I’m jealous?"
The words tastes bad in my mouth.
"That I’m screaming and fighting because I’m jealous of you with her?"
Zane’s mouth opens slightly.
"I didn’t say....."
"Oh my God."
I drag both hands down my face in disbelief.
"Are you actually that stupid?"
Claire lets out a quiet, humorless laugh behind us but I ignore her completely.
I’m staring straight at Zane now.
"You think this is about you sleeping with soone else?"
My voice rises again.
"But I never slept with h...."
"My best friend was never my best friend!"
The words echo through the room.
Zane’s jaw tightens.
"You put her up to being friends with !"
My chest is heaving now.
"You had soone spying on for years!"
"Elaine, listen....."
"No," I snap instantly.
My hand shoots up, pointing directly at him.
"Shut the fuck up Zane!."
The words co out so cut even Claire goes quiet.
Zane’s eyes darken slightly but he does stop talking, which is good because if he doesn’t I might actually lose my mind.
My hands are shaking again.
"I trusted her, and never questioned her" I say, my voice breaking slightly despite the anger.
"We basically grew up together."
mories keep flashing through my head, the countless sleepovers, late night phone calls.
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