Don’t ever touch me
925 Words
JULIETTE
I don’t expect to fall into the water.
One moment, I’m teetering on the edge, my breath caught in my throat. The next, the world tilts, and cold water swallows me whole. My scream barely has time to escape before the icy shock steals it away.
The darkness beneath the surface is endless, stretching in every direction. My arms flail, panic clawing at my chest. I can’t breathe. I can’t swim. The water presses in, unyielding, and for a terrifying second, I think, this is it.
Then I remember Kaelan.
I twist in the water, searching, but my movements are frantic, useless. Where is he? I see his form floating near me, unmoving. He isn’t even trying to swim.
My heart pounds. Is this still part of his act?
I don’t know. And I don’t have time to figure it out because my lungs are burning, my body screaming for air. Just as my strength begins to fade, strong hands grab me, dragging me upwards.
The next thing I know, I’m gasping, coughing, sucking in air as hands pull me onto the dock. I collapse onto my hands and knees, water streaming from my clothes, my body shaking violently.
A crowd has gathered. Faces blur in the flickering light, their murmurs buzzing in my ears.
“Is she okay?”
“What happened?”
My chest heaves as I lift my head. Kaelan is beside me, just as drenched, just as breathless. His dark hair is plastered to his forehead, and his expression is unreadable. But I swear, for a moment, I see something flicker in his gaze. Something raw.
Before I can make sense of it, the guards are ushering us away, leading us back to our room.
The moment we step inside, Kaelan stands up from his chair, and moves straight for the bathroom without a word.
The door clicks shut behind him, and a few seconds later, I hear the steady stream of the shower.
I stand there, dripping onto the carpet, my body still cold from the water. My wet clothes cling to me uncomfortably, my hair sticking to my face. I need a shower too.
Minutes pass. Then more.
The sound of running water continues, and irritation bubbles in my chest.
Is he planning on using up all the hot water?
With a frustrated sigh, I strip off my soaked clothes and wrap a towel around myself. I don’t hesitate before pushing the bathroom door open and stepping inside.
Kaelan is still in the shower, steam curling around him. He turns sharply at my presence, his dark eyes widening.
“What the hell are you doing?” His voice is hoarse, rough.
Ignoring him, I drop my towel and step under the shower beside him. The warm water soaks my skin, washing away the chill of the pool.
I don’t look at him. Instead, I take my time, moving slowly, running my hands over my arms, my stomach, washing away the grime with deliberate care.
But I feel his gaze.
It’s heavy, burning, tracing every inch of my body.
My heart pounds against my ribs, but I keep my face calm, indifferent. Even as my skin prickles under his scrutiny. Even as the air between us thickens.
For a moment, I think he’s going to say something. But he doesn’t. He just watches.
When I finally finish, I step out, wrap myself in a towel again, and walk out without a word.
Back in the room, away from Kaelan’s piercing stare, I dry myself off and pull on a loose shirt and shorts. My limbs feel heavy, exhaustion creeping in now that the adrenaline is gone.
I settle onto the couch, curling up, and close my eyes.
I hear when Kaelan leaves the bathroom, the soft rustle of fabric, the creak of the bed as he sits down. But I don’t stir.
I pretend to be asleep.
At some point, I do fall asleep.
A low sound wakes me.
A grunt. Then another.
I blink, disoriented. The room is dim, the only light coming from the moon filtering through the curtains.
Then I hear it again.
A pained murmur.
I turn toward the bed. Kaelan is thrashing, his body tense, his breath ragged. His face is twisted, as if caught in a nightmare.
“No…” he mutters. “Don’t… die.”
Something in my chest tightens.
Cautiously, I get up and approach him. He jerks, his breaths uneven, sweat beading on his forehead.
I hesitate.
Then, gently, I reach out and touch his arm.
“Kaelan,” I whisper.
He doesn’t wake. His body tenses further, his fingers clutching at the sheets.
I shake him a little harder. “Kaelan, wake up.”
His eyes snap open, wild and unfocused.
For a moment, he just stares at me.
Then, suddenly, his arms are around me.
I stiffen, shocked, but he doesn’t let go. His grip is strong, almost desperate. His breathing is ragged, his heartbeat erratic against my skin.
I don’t know what to do.
Slowly, hesitantly, I lift my arms and wrap them around him.
He’s warm, solid. He clings to me like I’m the only thing keeping him grounded.
For a long moment, we just sit there, tangled together, the silence thick between us.
Then, just as abruptly as he pulled me in, he shoves me away.
The movement is so sudden that I nearly fall back.
His voice is ice cold, emotionless as he grits out. “Don’t you dare touch me ever again.”
- Writer
