Page 87 of Light in Your Eyes
He brings me down again but then impatiently tells me to get up for the thousandth time. I don't even know it anymore. I've lost count.
"Again, Layla," he snaps and turns his back to me, preparing for another round.
My heart hurts because of the way he speaks to me.
"I can't," I finally shout, throwing my hands in the air as I stand up. "I can't do this. You're being too aggressive. How can I defeat someone like you?"
My chest rises and falls, but then my voice softens, "Just, please. Turn it down a little." I sound helpless, literally begging him.
"No," he growls. His body is shaking with anger. "Are you crazy? Someone who attacks you may want to kill you. He's not going to back down," he hollers, his eyes wide in fury.
I’d never seen Kellan this angry, and I've seen him angry a lot. We have to stop this. This is not good. This is hurting him too, maybe even more than it is hurting me.
"I haven't even mastered my stance," I say. "This is crazy, Kellan. I can't do it like this. Why don't we take it slow?"
"Because we have no fucking time," he booms, so loudly that his voice is echoing in the basement.
I stare at him in shock, watching him explode. His eyes are red, and the way he's breathing makes me afraid. It's like he can have a heart attack anytime soon.
He's not panting because of the physical exercise. It's because of his anger and fear.
"Again, Layla," he says curtly.
Tears pool in my eyes. I feel so tired and bruised and broken that I may collapse anytime. My head pulses with sharp pain, and the room is spinning.
Is it already dark outside?
For God knows how many times, I fall onto the ground again, unable to defend myself against Kellan's attack. This time, I can't get up again. I can't even move my cheek off the cold cement.
I'm drained, physically and mentally.
"Get up." Kellan's voice is shaking.
I can hear his fear very clearly. I can even feel it all over my bruised body.
"Get up, Layla," he roars.
I close my eyes, letting my tears fall. I can taste it in my mouth while I'm lying here on the ground. My body might be hurting, but it hurts more to see him like this.
Kellan...
You're the one who said that you were not my hero.
Why are you trying so hard to protect me, to the point that it hurts both of us like this?
"Layla." His voice cracks. "Get up. Try it one more time. Just one more time." His voice turns into a pained whisper. "Try not to die."
But I'm already dying.
"It hurts," I cry softly. "I can't even move my body.Kellan—" I finally let my sob break.
Kellan rushes toward me and gets down on his knees. He turns my body so that I can lie down with my back on his lap. He wraps his arms around me.
"Fuck. I'm sorry." His eyes are glassy, and I swallow a lump in my throat. "I'm sorry, Layla," he rasps.
"I—"
"Shh," he cuts me off. "No need to speak."
