Page 63 of Psychotic Obsession
My brain explodes, and I let her go, stepping until my back hits the wall between my counter and table, eyes wide with fear. "Ewan is the threat. Mom, I need to protect Jason!"
"What? What in the world are you talking about?"
I shove past her, my heart racing as I quickly dig through the dirty washing for a hoodie, throwing it on and running out my front door with my mom yelling after me.
I don't dare stop, my bare feet slapping the pavement as I sprint as fast as I can, stumbling a little from my alcohol intake. The rain should be making me shiver, cold in the middle of November, but I feel nothing but the dread that Jason is in terribledanger.
Do anything necessary to save him.
The thought keeps running through my mind as I fall to my knees numerous times, the streetlights aiding me in the darkness. I feel a painful constriction crushing my chest, and I slow down my run to catch my breath, leaning my palms on my knees.
Tobias is going to lose it that I'm not there to take his call, and my phone vibrating in my pocket continually makes me cry softly at my guilt. I wipe under my nose before pulling it out and turning it off. Everyone can wait until I finish my mission–everyone needs to step back while I save his life.
Eventually reaching Ewan's front gate, I inhale a few deep breaths, my clothes completely soaked through. My hair is matted to my face, and I'm sure I have a bit of glass in the soles of my feet.
I'm scared. The repercussions of trying to rescue Jason can be worse for me, but he's my priority. Tobias has made it clearEwan shouldn't be anywhere near me, that he is capable of anything, so why the hell would I leave Jason with him?
I crouch under his living room window, peeking in to see the TV on, Ewan sitting on the couch wearing just a pair of dark boxers, his phone pressed to his ear. If I open the front door quietly enough, I might be able to sneak in and out without being noticed.
I gulp down a lump, the taste of vodka on my tongue making me gag. I whimper, crawling over to the front door with stones digging into my knees, mud now covering my bare legs and hands.
I stand, reaching for the handle, stopping in my tracks when the lock turns and the door swings open. Ewan, in complete shock, stares at me, his gaze dropping to my bloody feet and back up to my face.
“Don’t call the cops. She's here,” he says to someone and hangs up. He opens the door fully and holds his hand out to me, as if I'm so fragile, a simple touch could break me.
“You're okay.”
I'm not. I'm not okay.
“Come inside. You're safe here.”
I'm speechless, all my hair rising as Tobias' words rattle through my mind, every single fibre of me telling me to turn and run. I can't. My feet are glued to the ground, my jaw chattering as my eyes water, feeling my knees starting to shake.
Seeing him in front of me, I feel distraught, as if my mind is against me. Tobias is right, but I don’t want him to be, because he’s Ewan.
I flinch as he tries to reach for me, retracting his hand and lifting them both. “Aria, breathe for me.”
I had no idea I was holding my breath, my lungs burning for air.
"Aria's here?" I hear Jason yell from the hallway, and Ewan quickly grabs the door and swings it half shut so I'm out of view. "Is she coming home?"
"Go to your room, buddy."
"No, I want to see Aria!" I see his small hand on the door, attempting to pull it open. My heart is shattering into small pieces, and as soon as his head pops around to look at me, his pale green eyes connect with mine for a split second.
I fall apart. I drop to my knees, my mouth wide open as I let out a loud sob just as Ewan pulls him away, telling him sternly to go back to his room.
I hear Jason asking if I'm okay, that he wants to see me.
Hands touch my shoulder, my name on Ewan’s lips, before I feel someone soft wrapping around me. They smell just like Ewan.
My body relaxes somewhat, and I sob harder.
"What am I doing?" I cry, staring at the puddle beneath me. My faint reflection makes me sick, the sight of me revolting. "What am I doing?" I repeat just as Ewan lifts me, hooking his arms under my legs and shoulders.
"You're freezing," he says, carrying me through his warm house, the same place I used to call home. My body starts to tremble, the cold painful, everybone in my body rattling in Ewan's arms. "Did you walk here? Are you drunk? Your pupils are fucking huge," he speaks as he sits me down in front of his fire, wrapping another towel around me. "Aria, say something. Talk to me so I know you’re okay."
My blurred gaze traces the room, landing on a huge canvas of Jason above the gray couch. "I need to help him," I blurt out, my face contorting as I look down at Ewan's hand running up my arms to heat me up. I hit them away, hurrying to my feet as I back away from him. "What are you doing to him?"
