When We Were Still Human by Vaughn Foster (best ereader for textbooks .txt) 📕

Perfecto, after all. He cupped her cheek and kissed her, but she couldn’t bring herself to pull away. His long black locks fell over calm, inviting eyes. His tawny skin glowed in the small amount of sunlight that broke through the slits in the blinds. He was just as beautiful as the day they met. He was as beautiful as when he said he loved her—the first time they had sex.

He looked as beautiful as he did the first time he hit her.

Despite her earlier protests— to herself, as well as to him— she found herself standing in the center of the room, kissing him passionately. It wasn’t until his fingers began to undo the buttons of her shirt that she remembered the vow she’d made. How did they even get to this point? She had come to break things off, and yet here they were, blood dripping down her forehead and quickly making their way past second base.

“No,” she said firmly against his lips, pushing him away. “I’m done.”

“No?” he whispered back. The word dripped off his tongue like honey. He glided over the gap between them and embraced her again. His hands slid down and gripped her rear with a ferocity that forced a squeal of pain from her throat. “We’re not done yet. I thought you loved me, cariño?”

I actually said no this time… I said no...

Her mind rested on the single word as he lifted and carried her to the bed. She didn’t bother to struggle; it was over. But still, ‘no’ continued to repeat itself in her mind, even as her arms reflexively wrapped around his back and she found his name slipping from her tongue. I said no? she asked herself this time. Maybe he was right. Maybe she was hollow.

 

Avia pried her eyes open to find tears staining her cheeks. Again.

Cheshire was holding her. Again.

With a bitter cough, she tried to get up but fell back into him.

“I’m sorry,” she cried. She tried to force the sniffling to stop, but she still sounded like a child.

“Avi.” His voice was calm. Even. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to come back.”

She looked up to see thin lines of concern at the corners of his mouth. “What do you mean?”

He looked down and sighed. “I heard the door slam and found you lying on the ground, shaking and sweating. I tried the sleeping salts, and cold water, and everything else, but you wouldn’t wake up.” He held her tighter and looked away. “I thought I lost you.”

Avia didn’t break the embrace. Instead, she nuzzled deeper into his chest. If she had known Rachel was coming or maybe if she had been able to explain… She blew out a gust of air and pulled on his hand.

“Help me up?”

Cheshire stood and silently pulled her to her feet. She nodded in thanks then turned to the fridge. Her eye caught the bottle of juice still on the counter, but she ignored it. Instead, she opened the door and took out a beer.

“You want one?”

“No, thank you, I’m good,” he murmured, moving to sit at the island.

Avia sat on the stool opposite him and took a long swig of the bitter liquid. “I’m sorry. That was probably really scary for you.”

“You’ve had panic attacks before,” he replied. His eyes stayed on his hands fidgeting on the counter top.

She gave a dry laugh and let her shoulders slump. “Yeah, but that one was worse than usual. Kinda took me by surprise...” Her gaze fell to the counter and despondence rolled over like a nearing storm. “Ches, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.” He looked up, teal eyes landing on hers with piercing clarity. “I’m always here.”

Avia smiled, getting back to her normal self. Her eyes were still red and puffy, but she felt better than she had in a long time. The chords were starting to play in the right key again, and she could finally think.

“Why haven’t you ever asked me what happened the day I showed up in the aether?” She tried to force the whisper to come out louder, but just forming the words felt like stepping on glass.  “Or even, I don’t know, why I hate my parents?”

Cheshire shrugged. “Everyone has their secrets.”

Anxiety ate through Avia as she waited for him to continue. She stole a glance up to see him staring blankly ahead at the microwave. She could feel her own foot rapping a thousand miles a minute on the cold tile. When he finally moved, she sat up and silently exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

Cheshire blushed, then locked his fingers together. “I just figured if—or when—you were ready to talk, you would. I didn’t want to hurt you more by bringing up something you spend every day trying to forget. Or,” he added, “accidentally cross a line and make you drive away the only person you’ve let get close.”

Her breath caught at his words. An intense love surged beneath his quiet, controlled voice that she hadn’t noticed before. He tried to look like a neutral party, but it was plain to see concern edged through his features.

Palming her face, she choked down more tears and forced a small smile. “Thanks. You’re a really good friend. But I think I’m ready now.”

“If that’s what you want, go for it.”

Avia nodded and gripped the bottle in her hand. “I’m not really sure where to start…” she began, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. “Okay, so, my parents were locum tenens— traveling doctors who filled in wherever needed.  I lived in England, Japan, Germany, Kenya… All before I even finished eighth grade.

“I guess somewhere along the line, I finally, I don’t know, broke down. Counselor after counselor, they all put in their