Now More Than Ever - Prologue
The dark bedroom, darkened even more by the beautiful pitch black night only seemed to get darker and more depressing with each painful second that went by. In the Klein master bedroom, Christina was waiting, barely willing to blink in case she missed him. Her emerald cat eyes glanced at the open window, trying to listen for the familiar sound of Samy Deluxe, but to no avail. Her head jerked violently as she heard a single sharp knock upon the solid oak bedroom door. Without a single word escaping her mouth, the door swung open silently and even through the darkness, Christina knew perfectly well who was standing in front of her.
"You shouldn't be sitting in the dark you know." Christina thought the statement rather odd, if not a little pointless. Tom didn't move from the doorway, he didn't walk over to Christina or even turn the lights on so he could see how distressed she was, but what Christina didn't know was that Tom didn't need to turn the lights on, he knew the heart wrenching sight of Christina's broken heart too well, so he just stood there. His eyes firmly fixed upon her body lying awkwardly upon the bed, her limbs stretched out in what he thought must be a terribly uncomfortable position.
"Don't you want to come in?" She clenched the bed as if wishing Tom would sit on that precise spot. She didn't like Tom's distance, it was so unfamiliar. And Tom was never an unusual person, everything always stayed the damn same. Sometimes this quality of Tom's infuriated Christina, in a world where everything was changing so rapidly, he stayed still, unable to move until it was too late. Underneath his gangster bravado, Tom was so fragile, he was so easily broken. Change was what he feared, anything fresh and new made him anxious and although he was reluctant to admit it, his lifestyle was a world away from the rock star's fantasy of living on the edge. It was just his nature to question everything.
"Do you want me to come in?" If Tom hadn't been speaking in such a dull monotone, she probably would have giggled and flirted back with him. However, it was agonizingly obvious that Tom wasn't flirting and he wasn't planning to anytime soon.
"Come here Tom," She whimpered to him, longing for his comfort. The gentle reassurance of his voice and the warmth of his body was what she needed. What she craved.
"No."
"No? Yes Tom." Christina just wanted Tom to save her again. Maybe it made her selfish, but he was just what she needed. Tom had to be her savior, because without him, what was she? Christina Klein. She was just a common German college student. She could never be anything more without Tom by her side.
"I'm not saving you this time Christina. I'm not doing it again babe. You can't keep using me like this, it hurts." A sharp snap shook the room and a flow of pale light swarmed the space around her. It was almost blinding, it was so bright. Christina winced as the sensation pained her eyes. Glancing up at Tom she saw the most beautiful creature in the world, with his warm chocolate eyes embedded in elegantly defined face, but there was something painfully different that evening; his features were horribly twisted into something not unlike anger.
"You're angry at me." Tom sighed somewhat heavily and while he shook his hat clad head, his perfected dreadlocks sat perfectly still on his stiff shoulders.
"I'm not angry at you. Never angry, I just can't understand why you don't leave him, he's not good enough for you babe, he never was," Tom whispered hoarsely. What was he so afraid of? Christina couldn't figure it out. Usually, he was more than willing to put his arms around her and assure her that everything would be okay. He had done so many times before; he made Christina promise that she would leave the one who made her so unhappy. However, Tom knew deep in his heart that she would never do it; it was one promise she made that she could never go through with, and that pained Tom. It pained him to know the hold the monster had over his beautiful Christina.
"Just come here Tom! Please!" Christina whimpered pitifully on the bed, "Come on Tom, I'll sleep with you. Would you like that? Why don't we just have one wild night alone to forget our lives? We can forget all of our troubles and just be with each other!" This sickened Tom; he hated seeing his childhood friend like this. So desperate for love was she that she offered to have a one night stand with him. Sure, she was hot. She had wavy honey blond hair, tumbling down over her shoulders, a stunning figure and tight curves all in the right places. However, Tom knew that he couldn't take advantage of her. Not when she was this vulnerable. Christina just meant too much to him, even when they were simple children, Tom took care of her. Ever since he comforted her when she had those little cuts and scrapes, he made sure she was alright, and he had never stopped; even now he was rescuing her from her monstrous other half. Although, Tom knew that he hadn't done what he should have, he hadn't saved her; he hadn't been there for her like he should have. He hated himself for that. Christina stumbled awkwardly off of the bed over to Tom.
"Pleaseā¦if nothing else, just hold me." She pushed herself forcefully up against him, holding onto his enormous t-shirt for support. His t-shirts were one thing Christina could never understand, he had a beautiful figure, he was skinny but his body still somehow managed to have firm muscles in all the right places. Her finger traced his tight bicep, even relaxed it felt strong and powerful.
"Stop this Christina!" Tom pushed Christina firmly away from him, causing her to trip on the carpeted surface only to steady her body on the pole of the king sized bed. Even seeing her obvious discomfort, Tom still didn't budge from his space in the doorway. He merely sighed, irritated, and shook his head at her clumsiness. "Stop being a child Christina! Grow up!" Tom grabbed both of her wrists, steadying her and making her look him square in the eyes, something which she was quick to avoid. "Don't avoid it Chris, look at me. Now!" Slowly, her eyes approached his and they locked firmly together.
"What do you want from me Tom?" Her voice as a soft whisper sent shivers down Tom's spine, making him release a breath he didn't know he had been storing.
"I want you to calm down!" Tom gritted his teeth in frustration, wanting her to stop the questions, stop the confusion and to stop the entire nightmare. Christina shook her head determinedly, knowing Tom well enough to know that he was speaking a lie.
"No you don't. You love me all riled up! So what is it Tom? Tell me." Tom jerked his head and avoided her stare. "No Tom. It's your turn to look at me now." Tom pushed Christina off him so she crashed into the wooden wardrobe to the right of her. Her head smashed against the hard surface, causing her to cry out in pain and whimper at the stinging sensation in her head. On impact, she could feel her eyes stinging and glazing over with tears. At the sight of a small tear trickling down her cheek, Tom instantly softened and went to her side.
"I'm sorry Chris. I'm so sorry. Come here." They both sat on the carpeted floor and Christina finally got what she wanted. She was in Tom's arms, and she never planned to emerge from them. "I don't want to hurt you," Tom whispered his velvety voice into Christina's ear and she could feel her heart melt into nothing as his warm breath touched her ear.
"Tom?" The dread locked teen brushed his cheek against hers, his lips barely skimming the skin just beneath her ear. She couldn't help but sigh in relief at the thought that Tom couldn't see her scarlet features. This situation was bad enough without him seeing just how hot and bothered he made her.
"Yes?" His voice was so soft now, so delicate and caring. Beautiful.
"Just hold me." Tom pulled Christina into his lap and held her close to him with his arms protectively wrapped around her waist and his head leaning upon her own. Christina smiled and buried her head into his chest, smelling his addictive scent, feeling her mind and body finally relax for the first time since that beast, that monster had entered her life.
