Chapter 1.
I wake up to the feeling of warm sunlight heating my face and Shane's strong arms encircling my waist. Stretching my arm out, careful not to wake Shane, I grab my phone off the nightstand and check the time. The phone reads 5:58am. I quickly turn off my alarm before it has the chance to sound at 6:00am so it doesn't wake Shane, no need for both of us to be awake. As carefully as possible I attempt to lift Shane's arm from around me and slip out of bed unnoticed and to my triumph he only stirs but doesn't awaken.
Quickly throwing on my clothes from the night before I step out of my room and carry on to the bathroom across the hall. I jump in the shower and wash in a rush, already beginning to miss the feeling of Shane's arms around me.
When I step out of the shower I notice that, in my rush out of my bedroom a few minutes ago, I have forgotten to pick up spare clothes. I don't have time to think of a strategic way to get Shane out of my bedroom, so I can get some clean clothes, I just have to hope that he is still asleep and won't see me in a towel, that is far too short for my liking, thanks to Eve.
I tiptoe across the hallway and slide through the crack in my door. With a quick glance over to Shane to check he is still asleep, I carry on walking to my underwear draw and pick some random items without paying attention, it isn't like anything important is going to happen today.
When I have put on my underwear I abandon my towel on the floor and walk over to my wardrobe and get some clothes. While I am choosing a shirt I feet a warm arm wrap around my waist and Shane begins to kiss my neck and pull me back to my bed. I am automatically very aware with how little we are both currently wearing as Shane pulls me on top of him and begins kissing me.
'I love you' he mumbles against my lips and I feet him smiling.
'And I you' my own smile joining his.
It feels like days since we have kissed, although it had only been last night. I miss the feeling of his lips on mine and want to stay in this perfect moment forever, but I can't. Going against every fibre in my body I push Shane away and stand up, already missing the contact. He tries to grab me again but I jump out the way, giggling.
'You're gonna have to try harder than that' I turn to him and wink then begin walking to get clothes.
'You have no idea the kind of restraint it takes for me to just sit here and not pull you back to bed with you strutting about in your underwear.' He says seductively, while I pull on a T-shirt and a pair of jeans.
'Oh how hard your life must be', I mock while leaning in to give him a quick peck on his lips.
'You have no idea' he whispers once I pull away. 'Now run along to school, Jailbait, before I change my mind and don't let you leave.' I grab my bag and begin down the stairs to find my shoes. Just as I am about to leave I am wrapped in Shane's arms again and he is holding up my phone between us.
'I believe that you have forgotten something, my lady' he says while taking my hand and placing my phone in it. With my hand still in his, he raises my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles. His eyes never break their contact with mine as he leans in and places a gentle kiss on my lips.
'Hurry back' he whispers and holds the door for me as I exit the house and begin walking down the front steps. Turning around while Shane is still in hearing distance I call to him.
'Only if you'll be waiting when I get back'
'Forever and always' He calls back to me. 'I love you Claire.'
'Not as much as I love you' I call in reply, a huge smile spreading across my face as I begin walking again.
'Impossible!' I hear him yell and when I turn to him I see his smile matches my own, then he closes the door and I quicken my pace so that I'm not late to class.
The day seems to drag at TPU, a lot more than usual and it has nothing to with the double tests I have today. I want to get home and see Shane and cuddle on the sofa while he attempts to teach me how to play zombie games. I can't help wondering what he was doing right now while I am stuck in a Chemistry lecture. Knowing Shane, he has probably gone back to bed and won't venture out until the clock reads PM or Michael gets home.
When the lecture finishes I make my way to my next class and have the joy of a surprise test. I have finished in half the time so decide to go and see Eve in the University coffee shop.
When I get there I see that some guy is trying to chat up Eve, oblivious to the fact that she clearly isn't interested. I decide to relieve her misery and go and order a drink. When I reach the counter the guy looks me up and down and continues to talk to Eve.
Obviously Eve has enough and turns to face the guy.
'I'm sorry but if you'll excuse me I have a customer to deal with' she says bluntly and thankfully the guy gets the hint and turns on his heel and walks away.
'My God I thought he'd never leave' she says sighing. 'So what can I get you CB?'
'Just a Mocha please' I reply. 'So how've you been? I barely saw you last night'
'That might because you and Shane can't keep your hands off each other lately' she says with a laugh.
'Guilty is charged' I reply, 'but we're no different to you and Michael' I wink at her while joining in with her laugh.
She places my drink in front of me and I give her the money while we have a catch up. After a while I check my phone and realise I have to be in my next class in ten minutes so I say my goodbyes to Eve and tell her I'll be home by six.
Thankfully I only have three lessons today so this will be my last one but I also have another test. After about forty minutes I have finished with my test so decide to call in on Myrnin as I have some time to kill before going home.
Visiting Myrnin never feels like a chore anymore it always feels like I was visiting a friend. We laugh a lot as we unpack boxes of equipment and books and before I know it my phone reads 5:45pm so I wish my goodbyes to Myrnin and begin my walk home.
When I am walking past Common Grounds I hear the door slam against the wall as it is thrown open by Oliver who is in the process of throwing someone out of his coffee shop.
'Good evening Claire' he calls to me, after he catches me staring, flashing me a smile which shows his fangs.
'Oliver' I reply and quicken my pace towards the safety of my home.
I didn't see who Oliver was throwing out but it becomes clear to me when I hear the voice of a person I never wanted to see again. I quicken my pace even more, as quick as I can without actually running.
'If I were you I'd run if you're attempting to get back to your precious Shane before I catch you' he says followed by a laugh.
'Leave me alone Jason' I reply while attempting to quicken my pace even more.
'Now Claire is that anyway to treat an old friend' he calls after me.
'Oh believe me we're not friends' I yell to him, willing him to leave me alone and regretting answering him in the first place.
'Then what are we?' he asks, his voice getting closer.
'We're nothing. You mean nothing to me Jason. So please just leave me alone' I say willing my voice not to sound like I'm begging.
I feel hands wrap around my shoulders and pull me back aggressively, this is nothing like this morning with Shane, Jason isn't playing around. He pulls me into an alleyway and pushes me against a wall and holds me there by pushing his own body against mine.
'But we could be so much more Claire' he whispers in my ear, while placing his hands on my hips and slipping them under my shirt. A malice filled smile adorning his face.
'Get your filthy hands off me Jason! I don't want anything to do with you!' I reply with gritted teeth, trying to get as far as I could away from him, to no avail. I can't move even an inch he is too strong.
'Well fortunately for me it isn't up to you and I want us to be more than friends, Claire Bear', his voice filled with mockery as he uses Eve's nickname for me.
He takes one of his hands off of my hips and moves it down towards the button on my jeans. As much as I want him off of me my hands are trapped so while he is occupied with my jeans I concentrate on freeing one of my arms without him noticing.
When I get my arm free I grab the back of Jason's hair and with all my strength I slam his face into the wall behind me. The shock causes him to back up enough for me to slip away and I begin to run out of the alleyway.
Once I am on the pavement a small bubble of hope begins to grow at the thought that I might make it home in time but that bubble is quickly burst when I feel a hand wrap around my arm and pull me backward.
Jason tackles me to the ground and I hear a crack as my head makes contact with the pavement. He is on top on me with blood dripping from his nose from when he had hit the wall.
'Get off me! What did I ever do to you?' I yell in his face.
'You hurt me Claire and I think it's only fair that I get to hurt you now. An eye for and eye type deal.' He pulls a knife from his pocket and drags the blade across my face. I scream out but this is Morganville and no one will ever help me.
Next he begins to push the blade into my arm causing me to scream again.
'Except that when I'm done with you you'll be like a jigsaw that no one, not even your precious Shane, can put back together' he whispers as he drags the knife across my chest, causing my shirt to tear.
This continues for what feels like days, with Jason causing screams of agony to rupture from my mouth every minute. Eventually the blood loss begins to take its toll and I begin to black out, much later than I should have but Jason wanted me to be conscious so I can feel the pain so he was stopping the blood. I could swear I could hear someone call my name but I'd never be that lucky. I am going to die at the hands of Jason Rosser and I am too weak to do anything about it.
'Sorry to stop the fun Claire but it seems someone is looking for you so I'm going to have to cut this short' Jason tells me a few minutes after the moment in which I thought I'd heard my name, while slicing the blade across to my chest as if to emphasise the word 'cut'.
Now if I thought that Jason was going to leave me there like I am I had another thing coming. I open my eyes and could see that Jason has positioned the knife above my stomach and has a terrifying smile on his face.
I feel a gut wrenching pain as the knife enters my stomach and is torn out. My hands go straight to my stomach to try and prevent the pain but my hands come back covered in warm blood. My blood.
I am dying. I am going to die and the last face I am ever going to see was the one of my murderer. My best friends brother. Not that he was here now, he has run away so he doesn't get caught by whoever finds me once I am dead. Please don't let it be Shane. Anyone but him. My last thoughts will be of him.
My Shane.
I love you.
Goodbye.
I black out and know I won't awaken and that thought makes me want to cry but I am blacking out again before I can shed even one tear.