Chapter 14

Sarah looked back to see Jareth stand behind the throne, looking down at her with his hands at his side.
Surprised she quickly began to stand up, but Jareth grabbed her shoulder.

"Sit down," he said and pushed her down on the throne again.

Sarah crossed her arms while Jareth walked around the throne to stand in front of her.

"So, Sarah... For what reason do I find you here?" he asked and tilted his head a little to the left.
"Because I need to talk to you," she answered coldly.
"Is that so?" he asked, not really listening while he removed his leather jacket and sloppily threw it into a corner.
"Yes!" she said annoyed and tried to stand up again, but sat down after getting a look from Jareth. She glared at him while she said: "About you threatening Hoggle. How cruel are you?!"
Jareth looked coldly at her and crossed his arms over his chest. He chuckled a little as his lips curved up to a smirk.

"Are you sure you're so much better than me, Sarah?" he asked coolly.
"What?!" Sarah spat, offended.

Jareth's smirk disappeared as he put his hands on the thrones armchairs, squatting down to Sarah's level. Sarah leaned down as he came closer.

"Are you treating Hoggle so much better than I do?" he asked in a calm voice. "When you make him help you to get home, even though you know that he wants you to stay. Isn't that cruel?"

Sarah was completely taken off guard by his words. She looked down on her hands, knowing he was right.

"He doesn't have to help me," she said in a low voice. "I'm not forcing him..."

Jareth snorted with a laugh.

"And what would you say if he said that he wouldn't help you, Sarah? 'Thanks for nothing Hogwart'?" he repeated her own words with a smirk. "Wouldn't it ruin your friendship?"

Sarah glared at Jareth with fire in her eyes.

"Of course it wouldn!" she exploded furiously, getting up from the throne. She didn't care about how close she and Jareth were standing because of it. "Hoggle will be my friend no matter what he does! Unlike you! No one trusts you! You're alone and you deserve it!!!"

Sarah was so angry that she had to clutch her fists to restrain herself from hitting the man in front of her.

"I do have someone that trusts me, Sarah." Jareth said calmly, amused about something.
"Oh, really? Who?" Sarah asked. She didn't believe him at all.
"You." he said with a smirk.

Sarah was so surprised by his answer that she began to laugh as she walked around a little.

"Believe me! I trust you least of all here," she said and froze when she turned and found that Jareth was no longer there. "Jareth?"

She felt a little uneasy, suddenly being alone, hearing nothing but her own breaths. She looked around, but he was no where to be found.

"You say you don't trust me, yet you eat the fruit I give you."

Jareth was suddenly back, sitting sloppily on his throne.
In his hand he held a red apple that almost looked blood red against his black leathered glove. He chuckled before he threw the apple to Sarah who catched it.

"I thought I told you not to go into my room," she said coldly.

Jareth sighed tiredly, rubbing his forhead.

"Really Sarah, this isn't going anywhere. So unless you have something important to say, go to bed."

Sarah looked furiously at him before he threw the apple at him. The apple hit the back of the throne. Jareth was gone once again.

"Will you stop doing that?!" Sarah called out annoyed.
"Does it bother you?" Jareth asked, right behind her. His dark voice sounded a little teasing.
"Yes!" she answered angrily, turning to him.
Jareth grabbed her chin as soon as she had turned and looked coldly into her eyes.

"Then stop acting like a child throwing things." he said annoyed and let go of her. Instead he started pacing around her. "I'm tired of trying to keep you safe when all I get for gratitude is you hate!"

Sarah looked at him in surprise.

"Keep me safe? From what?"

Jareth stopped his pace and just took one step closer to her.

"Everything!" he said, flinging out his arms a little. "It's exhausting me!"

Sarah glared at him in silence while he went and sat down on his throne after throwing away the apple over his shoulder.
He leaned his cheek against his fist with an absentminded look.

"Well if I'm such a bother, you should just send me home." Sarah said in a low voice, looking away.
"Yes, perhaps I should." he mumbled as if he was talking to himself.

Sarah didn't understand why her heart sunk deep within her chest at his words.
There was silence between them. Sarah was looking down on the floor, trying to figure out her own mixed feelings while Jareth was looking into his crystal sphere, elegantly balanced on his fingertips. His face was unreadable.
Sarah turned away from Jareth and began walking towards the stairs.

"Then send me home..." she said quietly and went to her room, deep within her thoughts.