Page 50 of Possession

Hurt her like she hurt you.

My smile dimmed as I opened the door to the shop. I’d forgotten to take my meds this morning, and this was the first internal stimulus I’d had in twenty-four hours. When I was with Paige, I didn’t need them as much. I didn’t like how they dulled my senses. When I was with her, everything felt magnified and it felt too fucking good. So good I’d completely spaced taking my pills today.

Kieran was at the curb and as I got into the truck he asked, “Why do you look like someone just punched a kitten?”

“Nothing, just drive.”

He didn’t respond to my irritated demand, instead he turned off onto the road.

Me:I’m sorry that you worried.

She responded immediately.

Paige:I’m being a girl, it’s okay.

I smiled at my screen as I typed.

Me:Are you avoiding my question? Now I’m starting to worry.

I pictured her in my head. Standing behind the counter at the gallery. Her phone in her hand, her head tipped down, and her mouth spread into a coy smile. I hoped her hair was up so I could see the fine strands that had fallen loose dust the slope of her neck. That was my favorite thing. Every time I was near her, all I wanted to do was lean in and inhale.

Paige:What question?

I laughed again and I noticed Kieran glance at me from the corner of my eye.

Me:Are you at the Gallery? I’m on my way there.

Paige:I am.

I hadn’t realized how anxious I was until she confirmed that she was there. The knots in my shoulders untied. Kieran hit a pothole and I raised my gaze. He was pulling into the back lot of The Gallery.

Me:Parking now.

Paige:I’m the blonde in the overalls.

I grinned. Paige was emerging again in the fun, light planes of color that had always seemed to brighten my shadows, meds or no meds.

“You want me to wait out back or come in?” Kieran asked as he cut the engine.

I pointed to the emergency exit. “Wait there, I shouldn’t be too long. I’ll have Paige turn off the alarm. It will be easier than trying to maneuver it through the store.”

“You don’t want help packing it?” He lifted his right eyebrow.

I wanted as much time with Paige, just me and her, as possible. I didn’t want my brother to make her uncomfortable.“Nah. I got it.”

He shook his head. “Alright, just text me if you change your mind, I’ll head in.”

I nodded as I turned to head around the front. The sun was already setting and, as I walked toward the front door of The Gallery, the street lamps lit, illuminating my path to her. The chill in the air didn’t faze me as I stopped in front of the window to the shop. She was laughing with Chandler behind the counter. Her hair was up, like I had hoped, and she was wearing a short sleeve, white t-shirt under her worn overalls. She was warm with flushed cheeks and rose-colored lips. I caught my own reflection in the glass of the window. The dark circles under my eyes were gone and my irises swirled with specks of green and white. She was changing me.

She caught me staring and her smile turned timid as she bit the side of her lip. I ran my hand through my hair as I opened the front door. The bell jingled somewhere in the background of my mind as I made my way through. The overalls she had on were spotted with paint, and I wanted to know what she’d been working on. I wanted to know what she was thinking as she watched me approach her. Her chest rising and falling a little bit faster with every step. I wondered if she noticed how Chandler looked at her. He saw what I did. He saw the spectacular work of art standing behind the counter and he wanted her, but she was oblivious because all she wanted… was me.

“Hey, Declan, I didn’t hear you come in.” I kept my eyes on Paige as Chandler continued, his voice a little less confident than before. “I was just going to call you today, I need you to move your piece, I’ve got another renter.”

“Hi.” Paige’s voice made my lips turn up into a smile.

I braced the counter with my hands and nodded at Chandler. “Paige and I are boxing it up today.”

“Paige?”

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