Page 10 of Werewolf Heart

Robert takes back his hand.

“Let’s make a promise, yeah?” He reaches for his pint, he gestures to hers. “To always being honest.”

She chuckles and grabs her beer as well. “To honesty.”

They click their drinks and have a subtle contest of who sips the longest. Sara wins. Robert is relieved he’s managed not to fuck this up.

However, Sara soon loses her carefree mood. She turns quiet. Her eyes flicker back and forth, the dread resurfacing. She grips the glass so tight he’s concerned she’ll smash it in her hand.

“What’s wrong?” He asks.

She shakes her head, closes her eyes. “He’s here.”

He almost breaks his glass. “You mean Tom?”

“Yeah,” she whispers. “Behind you, three tables down. His back is turned.”

“Okay.” Robert doesn’t look back. He doesn’t need to. “Let’s go.”

She frowns. “What? No.”

“Sara, you’re scared.”

Her face hardens. “He doesn’t get to ruin everything about my life.”

Robert sighs into his hands, takes a deep breath.

“At least let’s go inside,” he suggests. “It will probably rain soon anyway.”

She doesn’t move for a very long time. Then, she nods. Gets up.

“Alright.”

Sara holds her breath as they walk past, her hand reaching for Robert’s. He takes it. She holds onto him even after they cross the threshold. The young man leads her to a small corner of the pub where they have eyes in every direction. She breathes a sigh of relief. Robert wants to hold her close, tuck her head under his chin, comfort her. Above all, he wishes he could take all the dread and disgust and everything awful that bastard made her feel and carry it himself. He wishes he could be more useful.

“I’m okay,” she whispers. “God, I feel like a child.”

“Now, why would you say that?”

“Because he’s just there, sitting with his friends. Just living his life. He’s not doing anything and I’m trembling like a leaf.”

Robert wishes he could obliterate Tom out of existence.

“He’s also your ex who abused you,” he lets out, anger rising with each snapped word. “It’s fucking normal that you’d feel uncomfortable around that prick.”

“I guess you’re right.” Sara sighs, and finally lets go of his hand. “Thank you for being so understanding.”

“You’re welcome.”

“You know, if this whole programmer thing doesn’t work out, you could definitely become a counsellor of some sort.”

His cheeks blush at the comment. For some reason, he can’t help but feel shy.

“You really think so?”

“Fuck yeah.”

He chuckles. “I’ll think about it.”

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