Instant Enemies. - Emily Zimmerman. (graded readers TXT) 📗

her thoughts, then it can’t happen.” He said.
4: Forgiving you can't be that hard...can it?

We walked behind the house, strolling through the woods as I worked up the courage to tell Damian why I couldn’t accept him yet. “Please tell me, I won’t be angry.” He pleaded again for the fifth time.
I sighed. “I know, it’s just hard to talk about.” I took a deep breath and let it out, noting how shaky it was. “When I was fifteen, I got into my first real relationship. His name was Laurence, and I thought he was sweet. Turns out he was a violent drunk, just like his father. He came to my house late one night when my brother was out at the beach camping with some friends, and my parents were out of state on business.” I stared out at the forest, my breath shallow and my voice thick. “H-he asked me to go with him to a party, and when I said I couldn’t…he slapped me. I knew he was drunk, I could smell it. I didn’t expect him to be abusive, though. He told me that I was going to go to the party with him, and I wasn’t going to object. I slammed the door in his face and called my brother.” I whispered.
Damian was silent, staring out at the forest for a full minute before looking at me. “He hurt you?” he asked, as if he couldn’t comprehend the subject.
I nodded, quickly wiping away tears that fell down my cheek. “But he’s not the only one. My second relationship was last year, around Christmas. I’d finally started to trust relationships again. His name was Carter, and he charmed his way into my life. He turned out to have anger problems. I was telling him that Trevor and I had made plans to go to the movies, and that I couldn’t go on a date with him, and he got angry, telling me that Trevor was too involved with me, and that he thought that I was cheating on him. When I tried to deny it, he slapped me. Over and over. It was Christmas Eve, and I came home with two big bruises on each cheek.” I looked away, ashamed. “I felt like I was being punished for something, like it was the Wolven Goddess punishing me for being foolish.” I whispered.
He was silent, but I could feel his anger. He suddenly let go of my hand, turned, and strode back toward the house. “Damian?” I asked, confusion and hurt coloring my tone.
He didn’t answer. “Wait…Damian!” I called, chasing after him.
He didn’t listen to me, nor did he pause. He opened the back door to the garage and walked in. “Damian, please don’t leave!” I begged.
He didn’t seem to even hear me; he jumped on his bike, started it, and sped out of the garage. I ran to my car and jumped in, starting it and speeding off in the direction of my house. I sniffed repeatedly and wiped tears from my eyes.

When I got home, I sat in my car for over an hour, with my head in my hands, crying. A knock on my window made me jump. I looked up to find Riley; I sighed and unlocked the doors. He walked around to the passenger side and opened the door. He sat, silently waiting for me to speak. “He hates me.” I whispered.
Riley took my hand and enveloped it in his, rubbing it so it warmed up. “Who hates you, Cat?”
“Damian. I told him about…Christmas Eve. He didn’t even look at me, he just walked away.” I said, tears running down my cheeks.
Riley stiffened and growled low in his chest. “Damn bastard. Can’t even support his own mate.” He muttered.
I sniffed and wiped my eyes. “Can you just…go back into the house? I’m going to drive around for a while.” I said softly.
Riley nodded, pat my hand, and got out of the car. I put the car in drive and backed out of the driveway, headed toward the only place I could think of that I could be alone at this time of day, the beach. I sighed softly as I parked; the beach was always so peaceful. I always had an extra bathing suit in the car because I never knew when the impulse to hit the beach would hit.
I grabbed my extra towel, not needing the sunscreen because the sun was setting over the horizon. I walked into the public changing area and quickly changed into my bathing suit.
After changing, I walked along the shore, staring out at the sunset. I laid out my towel and sat just out of reach of the tide, listening to the waves breaking upon the sand. Despite my wolf and I’s peaceful feelings, our minds would stray back to Damian. We both were trying very hard to forget today’s events, but it wasn’t working.
My phone rang out from my beach bag and I dug through it, finding it at the bottom. I looked at the number and sighed. I pressed the call button, staring at my hands as I pressed the phone to my ear. “Yeah.”
“Where are you?” Riley asked in a strangely suspicious tone.
I sighed again. “I’d like to just be alone for a while, alright?”
“Where are you?” he asked again.
“Where do you think I am? I’m at the only place I ever go!” I said.
“I see. Well I’ll tell him that.” Riley said.
“Wait, tell who what?” but he’d already disconnected.
I had a feeling I knew exactly who he was talking about. I cursed under my breath and threw my phone back in my bag. I crossed my arms and glared out at the ocean, I did not want to see him right now. I got up and decided to walk down the beach, leaving my phone in my bag, and my bag by my towel. I tromped down the beach, and willed myself to calm down.
After walking off all of my anger, I found myself at Lorry and I’s favorite place, the tide pool. I sat on the edge of a rock and watched in amazement as all the little creatures had gathered, there were starfish, and coral, and other creatures that I couldn’t identify. This was Lorry and I’s favorite place ever since we discovered it six years ago.
The wind blew from my left, and I caught the faint scent of cologne mixed with the musty smell of forest. I looked over and saw Damian watching me from about twenty feet away. I sighed, there goes my peaceful feeling.
“What do you want, Damian?” I asked, my voice inflectionless.
He was silent on the sand, but I could feel him getting nearer. “I assume you’re angry at me.” He murmured.
“You assumed right.” I said, crossing my arms in a defensive pose.
Damian knew this was no ordinary defensive pose for a wolf, if I had been in my wolf form right now, I’d have hackles raised, and teeth bared. He paused a few feet from me and cautioned me with his eyes. “Now Cat, let me explain.” He said in a cautious voice.
I jumped up and threw up my arms. “There is no need to explain! I can take a hint, Damian. You think I’m weak, and stupid.” I said, and walked passed him.
He grabbed my arm in a tight grip and whirled me around, staring at me with incredulous eyes. “You think I hate you?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Why else would you just walk away from me?”
“I walked away from you because I didn’t want you to see that…side of me! I was angry-“
“Yeah, at me, I know!” I snapped, ripping my arm from his grasp and stomping off.
I heard his growl and he was suddenly in front of me. I grabbed me in his arms, pulled me up to his chest, and kissed me. This was not his regular, soft or teasing kiss. This was a fierce, hot, shut-up-and-listen kiss.
He pulled back and stared deeply into my eyes, keeping his grip on me. “I was angry at the men that hurt you. I contemplated ripping their hearts from their chests, but I knew you’d be angry at me if I hurt them. I’m so sorry I gave you that impression, I never meant to hurt you.” He said, his voice velvet soft.
I was a few inches off the ground, and he held me up effortlessly. I don’t even think he realized he still held me up. “Ah, Damian?” I asked.
“Hmm?” he asked, as if I pulled him from an ocean of thoughts in his head.
“Could you put me down?” I asked.
He grinned and shook his head. Leaning down, he pressed his lips to my ear. “I’ve got you right where I want you.” He whispered, making a shiver roll down my spine.

5: He did it again.

I got out of my car, slamming the door and stomping passed a confused looking Trevor and Melody. Trevor had gone through the ritual, and is now a wolf.
“Cat, what is going on?” Trevor asked.
“I’m going to kill him! I’m going to murder that lying son of a bitch!” I yelled.
I stomped down the halls of the school, looking for Derik. I followed his scent to the cafeteria, slamming the door open. He sat with his friends in the empty cafeteria; he looked up as the door slammed against the wall.
“Hello, Brother.” I said, smiling sarcastically.
Derik stood and backed away from me. “I didn’t mean to tell him! It just slipped out!”
“It just slipped out that I was raped in elementary?” I yelled.
I heard the whole room gasp but ignored them. “I’m sorry! I-I didn’t know what I was saying!” He said.
I felt tears brim my eyes. “He won’t even speak to me now! You son of a bitch, he hates me.” I let him go and ran out before the tears could escape. I pushed through people who probably heard me and ran into the bathroom, leaning against the wall and running a hand through my hair.
Yes, I was raped in elementary school. My teacher, Mr. Garnish, he caught me in a janitors closet after everyone was gone; I was going