The Kitten Has Claws

The Kitten Has Claws [Chapter 23]

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Chapter Twenty-Three

Violet needed to find Finn. She needed to explain to him what exactly was going on. She didn't like seeing the pain on his face, or hearing the hurt in his voice. She knew that he would try and push her away by being an ass, but she would have none of it. He would listen to her; to everything she had to say, then he could judge her. She only hoped that he would understand.

When she ended up back where she had started she cursed the largeness of the house. Why did they need such a big place anyways? Violet started out again, trying to remember which way she went before so that she could avoid it.

"Violet?" she heard a husky voice call out from behind her. She tensed and turned around slowly, coming face to face with Sage. He smiled warmly at her, but she noticed the sorrow in his eyes. "Can we talk?"

Violet nodded and crossed her arms defensively. She wasn't so sure she wanted to hear what he had to say, but in respect she would stay and listen. "What's up, Sage?"

He took another step closer to her and wrung his hands nervously. She found herself noticing the way his hair changed shades of blue in the light and how his eyes seemed to draw her in. Goosebumps lined her arms as memories from the past assaulted her senses. She found herself wondering if his hair was as soft as she remembered or if his arms still felt the same when wrapped around her.

Violet was brought back to the present when Sage started talking. She scolded herself for getting distracted and listening with an aching heart to what he was saying. "I know you aren't ready to marry me, Vi, but I want you to know that I will wait for you, as long as you need. We can make this work, I know we can."

"Oh Sage," she murmured, "I'm so sorry."

"I am too," he said painfully, "I saw the way you looked at Finn, but you and I both know there's no way out of this. Vi, I love you as a friend and I know I can love you as a wife, but I need your love too. Can we please work on this together?" Sage waited tensely for her answer, knowing it was taking a lot out of her just to consider it. At one point in time they had been friends, comfortable with each other. He was willing to do just about anything to get to that point again.

"I promise to try to make this work out the best we can," she whispered after a moment.

Sage walked towards her and pulled her into his embrace, offering comfort and friendship, "That's all I'm asking. Thank you, Vi. We'll get through this." He kissed her lightly on the head before walking away, leaving Violet to her own thoughts.

She didn't want to go through with this, but for her sake and Sage's she would make the best of the situation. In her own selfishness she hadn't stopped to think that maybe this was hurting Sage more than she thought. What if he had someone back at home that he was interested in? Someone he thought he had a chance with because Violet had been outcast. Now he had no choice in the matter again. She cocked her head, deep in thought. What if Sage had feelings for her? It was a far-fetched idea, but by clinging onto her rebellion and onto Finn, she was hurting him.

Shaking her head in anger, Violet walked robotically down the hallway, knowing it was going to be even harder to explain things to Finn. He would be jealous and spiteful and probably unwilling to listen to any reason. But she had to do it. He deserved to know everything. Everything.

She found Finn in the gym, taking out his anger on a punching bag. He stiffened when she entered the room, but he made no effort to acknowledge her. "Finn, can we talk?" she asked.