Heated

T W E L V E ~ T R U T H

J A C K S O N

~ ~ ~

I hesitantly stepped into the apartment, absolutely mortified of the wrath of Nerida.

Nerida hasn't learned to process rage properly, it's one of the reasons she still goes to therapy every Saturday. Anger just wasn't something she was exposed to a lot and I quickly learned that when she got angry, she got really angry.

To make a long story short, Nerida threw one hell of a tantrum.

So I wasn't that surprised when I walked in and found my clothes scattered all throughout the apartment. I put my hand over my mouth to stop the laugh from coming out, less she hears me and think that I'm not taking her seriously.

I followed the sound of clanging and ended up in the kitchen. I found her there, unpacking all of our groceries and every last bit of tableware we owned.

This was going to be harder than I thought.

"Nerida," I began and didn't even receive a nod of acknowledgment. "What are you doing?"

When she still didn't answer me, I decided to utilize some of the techniques her therapist told me. I was supposed to engage her anger and get her to 'talk' it all out. In most cases, scream it all out. Then, I have to pacify her and let her see reason.

"Nerida, don't you think you owe me an apology for the way you acted at my place of work today?"

Her hand and the plate in it froze mid air as she slowly looked up at me.

In the morning sun, her eyes were green and when she gazed at me in the dark of the night, they were a captivating brown. However, I've never seen her eyes glow like fire before. It actually looked... orange.

I didn't have time to appreciate it, though, because the plate in her hand flew right at me. I ducked as it shattered above my head and rained down on me.

"Apologize? FOR WHAT?" I ducked again as a glass came right after.

She stormed out of the kitchen and I followed right behind her.

"You know what Jackson?" She stopped abruptly and walked right up to me. "You are a very bad man!" She started hitting me everywhere she could and I tried to subdue her but she was relentless.

"You don't appreciate nothing that I do. I make you lunch! I dress cute! I travel there all by myself! AND FOR WHAT?"

She screamed and ran and I tried to go after her but she was as fast as she was tiny. Plus, I may have taken a dive whilst running as I slipped on some of my clothes on the floor.

She ran in the direction of the bedrooms and I wasn't sure which one. Wherever she was, I knew she was probably hiding.

I called out to her but received no reply. I first checked what was supposed to be her bedroom. Ever since that first night when Nerida had a nightmare, she has never slept here.

When Juliette first got New York, she lived with us for a few months and this was her bedroom. So now, all of Nerida's things are in my bedroom, our bedroom.

I looked under the bed and in the closet but no sign of my girl. I was about to move on to looking in our bedroom when I heard a tiny little sniff coming from the closet.

I took a seat by the door and listened to her soft sniffles.

My heart fell.

"Nerida, tell me why you're angry."