Ecstasy

Chapter 7
Dawson awoke to the sound of kookaburra’s cackling outside his window. He groaned and turned over after having a little too much to drink with Alan and Craig after Anthony had stormed off to bed. Strangely he seemed just as tired as when he’d actually gone to bed. He stretched and yawned as he hauled himself out of bed and onto the cold floor. On passing the mirror on the dresser he checked out his appearance, he was looking just fine for saying he’d spent last night drinking and felt like shit. Dawson sighed as he remembered the way Anthony had taken off last night, after informing their housemates that they were a couple.

“Better go try and talk to him.” Dawson mumbled to himself as he grabbed his toiletries and clean clothes off the back of his chair, before knocking lightly on the adjoining door to Anthony’s room. There was no reply so Dawson quietly edged open the door, looking into the room before walking in. The room was empty, and the bed unmade, no doubt Anthony was in the shower from the sound of water running next door in the bathroom. Dawson sighed and sat down on Anthony’s bed, putting his stuff on the window seat while he waited for Anthony to finish in the shower so he could have his turn. It was cold in Anthony’s room for some reason and Dawson shivered as a draft wafted by his face. No wonder Anthony had several blankets of his bed, he must have been freezing last night. Dawson sat up again as the door to Anthony’s bedroom opened and Anthony stepped in a towel wrapped around his waist and his hair-dripping wet. Dawson couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at Anthony’s appearance, he’d certainly got a good deal when he’d met Anthony. Anthony rolled his eyes and walked into the room closing the door behind him.

“What do you want?” Anthony growled as he pulled a clean pair of boxers out from one of the draws at his bedside table.

“Just wanted to see if you were still pissed at me?” Dawson smiled at Anthony as he continued to collect his clean clothes from around the room.

“Well I am so piss off.” Anthony huffed again as he pulled his aftershave bottle out and splashed a little on, while inspecting his face in the mirror. Dawson sighed and got up from the bed, walking over to Anthony before wrapping his hands around his waist and resting his chin on his shoulder.

“Come on Anty, they’re not going to go around announcing it to everyone. You’ve got to learn to trust people more.” Dawson whispered lightly as he smiled at Anthony’s reflection in the mirror. Anthony sighed heavily as Dawson nuzzled into his neck, softly kissing it and inhaling the smell of his aftershave.

“I just don’t want people to hurt me again, that’s all.” Anthony whispered back as he closed his eyes, relaxing into Dawson’s arms as they wrapped tightly around him.

“I’m not going to let anyone hurt you Anthony, you know that.” Anthony nodded lightly in reply as Dawson turned him around in his arms before kissing him passionately. The pair reluctantly broke away as Anthony’s alarm clock went off again announcing to the world it was now 8:00am.

“Breakfast!” Anthony smiled and shook his head as Josh was heard down stairs, calling everyone to breakfast.

“You go down and I’ll follow after I’ve got a shower.” Anthony nodded and sighed as Dawson grabbed his stuff and disappeared out his door to have a shower.
Once Anthony had gotten him self dried and dressed, he hesitantly made his way down the stairs, steadying his step by holding the handrail. He had no lectures this morning only an art lecture this afternoon, so this would give him ample time to take a look around on his own. He could smell bacon and toast being cooked or burnt as he came to the bottom of the stairs, his mind to pre occupied to notice his hand slicing over the knife blade sticking out of the banister.

“Jesus Christ.” He swore loudly as felt the knife, slice quickly through his hand. For saying it didn’t feel like a large cut it was absolutely pissing out blood as he held it tightly in his other hand.

“You alright?” Craig’s face appeared from in the lounge room, after hearing Anthony’s cry. Craig shook his head sighed, as he noticed the blood dripping down Anthony’s arm and onto the polished floors below. “Get yourself in here.” Anthony nodded and followed, Craig into the kitchen, where a few of the others where sitting around having breakfast.

“You made a right good job of that.” Alan smiled and laughed before handing Anthony a tea towel to wrap his hand in an effort to stop the bleeding.

“Forgot it was there.” Anthony breathed as Jason, moved to let him sit down at the table.

“Hey, don’t worry I got more bloody cuts from that thing in the first week of my being here, than I ever had as a kid.” Jake held up his own scared hands, of where he’d obviously had run ins with the knife as well. Everyone fell silent as Alex, walked quietly into the room, gingerly looking at everyone. “Morning oh sweet one of death.” Jake smiled sickly at Alex, who gave him a deathly stare and the finger before floating into the room. Anthony couldn’t help but smile at her appearance, she wasn’t wearing all black today but she still looked like the typical gothic. Little black T-shirt, with 666 written across the front, a short blue tartan skirt, black fishnet stockings, and a pair of bright blue knee high docs with her hair tied neatly up in a low bun.

“You know where the first aid kit is Alex?” Craig looked up from the bottom cupboard, after searching for the first aid box. “Anthony’s gone and played with knifes.” Anthony swallowed hard and blushed as she glanced down at his hand that was now throbbing like all hell in his lap. She pointed to the far cupboard silently before getting herself a bowl of cereal and sitting down next to Anthony at the table. Craig smiled as he pulled out the box and put it down on the kitchen table, searching for some antiseptic and a bandage for Anthony’s cut. Anthony was beginning to feel a little light headed as he stared down at his hand, which seemed to be bleeding even more now. He had never been one to enjoy the sight of blood, especially his own.

“Right, give us a look then?” Alan smiled as he knelt in front of Anthony, as Anthony carefully unwrapped the tea towel, that was now soaked in his blood. Alan shuddered and turned a whitish colour as Anthony’s hand began to bleed again. “Ok someone else can fix it this time, I’m not feeling the best.” Alan got quickly to his feet and made a dash out of the kitchen. Anthony rolled his eyes, this was becoming a lot more painful and serious.

“Ewwww, not while I’m eating.” Jason cringed before grabbing his plate of bacon and disappearing into the lounge room.

“It’s okay I’m only bleeding to death.” Anthony mumbled as Josh and Jake both followed Jason out into the lounge room, also disgusted by Anthony’s hand.

“Well I can’t do anything, I don’t know what to do.” Craig shrugged his shoulders and looked gingerly down at Alex who was reading the paper and eating her cereal totally unaffected by the sight of Anthony’s bloodied hand. “Alex?” Craig urged as he witnessed Anthony become a pale shade with shock at the sight of his own hand. She looked up and smiled, before looking down at Anthony’s lap, where his hand lay in a pool of blood. She sighed and rolled her eyes before pushing her bowl to one side and turning Anthony’s chair around to face her.

“Pass us a bowl of warm water.” She whispered to Craig who nodded and did as she said. Anthony cringed as she held his hand softly in hers, grabbing a few more tea towels to put on her lap.

“Fucking hell.” Anthony swore under his breath and gritted his teeth as she inspected his cut, pulling it apart a little to evaluate the damage. It absolutely cained as she moved his fingers to make sure he still had movement in them.

“You’ll live.” She whispered again, smiling warmly up at Anthony’s face. He could help but smile back as she began to softly sponge warm water onto his hand, washing all the blood off in an attempt to clean the wound. Anthony was beginning to wonder if she spoke any louder than her present voice, she was the first woman he’d met that hadn’t tried to talk to him constantly. “Sorry.” She whispered concerned suddenly as Anthony winced under her touch as she dabbed on some antiseptic.

“It’s alright.” Anthony smiled back at her as Craig passed her the bandage and she began to bandage his hand tightly, to stop the blood flowing through the padding.

When she’d finished, there was hardly a drop of blood anywhere, her careful strokes wiping away any stray dribbles.
“Thank-you.” Anthony thanked her quietly as she stood up and tipped the water away, passing Craig the blood soaked tea towels and a bottle of disinfectant.

“It’s alright couldn’t have let you bleed to death.” She joked lightly, before smiling back at Craig. “I suggest disinfecting the knife blade, incase someone else decides to do the same trick. Then wipe the floor and put the clothes in the fire.” Craig nodded before bouncing off leaving, Alex and Anthony alone in kitchen. Anthony was amazed at the way she just went back to doing exactly what she was doing before without even a second thought about what she’d just done. There was an uneasy silence as she continued to read the paper and finish her cereal.

“You’re studying Art aren’t you, I saw your painting in the gallery yesterday.” Anthony spoke gingerly, unsure of whether he should be talking to her like this. After all Craig had warned him not to speak to her unless she spoke to you first, and Anthony still wasn’t sure if she liked him yet.

“I do.” She replied coldly as she continued to read the paper not even giving him eye contact. Anthony swallowed hard as she got up and looked down at him, raising an eyebrow at him before taking her bowl to the sink for washing. There was another hesitant silence, as Anthony decided not to say anymore and follow Craig’s advice about Alex. He was surprised then when, she turned around and looked directly at him. “You’ll be in my Art lecture this afternoon if what Craig tells me is true.” Anthony nodded, lightly still a little stunned at her conversation with him. “There’s some bacon left for you’re friend if Jason the greedy bastard hasn’t eaten it all. I might see you this afternoon then.” With that she walked quietly out of the kitchen leaving Anthony contemplating whether she liked him or not. If she lik like him she really wasn’t making it obvious and if she hated him she wasn’t showing any ill feelings towards him to make it clear. Maybe she was just making up her own mind at the moment, like he was about her. He sighed heavily, before grabbing a piece of bacon from out of the oven and a glass of orange juice from the table before making his way out to join the others in the lounge. He’d have a rather large day ahead of him, if he wanted to do some looking around and getting to know people.

TBC.............