Want & Need by CJ Laurence

pressurising discomfort while he drove me home. I stared out the window, my body turned away from him. I was seething with anger, my nails digging into the soft flesh of my palm as I struggled to contain my emotions.
    He pulled up in my driveway, and I threw my seatbelt off and jumped out before he’d even stopped the car. I unlocked my door in record time and slammed it shut before hiding myself in sleep.
    Sunday was a total write off. I woke with a splitting headache, which evolved into a killer of a migraine. I buried myself in my bed, stuffing my phone in my sock drawer. By the time Monday morning came around, I felt no better. The thought of facing a day at work and him only ensured I called in sick. I spoke to Molly, batting off her offers of coming to see me at lunch.
    I fell back asleep after swallowing a mountain of pills. Sometime later, an incessant banging on my front door disturbed my peaceful slumber. I sighed and heaved myself out of bed, cursing Molly for not listening to me when I told her to leave me be.
    I opened the front door and froze when I saw Paul stood there. I scowled at him before shutting the door in his face. Unfortunately, he stuck his foot in the door, pushing his way inside.
    “Are you okay?” he asked.
    I clutched at my head and backed away from him. “Leave me alone, Paul.”
    He closed the door behind him, walking towards me with a hand outstretched to me. “I was worried about you.”
    I gazed into those soulful blue eyes of his, losing myself for a moment. That was all it took for him to touch me and before I knew it, I was succumbing to his gentle touch on my cheek.
    “Get off me.” I pushed his hand away, my head only hurting more as tears threatened to flood me again. “Don’t touch me.”
    He backed away a couple of steps, concern written all over his handsome face. “I thought you were avoiding me.”
    “Please. Don’t flatter yourself that my world revolves around you.”
    I padded into the kitchen, searching out more tablets. A pounding thud resounded through my head and I clasped at it with a painful groan.
    His arms scooped around my waist as my knees buckled. “Are you okay?”
    I fought him off me. “Do I look okay to you?”
    He pursed his lips before he backed away a couple of steps. “Do you need anything?”
    “I thought I made my feelings about where we stood perfectly clear.”
    “I want to help you—”
    “Then disappear.”
    Silence fell between us for a moment. “You didn’t reply to any of my texts.”
    “Well, considering I spent all day yesterday like this, I wasn’t really in the mood for anything, let alone dealing with you.”
    “I’m sorry, Kyra. I never wanted any of this to happen. I just…I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
    “Since when does company policy require a director to come to an employee’s house when she calls in sick anyway?”
    He dropped his eye contact, looking at the floor as he nodded. “Okay. I’ll go.”
    I didn’t even bother to dignify him with a response. I just crawled back to bed. I didn’t move from my bed at all for the rest of the day. Calling in sick again on Tuesday, I prayed to God he wouldn’t make an appearance today as well. My prayers were answered—in part. Bombarding me with texts instead was as much of a headache as having him appear randomly on my doorstep.
    Ash called me late in the afternoon. When I told him what had gone on, he nearly exploded with excitement in his car.
    “I’m coming round. I’ll bring food.”
    I sighed as he burst through my front door a couple of hours later. The delicious smell of fish and chips came in with him, easing my low mood to a degree. I was famished considering I’d not eaten for two days.
    He grinned, lifting up the bag. “Hungry?”
    “I could eat a scabby cat.” I frowned when he served our food on the dining table. “What are you doing back anyway?”
    “We decided to live up here in my house.” He took a bite of his fish. “Anyway,