Collide: A Riverbend Novel (13 page)

"You didn't
know."

"So, after this trip, will
your heart belong too my brother?" I hoped not even though he would
be the better choice.

"No. As much as I like him,
I can’t be with him. I thought maybe I could, but I can't. I’m not
what he deserves."

I tried not to smile. "What
are you gonna tell him?"

"The truth." She stood up.
"I should go talk to him."

I stared at her legs and
even sneaked a peek up her dress. Just when I thought she didn't
notice, the porch light showed off her red cheeks.

"You sure that's a good
idea? He's sleeping."

"Yes. I want him as a
friend, but I think he's going to be angry. I want to get it over
with." She looked at me. "Night, Havock."

She started to go in but
stopped and took off my hoodie. It caused the dress to be raised a
little higher.

"Thank you." She tossed it
to me then disappeared inside.

I got up and went to my
room. I stripped down to just pajama pants and put my earbuds in. I
found Imagine Dragons on my phone and started writing words on a
blank page.

The words felt like they
were pouring from my soul. My deepest desires, thoughts,
her
...filled the
page.

~~~

I looked at the time and
couldn't believe an hour had passed. I knew I should get some
sleep. We would be boarding a plane to head back home early, and I
wanted to stay awake for the flight. I loved to fly. Just as I was
about to close my notebook, my door opened.

"I was expecting you." I
smiled. I had won.

Garrett shut the
door.

He didn't yell or come
after me like I thought he would. He sat down on the edge of the
bed.

"If you hurt her I swear on
my life I will kill you."

"I'm sure a lot of people
would add me to their hit list."

He looked at me seriously.
"And I'm still her friend. I get to hang out with her without you
getting all pissed off."

"Now you're pushing
it."

He laughed. "I'm serious,
Havock. I care about her, and I can't lose her as a friend because
my brother is an ass."

"Okay. Now apologize for
touching her thigh."

"You're kidding,
right?"

I shook my head.

"Now
you're
pushing it," he said with a
smile.

I looked around at all of
my clothes scattered. "I need to pack."

"Need some
help?"

I did if I wanted to get to
sleep at a decent time. But I didn't like people helping me. I
know, I had issues. "Nah, I got it. Thanks, though."

He nodded then left the
room.

REESE

I woke up at two and
couldn't go back to sleep so I drew. I had already packed so I
didn't have to do that. I looked down at the picture I'd been
working on for hours and smiled. It was Havock. He was always what
I drew when I let my mind have free reign. I had to really focus
not to draw him.

My mind wandered to the
nightmares I'd had. The shadowed man I had seen clear as day
yesterday had been in them. I groaned. "I'm going crazy if my
nightmares are becoming reality."

I put the art book and art
supplies in my carry on backpack and went into the kitchen. I put
on some coffee for Mrs. Johanna and Mr. Rick. I then sat down with
my cereal. I'd just started to eat when Garrett came in. "Hey," I
said as I gave him a hesitant smile.
Please don't be mad at me.
Please
don't hate me,
I begged in my mind as I
waited for him to say something.

He smiled.
"Hey."

"You want some cereal?" I
asked as I stood up to get him a bowl down. I stopped as I got
dizzy. I closed my eyes and leaned against the counter.

"I did but now I don't.
Let's go check your sugar. You just got really pale." He helped me
to my room and stuck my finger.

"It's a little low. Do you
need to just eat or take a shot?"

I looked at the number.
“Eat," I said as I got up and grabbed some peanut butter crackers
from my carry on bag.

"I hate diabetes,” I
mumbled as I ate a cracker and walked back into kitchen. Garrett
helped me because I was still feeling dizzy. He sat down across
from me with his own bowl of cereal. Mrs. Johanna and Mr. Rick
walked in and immediately flocked to the coffee maker.

“Morning kids,” Johanna
said sleepily.

"Morning." I finished my
cereal then put it in the sink. I looked towards Havock's room
without anyone noticing. I wanted to see him. I was such an
idiot.

Garrett noticed and
laughed. He nudged me and pointed outside where Havock was smoking
a cigarette and talking on his cell phone. I blushed and cleaned my
dish. I grabbed Garrett's and shoved him when he kept laughing. I
cleaned his, dried both, and put them up.

Havock came in and stomped
the snow off his shoes on the rug. He ran his hands through his
hair to get the snow out then looked at me.

I cleared my throat and
blushed some more. "I'm going to go get my bags," I mumbled then
walked into the room. I grabbed my bags then froze. I looked at the
window and saw the shadowed figure. I screamed before I could tell
myself it wasn't real.

I dropped my bags as the
figure moved towards me. I pinned myself to the wall and my body
shook. Fear like I'd never felt before filled me. Everyone ran into
the room, and it vanished.

"What's going on?!" Johanna
yelled as she looked at my panicked expression.

I didn't know what to say.
I pointed then shook my head. "I thought..." I shook my head
again.

Mr. Rick went and looked
out my window. "I don't see anything."

"I'm sorry. I must have
seen things," I said, my voice shook. "I'm losing my mind," I said
under my breath. Tears of embarrassment filled my eyes. I cleared
my throat and blinked them away. "I'm really sorry," I
repeated.

Mrs. Johanna wrapped me in
a hug then told the guys to load the rental car. Havock hesitated
and stared at me before his dad nudged him to go.

She sat on the bed with me
and rubbed my back. "What do you think you saw?"

"A man. It was like he was
just a shadow." I rubbed my face with my hands. "I'm really sorry.
I think I'm just tired."

"Maybe. Do you want me to
schedule an appointment with your therapist?"

I shook my head adamantly.
"I don't want them to take me away," I whispered.

"They won't. You may just
need some medication, sweetie. There's nothing wrong with
that."

"You promise," I asked as I
looked her in the eyes.

"Promise."

I nodded. I grabbed my
carry on then we headed to the rental car. I climbed in and sat in
the middle of the boys.

Havock started laughing.
"The irony of the way we are seated is funny."

"Hilarious," Garrett
mumbled sarcastically.

I cocked an eyebrow at him.
I shook my head then leaned back against the rental car seat. I
closed my eyes. "Who am I sitting by on the plane?" I asked
quietly. "Who ever it is, is going to be a pillow."

"Who do you want it to be?"
Havock asked knowingly.

"Shut up," I whispered as I
leaned my head on his shoulder and dozed off a little. I felt his
hand slip up the back of my shirt. He touched the part where my bra
latches together and started to undo it. I sat up straight, wide
awake. I frowned at him then looked and saw we were at the airport.
He put his hand in his lap and laughed.

After going through
security, we arrived just in time to board the plane. I smirked as
I saw that my seat was next to Havock. Mrs. Johanna thought it
would be a good idea to switch up riding partners. She wanted
Havock and me to bond.
If she only knew. .
.
I yawned and sat down. I put my belt on
and got out my art book. I started sketching while I waited to take
off.

"I love flying," Havock
said while he looked out the window.

"I liked it the first
time." I yawned. "This is only the second time I've been on a
plane."

I sketched Havock as he
looked out the window of the plane. I loved drawing him. It always
made me smile.

There went my heart
speeding up again. At least this time it was a good reason and not
because I had been scared shitless.

He looked over at me. "What
are you smiling about?"

"Nothing," I said as I
closed my art book. No reason to give him a bigger head than he
already had.

"So...are we a secret or do
we get to tell mom and dad?"

"I'm scared to tell them. I
know it's selfish, but I don't want to have to leave."

"Secret it is. This should
be fun."

My shoulders sagged. "I
don't like keeping things from your parents. They've been good to
me."

"Then I guess we shouldn't
be together." He smiled because we both knew that was
impossible.

I opened the art book and
showed him the picture I just sketched. "This is what made me
smile."

"Damn, who's that ugly
guy?" He nudged me and laughed. "It's sweet."

I blushed. "I seem to draw
you when I just draw to zone out. I have to really focus not to.
I've never had this problem before." I sighed.

I yawned again then closed
my book. I laid my head on Havock's shoulder. "Please, don't try
and unhook my bra while we're on the plane and there are people
around," I said as my eyes closed.

"So, is that permission to
do it when we're alone?"

I smiled but remained
silent.

~~~

I got into the car after
spending two hours at my therapist. I handed Mrs. Johanna the
prescription and rubbed my head. "Are we going home?" I asked as I
buckled.

She looked at the
prescriptions and set them on her lap. "After we run them by the
pharmacy."

I nodded. "Oh, my therapist
is going to call you. She wants to make sure you monitor how many
pills I'm taking."

"Okay." Her cell phone rang
and she put it on speaker. "Hey, Garrett."

"Mom!" His voice rang out.
He was out of breath and I could hear a crowd yelling.

Johanna pulled over on the
shoulder. "What's wrong?!"

"Havock is fighting Tyler!
At the gas station Tyler's girlfriend said something about Reese so
Havock said something to her and Tyler flipped." The crowd got
louder, then we heard police sirens.

I groaned and hit my head
with my hand.

"Dammit!" Johanna yelled as
she hit the steering wheel.

I've never heard her curse.
Oh, she must be really mad if she cursed.