Her Destiny (22 page)

November 15th

I
sit on my knees on the couch that backs up against the front window and stare out at the parking lot, my gaze fixed on Nick’s truck sitting nearby. I left my travel bag out there, the one I brought just in case something happened and I couldn’t get back home. There’s a change of clothes inside of it, my toiletries, a small makeup bag.

The rain has tapered down to a light but steady drizzle and the sky is still dark despite it being past eight in the morning. I woke up almost an hour ago, unable to fall back to sleep, hating the uneasiness that slipped over me after Krista’s dad stopped by and spoke to Nick. I keep telling myself everything will be fine. Everything will work out the minute we get out of here.

But I’m not so sure. I have to go back home alone, on the bus. Nick has to take care of a few personal things first before he can even attempt to leave. He has to give notice on his apartment, quit his job, pack up his things. What if after I’m gone, he changes his mind? It could happen. Our idea is crazy. I know people will tell us we’re too young to fall in love. Time will change everything and we’ll eventually grow apart, blah, blah, blah.

Those were pretty much Evan’s words to me and I get what he’s saying, I really do. He’s probably right. We
are
too young to get so serious so fast. But I’m not ready to give up on us now. I can’t. Being away from Nick, even for a little bit…

Makes me nervous.

What else is making me nervous is running out to that parking lot and grabbing my bag. I cracked open the blinds only a few minutes ago, contemplating whether I should attempt going outside or not. Nick’s keys rest on the kitchen counter. It would be easy enough to grab them, go out to his truck and unlock his door so I can grab my stuff. He’s still asleep, I can hear him breathing deeply all the way in the living room and I don’t want to disturb him.

It was so hard leaving the bed too. He’s so warm and cozy and with us locked away in his bedroom, no one disturbing us, it feels like we’re in our own little world. He wouldn’t wake up and I didn’t want to disturb him since he seemed so tired, falling into such a deep sleep he hardly moved.

Eventually, I got too antsy laying there, my mind filled with possibilities, many of them unpleasant. I finally crawled out of bed, unable to take it any longer. And now I’m dying to take a shower. I need to get ready so we can leave for the bus station. Evan has already texted me twice, asking what’s going on, and I gave him noncommittal answers both times because really, I have no idea what’s happening.

All I know is that I have to leave Nick. And I don’t want to.

A woman appears in the parking lot, accompanied by two little girls who look a lot like her. She’s holding their hands as she leads them to her car that’s parked pretty close to Nick’s. Her daughters are wearing bright pink puffy jackets, the color vivid against the otherwise gray morning, and seeing them out there, acting so normal, like it’s any other day, spurs me on.

Leaping up, I grab Nick’s keys and go to the door, unlocking it with a quick twist of my wrist. I’m already dressed and ready to go since I’m wearing yesterday’s clothes and shoes. When I emerge outside, I drag in a sharp breath, startled by the crisp cold in the air. I scurry over to Nick’s truck, looking around me, aware of my surroundings at all times just like my brother taught me.

I climb into the truck and reach behind the passenger seat, snagging the handle of my small bag. Breathing deep, I stay like that for a minute, my knees on the seat, my head bent as I inhale Nick’s scent that still lingers. The woman with her cute girls drives by at the precise moment I finally back out of the truck and shut the door, offering me a friendly wave and I return it, seeing her making my pumping heart ease.

I’m safe. There’s nothing to worry about.

Eager to get back to Nick so I can snuggle with him in bed for a few stolen minutes before I drag my butt into the bathroom and take a shower, I start toward his door, my steps faltering when a guy about my age appears out of nowhere, right in my path.

“Hey,” he greets, his voice easy. Friendly. His entire demeanor is nonthreatening what with that pleasant smile on his face, the hood of his black North Face black fleece jacket pulled over his head, his hands in his jeans’ pockets. He acts like he knows me and I wonder for a moment if we’ve ever encountered each other before.

“Hi.” I come to a stop, my bag slung over my shoulder.

“You lost?”

I shake my head, frowning. “No. Do I look lost?”

“Oh. Sorry.” He laughs. “I’ve just never seen you before. And I know everyone that lives here.”

“Do you live here?”

“Well, yeah.” He laughs again and shakes his head, as if my question was super lame. “Crazy storm yesterday, huh? You doing all right?”

Why would he ask if I’m doing all right? “I’m fine. And that storm was definitely crazy,” I agree, starting to step around him as I lift my arm in a little wave. “See you around.”

Before I can make my way toward Nick’s front door the guy reaches out, his fingers curling around my upper arm and stopping me from leaving. I turn to look at him, slowly disengaging my arm from his gentle grip, wondering what the heck he wants.

“Are you visiting someone?” he asks, his voice low and dark.

Okay. This guy is being sort of creepy. “How is that any of your business? What are you, the plain clothes security guy who prowls the lot?” I’m sort of joking, sort of not. I don’t like how this guy is acting.

His smile and nonthreatening stance evaporate in an instant. He’s scowling, his hands going to his hips. “When there are strangers loitering around the complex, I make it my business.”

“I’m not loitering.” I lift my chin, tilting my head toward the building where Nick’s apartment is. “You’re right. I’m visiting someone.”

“Who?”

I start to walk again, uncomfortable with this guy’s constant questions. “See you later.”

“Hey.” He barks the word out, coming after me to grab hold of my arm and yank me around, his grip tight, his fingers biting into my skin even through the thick fabric of my sweatshirt. “You can’t just walk away from me like that.”

“Let go of me.” I struggle against his hold, panic rising within me. If I screamed loud enough, would Nick hear? Would anyone hear? Is this how Krista felt when she encountered the person who eventually killed her? I’m being completely irrational but this guy is scaring me. “What’s your problem?”

“
You’re
my problem.” He pulls me close into him, thrusting his face in mine. His dark, angry eyes stare straight into me and I shrink within his grasp, frightened by what I see—which is absolutely nothing. His eyes are flat. Dead. “You and your stupid boyfriend.”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Who is this guy? What does he want from me? I shouldn’t have come out here, lulled by the supposed safety I saw in the normalcy of the woman walking with her children. I should’ve woken Nick up and asked him to come with me. How could I have been so stupid? He would’ve come with me. He probably would’ve run out here and grabbed the bag and made me wait inside. He’d do anything for me.

But can he save me now?

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” He pauses, the gleam in his eyes growing, the light against the dark vivid. Scary. “Reverie.”

I
wake up to my bed empty, the space Reverie occupied next to me long gone cold. Sitting up, I run my hands through my hair and look around, my vision blurry, my head fuzzy. Didn’t get much sleep last night.

Not that I mind. I was occupied with…other things.

Namely Reverie.

Heaving a deep breath, I reach over to my bedside table and grab my cell, checking my text messages. I don’t have many, which is normal. There are two from Evan, who I gave my number to before I left with Reverie. He’s asking both times when are we leaving for the bus station and I send him a quick reply, saying we should be there within the hour.

I’ll take a quick shower, we’ll grab breakfast on the way, and I’ll put Reverie on that damn bus myself if I can. I don’t want her to leave but she has to get back to school and work. And I need to put together a quick plan to get myself out of here.

Feeling good, I climb out of bed and go into the bathroom to take care of business. None of the towels are damp and I figure Reverie wants to take a shower before we leave so it’s on my mind to tell her exactly that when I emerge into the living room.

But she’s not there.

She’s not in the kitchen either. There are not many other places she can be in my apartment but I look around anyway, as if she’s hiding from me in some dark corner, ready to yell out ‘surprise!’ when I discover her.

Panic rises within me as I hear nothing but eerie silence. She’s not in my apartment. I throw open the front door and barge right outside in just my sweats and nothing else, my feet still bare, my chest exposed to the cold air and rain. My truck is still there, right where I left it and the parking lot is mostly quiet.

A bag sits in the middle of the walkway, close to my front door. It’s black with a floral print. I remember Reverie bringing something very similar with her when we left her place, a change of clothes she wanted to have just in case something happened and she had to stay with me.

We got our wish. But where is she now?

I approach the bag and pick it up, zipping it open so I can look at the contents inside. The clothes look like something she would wear. I’m fairly certain it’s her fucking bag.

What the hell does this mean? Where did she go?

Glancing around I see nothing unusual, no one around. I immediately call Evan, waiting impatiently for him to answer.

“Have you heard from Reverie?” I ask the moment I hear his voice.

He doesn’t sound that thrilled to hear from me. “She texted me about twenty minutes ago and said you two were on your way to the bus station. Why? Have you left yet?”

“No.” I start jogging back to my apartment, her bag still clutched in my other hand. “I just woke up.”’

“Well, where the hell is she? You two need to get going, it’s nearly ten.”

“I…” I close my eyes, unsure how to say this. He’s going to fucking kill me. “I don’t know where she is.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Evan’s voice blasts at me through the phone so loud I have to hold it away from my ear. “How could you lose my sister you asshole? Where is she?”

“Fuck, I don’t know okay? I’m gonna go look for her right now. I’m sure it’s nothing. I’ll call you right back.”

“It better be nothing dickwad. You better find my sister.” Evan’s on a roll when I hang up on him, cursing me out but I can’t blame him.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. I don’t know where she is. I don’t know where she could’ve gone. I text her, sending her a quick
where are you
but she doesn’t reply and I’m starting to panic.

Fine. I’m in full-on panic mode because I don’t know where the hell she’s at. I gotta find her. If something happened to her, I could never forgive myself.

She doesn’t reply to my texts and I head for Hal Benson’s apartment, rapping on his door with such force the wood rattles on its hinges with my knock. He might’ve seen something. Hell, I doubt it but I need to ask.

“What the fuck you knocking like that for, son?” Hal asks the moment he swings open the door. “You ‘bout scared me to death.”