The Second Sign (8 page)

“Come on,” he said, snapping her out of her
reverie.

She took a step inside and let out a deep
breath.

“What is it with this place?” he asked, agitated by
her reaction and silence. She was giving him the heebie
jeebies.

“Nothing, I just don’t want to be here...alone.”

“Do you want me to stay here while you dress?” He
cocked a brow, forcing a smile on her lips.

After she gave him her own version of a
Yeah,
right look
, he cocked his thumb at the door. “I’ll, um, just
wait outside.”

An icy feeling crept up his spine as he stepped
outside the room. Either she was freaking him out, or he did feel
something odd about this place.

He stood watch out in the corridor with his own bag
at his feet. Gabby had mentioned they were early for the summer
crowd, but Jake wasn’t sure how much more crowded the town could
get. Parties for him consisted of bonfires out near the beach, or
off a cliff, usually just him and three other of his crazies with
their respective others. The crowd here seemed...older, aged,
though they probably weren’t much older than him.

“Oh whatever,” Alexi’s voice echoed out of the last
room on the right. The door was open a sliver, and he heard Pat
with her. His first instinct was to ignore it, but something in the
urgency of her voice led him to step closer.

“You know the plan. He is off limits,” Pat
scolded.

“Yeah, yeah. You said that already. I’m just spicing
things up. Come on, Pat. I’m sure you don’t like the fact that
she’s drawn to him,” Alexi purred.

Jake stepped back. Were they talking about him and
Gabby? He usually left the nosy business to Jenna, but he couldn’t
quite put his finger on Pat and Alexi yet and it bothered him. Pat
was almost too nice, and Alexi, well, he’d met his share of Alexi’s
and they were all bad news. Though flattered that they added him to
their click, he wasn’t entirely convinced about their motives,
especially with Gabby’s reaction to them. And despite everything,
he trusted Gabby.

As if his thoughts summoned her, Gabby stepped out
into the hallway, her hair a striking mess, her shirt askew. She
met his gaze and in two steps he was wrapping his arms around her
and pulling her closer to him. He didn’t even think about what it
meant to have her so close. It seemed right. This was where he was
meant to be and who he was meant to be with. She placed her palm on
his chest, sending ripples of icy heat through him. He almost felt
disappointed at the layer of clothing between them.

The floorboards creaked. The door he was
eavesdropping from opened and Pat and Alexi walked out of the room.
Gabby met their gazes and something akin to disappointment flashed
behind her eyes. They didn’t matter to him. He didn’t even break
away from Gabby until they were close enough that he couldn’t
ignore them.

“There you are,” Alexi said, ignoring the fact that
Jake wasn’t even paying attention to her. “Come on, I want to show
you something.”

“In a bit,” he said without intending to move at
all. He pressed Gabby tighter to him as Alexi walked away. Pat
stepped closer. His eyes met Gabby’s and held for a brief second. A
flash of something Jake couldn’t put his mind around tore at him,
and then Pat broke his gaze and patted Jake on the shoulder,
smiled, and disappeared after Alexi.

Alone in the hallway, Jake returned his gaze to
Gabby. Drawing his brow together, he opened his mouth to ask what
the deal was with Pat, but she spoke first and his own thoughts
scattered, forgotten.

“You don’t have to make her jealous, you know. She’s
all over you. I’m pretty sure she’s interested,” Gabby
whispered.

Broken.
The thought left his mind before he
could process it. Who was broken? Her or him?

“I’m not,” he said, anger firing up. Not only at her
nonchalance attitude at whatever was happening between him and
Alexi, which was nothing if he had any say so, but at Pat’s
reaction to her. “I’m not into Alexi.”

“I saw you eavesdropping on them. You should go
after her. She’s perfect for you.”

“Why do you have to do that?” he asked, pain
stabbing him deep in the chest because he knew she was being
defensive and pushing him away.

“What?” she asked, sounding so misunderstood.

“Push me away. Push everyone away. It’s getting old
real fast.”

She shoved him hard and he stumbled. “You don’t know
anything about me, Jake. Nothing.” She almost rammed his shoulder,
making her way to the stairs.

He wanted to follow her, to force her to tell him
her history in this place, her history with Pat, but he couldn’t.
She racked his nerves and he didn’t understand it. He didn’t trust
himself with her. He needed to have her, needed her beside him. And
yet she wanted nothing to do with him. Punching the wall seemed
like a good idea until pain burst through his hand, up his arm,
leaving not even an indentation on the plaster. Needing to cool
off, he went to find Alexi.

He found her in the back of the house just outside,
sitting on the floor, her knees drawn to her chest. Short blonde
hair fell in waves around her face as she leaned forward, reading
something. On a hammock, Pat swung leisurely, oblivious to anything
around him, his eyes surveying the night sky. Alexi looked up, and
her face lit up with a smile as she lifted a drink to him.

“Go ahead. It’ll calm your nerves.”

A bit of calm sounded good and he took it from her,
brushing her fingers softly. After taking a long swallow, feeling
the liquid burn smooth down his throat, Gabby still remained on his
mind. Smiling, Alexi patted the space beside her and he sat down,
drew up one knee, letting Alexi lean on it as she turned to face
him. Wearing short cut-offs and a skimpy bikini top, there was no
spark of curiosity. What you see is what you get, sort of deal, and
Jake couldn’t help but to wonder how many people had sealed
that
deal and realized he really didn’t care.

“I heard you were quite the base-jumper.” She held
out a map to him. Though she was beautiful in an arrogant sort of
way, he didn’t feel the need to touch her, to be with her. Not sure
why, he actually had to force himself to be close to her, leaving
him feeling sick. He took the map and eyed it while taking another
swallow.

“Do you know when Gabby’s birthday is?” he asked.
Alexi stiffened. Her eyes flashed with anger and then she relaxed.
He really didn't care how she felt about it and decided to ignore
her reaction.

“June 30th. I know because of last year’s
accident.”

“Accident?”

“Last year she and a few friends were at the Mason
Fertilizer Plant when it burned. Someone was killed. It happened on
her birthday. I'd stay away from her if I were you.” She took a
swig of his drink and offered him another.

He refused. She pouted, urging him to take it.

“I’m good, Alexi. I have to drive.”

“No you don’t,” she said and inched closer to him, a
hint of alcohol on her breath. “You can stay the night here. With
me.” She leaned into him and kissed him on the mouth.

Jake wasn’t sure if it was the drink or the fact
that Gabby didn’t want him that led him to wrap his arms around
her, pressing her closer to him and opening his mouth to her,
digging his fingers into her hair, playing with the motion of the
kiss. All the while he felt nothing. No heat. No desire. No need.
Nothing. He’d kissed girls that gave him more emotion than
Alexi.

He pulled away, gently until her eyes focused. “I’m
sorry, Alexi, I should go.”

She didn’t budge.

“Oh come on, Jake.” She leaned into him again to
kiss him. Cupping her face in his hands, he let her for a
heartbeat, before pulling away from her as gently as he could. He’d
never hurt a girl. No matter how desperate.

“Alexi, I’m serious. I don’t want this,” he
whispered it, not wanting to embarrass her too much.

She slid her hand up his leg and cupped him. He
almost groaned at the flutter of sensations that erupted, but he
clenched her fingers in his. “Stop it.” Shoving her off of him, he
stood up. They were alone. The hammock swayed in the breeze, empty.
Where was Pat?

Alexi stood up. “I’m sorry, Jake. I don’t mean to be
pushy,” she said. “It’s just, I like you.” She shrugged.

He cupped her chin and tilted her face to him.
“Friends, Alexi, okay.”

She shook her head. “Okay.”

He kissed her cheek and went to find Gabby, not sure
what he would tell her.

The dark night offered the threat of rain from a few
clouds that hung low in the sky. The house was already empty except
for a few people aimlessly staring off into space. He didn’t see
Gabby. He went upstairs, panic rising, and still no Gabby. He found
Pat, instead, sitting on the stairs looking out into the crashing
waves.

“You messed up big time, dude,” Pat said without
looking at him.

His first instinct was to curl his hands into a fist
and tell him to buzz off. But Pat was right. “Where is she?” he
asked.

“She took off upset after seeing your little moment
with Alexi.” Pat flexed his hands, his jaw tight. “You messed up,
man.” Pat stood up and wiped the seat of his pants. “She was really
into you.” He patted him on the shoulder and made to go inside but
paused at the doorway. “You might find her at the fairgrounds. Up
on Main. She likes to go there to think.”

Jake bit down a retort, calming the urge to grab Pat
by the collar and force him to spill his past with Gabby. Without a
word, he got in the truck and sped off.

The Vision

Being inside Pat's cottage gave Gabby the willies.
Usually not the squirmy type, but the vibes in that place crept
along her spine like a mass of spiders. Unable to shake it off, she
knew she’d spooked Jake, who didn’t understand any of it. How could
he? That wall she built around herself was impenetrable. Even those
she wanted close to her couldn’t get in. Jake was right. The
longest date she’d ever had—she looked at her watch—thirteen hours.
Wow...she’d been with Jake thirteen hours. That had to be a record
for her. So she shouldn’t have been surprised to see Jake in
Alexi’s arms. She knew it would happen. She told him so. He’d find
more interesting friends to hang around with.

So when the pain blasted through her like a migraine
with a mission, it surprised her. She stood there glued to the spot
watching as he pressed her to him, cupping her face. It hurt more
than Pat’s betrayal last year because this time she had actually
known it would happen and hadn’t prepared for it.

She stepped back and bumped into a guy holding a
tray of drinks. She took one, swallowed fast, and bolted out the
door to slam into a large figure. Losing her balance, strong arms
held her steady.

“Hey, what’s up?” Pat asked. His bright blue eyes
gazed into hers as if he hoped to see inside her soul.

“Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
Lightheaded from the drink, she remembered the last time she felt
like this. Pat had spiked her drink and got her to go with him to
his bedroom where all hell broke loose. Or at least that’s how she
remembered it. It all became a jumbled mess in her memory,
especially since the fire happened that same night.

“Hey.” He cupped her chin, forcing her to look at
him. “Did you take a drink?” he asked, concerned.

She shoved him back hard and started walking
fast.

“Gabby, you know you can’t drink.” He began trailing
beside her until finally he grabbed her arm, forcing her to stop.
“I’ll take you home.”

“No,” she almost screamed. She couldn’t think
straight.
Maybe the only way to stop the fear is to succumb to
him
. That thought scared her more than anything.

He cocked his head as if she spoke aloud something
he didn't quite understand, and she broke free from his grip and
ran. Fast.

After her lungs threatened to burst from her chest,
she stopped running. Running in tennis shoes was one thing. In
flats with the straps digging into your flesh was quite another.
Now she was alone, at night, in the middle of nowhere.

The streets dark and desolate, she decided to cut
through a grassy knoll west, as a light breeze picked up, forcing
her to shudder. She couldn't get the image of Jake and Alexi out of
her head. Why did it bother her so much? Could she be jealous?
Really? Jake was nothing to her and yet a well of emotions
scattered throughout her very being. Anger. Regret. Fear. Anger
some more. And finally acceptance. Gabby had nothing on Alexi.
Gabby the freak would never have anyone like Jake care for her.

Stopping at a narrow road, she caught a hint of
sulfur in the air, tasting it in the back of her throat. The trees
swayed, and the leaves fluttered with the breeze. Shadows, created
by the dim light of the moon, loomed over her, menacing as if they
intended to peel away from whatever substance gave them birth and
swallow her. The hairs on the nape of her neck prickled. Someone
was dancing over her grave, she thought.

She continued west, walking fast, and stopped at St.
Benedicts Church. Or what used to be St. Benedicts Church. The
building no longer stood. A fire had ravaged it to the ground. She
stared at it in disbelief. Father Kane had been one of the few
adults in town who didn’t blame her for last year’s fire. His kind
manner had made her believe that there were good people in the
world.

“Tragedy, ain’t it?”

Gabby whirled to the small voice, almost jumping out
of her skin.

Marty Gary lived clear on the other side of town.
Gabby had known Marty since they were both in fifth grade. Gabby
would sneak off to the fairgrounds where she blended in with all
the other freaks. She found Marty there under the boardwalk one
night in the arms of a much older boy. The older boy had told Gabby
to scram, but Gabby stood her ground, peering over at a very scared
Marty. Gabby hadn’t waited for another threat when she picked up a
rock and threw it at the boy, hitting him square on the head,
knocking him silly. Marty had laughed, and with tears streaming
down her face, ran to Gabby and they were friends ever since. Marty
wasn’t the best judge of character, but she was one of the few
friends Gabby had.