Worth Taking The Risk (11 page)

“Alright. But I drive mine.” I said as I grabbed the house keys from Mitch so I could lock the door.

“I’m going with you. Nathan is driving and I might just get a heart attack on the way there.” Mitch chuckled when Nathan glared at him.

Melissa also got inside with us.

Freaking weird girl, always glaring at me.

I shrugged it off and kept my eyes on the road, I nearly had a heart attack when Mitch turned on the stereo. I’d forgotten to lower the volume and now I think I wont be able to hear in a long while.

“Damn girl you want me deaf or something?!” Mitch snapped as he lowered the volume.

“You were the one who turned it on, idiot. Don’t go blaming me.” I said as I turned right.

“Whatever.” he turned to look outside.

In less than ten minutes we arrived. We went inside and ordered three large pizzas. While we waited we went to get our drinks.

“Hey girl can you bring me some Pepsi?” Mitch extended his arm to hand me the cup, just when I was about to grab it Melissa took it away.

“I’ll bring you some.” and she left.

I frowned. “What’s up with her?”

“I already told you.” Mitch shrugged.

I rolled my eyes. “Stupid.” and walked away to get my drink.

A few minutes later we were all seating and eating the pizza.

“Hey babe, want to go play something?” Alan asked me.

“Sure.”

I got up and left with Alan. First we went to the racing part. No much luck. Then we found ourselves in air hockey.

“I’m going to win babe.” Alan winked and we started playing. He’s good, I’ll give him that. Suddenly there was a small circle around us. I’d seen one at the racing game but it soon banished. This time people looked at us.

“Not a chance.” I mumbled and grinned evilly as I got one more point.

It wasn’t until later that even our friends gathered around us. We were at the dance dance revolution thing. A random song started to play and Alan and I began to move.

“You’re a good dancer.”

Alan smirked and winked at me.

“But harmless.” I chuckled when he scowled and people behind us began to cheer.

“I’ll win this one Keller.” Alan said and glanced at me quickly, nearly missing a step.

“Go Alan!” a random group of girls said and I rolled my eyes.

Then I felt it. That freedom as I let my body move along with the music and for the first time I felt like myself and not Hester.

“Go girl!” I knew it was Mitch and then some other people started cheering me up.

I smiled and remembered the old days.

I turned to look at my right and saw Mitch, my little brother, holding onto Hester’s hands and she was shaking her head.

I gasped and got off the base. I blinked and they weren’t there anymore.

What was that?

“Keller? Are you okay?” Ambrose asked and glanced to where I was staring at.

“It was…” I trailed off.

“Who?” he pressed.

People began to leave and I saw the guys come closer, then I turned back to where my siblings had been standing.

“Ambrose I saw them.”

“Saw who Keller?” I heard worry in his voice.

“Mitch and Hester.” I gasped.

“I wasn’t with any Hester. Wait isn’t that your sis-” he stopped mid sentence.

“Ambrose I
saw
them!”

“I insist, I didn’t leave to-”

“Mitch’s Keller’s little brother.” Ambrose interrupted Mitch. “Baby,” Ambrose took a hold of my shoulder and making me look at his crystal blue yes. “Both Mitch and Hester are dead.” he said it slowly.

“But I…I- I saw them…” I trailed off.

“Come here.” Ambrose hugged me and I began to sob on his chest.

“Get me out of here. Please.” I begged.

Chapter 16

Ambrose took my car keys and walked me out of the arcade. The rest of the guys following us.

“Nathan you take Mitch back to his house and I’ll-”

“No, I have to go back to his house.” I interrupted Ambrose.

“Sweetie it’s best that we go back to your house.”

“I told Emma I’ll stay with Mitch until she got back, and I’m doing just that. Plus I bet Chad is at my place and I don’t want another reminder of what happened.”

“Alright then, but I’m driving.” Ambrose opened the passenger seat for me and then got behind the wheel. Mitch sat on the back together with Melissa who refused to leave his side.

Nathan and Alan said they’ll meet us there.

*
A week later…
*

“Do you feel guilty?” the psychologist asked for the third time.

After the incident at the arcade Ambrose insisted that if I wasn’t going to tell my dad or Maggie about it to at least talk with a psychologist. I accepted because I don’t want to worry my dad anymore than he already is. And if I tell Maggie she’ll tell Chad and he’ll start thinking things that are just plain stupid. So here I am, seating in front of a lady who had a pen in hand and looking at me with sharp eyes waiting for me to crack, concealed in a plain beige room with no sign of live in it but the psycho and me. It was a bit scary, I have to admit.

“How would you feel if your brother, sister and mother died in a car accident while you were off with your boyfriend?” I said back, talking for the second time. The first was when I said my full name and age in a whole sentence.

“I don’t know, how would you feel?” I squinted to read the tiny writing on the plaque on top of her desk. It read: Ms. Collins.

“I feel somewhat guilty, but I know that it wasn’t all my fault.” I mumbled and looked everywhere except her face. She started scribbling something on her notebook and then I saw a faint nod.

“Where you close to your mother?”

“Yes.”

“How close? Did you shared your secrets with her?”

“Some, you cant tell everything to your mother. Well not mine.” the time I told her I had my first kiss she nearly ate me alive. I was eight and had kissed the cutest boy in my class, in front of the whole classroom. Of course it was just a touch of lips, but still. I smiled at the memory.

“What about your brother?” She scribbled something down on her paper and then turned to look at me, not after placing a stray lock of brown hair behind her ear.

“What about him?”

“How was your relationship with him?” she moved a little bit closer.

“Good, he was seven. Always energetic.”

“I’m told you work for Mitch Gaynor, did that name influenced you to work with him?”

I scowled. “Influenced me?”

“Did you think that you’ll be taking care of a young boy, someone with the same name as your brother? That, maybe, it’ll compensate for the time that you weren’t with him?”

Damn, she hit right home. I felt a tug at my chest. “No, it was pure coincidence and I need to job so…” I shrugged like it was nothing but right now I felt really numb.

She stared at me for what seemed like hours, then nodded and scribbled something down on her notebook.

“Do you feel the need to act like Hester in front of your father, or anyone?”

“I don’t act like no one.” I snapped.

“I’m told you were the wild twin. After your family’s death you became a chaos. Sleeping around and-”

“Look, I get this whole therapy thing but you have no right to come and tell me how and with who to sleep with. Stick to the real deal.” then I checked my watch. I’d told Mitch I’ll pick him up and It was already late. “Damn it, I have to go.”

“The session isn’t over yet.” she pointed out.

I groaned. “Look, Mitch is waiting for me. I told him I was picking him up twenty minutes ago. God he’s going to kill me!”

“Do you have a romantic relationship with Mitchell Gaynor?” So now she says his full name?

I glare at her. “Of course not, can I leave?”

“I didn’t take you for the one who would ask permission for anything but go ahead.”

“Okay, see you next week.”

Ms. Collins nodded and I walked out the door.

Mitch was at the book store buying something for his dad. He told me to pick him up at four and its already twenty past four.

I got inside the car and drove down to the book store. When I arrived, he was outside with an annoyed look on his face. Mitch got inside and stared at me.

“You’re late.”

“I know.”

“Why?” he kept staring at me.

“The psycho kept bugging.” I started to go to his place.

He didn’t say anything and the sudden silent mood was comforting. I don’t feel like talking right now. In fact I’m mad. How could she say I acted like Hester? … Alright maybe sometimes I do act like the good girl and I respect people more but that’s just me growing up. It’s not like I’m going to be wild my whole life and don’t give a damn about anything.

When we got to Mitch’s house I got out of the car and started walking towards the door to unlock it, then waited for Mitch to get inside and followed him.

“I’m going to be in my room.” he mumbled and then started, slowly, going up the stairs.

Having nothing to do I sat on the couch and glared at the wall in front of me.

Cant anyone see that I’m just mature now? But if they want the old Keller I’ll give them her. But only in the matter of dressing, I’m not going to have sex with anyone anytime soon.

“Girl can you bring me water?!” Mitch yelled from his room.

“Sure.” I yelled back and went to the kitchen and filled a cup with water. Then walked up to his room. When I got there he was seating in front of a canvas on a stool, brush in hand. “Here.”

Startled he looked up at me and then moved his head to the side, analyzing. What’s up with him today? He’s been looking at me like that since I got here. “What?”

Mitch blinked again and shook his head. Then extended his hand to indicate that he wanted the cup. Frowning I handed it to him.

As I started to leave…

“Can I paint you?”

I swirled around. “What?”

“Can I paint you?” he suddenly looked nervous.

“Why me?”

He shrugged. “You have a fascinating face, artistically speaking, and I want to paint it.”

“Okay.”

“Really?” he looked at me surprised.

“Sure, I have nothing to loose. Just tell me what to do and when.”

“Wow, um. First let me do a small sketch of your face to start an out line. Hand me that sketch pad and pencil.” I did. “Now come here, tilt your head to your left. Yeah like that. Now don’t you dare move.”

I’d never seen him so concentrated before. Suddenly I had the urge to see his other paintings.

“Move your…” he grabbed my chin and started to move my head to another angel when something snapped in his eyes and he kissed me.

I stood there, shocked. I didn’t respond as he moved his lips on mine. He growled and began to nibble my bottom lip, as I gasped in surprise he didn’t waste time to slip his tongue inside my mouth. The kiss wasn’t slow and sweet but fast and demanding. His hand soon found its way to my neck and pressed me harder onto him making the kiss even more rough. I let out a low groan as he bit my lower lip and pulled.

“Keller are you there?”

We sprung apart when we heard Allan’s voice. I didn’t dare and look at Mitch in the eye.

What did just happen? And I’d like it? God I’m confused.

“Hey, what you two up to?” Allan came inside the room, Nathan behind him.

I blinked and frowned. “What?”

“Haven’t seen you in a while.” Allan came close and pulled me to him, then as he was about to kiss me I turned my head and he kissed my cheek. I cleared my throat.

“I need to go to the bathroom.” I felt all eyes on me as I ran out of the room.

--

Hours later I found myself inside Allan’s room. He’d invited me, his parents weren’t home. Everything became very awkward as I sat next to him on his bed. Suddenly he’s kissing me, hands roaming everywhere. I knew it was just physical attraction. Slowly I kissed him back but I didn’t get the same reaction. My heart rate didn’t changed into a fast gallop, my blood didn’t heat, there was no want. It all felt wrong.

“Allan stop.” I managed to say when he began to kiss my neck again. His hand under my shirt.

I heard a groan and felt something hard on my thigh. Damn it this is wrong.

“Why?”

“I don’t think we’re ready to take It this far.” I mumbled.

Another sigh. “Fine, I’ll take you home.”

“No, I’ll call a cab and don’t argue with me. I’ve got a lot to think of. Thanks for dinner.” I kissed his cheek and left.

On the way home all I could think of was Mitch’s demanding lips pressed against my own. So rough and unbelievingly soft at the same time. I shuddered at the thought. Everything is turning the wrong ways.