(Song: Wild Child by The Black Keys)
Heart pounding, I watch helplessly. Her voice is cheerful as she greets him. The one sided conversation has my head spinning and my stomach tossing. Thankfully, she repeats everything he says. “Is Nova with me?” I shake my head no. “Of course,” she replies. Silence. “Can you talk to her?” I shake my head again. “Well we’re having dinner right now and she left like a minute or two ago to go to the bathroom. That’s probably why she didn’t answer the phone when you called.” More silence, but Lyra cringes from whatever it is that he’s saying. “How do I know you called her?” Great. She’s already gotten caught in a string of lies. “She…didn’t take her phone with her.” How many details does she need to give him?The silence doesn’t come this time, because he screams so loudly that I can hear it blare out of the speaker. “Nova.” Lyra holds the phone into the air far away from her ear. Every surrounding table can probably hear him, “I know you’re there. Nova.”Lyra has no other choice but to force me to take the phone. “Thanks,” I snip at her before I speak into the phone, “what is it, Wes?”“What is it? Why haven’t you called me? Texted me?” Question after question spew from his mouth. He doesn’t give me a chance to answer any of them. “You’ve been gone for two days,” he sounds pissed, but this has nothing to do with getting his feelings hurt. It’s because he knows the history of this place and this is the worry that’s become too suffocating. “And I haven’t even heard an inkling from you. I had to go to your father to make sure you made it there okay.”I place the phone to my chest and tell Lyra and Eden that I have to handle this. Skimming past their curious stares, I hop up from the booth in search of an empty secluded hallway or a corner. It’s easy to put my anger on Wes, “would you keep your voice down,” I hiss weaving around tables.“That’s right,” He argues, “they don’t know.” He snaps at me as if I’m a terrible person for not telling my friends my baggage. Technically, he’s not even supposed to know what he knows.Finally finding a spot, away from spying eyes and eavesdropping ears, I turn on him,“and if you weren’t buddy buddy with dad, which is weird Wes, you wouldn’t know either.” I’m still clueless as to how that conversation even arose. No one cares to inform me why Wes was told about my mother being mauled by wolves.“Why aren’t my calls or texts going through?” There’s pause. “Did you block me?” Yes. “Nova, it’s not safe-”“It’s safe enough that my father sent me here alone,” I snap at him. “So if he thinks it’s fine, it’s fine.” Which is a complete lie. It’s not fine. “I have to go. Our food was just brought to the table.” Another lie, but right about now, I’d say anything to get out of this conversation.He senses my abrupt hang up and he blurts out, “Nova.” It doesn’t stop me from pulling the phone away. I can hear him continue, “we’ll talk about this lat-” The click of a button cuts off the rest of his words.Muttering under my breath, I reply back, “no, we won’t.” Turning around ready to get our food ordered so we can get back to the hotel, I slam to a halt as I nearly run into a body that blocks my path. “Holy shit,” the words regrettably slip from my mouth. ‘Creeper much?”His smile does terrible things to me. “Wes…is that short for Wesley?” Nox questions in a mocking tone.I don’t answer him. Instead I ignore the question altogether and go to walk past him, but he matches my steps and blocks my path. “Who is Wesley, exactly? Your boyfriend?”Getting under my skin, I give him everything he wants. “His name is Weston and what if he is?” I’ll admit anything to make him go away. I go to step around him once more, “now if you excuse me.” Once again my path is blocked.“I’m curious as to what you and Wes have to talk about? It sounds like he’s not okay with you being here? All alone with your girlfriends. Does he not trust you? I can’t say that he should trust me.” Those blue eyes peer down at me. I feel like I’ve seen them before, glaring at me, squinting in a fit of laughter. The images are right there, but they’re trapped behind a foggy glass that refuses to clear.Stepping in close, closer than I should, I finally give him a piece of my mind. “Listen, I’ve tried to be nice for the sake of my friends, but I’m not interested…in anything from you. Especially from someone with a band of floozies trailing after him.” The minute the words exit my mouth I regret them. Every single one. My rambling turned incriminating. To him on the other hand, it’s music to his ears. I’ve just admitted something I shouldn’t have. Interest. Jealousy. Shit. “Move.”He doesn’t and when I make an attempt to get past him, I push against his chest. He traps my hand under his so firmly that I can feel his heartbeat beneath my palm. “Have I gotten into that gorgeous little head of yours?”Yanking my hand away, “you wish,” I spit out before barging past him. I’ve just opened Pandora's box and it’s going to be impossible to get it closed.Dropping back into my spot, Lyra’s eyes are on me. “Well, that didn’t go well,” she mutters, completely clueless as to anything that just went down. What part went bad? Wes or Nox. Or both. Definitely both.Eden is clueless that Nox confronted me, so she speaks strictly about Wes. “he’ll be fine. We have what? Four days? Three, if you want to leave early. Plenty of time for him to calm down.” She goes quiet as the waitress comes to take our order.Suddenly, I’m not hungry and just thinking about eating has me feeling the burn of vomit in my throat. They each order something, but I stick with water. It gets me stern, drawn out criticizing glares from them, but I ignore it.“So, when do you plan on visiting grandma Drake?" Eden asks, pushing the conversation past the fact that I’m not eating."Grandma Maddox,” I correct her. “She’s my mother's mother." There's a silence that washes over the table. The words are like bricks. Each one has my tongue heavy and they chip at my teeth as I say them. "Yeah, exactly. I haven't seen her since we left after my mom’s death.”“We can come with you.” Lyra offers. “If it’ll make you feel better. I know you said you would take an Uber or something but we're here for you.”I’m speechless thinking about the tough, heartfelt and accusatory discussion topics that will be had. I’m not worried so much about what my grandma is going to say. It’s my sister. “Sure, but it’s a terrible idea.”“All the better,” Lyra chimes. Eden quickly offers a more reasonable approach, “or we could help. Maybe Twyla wouldn’t be so…vicious with us there. Reputation and all.”Maybe she’s right. Maybe with both of them there all conversational topics involving wolves and murder will remain unsaid. “Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”Time passes quickly and it feels like minutes later the waitress approaches our table, food in hand. With Lyra and Eden looking at their plates, I’m left to stare…anywhere and everywhere besides at Nox. Making sure I keep my eyes from wandering, I text my dad.'You need to speak to Wes. You better make sure he doesn’t show up here. That’s the last thing I need. I’m visiting grandma tomorrow with Lyra and Eden, so if you talk to her, please tell her to hush up about the whole murdered mother details.’Knuckles knocking against the wooden table snap my head up from my phone. Silas’s knuckles are pressed against the tabletop, Stryker and Nox right behind him. Without thinking I lock eyes with Nox. The girl he’s with has her arm looped around his, her head resting against his shoulder.Stryker looks right at Lyra from over his brother’s shoulder, “have a great night ladies.”Each of us watch them disappear within the restaurant. Lyra is in lalaland with a smirk pasted on her face, Eden is clearly amused, and I’m horrified. What the hell is happening? How did I get caught up in this? I want out. Now.With the boys’ departure, I could stay at the restaurant forever, but once the food is gone and the bill is paid, there’s no reason to stay.The whole walk back Lyra gushes about Stryker. I'm not even sure I know for sure which one is Stryker. Half the time I’m guessing.Upon entering the lobby, I tell them goodnight, but Lyra stops me. “I thought we would have a movie night. It’s still so early.” We eyeball each other. I know she can see my rejection before I say it, so she results in begging. “Plllllleeeeeaaaasssseee,” she whines.“One movie as we’re going to my grandma’s tomorrow.” And we all need as much rest as we can get, because there’s going to be some very deep, no doubt dark truths possibly coming out.(Song: Hold Me Like A Grudge by Fall Out Boy) Without being allowed to go to my room to change, I’m stuck in my dress. Lyra and Eden change into something more comfortable and I grow jealous. My tights start to itch, which slowly drives me crazy. Lyra drops onto her bed and starts flipping through channels, Eden digs through her luggage looking for something, I stumble around the room trying to peel off my dreaded tights. “Much better,” I groan as I drop onto Lyra’s bed itch free. Eden hops up, something clenched in her hand. I don’t catch what it is, but it becomes pretty obvious when she tosses it in the microwave and it starts popping. With no bowls, Eden separates it into those complimentary coffee cups that all hotel rooms have. The night seems like the best one yet. Until it's interrupted. Once again the sound of knuckles draws our attention. Someone’s at the patio door. Oh shit. There’s not an ounce of debate from Lyra as she jumps off the bed. When she fluffs her hair and
A voice that has grown to annoy me in just two days snaps me out of my reprieve. “May I join you?” Nox questions. Eyes snapping open, I spot him already waist deep in the tub making it unnecessary, but polite to ask. Polite isn’t going to make me like him. Stunned, I watch him take a seat across from me. Seconds later my mouth finally starts working, “if I say no will you leave?” “No.” At least he’s honest. “Then, I will,” I retort as I come to a stand, but I instantly regret it. Standing from the water showcases my barely there swimsuit and Nox immediately notices. He doesn’t hide his smile as his eyes rake over every inch of exposed skin. I become frozen under his gaze and it gives him enough time to jump to feet and block the steps. “You know I can climb out from anywhere, right.” “I’d love to watch you do just that.” What did I say? Snide, egotistical, chauvinistic asshole wants to watch me climb out of the pool. Sorry Lyra, but there’s no more being nice, “you’re an asshole.”
The forest is dense and gloomy. My escape is hindered by thick trees and fallen branches covered in moss. I trip with nearly every step. It could be my racing heart causing my limbs to shake or it could be the growl that echoes through the woods that has me in a panic. It's coming for me. And it's close. Too close. Tossing glances through the nearby trees, I catch a glimpse of a black blur. A wild beast on four legs covered in fur, a flash of vivid blue eyes, a snarling mouth filled with long sharp teeth. I run. That's all my brain can comprehend. Run. It keeps pace with me. Taunting me almost. It's obviously in better shape than myself as I huff and puff, begging my burning lungs to hold off just a little longer. A glimmer of a road just ahead can be seen through the thinning trees. I have to make it. A road has people and people can help. Right? The animal stalking me must realize it too because it pushes itself harder, faster. Seconds before it lunges to block my path, I div
(Song: Heads Up by Future Palace) The drive isn’t as long as I would like it to be. My headache has subsided at least. It’s bound to recur at some point in time today. Lyra and Eden must sense the tension that rests upon my shoulders, because they fill the car with useless banter just like they did on our drive to Fairbanks. Sooner rather than later, we arrive at our destination. My grandmother’s house looms in front of me. I feel like I should know this place, have a sense of familiarity, but I’ve got nothing. Just that familiar tingle on the tip of my tongue of unreachable recognition. My phone buzzes in my pocket. Several times. Text after text after text. I glance at the name as I exit the car. It’s just dad replying back. I don’t even have a chance to open the messages before Lyra’s fist knocks against the door signaling our arrival as if I wasn’t already aware. She pushes me front and center so I’m the first one to be seen once the door swings open. It sets my nerves on edg
(Song: Harder To Breathe by Letdown) I take the backseat so I can sit with the box. The box that has my mother’s things in it. No matter how badly I want to flip open the lid, I can’t get my fingers to move. I can feel Lyra’s eyes on me in the rearview mirror. “What’s that?” She asks. Talking about it has my throat constricting once again. “Just some of my mom’s things.” Peeling my hand off of it, I try to forget about it. “I’ll look at it later.” Zoning out the rest of the ride, my mind becomes fixated on that dreadful box. What’s inside it? It has my heart racing for conflicting reasons. Good and bad. Terrifying and comforting. I don’t let myself think about my mother very often, because it hurts too much. The ache of missing her is still debilitating. Another buzz of my phone has me jolting in the backseat. Finally, I skip past the three missed calls to scroll through all the texts. Call me. Please call me Nova. Where did you hear that name? Nova. Call me. Now. The car comes
(Song: Enemy by The Plot In You) No one follows me, which leaves me with conflicting feelings. The tug of war battle is a roller coaster of emotions and thoughts. The breaks are broken and the seatbelt is too tight. Each incline and every turn, I’m whipped around like a ragdoll. All for one boy that I swear I’ve just met. Stepping outside doesn’t clear my head as well as it’s supposed to. The back patio area is mainly for smokers among other things. A few illegal transactions are the least of my worries though. With no eye contact, no inkling of wanting to have a conversation with anyone, I find a corner that’s the least occupied. It takes longer than it should to pull out my phone and dial my dad. Jittery fingers and a growing headache impair my motor skills. The phone barely rings once, before a frantic voice screams from the speaker. “Nova.” There’s no pause for an answer as he keeps shouting at me. “Nova, do you have any idea what time it is? Why haven’t you answered my calls o
The look on Lyra’s face as she jumps to her feet once we arrive has my stomach churning. What did she do now? “Ready?” The smile on her face is too eager. “I may have made a bet with the boys while you were gone.” “What did you bet?” Please let it be something mediocre. There’s no surprise that she isn’t that forthcoming. “If the guys win, they want us to join them for a house party.” A house party? “They actually live in town. What are the odds?” Yeah. What are the odds? Nox and the twins are townies. Fuck. My father’s right. Nox is aware of my past. And he might be in cahoots with Gideon. My voice is shaky as I ask, “and if we win.” Through twisted lips and a scrunched face, she admits, “they visit us in Cromwell.” Well there goes throwing the game. There’s no way in hell I can let them win. Going to their house. I can weasel my way out of them coming to Cromwell. But I know Lyra and once she has a boy in view it’s impossible to get her to let go. “I think Nox and I should have
(Song: Right Left Wrong by Three Days Grace) I wake up in my hotel bed partially oblivious to getting here. I fell asleep in the car and Lyra had tugged me awake. In a daze, I trekked up to the second floor or did Lyra walk with me? Either way I made it here, changed and crawled into bed. I can't complain. It was a nightmare free night but I swear I had a dream about Nox. But like most dreams the details disappear upon waking up. I might not remember what it was about but it leaves an anxiousness that settles heavily on my chest. Pushing it aside, I roll out of bed. My head is feeling better but still groggy with sleep. The first thing my eyes land on after stretching my limbs awake is the box. Was I carrying it? Maybe Lyra did walk with me back and she carried it. My eyes scan the room for my phone. A panic engulfs me. I tear the bed apart, look at the nightstand and desk once more, check the bathroom, even my clothes that I had been wearing last night. It's nowhere. And then it