x
Christian was still fuming by the time we got back to his house. His dad was gone for the week, which was good for us, because we needed some time alone to talk about things.355Please respect copyright.PENANAxxG7nFhIr9
355Please respect copyright.PENANAywp8WO6mTi
"I cannot believe her, your own mother," he snapped as he put me down on the couch. "How could she say all those nasty things to you, and then go and hit you like it was nothing? I mean, fuck, Kendall! Aren't you even mad at her?"355Please respect copyright.PENANACUGxPZBREN
355Please respect copyright.PENANA5Rspp014I6
"Of course I'm mad at her," I said, glancing at him. "I'm just choosing to not express it as volatile as you are."355Please respect copyright.PENANAvsBZlrwgKL
355Please respect copyright.PENANAjYIcg9NgoI
"It's frustrating to see you go through all of this and not react," he said as he sat next to me. Then he hugged me close, his lips pressed into my hair. "I think your session with Dr. Alder tomorrow is going to take longer than usual."355Please respect copyright.PENANAa3uaFWzQi7
355Please respect copyright.PENANAMQTbpka8pA
"I don't think I'm going," I murmured. "I don't want to have to see her, take up her time, with every little bad thing that happens. She can't help with my mom, or the dreams, or even what happened with Jude."355Please respect copyright.PENANAm9xtw37a5N
355Please respect copyright.PENANA3upsIzgDce
Christian blinked, untangled himself from me, and said, "What happened with Jude?"355Please respect copyright.PENANAej9iHNuTIx
355Please respect copyright.PENANA22zJm8S8QS
I bit my lip, mentally cursing myself, and took a breath. "He's been watching me." No use telling him about the kiss. "He said he was paid a lot of money to get information on me. I didn't meet him on accident."355Please respect copyright.PENANAlKw7BBhmui
355Please respect copyright.PENANAkvMrmqmNmi
For a few minutes, Christian didn't speak. His silence was sometimes worse than his words, and this time I didn't blame him for being quiet. I wouldn't have known what to say if I were him. I closed my eyes and waited. Waited for him to start cursing and screaming. Waited for his horrible temper. Waited for him to break something.355Please respect copyright.PENANA31crKsulTx
355Please respect copyright.PENANALFg2Qa785i
"What a fucking prick," he mumbled. "Did you punch him in the face?"355Please respect copyright.PENANAzJJGybks3o
355Please respect copyright.PENANAznyzUrsI8X
"I really wanted to." I shrugged, glancing at him. I reached out and gripped his hand, squeezing his fingers. I was grateful when he returned the gesture. "But I was too stunned to do anything, especially after I found the pictures."355Please respect copyright.PENANAsPo2WFB9Ao
355Please respect copyright.PENANAeHFvlea5DQ
This time he looked at me, his eyes narrowing, darkening. His grip on my hand tightened before he growled, "What pictures, Kendall? What the fuck is going on?"355Please respect copyright.PENANAJDMoBcx954
355Please respect copyright.PENANAdFyYgkanvX
"They're just of me. Nothing too creepy. But whoever wanted information on me probably wanted to know what I looked like, too. Ugh." I placed my head in my hands and shook it. "This is all so weird. First the letters, then this. What's next?"355Please respect copyright.PENANAIAUV59C77I
355Please respect copyright.PENANAWetMHmpqb6
"Letters?" Christian muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Jesus, Scott, you're holding out on me."355Please respect copyright.PENANAKygVPTM6NX
355Please respect copyright.PENANAQkxWxXMZS4
I looked away from his face, unable to tell him the biggest secret. The wounds I'd suffered through all of this had been too much, and I just needed to calm down before I told him anything else. I laid my head against his chest and closed my eyes, said I needed a minute, and tried my best to relax.355Please respect copyright.PENANAapQcOpfr6Q
355Please respect copyright.PENANAyPWD0U6Fqf
The next time I opened my eyes, it was dark out. I lifted my head and looked around the quiet room. When I didn't feel him beside me or hear him breathing, I started to get up. Since it was pitch black, I didn't see the ottoman in front of me, so I tripped over it, landing on the floor. I let out a shriek and watched one of the lights in another part of the house turn on.355Please respect copyright.PENANAHyADPv1sR0
355Please respect copyright.PENANAuhGQiGEKlT
"Are you okay?" Christian's shadow loomed in front of the light from the kitchen, and as he bent down, his body swallowed the glow. He touched my head, my hair, my cheeks and lips. Then he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close.355Please respect copyright.PENANAqAWCh839nV
355Please respect copyright.PENANAp1SmZkhWTG
"I'm okay," I said. "I just tripped."355Please respect copyright.PENANATlHiwBUBz0
355Please respect copyright.PENANAD2WHF9FgKR
Even in the darkness, I could feel him smiling when he said, "That's typical of you. Are you ready to tell me your other secret now?"355Please respect copyright.PENANAgne1Fd35aU
355Please respect copyright.PENANAQyGbFpMCye
Before I replied, I heard a soft vibration. My phone. I could see it trembling, the light from the screen illuminating the other side of the couch. I reached for it, flipped it open, and read the message.355Please respect copyright.PENANA0GPGothqq8
355Please respect copyright.PENANAPepKp2Zx5U
One New Message From: Unknown Number355Please respect copyright.PENANA5DxpGMyHq6
355Please respect copyright.PENANA8BbSrYB7oF
Turn on the news.355Please respect copyright.PENANAD34BgjczdY
355Please respect copyright.PENANAigelx2ooRy
When I found the remote and hit the power button, the TV flooded with white light at first, then a voice spoke. It sent chills down my spine.355Please respect copyright.PENANAmdCnmgIEVj
355Please respect copyright.PENANA4wnwPi6SNA
"The body of a local teen was found in this clearing behind me. Authorities believe the body to be that of missing boy, Jared Davis. No further details can be provided at this time."355Please respect copyright.PENANAU4t2GlHOPd
355Please respect copyright.PENANALHoaeHQTt8
I dared a glance beside me, where he sat.355Please respect copyright.PENANANuH3lDfUWf
355Please respect copyright.PENANASzd4itWIbk
Christian was gone.
ns 172.70.178.43da2 355Please respect copyright.PENANAywp8WO6mTi
"I cannot believe her, your own mother," he snapped as he put me down on the couch. "How could she say all those nasty things to you, and then go and hit you like it was nothing? I mean, fuck, Kendall! Aren't you even mad at her?"355Please respect copyright.PENANACUGxPZBREN
355Please respect copyright.PENANA5Rspp014I6
"Of course I'm mad at her," I said, glancing at him. "I'm just choosing to not express it as volatile as you are."355Please respect copyright.PENANAvsBZlrwgKL
355Please respect copyright.PENANAjYIcg9NgoI
"It's frustrating to see you go through all of this and not react," he said as he sat next to me. Then he hugged me close, his lips pressed into my hair. "I think your session with Dr. Alder tomorrow is going to take longer than usual."355Please respect copyright.PENANAa3uaFWzQi7
355Please respect copyright.PENANAMQTbpka8pA
"I don't think I'm going," I murmured. "I don't want to have to see her, take up her time, with every little bad thing that happens. She can't help with my mom, or the dreams, or even what happened with Jude."355Please respect copyright.PENANAm9xtw37a5N
355Please respect copyright.PENANA3upsIzgDce
Christian blinked, untangled himself from me, and said, "What happened with Jude?"355Please respect copyright.PENANAej9iHNuTIx
355Please respect copyright.PENANA22zJm8S8QS
I bit my lip, mentally cursing myself, and took a breath. "He's been watching me." No use telling him about the kiss. "He said he was paid a lot of money to get information on me. I didn't meet him on accident."355Please respect copyright.PENANAlKw7BBhmui
355Please respect copyright.PENANAkvMrmqmNmi
For a few minutes, Christian didn't speak. His silence was sometimes worse than his words, and this time I didn't blame him for being quiet. I wouldn't have known what to say if I were him. I closed my eyes and waited. Waited for him to start cursing and screaming. Waited for his horrible temper. Waited for him to break something.355Please respect copyright.PENANA31crKsulTx
355Please respect copyright.PENANALFg2Qa785i
"What a fucking prick," he mumbled. "Did you punch him in the face?"355Please respect copyright.PENANAzJJGybks3o
355Please respect copyright.PENANAznyzUrsI8X
"I really wanted to." I shrugged, glancing at him. I reached out and gripped his hand, squeezing his fingers. I was grateful when he returned the gesture. "But I was too stunned to do anything, especially after I found the pictures."355Please respect copyright.PENANAsPo2WFB9Ao
355Please respect copyright.PENANAeHFvlea5DQ
This time he looked at me, his eyes narrowing, darkening. His grip on my hand tightened before he growled, "What pictures, Kendall? What the fuck is going on?"355Please respect copyright.PENANAJDMoBcx954
355Please respect copyright.PENANAdFyYgkanvX
"They're just of me. Nothing too creepy. But whoever wanted information on me probably wanted to know what I looked like, too. Ugh." I placed my head in my hands and shook it. "This is all so weird. First the letters, then this. What's next?"355Please respect copyright.PENANAIAUV59C77I
355Please respect copyright.PENANAWetMHmpqb6
"Letters?" Christian muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Jesus, Scott, you're holding out on me."355Please respect copyright.PENANAKygVPTM6NX
355Please respect copyright.PENANAQkxWxXMZS4
I looked away from his face, unable to tell him the biggest secret. The wounds I'd suffered through all of this had been too much, and I just needed to calm down before I told him anything else. I laid my head against his chest and closed my eyes, said I needed a minute, and tried my best to relax.355Please respect copyright.PENANAapQcOpfr6Q
355Please respect copyright.PENANAyPWD0U6Fqf
The next time I opened my eyes, it was dark out. I lifted my head and looked around the quiet room. When I didn't feel him beside me or hear him breathing, I started to get up. Since it was pitch black, I didn't see the ottoman in front of me, so I tripped over it, landing on the floor. I let out a shriek and watched one of the lights in another part of the house turn on.355Please respect copyright.PENANAHyADPv1sR0
355Please respect copyright.PENANAuhGQiGEKlT
"Are you okay?" Christian's shadow loomed in front of the light from the kitchen, and as he bent down, his body swallowed the glow. He touched my head, my hair, my cheeks and lips. Then he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close.355Please respect copyright.PENANAqAWCh839nV
355Please respect copyright.PENANAp1SmZkhWTG
"I'm okay," I said. "I just tripped."355Please respect copyright.PENANATlHiwBUBz0
355Please respect copyright.PENANAD2WHF9FgKR
Even in the darkness, I could feel him smiling when he said, "That's typical of you. Are you ready to tell me your other secret now?"355Please respect copyright.PENANAgne1Fd35aU
355Please respect copyright.PENANAQyGbFpMCye
Before I replied, I heard a soft vibration. My phone. I could see it trembling, the light from the screen illuminating the other side of the couch. I reached for it, flipped it open, and read the message.355Please respect copyright.PENANA0GPGothqq8
355Please respect copyright.PENANAPepKp2Zx5U
One New Message From: Unknown Number355Please respect copyright.PENANA5DxpGMyHq6
355Please respect copyright.PENANA8BbSrYB7oF
Turn on the news.355Please respect copyright.PENANAD34BgjczdY
355Please respect copyright.PENANAigelx2ooRy
When I found the remote and hit the power button, the TV flooded with white light at first, then a voice spoke. It sent chills down my spine.355Please respect copyright.PENANAmdCnmgIEVj
355Please respect copyright.PENANA4wnwPi6SNA
"The body of a local teen was found in this clearing behind me. Authorities believe the body to be that of missing boy, Jared Davis. No further details can be provided at this time."355Please respect copyright.PENANAU4t2GlHOPd
355Please respect copyright.PENANALHoaeHQTt8
I dared a glance beside me, where he sat.355Please respect copyright.PENANANuH3lDfUWf
355Please respect copyright.PENANASzd4itWIbk
Christian was gone.
355Please respect copyright.PENANA5c3RbChOCc