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.191Please respect copyright.PENANAloM9J1X3RY
191Please respect copyright.PENANA0EO8qxgvJ3
"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?"191Please respect copyright.PENANA6yDPBtJHFh
191Please respect copyright.PENANAjX6gyE5NBh
"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."191Please respect copyright.PENANAMq6sTeQDXK
191Please respect copyright.PENANADAVIQTgNOh
"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."191Please respect copyright.PENANAegCxLGQfde
191Please respect copyright.PENANAUZUe219Nq3
"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."191Please respect copyright.PENANAOkYtn2g04V
191Please respect copyright.PENANAD4odCEbbIv
Christian blinked, untangled himself from me, and said, "What happened with Jude?"191Please respect copyright.PENANAy1FfJiVTKq
191Please respect copyright.PENANAmpQlHDPP3C
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."191Please respect copyright.PENANA3Zf1zrRlC9
191Please respect copyright.PENANAYTKvXAq9ms
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.191Please respect copyright.PENANAoOGREuQSTC
191Please respect copyright.PENANACGwL6dxoPJ
"What a fucking prick," he mumbled. "Did you punch him in the face?"191Please respect copyright.PENANAdEzVvAezzi
191Please respect copyright.PENANAUd2vfvtFxq
"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."191Please respect copyright.PENANAEHg7jTjiX9
191Please respect copyright.PENANACNrDMTCpV4
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?"191Please respect copyright.PENANAthFWirDwD6
191Please respect copyright.PENANAYGBC94pFOM
"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?"191Please respect copyright.PENANAkVruZ245D2
191Please respect copyright.PENANAYaBktjE7E4
"Letters?" Christian muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Jesus, Scott, you're holding out on me."191Please respect copyright.PENANAfhhdwgQBsc
191Please respect copyright.PENANAaBnpUdSWNJ
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.191Please respect copyright.PENANACjOXTRiHFM
191Please respect copyright.PENANAAaYUmNC74n
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.191Please respect copyright.PENANAK8zqwFo0Je
191Please respect copyright.PENANAufXiHaLgxo
"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.191Please respect copyright.PENANARyC4n4VAud
191Please respect copyright.PENANAIzSLb8YuhQ
"I'm okay," I said. "I just tripped."191Please respect copyright.PENANA5f2myg4vbh
191Please respect copyright.PENANATViYam5jZU
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?"191Please respect copyright.PENANAqD5NTLZNlP
191Please respect copyright.PENANAwTI0p9DA0A
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.191Please respect copyright.PENANAOFOgoaT6cG
191Please respect copyright.PENANAADNkQ6ff1t
One New Message From: Unknown Number191Please respect copyright.PENANA5D3hMDiNkm
191Please respect copyright.PENANAUyPHMt6nuy
Turn on the news.191Please respect copyright.PENANALbIsLyCWlx
191Please respect copyright.PENANA6q77G2LOFU
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.191Please respect copyright.PENANA5ow6VVxc6b
191Please respect copyright.PENANArWBe6tjDFn
"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."191Please respect copyright.PENANAsLb9vL4lDl
191Please respect copyright.PENANA5KqO6gphAP
I dared a glance beside me, where he sat.191Please respect copyright.PENANA9MuYONeEux
191Please respect copyright.PENANAcLqCaI7KqH
Christian was gone.
ns3.238.186.43da2 191Please respect copyright.PENANA0EO8qxgvJ3
"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?"191Please respect copyright.PENANA6yDPBtJHFh
191Please respect copyright.PENANAjX6gyE5NBh
"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."191Please respect copyright.PENANAMq6sTeQDXK
191Please respect copyright.PENANADAVIQTgNOh
"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."191Please respect copyright.PENANAegCxLGQfde
191Please respect copyright.PENANAUZUe219Nq3
"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."191Please respect copyright.PENANAOkYtn2g04V
191Please respect copyright.PENANAD4odCEbbIv
Christian blinked, untangled himself from me, and said, "What happened with Jude?"191Please respect copyright.PENANAy1FfJiVTKq
191Please respect copyright.PENANAmpQlHDPP3C
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."191Please respect copyright.PENANA3Zf1zrRlC9
191Please respect copyright.PENANAYTKvXAq9ms
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.191Please respect copyright.PENANAoOGREuQSTC
191Please respect copyright.PENANACGwL6dxoPJ
"What a fucking prick," he mumbled. "Did you punch him in the face?"191Please respect copyright.PENANAdEzVvAezzi
191Please respect copyright.PENANAUd2vfvtFxq
"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."191Please respect copyright.PENANAEHg7jTjiX9
191Please respect copyright.PENANACNrDMTCpV4
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?"191Please respect copyright.PENANAthFWirDwD6
191Please respect copyright.PENANAYGBC94pFOM
"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?"191Please respect copyright.PENANAkVruZ245D2
191Please respect copyright.PENANAYaBktjE7E4
"Letters?" Christian muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Jesus, Scott, you're holding out on me."191Please respect copyright.PENANAfhhdwgQBsc
191Please respect copyright.PENANAaBnpUdSWNJ
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.191Please respect copyright.PENANACjOXTRiHFM
191Please respect copyright.PENANAAaYUmNC74n
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.191Please respect copyright.PENANAK8zqwFo0Je
191Please respect copyright.PENANAufXiHaLgxo
"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.191Please respect copyright.PENANARyC4n4VAud
191Please respect copyright.PENANAIzSLb8YuhQ
"I'm okay," I said. "I just tripped."191Please respect copyright.PENANA5f2myg4vbh
191Please respect copyright.PENANATViYam5jZU
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?"191Please respect copyright.PENANAqD5NTLZNlP
191Please respect copyright.PENANAwTI0p9DA0A
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.191Please respect copyright.PENANAOFOgoaT6cG
191Please respect copyright.PENANAADNkQ6ff1t
One New Message From: Unknown Number191Please respect copyright.PENANA5D3hMDiNkm
191Please respect copyright.PENANAUyPHMt6nuy
Turn on the news.191Please respect copyright.PENANALbIsLyCWlx
191Please respect copyright.PENANA6q77G2LOFU
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.191Please respect copyright.PENANA5ow6VVxc6b
191Please respect copyright.PENANArWBe6tjDFn
"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."191Please respect copyright.PENANAsLb9vL4lDl
191Please respect copyright.PENANA5KqO6gphAP
I dared a glance beside me, where he sat.191Please respect copyright.PENANA9MuYONeEux
191Please respect copyright.PENANAcLqCaI7KqH
Christian was gone.
191Please respect copyright.PENANAvsmgoYLKIh