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.486Please respect copyright.PENANAvvTBPFeO6a
486Please respect copyright.PENANACpJoiGBtro
"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?"486Please respect copyright.PENANA7atdHvicK8
486Please respect copyright.PENANAmu48xyE2CI
"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."486Please respect copyright.PENANAFF9Dmcxo4t
486Please respect copyright.PENANANUQBVfDlZQ
"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."486Please respect copyright.PENANAA5j7ahnZJQ
486Please respect copyright.PENANAUfvF7fN5uo
"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."486Please respect copyright.PENANANg0BbILIWS
486Please respect copyright.PENANAc0lCaKvfjP
Christian blinked, untangled himself from me, and said, "What happened with Jude?"486Please respect copyright.PENANAPFF9gYPfUn
486Please respect copyright.PENANAKzVKOaWFBA
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."486Please respect copyright.PENANAh0grnPvCfD
486Please respect copyright.PENANA4wEN5mhyM6
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.486Please respect copyright.PENANA9xxkkULWir
486Please respect copyright.PENANAGh3zJJesTj
"What a fucking prick," he mumbled. "Did you punch him in the face?"486Please respect copyright.PENANAe0dmCBFYVP
486Please respect copyright.PENANAO51GaUNTqe
"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."486Please respect copyright.PENANAzNT6MrrwKx
486Please respect copyright.PENANAYERUarWgvy
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?"486Please respect copyright.PENANAXzNisIEDMI
486Please respect copyright.PENANAHfRNiXOGe0
"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?"486Please respect copyright.PENANAuaxlniuIlK
486Please respect copyright.PENANARnQ4Bh5VBL
"Letters?" Christian muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Jesus, Scott, you're holding out on me."486Please respect copyright.PENANApUbeYXcnYU
486Please respect copyright.PENANAtbYs6V39Y4
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.486Please respect copyright.PENANAaKW8JSRRH8
486Please respect copyright.PENANAE6qIh8jI2M
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.486Please respect copyright.PENANADfh7ux9g97
486Please respect copyright.PENANADQG8IC8Y2e
"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.486Please respect copyright.PENANAww98peiyON
486Please respect copyright.PENANA3Qg5Ffy759
"I'm okay," I said. "I just tripped."486Please respect copyright.PENANA5Q6BIVg7KR
486Please respect copyright.PENANA9z7M7hMzeJ
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?"486Please respect copyright.PENANA7j0BFBU2oD
486Please respect copyright.PENANA3nCKt40gmE
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.486Please respect copyright.PENANAuLLFQ0ke8l
486Please respect copyright.PENANALeETUALV3v
One New Message From: Unknown Number486Please respect copyright.PENANAA1LLOJTJFm
486Please respect copyright.PENANApePNoOuA2O
Turn on the news.486Please respect copyright.PENANAI72Gneewu2
486Please respect copyright.PENANAfkbHgFRrdk
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.486Please respect copyright.PENANAPjf6ponISC
486Please respect copyright.PENANA6wk7WYKzvt
"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."486Please respect copyright.PENANARf8UzREYNt
486Please respect copyright.PENANAqV6OveSvep
I dared a glance beside me, where he sat.486Please respect copyright.PENANAbdrj1v6Ipa
486Please respect copyright.PENANAuRz0frtaNJ
Christian was gone.
ns18.97.14.91da2 486Please respect copyright.PENANACpJoiGBtro
"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?"486Please respect copyright.PENANA7atdHvicK8
486Please respect copyright.PENANAmu48xyE2CI
"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."486Please respect copyright.PENANAFF9Dmcxo4t
486Please respect copyright.PENANANUQBVfDlZQ
"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."486Please respect copyright.PENANAA5j7ahnZJQ
486Please respect copyright.PENANAUfvF7fN5uo
"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."486Please respect copyright.PENANANg0BbILIWS
486Please respect copyright.PENANAc0lCaKvfjP
Christian blinked, untangled himself from me, and said, "What happened with Jude?"486Please respect copyright.PENANAPFF9gYPfUn
486Please respect copyright.PENANAKzVKOaWFBA
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."486Please respect copyright.PENANAh0grnPvCfD
486Please respect copyright.PENANA4wEN5mhyM6
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.486Please respect copyright.PENANA9xxkkULWir
486Please respect copyright.PENANAGh3zJJesTj
"What a fucking prick," he mumbled. "Did you punch him in the face?"486Please respect copyright.PENANAe0dmCBFYVP
486Please respect copyright.PENANAO51GaUNTqe
"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."486Please respect copyright.PENANAzNT6MrrwKx
486Please respect copyright.PENANAYERUarWgvy
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?"486Please respect copyright.PENANAXzNisIEDMI
486Please respect copyright.PENANAHfRNiXOGe0
"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?"486Please respect copyright.PENANAuaxlniuIlK
486Please respect copyright.PENANARnQ4Bh5VBL
"Letters?" Christian muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Jesus, Scott, you're holding out on me."486Please respect copyright.PENANApUbeYXcnYU
486Please respect copyright.PENANAtbYs6V39Y4
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.486Please respect copyright.PENANAaKW8JSRRH8
486Please respect copyright.PENANAE6qIh8jI2M
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.486Please respect copyright.PENANADfh7ux9g97
486Please respect copyright.PENANADQG8IC8Y2e
"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.486Please respect copyright.PENANAww98peiyON
486Please respect copyright.PENANA3Qg5Ffy759
"I'm okay," I said. "I just tripped."486Please respect copyright.PENANA5Q6BIVg7KR
486Please respect copyright.PENANA9z7M7hMzeJ
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?"486Please respect copyright.PENANA7j0BFBU2oD
486Please respect copyright.PENANA3nCKt40gmE
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.486Please respect copyright.PENANAuLLFQ0ke8l
486Please respect copyright.PENANALeETUALV3v
One New Message From: Unknown Number486Please respect copyright.PENANAA1LLOJTJFm
486Please respect copyright.PENANApePNoOuA2O
Turn on the news.486Please respect copyright.PENANAI72Gneewu2
486Please respect copyright.PENANAfkbHgFRrdk
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.486Please respect copyright.PENANAPjf6ponISC
486Please respect copyright.PENANA6wk7WYKzvt
"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."486Please respect copyright.PENANARf8UzREYNt
486Please respect copyright.PENANAqV6OveSvep
I dared a glance beside me, where he sat.486Please respect copyright.PENANAbdrj1v6Ipa
486Please respect copyright.PENANAuRz0frtaNJ
Christian was gone.
486Please respect copyright.PENANANpInx7ZhjF