Cursed (10 page)

But maybe Wade really was there; maybe he was a
nice guy who happened to be out for a walk and honestly didn’t hear
me shouting at him.

I thought about it for a second while I stood
perfectly still and tried not to think about the fact he could very
well be stalking me after not getting what he had wanted at the
party. I was uncertain about how to proceed, flee from the forest
screaming like a banshee was definitely at the top of a very short
list followed by pretend someone else was with me which would
either scare him into thinking I was crazy if he was watching me or
make him believe I wasn’t alone.

I stayed frozen like an idiot instead with my
heart racing like a rabbit. I heard a crunch off to the side and
prepared myself for the worst.

“Aimee?” The voice was unmistakable.

I opened my eyes, which I hadn’t realized I had
closed and started to breathe again, “Shane, what are you doing
here?”

“It’s my yard.” He walked toward me laughing. He
looked amazing, chinos and a baby blue t-shirt and his sandy hair
styled crazy. It made me want to smell him; I knew he would smell
good. Like laundry soap and deodorant with a subtle mix of
windblown sea air, just as he always smelled.

“I didn’t know your yard came over this way.” I
looked around trying to see his house.

He held a hand out to me when he got close,
“Yeah its twelve acres. Let me get you out the easy way, you’re
bleeding.” He pointed to my forearms, “Just there.”

I looked down noticing my arms were scratched up
very badly, how had I not felt it? I had been so insane to find
Wade I couldn’t feel the branches scratching me this badly, I
started to worry about lasting effects of the drugs such as partial
paralysis and hallucinations.

“Is Wade here with you?” I asked looking
around.

He shook his head looking almost upset, “No I’m
alone. What the hell are you doing out of bed?” His tone sounded
upset.

I shrugged as we started to walk toward his
house.

“I needed some fresh air. I couldn’t stay cooped
up anymore. I would really like to meet your friend Wade, can you
take me there?” I asked.

Shane nodded looking down on me with his
beautiful blue eyes, “Yeah for sure, we can go now.” He seemed
irritated with me for some reason.

I smiled softly, “Really you don’t mind?”

He shook his head, “No since your sister started
dating that nerd friend of yours my calendar is wide open.”

I frowned, “Dating? He isn’t a nerd, he’s a nice
boy.” I was freaking out inside, no wonder he was angry with me my
sister had broken his heart. My heart should have been broken but
something seemed wrong inside of me and my reactions weren’t what
they used to be. I was more upset that Shane was hurt than
anything.

Shane laughed again squeezing my hand, which I
didn’t realize he was still holding I blushed looking at it.

“Yeah I guess they’ve been secretly dating for a
few days or whatever, she’s been lying and saying she was going to
her friends place to your dad but meeting him this last week and I
guess something happened yesterday that sealed the deal.” His grip
tightened slightly on my hand as he pulled me through the
woods.

I pulled back a bit, “Shane I know she hurt you
but it really is hard for me to exercise. My body is exhausted
still.”

His hand let go of mine and flew up to his face,
“oh my god I’m such an idiot. Here let me help you.” He reached
down and picked me up before I could protest. He looked into my
eyes, "Your sister never hurt me Aimee."

I gulped feeling the heat radiate from him to me
through our clothes, I changed the subject, "This isn’t necessary.
I can walk, just slowly.” I tried to keep my face pointing forward
and not squirm so he wouldn’t drop me on a stick.

“This is faster Aims and I am not a patient
guy.” He said it in a throaty way, which I chocked up to him
exerting a lot of energy to carry me through the woods.

I had managed to gain back four pounds of the
fourteen I was down. I was disgusted when I had weighed myself. I
weighed what an eight year old should weigh.

“Can you tell I’ve gained weight?” I asked
smiling as he reached the forests edge in no time and place me down
on the grass.

“No. You’re still light as a feather.”

I straightened my jacket and smiled, “I’m trying
to get back up. I might even go about ten over my healthy weight in
case something like this happens again. I didn’t have any extra
weight to lose.”

He nodded looking serious now, “Yeah Giselle is
pretty tiny now too eh?”

I looked down at my feet, “Yeah she isn’t doing
well. They have her on some meds now but they’re discovering she
has allergies to quite a few things. I’m going in a week to see her
with Alise.”

“Is Blake going?” Shane sounded jealous.

I shook my head, “I don’t think so. I didn’t
know they were dating. I’m sorry she hurt you, I know you liked
her.” I said trying to be polite.

He scoffed at it again, “She didn’t hurt me,
just embarrassed me. I hate that she hurt you, her and that friend
of yours.”

I was taken aback, “You’re worried about
me?”

He nodded and I felt the air between us fill
with something I couldn’t name, tension perhaps.

Shane and I walked the huge back yard to his
truck in the driveway. He pulled out a first aid kit and cleaned my
scratches. I felt winded and exhausted from all the exercise but I
didn’t want any of the moment to end.

“You and I lay out on the grass the night of the
party. We talked for a long time. Then we sat in silence. Do you
remember that?” He opened the door for me to get in when he was
done.

I shook my head feeling so lost about the fuzzy
details of that night, “I’m hoping seeing Wade will trigger some
memories. Something about him is so familiar and he is all I really
remember about that night.” I attempted to climb into the huge
truck but my side felt like stitches were being ripped out slowly.
I winced and inhaled sharply. He lifted me carefully not to hurt my
side and closed my door for me. I was starting to feel like an
invalided but it was nice always being so close to him and not
feeling guilty about him dating my sister.

Shane got into the driver side and looked
puzzled, “See that’s the weird part, I don’t remember you even
talking to him and I asked him about it and he doesn’t remember you
either.” He started the truck and did the circle driveway to
leave.

“That is weird. Maybe it was a ghost.” I
laughed.

Shane smiled, “Hey don’t kid my mom said our
yard used to be some ancient native shamans land. My great
granddads family bought the land from the shamans family but I
guess the old shaman was pretty pissed they sold the land. I guess
they were starving out here though and felt it was cursed or some
crap.”

I rolled my eyes, “That’s the most ridiculous
thing I’ve ever heard, so your yard is like pet cemetery?”

He nodded half-heartedly, “I guess so. We’ve
never had any bad luck though, well except for my dad screwing some
twenty-five year old but I highly doubt it had anything to do with
the pet cemetery and more to do with the piece of ass.”

“Your mom must be pretty mad.”

His face grew concerned but he kept his eyes
straight forward, “Yeah she isn’t taking it well. Please don’t ever
say anything but I found her in the bathroom. She took a bunch of
pills and cut herself.”

My jaw dropped, I tried not to let it but it did
it anyway, “Oh my god I’m so sorry Shane.”

“The worst part is that when I found her she
looked at me and said, ‘let me die son’ but I called the police and
an Ambulance. What kind of shit is that to say to your kid?”

I looked down at my hands as I fidgeted with my
ring, “I think when she’s feeling better she will know you made the
right choice.”

We were quiet for a long time both lost in
contemplation and neither wanting to make the other dwell on the
misfortune in our life.

It amazed me so many bad things could happen in
a small town in such a short amount of time, maybe the land was all
cursed.

We entered the neighboring town and turned onto
a road I had never been on before and within a few driveways we
were at a small bungalow.

“This is it.” He pointed to the man in the
garage, “That’s Wade.”

I felt nervous suddenly as I opened my door and
got out gingerly while Shane hopped out roughly and bound into the
garage to scare the guy bent over the hood of a car.

He spanked his bum hard causing the guy to shoot
up and smack his head on the hood of the old beater.

“Son of a bitch Shane. That’s gonna leave a
mark.” He rubbed his head.

Shane laughed and pointed to me, “This is Aimee,
the girl who got drugged at my party.”

Wade turned, he looked about the right size, a
few inches over six foot and strong but not fat. He was wearing
jeans and white t-shirt. His hair was dark blond and when he turned
his face to see me he looked very similar but was definitely not
the same guy.

His eyes were nowhere near as blue and his face
didn’t have the devastating beauty. He smiled at me, his face was
attractive but not nearly as handsome as the guy I had seen, “Hey
gorgeous, you know what I don’t recall you but I know your face.
I’ve met your sister.”

I nodded, “I’m pretty sure everyone has, ‘met’
my sister.” I smiled.

Shane frowned, “anyway buddy we thought we would
take a drive out and see if meeting you could help jog her
memory.”

Wade nodded with his whole upper body, “Did we
find out who that creepy bastard is yet?”

“Not yet but when we do we will be sure to ask
for some assistance from you boys.” Shane punched him in the arm
and started to walk toward the truck.

Wade’s smile grew menacingly, “Yes be sure you
do, nothing we Handley boys like more than giving out a good ass
kicking. Well I better get back to the car. Nice meeting you Aimee
hope your memory comes back.” He looked at Shane smiling but
speaking to me, “hey did your sister break up with Shane
there?”

I nodded.

He smiled even bigger, “Well tell her I said
hello then.”

Shane laughed and gave him the international
symbol for go screw yourself.

I waved at him as I climbed back into the truck
using all my strength and trying not to cry out loud, “I thought he
was dating that girl.”

He laughed, “He is but he likes to mess with
me.”

Shane looked at me as he closed the door, “Wanna
get something to eat?”

“Yeah I’m starving and it’s been like six hours.
I’m never going to gain anything back if I don’t eat
regularly.”

“I think you look pretty. No matter what you
weigh.” He smirked at me.

I felt a funny feeling in my stomach, it always
hit the radar, guys who dated my sister or thought she was sexy
were bad news. I smiled at him anyway to be polite because aside
from dating my sister he really was a nice guy and I DID secretly
love him which was going to make the not dating him thing a lot
harder.

He pulled into the town’s local burger shack,
“The Wood Inn” not exactly known for its gourmet but the veggie
burgers were pretty yummy.

He hopped out quickly to open my door for me and
help me out, I liked this about him. Shane was a gentleman
regardless of dating my sister and that was always appreciated. I
got a slight hint of laundry soap and deodorant when I climbed out
and it made me smile.

We got a seat inside by the window where I
instantly recognized his dad and mistress eating and canoodling in
the corner behind Shane’s back.

I felt sick knowing his dad was having some
slutty home wrecker wipe his mouth in public while Shane was
devastated and his mom suicidal.

“I need to pee can you give me a minute.” He
stood as I stood which looked out of place in this fine
establishment but I didn’t care. I watched him as I walked away and
he picked up the menu, even though we all knew it off by heart, and
started to make his selection.

I walked casually till I got to his dad’s table;
I slumped down instantly regretting it as my side screamed as I sat
beside the slut in the booth.

His dad’s fat face looked stunned, “Aimee, what
can I do for you? How are you feeling?”

His tramp elbowed me slightly trying to move
over and adjust, “I just got poisoned while I was at your house and
I may have to make a few phone calls to some lawyers if you don’t
take this filthy bitch and get the hell out of this restaurant now.
I am trying to have a decent meal with your son and I know for a
fact he won’t stay here if he sees you, especially with her. Now
I’m really wanting the veggie burger here because even though it’s
a small establishment the burger is amazing, get me?” I raised my
eyebrow at him.

I felt the trollop start to get ready to speak
but I looked her straight in the eye, “You don’t want to make a
scene with me in this town. No one has respect for home wreckers.”
I looked back at Mr. Bagley, “get her out of here or I might find
myself not feeling very well and needing private medical attention
in Brazil.”

He nodded not saying a word. As I slid out of
the booth I smirked at him, “Take her out the back door, I’m sure
she is used to it.”

I walked away feeling much empowered, no wonder
my sister enjoyed ripping people’s throats out, she got a high from
it. I had no idea and promised myself as I entered the ladies room
I would only use my new found powers for good.

I came back from the bathroom seconds later to
see cash laid out on the table and no one in the seats where
Shane’s dad had been. I smiled to myself as I walked to my seat and
slid into the booth. My side was officially killing me but I felt
like I was on cloud nine.

“Ready to order?” The server seemed to appear
out of nowhere.