Love and Hate (5 page)

“So, what is your name?” He asks.

I could tell him my name, but my
attraction mixed with my hopeless romantic personality, mixed with liquor has
me deciding to pull out the Jade card.

“Let’s not say names yet.”

“What?”

“Let’s not say names yet. Let’s
be spontaneous, it will make a great romantic story to tell someday.”  Jade has
a habit of not telling guys her name. At the end of the night if the guy passes
her so called tests, she will give him her number. Once they call that’s when
she finds out their names. Though she has never used it for pure romantic
reasons, maybe I can.

“So, you’re a hopeless romantic?”
Great, he probably thinks I’m a dork now.

“Yeah, I am. I know it’s kind of
lame.” Why am I telling him this? Don’t admit you’re a lame! He probably wants
to leave now.

I quickly glance down at my feet.
I’m too scared to see the reaction in his face.

“No, it’s not.” I focus my gaze
back at him. He said it with so much assurance. It’s like he wants me to know that
I can be myself with him. The way he’s looking at me I can tell that he doesn’t
think it’s stupid at all.

“So are you?” I ask with
curiosity.

“I don’t know really. My parents
are in love, have been since before I was born. So yeah I think I’ve always known
that I would want a love like that. A love that never dies I guess.”  Not many
guys I know would admit that. By the look on his face right now he’s shocked
himself.

“That’s really cool.” I want to reassure
him. “That your parents still show that kind of love. Not many parents do.” My
dad included.

“Yeah. So now can I get your
name?” He sneaks in smoothly and anxious at the same time.

I smile and shake my head. “No,
but since were opening up why don’t we play a question game.”

I walk towards the pool area and
sit at the bench right beside the pool. He sits next to me, placing his legs on
both sides of the bench so he can face me. I would do that, but I have on a
dress.

“Like twenty one questions?”

“Yeah, but we’ll just keep asking
questions until your tired of me”

“Yeah, I doubt that will happen” He
has me blushing right now. The way he says it is so natural.

“So, what is your favorite
color?” He asks me the most basic question ever. I’m glad. I would like to
start this off easy.

“Um, I don’t think I have one. I’m
always in between colors. I guess it’s whatever looks best on me.” He chuckles.
“You?”

“I have three; blue, red, and
black.”

“Of course the basic boy colors.”

He chuckles again.

“What’s your favorite fruit?” I
continue.

“Pineapples, they are the best.”

“Mine are Mangos.”

“Mangos huh? That’s not a typical
normal favorite fruit you hear from people.”

“Well, I’m not like many people.”
Nice Claudia. Show your confidence or pretend you are.

“This is true.” He grins at me
and gives me that gaze that’s so intense and sexy. We probably continue staring
at each other for about twenty seconds.

I finally snap out of it and
continue with the questions. “What about favorite vegetable?”

“Tomato?” He asks and gives me a
silly look, showing he is unsure of himself. “I’m still confused if a tomato is
a vegetable or a fruit.” We laugh together. He has a nice laugh. Hell I’m still
confused about what a tomato is too. I think it’s a fruit. I won’t get into
that though. “My mom had this garden one time before we moved back to the city.
She grew these huge tomatoes that were so good. ”

“Really? My mom use to grow those
in her garden too.” I instantly flash to the times I use to help my mother with
her garden when I was younger.

“She stopped?” Great, he just had
to ask for detail. I didn’t want to tell him depressing news about me.

“Yeah, she died when I was nine.”
His face falters into clear sadness at me.

“Jesus. That really sucks.” Hm.
Usually people say they’re sorry. He closes his eyes and curses under his
breath. “I’m sorry, it’s just when death happens I always find it weird to say
I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. Actually, I’ve
always hated when people said I’m sorry.” I really did. All through my mother’s
funeral people told me how sorry they were and how they understood what I was
going through. I felt like slapping all of those people. No one knows what you’re
going through until it happens to them. I might be wrong, but I’m pretty sure
most of those people at the funeral didn’t lose their mother’s before they hit
puberty.

“Yeah, I guess it sucks when
people ask and then you have to tell them that.”

“Yeah it does, but I get over it.
I have nothing but good memories of her how she was sweet and funny and …”

“Beautiful” He interrupts. I pause,
mesmerized at the simple word he speaks. I mean now a days people use beautiful
easily, but the way he says it, it’s with conviction. “I mean she had to be because
you are, obviously.”

“Smooth, real smooth.” I’m
calling him out, but blushing at the same time.

“I’m serious.” I know. “You are
and you seem sweet, funny, and spontaneous given the no name situation. You’re
very interesting.”

“Thank you. So what about you?
What’s so interesting about you?”

He pauses for a second and shifts
his eyes and brows, trying to figure out.

I don’t even know why I’m asking
this. I’m really not that interesting myself. Daughter of well-respected Henry
Stonem, class president every year, straight A student. Little miss perfect is
what they call me and I’m tired of it.

“I don’t know really” He says.

How about the fact that you look
like Brad Pitt in his younger years, not that he isn’t hot now.

“Well, you seem very interesting
to me”

He glances at me with that
intense gaze again. Funny thing is I feel myself doing the same thing to him
now.

“Well, I guess my family makes me
interesting.” He shrugs.

“How?” I ask.

He pauses again. “Um, well my
dad’s business isn’t really well loved.”

“Really, what does he do?” Why am
I being so nosey? Maybe he doesn’t want to talk about it, Claudia.

He pauses again.

“Um, he’s a defense attorney,
meaning he defends the bad guys.”

“Well that’s not that bad.” I
mean it isn’t really.

“Oh so it’s bad?” He is laughing
at the fact that I said not that bad.

“No! What… I mean…What I mean is…
really we can’t be judged by what our parents do. I mean as long as your dad is
a great dad, who cares.”

The intensity in his eyes calms
down. It’s interesting. It’s like maybe it’s been a while since he showed his
calm side. It makes me happy that my words are comforting for him.

“So, what else should we talk
about?” I ask changing the topic.

He looks at me with curiousity in
a goofy, sexy grin.

“What’s your greatest fear?” He
asks.

“To end up like the people that
have surrounded me my whole life.” Why I said it so easily? I really don’t
know. “You?”

“To never figure out what my
purpose is.”

His confession cause something to
awake in me. It cause me to want to reach out and hold him. It’s like I can
tell that he is someone who keeps things hidden, just like I do. I can tell all
this from that confession. He is lost. Or maybe I’m reading too much into it.

We we’re probably talking for
about an hour. He told me how he loves his family, but didn’t tell me much
about them because of the no name thing. I told him about my mom and how she
was the coolest and how I love my dad, but he can be too pushy for my liking.
He said he loves his dad, but he can be a little tough on him also.

We talked about movies, music,
even books. He said his favorite book was The Count of Monte Cristo and The
Great Gatsby except he hated the character Daisy. I’ve never read the other
one, but last semester we read Gatsby and I loved it. Also that Daisy pissed me
off too.

The more we talked the more
things just clicked. I felt it through every word he spoke. It’s like this fire
inside of me just started burning brighter with every smile he gave, every
flirt, and every stare. He stares at me like I’m amazing or something. A girl
would give anything to be looked at like that by a guy they actually like… and
I like him. I like him a lot.

We are startled by people yelling
inside. We quickly stand up to see a group of people running outside. They tell
us that the cops are here and shutting down the party.

“I have to find my friend” I say,
knowing Jade cannot get arrested again, her mother would kill her.

“Wait, I don’t know your name.”
He says.

“Give me your phone”

He takes out his cell and hands
it to me. I step back so he won’t see me enter in my number. I go to his
contacts and add my number and my name. I also check to see if he had any other
Claudia’s in his phone. He doesn’t.

“Here” I pass him his phone back.
“When you get home tonight, you go through your contacts and when you see the
name you don’t recognize it’s me. You’ll know my name then.”

“You’re serious?” He seems
intrigued and shocked.

“Yep, and when you call me just
say your name. I’ll know it’s you,” I can’t believe I’m doing this.

He smiles and in that moment I
decide to do another bold move without even contemplating it.

I lean up, grabbing his shirt and
press my lips onto his. His lips are soft as I thought they would be.

As I start to release from the
kiss he grabs my face with both hands, and kisses me back. This time the kiss
is passionate and slow. Before I know it, he slips his tongue through the seam
of my mouth, guiding it slowly and softly inside.

I rarely participate in French
kissing. My first French kiss was Bobby Mason and he was horrible. I never
really used my tongue after that. Yet with this guy, I need to show him every
move I have.

I explore his tongue with mine
and it’s…. damn. Well he is definitely not Bobby Mason. I didn’t even know I
had this in me. He presses his hand against my lower back. I slide my hand
around his neck, gripping it tight, as the kiss deepens. This has got to be one
of the hottest kisses I have ever experienced.

So, this is it what my mother
described. This is passion. This is the real spark.

Chapter

2

“Forever”

Donovan

That was amazing.

She smiles at me after our kiss
and runs off. I watch her as she goes back inside. I seriously need to find out
who she is now, screw the waiting.

I grab my phone out of my pocket
only to see that I have five missed calls and a text message from Christian.

I run through the house noticing
the police escorting people out. Everyone is scattered around trying to get to
their cars. I see some of the police officers doing breathalyzers. Yeah, let me
get the hell out of here. I walk along the long driveway towards the street.

“Donovan!” I see Christian across
the street standing by his car. He stamps toward me looking very pissed off. “Where
the hell have you been?!” Christian says grabbing me by the arm. “There are cops
all over the place.”

“I know. I’m sorry. My phone was
on silent. Where’s Ella?”

“She’s getting a ride from Dina. I
left early, but then she called me and said she couldn’t find you so I told her
to go and let me find your sorry ass. Come on we need to go.”

While sitting in the car all I
can think about is the girl and how I had to refrain from telling her who my
father really was because I didn’t want to scare her away. However, based on
the answer she gave when I lied, maybe the truth wouldn’t scare her. I’m going
to wait until I get home to find out who she is. Boy, I can’t wait. I can’t
wait to know her name. I bet it’s as beautiful as she is. She was
extraordinary! I know this is crazy, but I think she is the thing I have been
waiting for all along. I don’t commit, but I would definitely consider committing
to this girl.

“What the hell is wrong with you,
huh?!” Christian snaps at me while his hands tremble on the steering wheel.
“Something could’ve happened tonight and you were nowhere to be found.”

“Chris, are you okay?”

As I continue watching his hands
tremble on the steering wheel, I glance at his face to see him sweating and
looking like he saw a ghost or something.

“I don’t even know.” He answers
me.

“What are you talking about? Why
did you leave the party early? Obviously you didn’t go home.”

“Listen there is a lot of shit
going on alright? I just had to go somewhere and think.”

“Okay, what about?”

He remains silent while driving
probably 80 miles an hour.

“Christian, what’s wrong?!” I
really hope he can give me a damn answer.

“There’s a lot going on. I found
out some stuff tonight and I don’t really know what to do with it.”

“What? What stuff?” Now I’m
getting nervous.

“All we have to do is get to dad.
He will know what to do.”

“Okay man, but seriously now
you’re starting to freak me out. Just tell me.”

He glances at me than back at the
road.

He sighs. “Okay, I’ll tell you.”

We are blinded by bright
headlights pulling behind us.

What the hell?

“Shit” Christian says.

“Christian, who is that?”

“Put your seatbelt on.”

“Christian who the hell is
that?!”

“Damn it Donovan, put your seat
belt on!”

Suddenly the car is slammed by
the vehicle behind us. I adjust in my seat and try to buckle up the seat belt.

The car speeds up beside us. I
can’t see who it is due to the black tinted windows. All I know is that it’s a
black truck. The front passenger windows roll down.

“Get Down!” Christian grabs my
head and pushes me down.

I hear gun shots as Christian’s
window shatters over us. Before I know it, the truck rams the side of the car.
Christian holds on to the wheel trying not to lose control of the car.

“There’s a gun in the glove
compartment!” Christian tells me.

I quickly reach in there and grab
it.

“Shoot them!” Christian orders
me.

I quickly raise the gun as
Christian ducks down to give me enough room. I pull the trigger, aiming for the
passenger side of the truck. I want to kill these bastards. In fact, my
adrenaline rush is activated as I pull the trigger. I keep firing until the
truck rams us again. I fall back into the seat, hitting my head against my
window as the car does a 360 in the middle of the street before coming to a
complete stop.

I glance at Christian as the
truck’s bright headlights come towards us shining on his face, causing his
green eyes to glow.

Claudia

“So, did you have fun tonight?” 
Julia asks me as I walk in the house.

All I can do is smile. “Yeah, I did.”

Donovan

I open my eyes.

All I see is a blur. I blink a
couple of times before gaining a clear view. I see the street where we live. It’s
a block away. We’re almost home. I move my hands and feet just to make sure I’m
okay. I think I’m okay, but my head hurts like hell. I turn around and see
Christian looking at me with his eyes wide open and blood running down the side
of his face. His chest is rising slowly...

“Donovan” He says so quietly that
I can barely hear him. “Donovan”

I look past him to see a hand. It
has a silver ring on it with a red ruby in the middle of it. It’s located on
his middle finger. That’s a male ring for sure on a male’s hand. The hand
reaches into the back of his pants and pulls out a gun and points it at my
brother.

Christian slowly turns his head to
see the gunman. The look Christian gives, it’s as if he isn’t scared. He isn’t
afraid to die. I can’t let this happen. I can’t let him do this.

I look down and see the gun on
the floor. I reach down to pick it up and fire at the gunman’s hand three times
until the gun is empty. I hear the guy scream as he drops the gun and grabs
hold of his hand. He picks the gun back up and stumbles to the front of the car
and I am able to get a clear view of him now. He has on a black ski mask and a
black leather jacket zipped up. His eyes widen through the mask at the sight of
me. He raises his gun with his other hand and points it at me. I quickly pull
Christian down with me. Along with the extreme sound of gunshots I feel pieces
of glass cutting into my arm that I have covering over my head.

The gunshots suddenly stop. “Shit!”
I hear the gunman curse. I look up to see him looking into his chamber. He’s
out of bullets.

“Come on!” I hear a voice coming
out of the black truck.

The guy runs back and hops in the
truck. They speed off leaving us.

I get out the car and run to the
other side to get Christian. I pull out my phone and call 911, but my phone
dies after the first ring. Shit! What the fuck!

“Chris where’s your phone?” I ask
my brother, but he doesn’t respond. His eyes are half open. I look for his
phone. I find it on the floor next to his feet. It’s completely cracked.

I have no choice. I have to get
him home.

I pull him out throwing his arm
over my shoulder, helping him stand. I look around at the houses surrounding
us. Not one soul has stepped outside. What the hell kind of shit is this?!

I start walking, dragging him
along with me. He grunts and winces the whole way. Its five more houses down, I
think.

“Hold on” I tell him. “We’re
almost home.”

“Donovan” Christian barely gets
out my name.

It probably takes me about ten
minutes before we finally get to the front gate of the house. The black gate
with a gold Lion’s head on it and the letter “P” engraved under it.

 Christian starts coughing and
falling, bringing me down with him. I quickly get back up and run to the gate.
I press the buzzer frantically on the intercom.

“Somebody help us!” I scream as I
jump on the gate, yelling between the steel bars.

I run back to my brother’s side.
I search him to see where he’s hurt. That’s when I see the blood spilling from
his side.

I slowly lift up his shirt, to
see two bullet wounds. I blink a couple of times. All I can think to myself is
please let this be a dream.

But all I see are two small
bullet wounds with so much blood spilling out of them. I can’t help but wonder
why something so small can cause so much damage. He must have gotten hit when
they shot at the car.

“Donovan” I glance back up. His
green eyes meet mine.

“Hey, you’re going to be okay.”
No, he’s not. I know it. I can tell in his eyes. That bright green color that
girls love about him isn’t so green anymore. This is Christian though. He’s a
good person. He was going to be a doctor. He’s my brother.

 He smiles slightly at me. The
blood stains on his teeth make the tears rush down my face. I clench my jaw,
trying to hold them back.

“Chris, you’re gonna be okay.
Okay, buddy? Come on, Christian”

He closes his eyes.

“Chris… Chris!” I scream at him
trying to wake him up.

“Donovan?!” I hear my dad running
behind me.

“Dad!” I tearfully scream still
staring at my brother in my arms.

I can’t lose my brother. Not like
this. I can’t lose him.

My father reaches us along with
Benny and Rick.

“Christian!” he yells at the
sight of his son dying in my arms.

He hovers over Christian as I sit
back. Christian’s slowly opens his eyes to see our father over him.

“Come on son.” He chokes up. “Come
on.” Tears come down his face. I’ve never seen my father cry before. “Hold on
son. Rick go call Stabler and 911!”

“CHRISTIAN!!!” I look to see my
mother and sister running towards us in shock. They try to reach us, but Benny
stops them. My mother, in anger, frantically pushes Benny off. She finally
reaches us and drops down to her knees beside Christian.

“Christian. Come on baby. Come
on. Somebody do something!” My mother demands yet we all stay still. We know he
isn’t going to make it.

“It’s okay.” My brother whispers.
“It’s okay.”

His breathing continues to
decrease. Suddenly it stops. He stops breathing.

My mother continues to scream, grabbing
hold of him as my father releases him. I look down at my hands and see the
blood, covering them. This is my brother’s blood. I raise my head up towards my
father, sitting across from me with blood on his hands staring back at me. It
really is like looking into a mirror, except I feel like I’m looking into the
future, a future of pain and misery.

My brother is dead.

I hear Ella near me screaming. I
can hear the screams and the cries, but at the same time I feel nothing. That’s
all it is.

My brother is dead.

Claudia

I wonder when he’s going to call
me. I can’t believe I did all that tonight. Like what was that? The no name
game does work. I must tell Jade that. Tonight was amazing. It was different.
That guy, he was different. I know he was. I could tell by the way he looked at
me. I could tell by the way he talked to me. I could just tell. Maybe I’m being
naive, but who cares.

I wish mom was here so I could
tell her. I’ll tell Julia of course. My dad, probably not. Unless it’s Eric Anderson,
he won’t care.

When I kissed him it was such a
rush. He kissed me with so much… passion and determination. I felt it tonight,
the spark. I can’t wait for my phone to ring and to hear his name. When I hear
his name, it’s probably going to be the greatest name in the world. I know I’m
being cheesy right now, but I don’t care. I think this kind of feeling is
supposed to make me feel cheesy. It’s supposed to make me feel out of the
ordinary, excited, and different. That’s what my mom always said. She said
those feelings could always lead to love.

Wow Love? No way, I’m sixteen. What
do I know? Although after tonight, I would definitely like to know.

Donovan

I step out of the shower and grab
my towel to dry off and head over to the sink. There’s still blood in it so I
turn on the faucet and wipe my hand over the remaining blood. This is the blood
of my brother. He’s dead.

I stare at my reflection in the
mirror. I notice there’s a cut above my eye from the accident. That’s all I
got. A cut above my eye and cuts on my arm from the broken window, while my
brother got more than that. He’s dead. It’s like I can’t stop saying that in my
head. It won’t shut up.

After everything, my father had
Benny call our new family doctor, Dr. Stabler. I hadn’t seen him since I was
kidnapped. I remember that night when I came home, he did tests on me to make
sure I was okay physically.