Unravel (18 page)

“Have you said terrible stuff about me?” Lachlan said teasingly.

“The worst,” I said without missing a beat. “I tell her about all the times I’ve come up here to see you and you weren’t here.”

I couldn’t keep the bitterness inside any more.

Lachlan looked at me with surprise. I was even shocked over my outburst.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he said with concern.

“Yes.”

Lachlan’s eyes narrowed as he tilted his head to the side. “Something isn’t right.”

“Everything is fine,” I vowed.

Lachlan refused to let it go. “You’re not your usual, happy self.”

“I promise,” I uttered slowly, “I’m fine.”

Lachlan exhaled loudly and looked around. It was awkward.

I wasn’t fine, or good, or great. I was… nothing. But how could I tell that to Lachlan? I could barely figure out what was wrong myself. Lana said it was just the age. She said all teenagers go through it. I asked her why she wasn’t going through it and she shrugged, asked what I was feeling. I told her that one minute I would be so happy, feeling like I could take on everything in the world and how, out of nowhere, I would be in a complete daze. Then I would turn moody and so sad it felt like I couldn’t breathe. She stared at me, blankly. I asked her if she’d ever felt that way. She looked down at the ground and said: ‘I have the sadness, but never the happiness.’

“So…” Lachlan drew out. I quickly shook my head, brushing away the memory. “Any new stories to tell? There has to be something brewing in that mind of yours.”

I smiled, relieved that he changed the subject. There were new stories every day. When my imagination wasn’t running wild, I would sit down at my desk and write until my hand became sore.

“I’m still writing. But I don’t think it’s going to go anywhere.”

“Are you going to let me read one?”

I blushed. “No.”

I knew what my stories were. Love letters to Lachlan. In every single story, he was my muse for the hero. When I wrote, when I imagined, my heart bled out a piece of the truth.

“Why not?” he asked.

I shrugged and brushed away the dirt that was scattered across the floorboards. “They’re just stories.”

“Just stories,” he repeated.

“I’d tell you,” I said in a rush. “But you’re probably too old for them.”

“Me? Old? Get real. I’ll never outgrow your stories.”

My pulse was pounding as I replayed his words. I hoped he meant what he said. “Are you sure?” I asked. “Because—”

“I’m serious. I want to hear one.”

I relaxed, looked up at the endless sky, and closed my eyes. Once again, Lachlan drew me into a little world of dreams. I could live there forever. And who could blame me? The imagination is the best place to be.

My shoulders loosened and all those jittery nerves seemed to disappear as I talked.

I told him my story. It was the end of days and only five people were left on Earth. But they weren’t alone. There was another group of people called the Eights. They looked human but were monsters, sent to destroy mankind. The five survivors had to band together to live.

I talked until my voice was scratchy, until my pulse was pounding from excitement. Until the story was told from start to finish.

Lachlan let out a whistle. “That’s a good one.”

Anxiously, I leaned closer. “You think so?”

“I think you know it’s good.”

I smiled so hard my cheeks started to hurt. I could bask from his praise for hours, but I wanted to know what he had been up to.

“How have you been?”

Lachlan leaned against the wood railing and crossed his arms. My eyes veered to his hands. Compared to my small hands, his long fingers were massive. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. I pulled my eyes back to his face.

“It’s summer break and I don’t have to study for hours, so I’m doing really good.”

I frowned. “You don’t like college?”

“I like college.”

“It doesn’t sound like you do.”

“I do,” he started out slowly. “There are just some parts I like
a lot
more.” He gave me a shit-eating grin.

I was old enough to know that he was talking about girls and it was a physical blow. Like someone had punched me in my chest.

I chewed on my bottom lip and stared at my tennis shoes. There was one question I was dying to ask. I nervously looked at him.

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

I was proud of myself. My voice didn’t waver and my cheeks hadn’t turned red… yet.

“Right now? No. But I’ve had a few.”

“I remember… Laura Kline.” I made a face and a gagging noise.

He smirked. “Why are you so curious? Are you getting into all that boyfriend and girlfriend teenager shit?”

I tilted my head. “Teenager shit?”

“You know…” He waved a hand in the air. “Holding hands and all that
stuff
.”

“I don’t know… I guess so.”

“Who’s the dude?”

I’m looking at him,
I thought to myself.

“Some guy,” I said evasively.

“Ah… he’s a guy. Not a boy. Must be older… what, fifteen?” he teased.

I narrowed my eyes. “Much older than fifteen.”

He frowned. “Kid, anything that’s older than fifteen is too old for you.”

“No, it’s not.”

“It really is,” he argued.

I picked up a leaf lying next to me and twirled it around. He didn’t know what was best for me. No one did but me.

“Can I give you some advice?”

I lifted my eyes to his and said reluctantly, “I guess so.”

“Every guy your age is an asshole. Don’t trust them.”

“What about your age?”

He gave me a grin that made me suck in a sharp breath. “We’re still assholes. Basically, you can trust none of us. And all that kissing stuff?” He shook his head. “Don’t do that either.”

My eyes narrowed. “So what can I do?”

“Write letters or shake hands.”

“Shake hands?” I said skeptically.

“Yeah. That’s all you need.”

I frowned and didn’t say a word. I didn’t know what I wanted but I knew one thing. I didn’t want to shake his hand. I looked at Lachlan and caught him staring at me. His brows were knitted together, and I was too afraid to ask him what he was thinking about, too afraid that he would give me more ‘boy advice’.

I quickly spoke up. “What time is it?”

He looked at me a second longer and grabbed his phone. “It’s 2:15.”

“In the morning?”

“No. In the afternoon. The sun just didn’t feel like rising today.”

I lightly kicked his foot. I stood up and brushed the dirt off the back of my shorts. “I need to get home.”

I didn’t want to leave. It felt as if Lachlan had just climbed up that ladder seconds ago and now our time was up.

“How long are you home?” I asked.

“For a week and then I gotta head back to school.”

I stared at the floorboards. A week wasn’t even close to the amount of time I wanted with him. But I would take what I could get.

Lachlan stood up. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Lachlan stood and walked over to me. He patted me on the head. My jaw was clenched tight over the brotherly action.

“All that stuff I said about boys… you know I’m just looking out for you, right?”

“I know. Thanks,” I mumbled before I ducked out from under his hand.

I didn’t want him warning me. I wasn’t his little sister. If I could see that, why couldn’t he?

“I’m here for a week,” he called out. I stopped walking. “I brought home some fireworks for you. I know I missed your birthday, but I thought we could still light them up.”

It was a peace offering.

Before I climbed down the ladder, I smiled at him. “That sounds good.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Lachlan said.

Before I jumped onto my saddle, I glanced back at him. He was looking at me with concern written all over his face. For a moment I just basked in that concern. Even though he had been gone for so long, nothing had really changed. He was still there for me and I hoped to God that he would always be there for me. That time, age and experience would never change that.

“I’m fine,” I said, and rode back to my house.

And I was… for now.

I wake up with a gasp.

My hands are gripping the sheets tightly. Sweat trickles down my spine and my heart is racing.

It takes me a minute to realize where I am and when I do, I drop my face into my hands. I want to go back to that memory and live there, when everything was so simple.

After I take a deep cleansing breath, I lift my head and look around. I expect to find him bent down in the corner, staring me down, snickering, screaming expletives in my face. But there’s no one looking back at me with hate.

It’s just me here. All alone.

I wrap my arms around my waist, turn my head and watch the sun slowly rise.

I think of Lachlan the whole time.

“How are you, Naomi?”

I glance at Dr. Rutledge as I take a seat. “I’m good.”

“Did you sleep well?”

“All right, I guess.”

“Excellent.” She takes a sip of her coffee before she grabs her pen. “How about we get started then. Can you tell me—?”

“Miss me?” Max whispers.

Suddenly, he’s right next to me. My heart does somersaults in my chest.

His presence is powerful enough to suspend reality. My head stays forward, but my eyes turn at the sound of his voice. I soak in his features. The slant of his dark brows. His bright hazel eyes. The curve of his lips. My fingers grip the armrests so I don’t reach out and touch him. I miss him so much.

His hands curve around the arm rests, inches away from my elbows. A few seconds later, I feel the hard wall of his chest press against my shoulder. It’s tantalizing. His hair brushes against my jaw as he leans close and the scent of his aftershave reaches my nose. His lips brush against my ear and I jump.

“Keep talking to her. It’s your only chance of getting out of here.”

I swallow and look at Dr. Rutledge. Her lips are moving, but I can’t hear her. I can only hear Max.

I know what he’s saying is the truth. Dr. Rutledge is my only ticket to getting out of here. And when I get out of here, I can help Max and Lana and everything will be better. Not perfect, just better.

“I miss you,” Max whispers into my ear. His voice is like sharp talons around my heart. Each word that comes out of his mouth pierces me, making my breath hitch. My face remains forward but I can just see his lips curving up into that sexy smile of his. “I need you to come back.”

And just like that he’s gone. His scent. His voice. His presence. All gone. I hang my head, wanting so bad to scream in frustration.

I had him. Just for a minute Max was with me, but that is almost worse than not seeing him.

When I look at Dr. Rutledge, she’s staring at me with a confused look on her face. She doesn’t know that I was just given the highlight of my day. Maybe my whole week.

“Did you hear me?” she asks.

I shake my head. “I’m sorry… what?”

“I asked if we could pick up where we left off last session.”

I nod. “Yeah…” I say slowly. “Yeah, that sounds good.”

Words start to spill from my mouth and the whole time, Max’s voice echoes in my head.

“Keep talking to her. It’s your only chance of getting out of here.”