Unraveled (20 page)

My eyebrows
shoot up. Really? As if I'd waste my precious last few days of freedom
following her when I had better things to do with my time. Of course I can't
tell her that. “No. Like any other normal person in this school, I have to
pee,” I say as I set my books on the nearest sink.

“Toilet's
that way,” she says, nodding to the stalls.

“I'm aware
of that.”

She eyes me
for a second before she turns away and takes her time putting her lipstick in
her purse as she deliberately ignores me.

“You've
heard the rumors I'm sure. Why date someone that is rumored to be abusive?” I
can't help but ask curiously. I wonder if there had been rumors like that about
Cole when I'd first arrived, if it would have made a difference.

She stiffens
up and then gives me a look. “I've heard you'll do anything for attention.”

“You think I
beat myself up?” I ask with amazement.

“Of course
not. Cole said you were cheating on him with a couple of other guys and one of
them got carried away.” She gives me a scornful look. “I hear you like it
rough.”

I'm not
rising to the bait. “Cole was the one that got carried away in a temperamental
rage.”

“Oh, yeah?
Was he lying about the cheating?”

My silence
is her answer.

“Just as I
thought,” she says with a shake of her head as she saunters towards the
bathroom door.

“You'll lose
your friends. I'm betting you have already.” My voice has her pausing but she
doesn't turn around to look at me. I continue since I seem to have her
attention once again. “He'll pressure you to drink, get high and have sex.
He'll start controlling what you wear and even who you talk to. Eventually,
he'll get you to do something so horrible that he'll own you for life. He will
destroy you,” I say quietly.

She turns
and looks at me, her eyes narrowed but I catch a hint of uncertainty in them.
“Looks to me like you're still standing,” she says as her eyes sweep up my
jeans and cute shirt. “You don't look destroyed to me.”

“Appearances
can be deceiving, just like Cole. He will manipulate and deceive you to get
what he wants. Get out while you can,” I warn her.

“Maybe, I
don't want to,” she says flippantly.

“Then that
is on you. I can at least say I tried to warn you, just like Paige Macmurray
tried to warn me. I had to learn the hard way. I was hoping to save you from
the pain he'll cause in the end.”

“Why do you
care?”

“I'd be a
heartless bitch not to.”

She studies
me for a second before she turns and walks out of the bathroom without a
backward glance.

Later that
night I can't sleep. Once again, I have found my way into Noah's room and I lay
beside him, listening to his steady breathing when the rumbling sound of
distant thunder doesn't drown him out. I can't help but turn my head and study
Noah in the darkness. Lightning flashes every so often so I can look upon his
face. He looks so peaceful and content. I wonder if he knows I've been coming
in here the past few night and then sneaking out before his alarm goes off at
seven the following morning. If he's aware of it, he hasn't approached me about
it and I am thankful for that. I don't like lying to him and I can't tell him
what is going to happen Friday night.

Three days.

I have three
days before my life is officially over.

My heart
aches and as thunder rumbles again, I feel restless. It's impossible to sleep
with such a burdening deadline on my horizon. After a moment of deliberation, I
carefully ease out of Noah's bed and leave his room.

Instead of
going to my own room, I make my way down the hall and down the stairs to the
kitchen. I pause in front of the patio doors and stare out into the dark angry
night. Lightning flashes and it's slightly windy, making the pouring rain
splatter the doors repeatedly.

That right
there is how I feel because my emotions are a turbulent mess.

Without
thinking it over, I unlock the patio door and step outside. The rain drops are
painful as they pelt me but I welcome it because I've punished myself so much
lately that there are no more fresh places to cut. My tank and shorts stick to
me like a second skin as I walk through the rain and sit down on a lounge
chair. I draw my knees up to my chest and drop my head to avoid the stinging
pelts against my cheeks.

Cole was
avoiding me at school and I've been cautious to stay far, far away from him.
But I can feel his eyes on me at times in the hallway and I know he's secretly
plotting something awful. I should really go the police immediately but I can't
bring myself to do it quite just yet. I have no intention of chickening out on
Friday, but I just want these last few days of freedom. That, and I know I'm
currently safe. Cole wouldn't try anything with my brother or Noah around and
they were
always
close by.

Tears sting
my eyes and I tighten my clasp on my knees, my shoulders hunching even more
against the rain as desolation sweeps through me.

I've failed
Tate in ways I never thought I would. I was the worst little sister ever and
soon he was going to realize just how messed up I really am. He would never
look at me the same and I'd be lucky if he even bothered to visit me in prison.

A sob rises
in my throat and there's no use trying to suppress the heartache that has its
grasp wrapped tightly around me, stealing my breath and any hope I might have
had for this life that was mine. My shoulders shake as I sob for all my past
mistakes and for the life I might have had.

It was all
gone.

I feel the
lounge chair dip slightly behind me and then familiar arms wrap tightly around
me, a warm chest pressing against my back. My body tenses at the feel of Noah
behind me before I slowly begin to relax as his closeness eases my pain. His
warm hands rub up and down my legs, probably trying to warm me up since it's
cold as hell out here.

His face
presses close to mine and I can feel the slight hint of whiskers on his jaw.
“Come inside. Please,” he says loudly in my ear.

I nod to let
him know I'd heard him.

Slowly, he
releases me and I warily unfold myself from the chair and stand up. I glance at
him for the first time and see that he's still shirtless and his pajama pants
are sopping wet. Rain drips down his face and as lightning flashes, I see his
eyes are on me intently. I'd evidently woken him up when I'd come down here.

Who am I
fooling? Noah has probably known since Sunday night I was sneaking into his bed
but he hadn't said a word because he knew I wouldn't open up to him. I don't
deserve this man.

His hand
reaches out for me, waiting.

After a
brief hesitation, I slip my hand in his and he tugs me back towards the house.
As soon as we step in the kitchen, Noah moves around me and quickly shuts the
patio door and locks it. I can't help but shiver and I glance down to see that
I am dripping water all over the tile floor. I realize Noah's no longer moving
and I glance up to find him just standing there, watching me.

My eyes
wander over him as lightning flashes again. I love his chest. My eyes shift to
the necklace he never takes off and then I study the cross over his heart. My
heart aches with sadness as I finally admit to myself that I really love him.
I'm head over in heels in love with someone that I can never truly have. As I
let my eyes shift back to his face, I wonder how I am ever supposed to say
goodbye to him.

Noah reaches
out and touches the side of my face before he moves closer, his head bending
down to mine. There is no hesitation on my part as I tilt my head back, anxious
to feel his lips on mine. The kiss isn't a slow build like it normally is with
us. It's steamy and full of want and need. I've been longing for this for so
long and clearly he has been as well because he kisses me deeply, his other
hand snagging in my wet hair as he holds me close.

I need him
tonight.

It is
fitting and the memory will last a lifetime and perhaps be one of the few
bright spot I have to look back on in my life when I'm in prison. The kiss
continues for a couple more seconds before I pull my lips from his and back up
slightly so I can grab the hem of my wet tank and yank up and over my head. I
stand before him in nothing but my wet boxers that cling to my hips and watch
his reaction. He's been pulling back from me lately and I will understand if
he's hesitant to take things this
far.         

Lightning
flashes and I see that his eyes are roaming over my breasts and a wicked smile
has crept across his lips. “You sure?” he asks over the rumbling thunder.

It's too
dark for him to read my lips, so I nod and move forward to pull his head down
for another kiss. His warm hands slide around my waist and then run up my bare
back as his tongue tangles with mine. His body presses against mine, nudging me
back against the cool glass of the patio window. I lean back against it and
sigh into his mouth as his hands move to my breasts where his fingers brush
over my nipples. My back arches as I press further into his hands. I'd love to
stay like this forever and savor it but I'm not in the mood to go slow tonight.
My hands move to the waistband of his pants and I push at them, anxious to feel
him inside me.

Noah's hands
immediately leave my breasts as he pulls back. He quickly grabs my boxer shorts
and he pulls them down, right along with my panties and I kick them off. While
he's kneeling before me, he presses a brief warm kiss against my lower stomach
before rising to his feet. He rids himself of his pants before his hands settle
around my waist and he lifts, settling me around his hips as my shoulders lean
back against the glass door behind me. My legs wrap tightly around his waist
and I try to shift against him, trying to get him to slide in.

Noah groans
and drops his forehead down to mine instead of giving me what I want. “I don't
have anything on me,” he says with frustration.

It sinks in
he's referring to a condom but I want him, right here and right now. I'm on
birth control and I trust him to be clean. I kiss him firmly on the mouth and
push my lower body against his, letting him know we'd be fine.

His breath
catches and his head pulls back to study me in the darkness. “Nod if you're on
birth control,” he says abruptly.

I quickly
nod.

He lets out
a relieved groan before he sinks in deep and I'm right where I need to be. My
head falls back against the glass as I savor the feel of him. Noah's hands
tighten around my hips and then he begins to move me up and down his length,
making my breath catch.

I let my
hands skim his shoulders as I watch his face with anticipation while I take
over and my hips grind greedily against his. I love the way his hands are
digging into my hips and the way his muscles tense and ripple with every
thrust.

Better yet,
every time the lightning flashes, I can see his intense expression and the way
he's watching me, like he can't get enough of what I'm offering him. Rain is
pelting at the glass against my back and there are little shadow drips that are
dripping all over Noah's face and his naked chest as we enjoy one another. As
thunder cracks behind us making the glass shake slightly, I lean forward and
hold him tightly as my mouth claims his. Our embrace is tight as we ride out
the storm and our pleasure.

A few
minutes later we still haven't moved as we catch our breath. I'm resting
against the patio glass door, my legs wrapped around Noah's hips while he's
still inside me. His lips gently tease mine and I smile widely against them
with satisfaction.

He chuckles
lowly and tightens one arm around my waist before pulling back away from the
patio door and bending down to grab our wet clothes on the floor. A surprised
squeal escapes me from the sudden movement that finds me a few feet from the
floor, but the rumbling thunder drowns it out. Noah straightens up, his hold
firm on me as he heads out of the kitchen and towards the hallway.

My arms wrap
tightly around his neck and I giggle softly as he literally carries me like a
monkey up the stairs and down the hall to the bathroom. Then he gently eases me
down to the floor, kissing my forehead before tossing our wet clothes in the
tub and walking out to give me privacy.

After a
quick wash up, I wander back into Noah's room to find that it's empty. I shrug
and head for the bed. He'd be back after he was done doing whatever he was
doing. I crawl naked into his bed and settle against his sheets. My mood is
calm now and everything feels so right. It's not long before Noah comes back
into the room. I watch as he firmly shuts his door before walking completely
naked to the bed and climbing in beside me.

I look at
him questioningly in the darkness and I know he can see my head tilting
curiously.

“Tate's just
now starting to act normal around me again. We wouldn't want him to come across
butt prints all over the patio doors or we're back to where we started,” he
muses.

A laugh
escapes me as I imagine a naked Noah spraying down the patio door with Windex
and cleaning it. Then I can't help but giggle over Tate's would be expression
as he realized what the prints were if he had come across them tomorrow.