In Between Times (Complete Novel, Mastered May 12th, 2022)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

— Present

Whats The Vibe – Jobo The BearGod ♩ ♪ ♫ ♬

PARRISH:

I am tied up in knots. The pit in my stomach tightens every mile closer I get to her house. I have no sense of what I'm about to get myself into, but I don't have the time to comprehend.

Janie captivated me with her words. I give a shit about Amelia. She's important to me.

This odometer is useless. My speed doesn't seem to increase fast enough as I push my foot farther against the pedal.

I can't get to her fast enough.

Those words go through my head in a continuous loop.

I don't notice the blaring horns, or the swerving vehicles around me. I don't give a shit about them.

I pass the ending line of the strip as my heart forcefully races faster, assaulting my ribcage. The anticipation of seeing her always gets to me.

But never like this. This shit is eccentric. Amelia always drives me to the edge.

But now I feel like I'm traveling against the edge of death. I feel like I'm just riding there on the edge. Mimicking it. Testing it.

I just must try and save it. Which I know won't be easy, and I accept that. I accept the difficulty of it all. I only care about her.

Sand flies up surrounding the outside of my truck from the friction of my tires. I lean forward and look around, careful not to miss the citing of her house.

Then I see it.

My tires skid, creating a mass of clouded sand behind me as I quickly turn. I immediately park, but I don't immediately get out. I stare at my stirring wheel for a few seconds, and then carry my eyes to look at her front door.

I take the key out of the ignition, and then get out of my truck after a few silent seconds. I lean against the door after shutting it as I grab onto the top of the large side-view mirror to help my sudden imbalance.

I am so unprepared. I never experienced a lack of preparation. Not until the day I moved here. I used to be an organized person. I was a straight-A student in high school, I was pitcher for the school's baseball team, and I was also the guy that everyone loved at my school. I played my guitar and sang for the students at my school. Mainly for the chicks. They always flocked, and they were always willing to entertain me in return. I thought I had it all figured out back then.

Little did I know. Damn, if I didn't know shit. I had no clue to how ugly the world could be, or the people within it. I had no clue to how beautiful the world could be, or the people within it.

Everything life really has to offer was beyond my thoughts.

Now I must face a reality that I am completely unprepared for. I don't know what's on the other side of that door, and it scares the hell out of me. I guess I should have known that being unprepared came with Amelia. I'm going to do something that I wouldn't typically do. I've always conquered my goals, but this isn't a goal.

This is a fear. I'm a damn coward. I never face my fears, and that's why I was so unaware of everything happening outside of my world. That's why it came falling apart. I was ignorant.

I just need to make sure she is okay.

That's why I came out here. I just need to make sure she is okay, and then I will leave. She probably doesn't want to see me right now anyway. She might not have come to work today because she didn't want to see me. For whatever reason. I might upset her for being here.