Holly Dalvin is tired of her suffocating life, and decides to leave her dysfunctional family, failing grades and bullying peers behind. For good. While laying on Purslane Station's rundown train tracks, Holly comes face to face with the notorious He...
He said my name, he knew my name? I wanted to roll my eyes at him and demand to know why he scared me by nearly breaking down the door, but I couldn't move.
"What happened?" The lines on his forehead deepened and he took a step closer.
His voice held concern and I wanted to tell him I had to see Mum, but I couldn't speak. Mum. I felt tears running down my cheeks. Kai looked worried and he put a hand on my shoulder. He said something, but I didn't hear it properly. I was in an ocean, floating.
"Holly! Speak to me damn it!"
I wanted to push his hand off my shoulder, but my hand was still holding the earth. Kai's eyes seemed to gleam with a dark light. I stared at them, entranced. His mouth moved but there was no sound. I could only hear the beating of my heart.
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My face felt wet. I blinked a couple of times and the yawning lion on the ceiling greeted me in his usual way. Why was I in bed? I wasn't wearing my pyjamas and it was still daytime.
"Holly?" asked a low voice carefully.
I flinched at the sound turned my back to the voice as quick as I could. Why did that voice sound like...
"It's just me, Kai. You're safe, don't worry."
My eyes nearly popped out of my head as I processed that information for moment. What the hell was Kai doing in my bedroom? Was he trying it on with me?! No, that didn't make sense. Kai left last night, I'm sure of it. I was missing something. Slowly, I turned around to see Kai gingerly sitting on the edge of my bed. I lost all fear when I saw the expression on his face. Something stirred in my mind and I bunched my hands into fists.
"I threw some water on you because you weren't responding. Thought it was a better idea than slapping you."
My stomach flipped.
"What do you mean I wasn't responding?" I asked hesitantly.
"Stephan saw you walking home, crying. He thought you were in trouble, so he told me. I thought the same, because you weren't opening the door."
I inhaled sharply as I remembered bumping into Stephan on the way home from school. Mum.
"God, Kai I have to go! My Mum!" My chest heaved as I struggled to breathe between each word.
Kai held my shoulders and shook me slightly.
"Stop. Now take a deep breath in. Now out. Take it easy."
I followed his words and tried to calm down.
"Where is your Mum?"
I swallowed hard and tried to keep breathing steadily.
"Hospital. Joshua called me when I was at school. He texted me as well but I was in lesson.I have to go there right now! I don't know what's happened to her Kai, what if she's—"
