I had to stay strong just incase that person was watching me through out the day. I needed to show that I was stronger than what everyone thought of me even though they thought I was perfect some believed I was weak from my breakdowns. The breakdowns made some believe that I was incapable to handle myself when situations got tough. I would show whoever it was that I was stronger, tougher than they originally thought. English went by without problem. Walking out of class I was not paying attention to where I was going when I ran into a very jumpy looking Tori.
“Oh hey Emma, I am sorry I didn’t see you there” her voice was soft and she seemed exhausted. Her brown hair was straight pulled back by a headband her normal bright green eyes were dull looking and tortured. Those eyes were so similar to Richard’s it was crazy. Bending down I began to help pick her things up since I had knocked them over, as she reached to grab a book her sleeve moved up revealing more of her arm. Long white thin scars ran up her arm not across her wrists if she was harming herself. I looked up at her though her head stayed lowered her eyes trained on the floor where her hand currently was.
“Tori?” I asked my voice barely audible to my own ears, her eyes snapped up to meet mine and anguish and fear passed through before a guarded look took over.
“Don’t worry about it Emma it happened months ago” came her soft reply as she grabbed the last of her things and scampered off towards her next class and out the hall doors. As I watched her scamper off a small smile slid onto my face as I watched the girl I truly knew showed if only for a few minutes. That was the Tori knew not the one who screamed and yelled at me all those weeks ago, though now she seemed skittish like something was bothering her more so than she let on. Picking myself up off the ground I made my way outside to see the quad empty of everyone as I turned towards the parking lot a familiar black car sat there the car running but the car sat ideal. Windows rolled up the black tinting reflecting the shinning sun as it blocked your view from the inside. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I began to move closer to the unknown car that had been stalking me for the past month or so. As I got closer to the car the engine roared to life and they backed up in a flash high tailing it out of the parking lot and speeding off into the city somewhere. Weird I thought. The sounds of my heels sounded on the sidewalk as I began to walk further towards where the car just was wondering who could be the one stalking me. It ruled out a few people in school because their classes were in session right now.
“Emma” Turning around I saw Jace making his way towards me with a smile on his face though it did not reach his eyes. Glancing behind me I looked at the spot the car just occupied to see nothing unusual before making my way toward Jace.
“What happened this morning?” He said once I had gotten close enough to him softly he grabbed my arm bringing me along with him to a bench where we sat down.
“Well first there was a dead mouse in my yard, my car didn’t look tampered with but Ryder’s bike had been tampered with, then we get to school and there is a note attached to my locker the one Ryder is using.” I told him as I leaned my head against his shoulder slowly he wrapped his arm around my shoulder rubbing his hand up and down my shoulder in a brotherly manner.
“Ryder has been worried about you, you know,” He told me as we both looked outwards upon the quad the silence was comforting as we took in the lavish brick lined quad.
“Well he stormed off to class without saying goodbye this morning so I wouldn’t know.” I told him my voice coming out harsher than I intended for it to.
“Sorry just been crazy and I’m trying to stay strong right now with everything going on.” Jace only nodded his head in understand, that is what I love most about him he knew when you wanted to talk and when you didn’t. He was a shoulder to cry on and someone you could always count on to be there for you in a time of need.
“Bell, Jace” Ryder’s voice said from behind us, picking my head up from his shoulder I looked around to see Ryder making his way towards us his hands shoved deep in the pockets of his jeans. Walking over he took a seat next to me the moment he sat down Jace removed his arm and I leaned on Ry instead.
“I am okay Ry you don’t have to go bugging people” I told him with a small giggle in my voice as Jace just chuckled from the other side.
“You sure your okay Bell?” He asked me his hand grabbing mine in a soft hold his thumb rubbing circles on my palm.
“I am okay Ry, just can we go home now?” I told him my voice starting to break on the last word my strong facade was slowly slipping and I wanted to be far away before the tears started to fall.
“Get her home man she looks like she is about to break” Jace said before he leaned over and placed a brotherly kiss to the side of my head as he stood up to leave. I could feel Ryder tense up as Jace did that though it wasn’t unusual for him to do it because every once in awhile he would. Ryder was still over protective of me his rule was you could look but you cant touch but he should know his best friend meant no harm what so ever. With a sigh I stood up bringing Ryder up with me as we made our way home, the walk was silent nothing like the walk to school. His worry was dripping off him in waves causing me to be uneasy next to him.
“It will be okay Ry” I told him, he said nothing as we walked towards my house the silence was starting to get to me as fear started to sink in as the wind began to pick up. As if he could sense my fear he wrapped a strong muscular arm around my shoulders pulling me closer to his body letting his body heat seep through my jacket warming me to the core.
“You don’t have to be scared my dear I am not going anywhere I promise you” came his rough voice as he stopped walking for a moment to place a small sweet kiss upon my lips leaving me warm and tingly. Starting to walk again we rounded the last corner to my house to see the black sedan sitting there across the street from my house. Ryder noticed it before I did because in a flashed he jerked my arm causing me to stumble before catching my balance as he pulled me around the houses and through the back door of my house. I saw that he had actually cleaned everything up nothing was left of the mouse from this morning. Quickly Ryder ushered me inside the house locking the door once we were both safely inside standing in the kitchen I watched him walk around checking the windows before he motioned for me to follow him into the living room where he made sure the windows were locked and the curtains drawn shut.
“Stay here I will be right back” he told me as he made his way upstairs to check the rest of the house seeing as the car was parked outside. I took a seat on the couch waiting for Ry to come back from upstairs. As I sat there waiting for him to return the tears started to fall freely down my face as today finally hit me hard, my sobs sounded around me. Soon protective warm arms wrapped around me holding me to their chest as they whispered sweet nothings in my ear reassuring me in every way, hoping to take me away from this horrible world I was currently living in. Behind my own closed doors I could break down and be myself letting the words of today bring forth the tears I have been holding back. His hand moved up and down my back, as he placed small loving kisses to my head, his touching calming me down.
“Everything is locked and safe” His whispered into my hair and all I could do was nod my head my voice ceasing to work correctly.
Slowly he unwound his arms from me and left me bundled in a blanket that he had just put on me, making his way somewhere in the house. Unwinding one arm I slipped off my heels throwing them somewhere in the room as I did not want to move from my cocoon of warmth.
Returning no more than five minutes later with his arms full of blankets and pillows he began to make a makeshift bed on the floor for both of us. Then he vanished again without word, this time though he returned with water bottles, soda cans, bags of chips, cookies and DVD’s from the cabinet by the wall located behind the couch. Scattering the contents in a corner by the top of the makeshift bed where we could reach them whenever we wanted to. Ryder looked at me from the floor his gaze soft and sweet.
With opened arms he beckoned me closer and I slid from the couch making my way towards him slowly the wind picking up outside of the house, once close enough he took me in his arms.
“It is okay Bells,” He whispered softly as he held me closer his body warmth radiating through the blanket that was wrapped around me tightly. Slowly he dimmed the lights from the remote and turned the television on as he laid us down on the blankets. As we lay there silence fell over us like a blanket covering a child as they slept through the night. It must have been no more than two hours that we were laying there when Ry moved and slid off his shirt and jeans leaving himself in his boxer shorts as he pulled the sheet up to his waist. Realizing we weren't going to be heading upstairs to my bed to sleep for the night I slipped off my cardigan leaving me in a tank top and sweats that I had chosen to wear today since it seemed like a comfy day. The house was warm but not unbearable that was for sure, I knew I wouldn't sweat in the heat of the house so my sweats would do for sleeping in.
“Tomorrows the carnival” I mumbled into his chest.
“I know I cannot wait to see how it goes and everything” he said as he began to stroke my back in a soothing manner.
“When will you be there?” I asked.
“Around 1 in the afternoon, I have to get Jace and there are a few things I need to pick up before I come as well.” He said and placed a small kiss to my head in reassurance of what I did not know.
“That is fine I have to be there before ten so I wont wake you up when I leave so that you can sleep in longer.”
“Thanks love you always knew I wasn't a morning person no one else seems to understand I love my sleep very, very much” Was his reply as we focused back onto the movie before us.
Lights danced across the wall, the howling of the wind rattled the trees around the house. You could hear every creek and crack of the old wood the house was built from as it has aged over the years. No words were spoken between us as we lay in content in each others arms. We didn't need words to express ourselves, we simply just needed each other to be whole and complete. Maybe my father knew something the day they left when he told Ryder to take care of me because I had no idea it would lead us here months later and together. A friendship that had ended because of reasons I still don't know four years ago had sparked a new stronger, healthier, loving relationship. One that was rebuilt from the bottom us leaving everything new and happy. Old wounds still lingered in the darkness lurking in the shadows but they never ventured into the light once those wounds had been healed and properly taken care of. As we lay there in each others arms movies playing around us though I doubt either of us was really paying attention to what was going on because our minds were on tomorrow.
Could something happen tomorrow?
Were we prepared for the unexpected?
Tomorrow would be when we found out; tomorrow would be the day that we would come to see if the threats fully went through. No one ready for the events of tomorrow. No one was prepared to witness what they would soon see face to face that did not seem possible. Friendships would come through when you least expected and truths would arise from the dead as if ‘he’ was a ghost.
Tonight though it would just be about Ryder and I, two halves of a whole that could find peace in our chaotic life if only just for a moment. Tonight it was just the two of us and it was nice. This was how it should have always been for the last four years I wish I knew what had truly happened because as I think on the topic longer now- things did not seem right at all.
Slowly we dozed off to sleep in each other’s arms smiles on our faces and love in both of our hearts. If something did occur tomorrow then we had tonight to remember and think about.
Sleep over took us as dreams of a happy future filled our thoughts and lulled us into a peaceful dream filled sleep. We did not stir from our spot on the floor; the television continuing to play the movie over and over as we finally welcomed the sleep with open arms. As I slipped further away I swear I heard Ryder say ‘I love you Bell forever and always’ though I couldn't be sure because soon I was out to the world.
The howling wind blew outside as the car sat parked across the street from the McCain residence, the flashing of dim lights could be seen through the curtains of the house. They sat in the car watching the house, as they knew that life currently occupied its space. Nothing seemed to be going as planned today. First the alarm hadn’t made them late, the mouse did not delay their arrival to school and Emma seemed unaffected by the dead mouse outside her house. Though they thought that tampering with the bike in the driveway would stall them more so it did not, the car had not been tampered with anyway. They waited for the note to break her as they sat parked in the school lot waiting to see her run out though they were soon disappointed as the quad stayed silent. That was until the doors opened and she walked out a smile on her face soon she saw the car and made her way towards it. They thought they could get her now that was until that boy came out and caught her attention not wanting to be caught the person drove off in a hurry. Nothing was going as planned the person thought as they sat there watching her house, they knew they saw the car and went around the back. Though the car did not move an inch as it sat there. The wind howled through the night rushing through the trees as they swayed left and right against the house they were currently watching. A noise sounded from the passenger seat but the driver paid them no attention as their main focus was on the house calculating how they would get her tomorrow. The time had finally come and tomorrow would be the perfect president’s last day, though know one truly knew how dark the ring leader’s mind was. Though they would soon find out that what they had in mind was worst than what they had originally thought. The person in the passenger seat sat there looking at the leader with fearful shocked eyes as they watched hatred, disgust, and anger flash in those dark alluring eyes people loved so much. No one knew the monster that lingered inside.
“Lets go we have to make sure the last few things are set for tomorrow” The driver’s voice said as they started the car and drove off.
Tomorrow would be the day my life completely changed.