by Leigh Allen
“So, your aunt and my brother are pretty serious,” I said, changing the subject.
A slight smile appeared over Jamie’s dark face. “Maybe. I know that she has spent most of her life fixing all of the messes my mom has made. She deserves to be happy and for what it’s worth, your brother seems like a good guy.”
I hated to admit it, but she was right. “Yeah, he drives me insane, but he didn’t hesitate to take me in when our parents died. He’s the only family I have.”
We lay there for a little while longer in silence. It was nice laying under the stars. I heard the front door open again and this time, I heard Lana’s voice.
“Girls,” she called.
Jamie and I both sat up and she looked startled to see us laying in the grass beside the street. “We are out here,” Jamie says.
“I came out to check on both of you,” Lana said, smiling down at both of us.
“I’m fine,” I say.
“We just needed to talk,” Jamie stated.
Lana nodded and surprised both of us when she sat down beside us. She turned to me and I saw kindness in her eyes. “Mia, I hope I am not overstepping my boundaries here, but Isaac feels really bad,” she said, offering a smile.
“Yeah, he should,” I said, with a little more force than I intended.
“Breakups are tough and most boys, especially brothers, don’t always understand that. I explained it to him and he honestly feels terrible. Later, when you both cool down, you should talk to him,” Lana finished.
“Yeah, I will,” I agreed.
Lana sat with us for a few more minutes until our buts became numb. We all three stood and began making our way back into the house. Right before we stepped inside, I stopped and grabbed Jamie’s hand.
“Hey, let me know when you want that tour,” I offered, smiling.
Jamie didn’t smile, but a slight grin spread over her black lips. I would take that as a yes.
Feeling better, I stepped inside my house just as the faint roar of a motorcycle engine sounded somewhere in the distance.
Chapter 24
Seth
My life is spiraling out of control. I feel like at one point, I had everything I ever wanted. Mia, acceptance, and I was on my way to securing a warehouse to start my own business. Now, I am going backward. All because of a few stupid mistakes.
After Brody and I had left the fair, I had gone home and talked to my mom. I knew I needed to get back to school. I couldn’t stay away forever. I also needed to get the money together so I could pay off my debts. I wanted away from this life of crime I had found myself in.
Now, as I work on the hood of a custom 1969 Mustang, I allow my thoughts to keep me company. Well, that is until I hear the sounds of footsteps coming my way. I had decided to work on this new client's car at my house. He lived in a wealthy, gated neighborhood and I would stick out like a sore thumb.
“Hey, Brody,” I called, assuming it was him.
Brody had been glued to my side practically everyday. I knew he was worried about me. Hell, I was worried about me, too. But, today, I hadn’t seen him yet.
“Sorry, man. It’s not Brody,” I heard from behind me.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood as that voice resonated fear inside of me. I knew that voice. Spinning around, I came face-to-face with the guys who I had met behind the Raven’s bar. The very guys who had conned me into betting on some races. And, the guys who I now owe several hundred dollars to.
“Hey, guys,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant. I hoped they didn’t hear the fear in my voice.
“We didn’t come here to shoot the shit with you, kid,” one of the guys sneers.
They had given me names once before, but I knew it wasn’t their real names. I mean, what criminals offer out their true identities?
I nod, because we all know exactly why they are here. They want to collect on the money owed to them.
“I know,” I say. “I have most of your money,” I offer.
One of the guys steps toward me and I reflectively take a step back. My legs hit the car I’m working on and I know I am cornered.
“We don’t want some of the money. We came here to collect it all,” the guy sneers.
“Well, I don’t have it all,” I say, my tone sharp.
The guy turns for a brief second to look back at his friends, before he swings back around and punches me in the eye. I feel the sting and my hands go up to shield my face. I can hear the other guys advancing toward me and I try to run, but it’s no use. They pin me down and begin punching and kicking me. Pain radiates throughout my entire body as I struggle to breathe. I go to scream, but then think better of it. These guys came here to get their money or to kick my ass. Since I don’t have the money, I have no other choice but then to take the beating. I feel one last swift kick to the stomach and then the world around me goes black.
****
“Seth, can you hear me?”
A voice is calling to me, but my head is throbbing so bad, I can barely register the sound. I feel a hand on my arm, but the pain is so severe, it takes my breath away.
“Shit man, what have you gotten yourself into?” I hear the voice again.
“Brody?” I whisper, my voice hoarse.
“Yeah, Seth. It’s me. What happened?” he asks.
I try to open my eyes, but one is completely sealed shut. Brody’s face is nothing more than a blur right now.
“I got my ass kicked,” I say, the taste of blood now filling my mouth. I spit onto the ground and even that hurts.
Brody slowly lifts me off the ground and helps me to sit. “Dude, I need to get you to the hospital. You might have broken ribs,” he says.
“No,” I try to argue, but it’s no use. I can already feel Brody lifting me. For such a small guy, he has no issue carrying me. I try to hold on a little longer, but the pain is just too painful. I black out again and enjoy the peace for once.
Chapter 25
Mia
Ever since the dinner, Lana and Jamie had become permanent fixtures around my house. Jamie started attending Hollow Cove High that following Monday and I made sure to show her around. It’s not like I had a lot of friends to introduce her to. And, I think that made her like me even more. Jamie wasn’t the type of girl who wanted to be part of the popular crowd. Like me and Grace, she had been picked on and enjoyed having a small circle. In fact, Jamie appeared more gothic than any other style. She preferred to wear only black and Lana seemed cool with that.
I was more than relieved when Grace and Jamie hit it off. None of us honestly had that much in common, but somehow, we all clicked anyway.
Walking into lunch, I spotted Jamie and Grace at a table by a large window. I made my way over to them and sat down. Just as I went to open my bag to retrieve my lunch, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. Pulling it out, I saw a number that I didn’t recognize.
“Hello?” I answered, sounding weary for a moment.
“Mia?” the voice on the other end asked.
“Yes, who is this?”
“Mia, it’s Brody, Seth’s friend,” he said.
I felt my blood turn to ice and my heart stopped. Noticing my change in demeanor, Grace and Jamie stared at me with blank faces.
“What do you want, Brody?” I snapped.
Brody was always with Seth and he was with Seth the night I spotted them at the fair. I wasn’t sure what it was he could possibly want or why he would be calling me. At the mention of his name, Grace’s eyes grew wide as saucers.
Jamie looked to Grace for clarification and I could hear Grace begin to fill her in.
“Mia, I know I am one of the last people you want to hear from, but I didn’t have a choice. Seth is hurt,” he said.
I felt like my world stopped spinning. Seth was hurt. Fear engulfed me and my arms began to shake as terrible images began to play in my mind.
“What’s wrong?” I asked frantically.
“Those guys who he got the money from, they cam
e looking for their payout and Seth didn’t have it. They beat him up pretty bad. He’s at Hollow Cove Hospital,” Brody said.
I stood, knocking my chair over with a loud thud. A few heads turned my way, but I didn’t care.
“I will be right there,” I said. “Text me his room number,” I shouted before hanging up.
Grace and Jamie stood, too. “What’s going on?” Grace asked, reaching for my hand.
Tears poured down my face as I stared back at her. “Seth is hurt. He’s in the hospital. I have to go see him,” I said.
Grace nodded. “We are coming with you,” she said.
We began to leave the cafeteria and rushed out the front doors. I didn’t care who saw me or how much trouble I might get into for skipping the rest of my classes. Seth was hurt and I had to go to him.
****
We arrived at the hospital in less than ten minutes. None of us spoke the entire car ride. All I could think about was Seth and the trouble he had found himself in. I knew it was stupid of me to jump and rush to his side, but what choice did I have? Seth would always hold my heart. Regardless if we were together or not, I had to know that he was going to be ok.
Grace barely put her car in park before I opened the passenger door and jumped out. I ran into the hospital and bypassed the elevator. Taking the stairs two at a time, I made it to the second floor where Seth’s room was located. Brody had texted me Seth’s room number, 217, which was on the second floor. As I ran, I could hear Jamie and Grace yelling for me to wait for them, but nothing was going to stop me.
When I spotted Seth’s room, I stopped and froze in the doorway.
Laying lifeless in a large hospital bed, Seth was hooked up to several beeping machines. Brody sat in a chair beside his bed, flipping through a motorcycle magazine. Sensing my presence, Brody looked up and locked eyes with me.
“Hey,” he said, standing and closing the distance between us.
“How is he?” I asked.
Sighing, Brody ran a hand through his hair. “He has two broken ribs, a bruised collarbone, and lots of cuts and bruises. He will be ok, but Mia, Seth is in some big trouble.”
I could see the worry on Brody’s face and I knew how much he cared for his friend.
“Why did you call me?” I asked, stepping into the room. I walked over and stood next to Seth. From the slow rise and fall of his chest, I could tell he was sleeping. I was sure they had given him some pretty heavy pain killers that would knock him out.
Brody walked over beside me. “Mia, Seth can’t get over you. He got himself into this mess because he wanted to earn the money to create a future for you all. Now, he’s in way over his head. I know you still love him. I saw the way you two looked at one another the night of the fair. You needed to know,” Brody finished.
He was right. About all of it. But, it still pained me to know what Seth and I needed one another this badly.
“I don’t know where we go from here,” I whisper.
“I don’t either,” Brody says.
Grace and Jamie walk into the room and I hear Grace gasp. “Is he ok?” she asks.
Brody turns and goes to fill them in on Seth’s condition. All I can do is stand there and stare at Seth. He looks so peaceful right now, but I now know, it’s all a facade. Seth’s life is anything but peaceful right now. I lean over and place a soft kiss to his cheek. His skin feels warm, but it’s familiar.
“I love you,” I whisper, before I turn back to my friends. “We need to go,” I say.
Grace and Jamie follow me out of the hospital and once I am outside, I finally break down.
Chapter 26
Seth
“I love you.”
In my sleep filled haze, I swear I thought I heard Mia tell me that she loved me. I know I am just being delusional and hopeful, and maybe it was all the pain meds they pumped into me, but it was like she was really there.
Stirring, I open my eyes and see Brody sitting in a chair beside me. Looking around, I notice the stark white walls and the awful beeping noises that are making my head feel like it's been placed inside of a blender.
What the hell is going on? Am I dead?
“Where am I?” I ask Brody.
He stirs and I notice his face is as white as a ghost. He stands and slowly makes his way over to where I am laying on a bed. I feel a pinch and see an IV sticking out of my arm. My ribs ache and all at once, the memories come flashing back to me.
“Seth, you are in the hospital. I found you in your backyard. Someone kicked the shit out of you,” he says, his tone serious and not at all light like it usually is.
Those guys must have messed me up pretty bad for Brody to bring me to the hospital.
“What about my mom?” I ask.
“She was here earlier. She had to go to work, so I told her I would stay here with you. Man, she is really worried about you. We all are,” Brody sighs.
His words trigger a pain far worse than any ass kicking I could endure. I was letting everyone down and now I was worrying my mom. I felt like a failure.
“When can I leave here?” I ask.
“The doctor said that once you can stay conscious longer than five minutes, they can evaluate you for being discharged. They have been pumping you full of pain meds, so you have been out of it for two days. You have broken ribs. Seth, you have to stop whatever you are doing,” Brody warns.
“Don’t you think I know that,” I say loudly, my voice horse. My throat is sore and my mouth is dry from being asleep for so long. I see a cup of water on the bedside table and I slowly lift my arm to get the cup. Brody helps me and I drink water for what feels like the first time in forever.
The water is refreshing and feels nice on my throat. I continue talking now that I feel like I am not dying of dehydration. “I am in way over my head, Brody. But, I just need five hundred dollars and I can pay off the rest of my debt. Once I get everything paid, I am done with gambling,” I sigh.
“I’m glad to hear that, but you know I feel partly responsible for this mess. Let me figure out a way to help you out. Then, I swear, I will make sure those guys stay far away from the Raven bar and clubhouse and you,” Brody insists.
I could fight him on this, but again, I know better than that. I need help and I can’t be too prideful to not ask for help.
A nurse walks in and smiles when she sees me sitting up and awake. “Well, it’s nice to see you finally awake,” she says, with a cheerful tone. She’s older, maybe in her fifties and her hair is almost all gray. She reminds me of my grandmother. “The doctor will be in here in a few minutes. Do you need anything?” she asks.
“No, I’m just ready to get out of here,” I say.
She nods, before leaving.
“So, I had a crazy dream,” I say to Brody. He gives me an odd look as he goes to sit back down in his chair.
“Those pain meds can really mess up your head,” he laughs.
“Tell me about it. I swear, I dreamed Mia was here. It felt so real,” I say.
My heart is burning as I think about Mia. I notice that Brody hangs his head for a minute and I realize something is up.
“What’s wrong?” I ask him.
Running his hand through his hair, Brody lets out a deep breath before he looks back up at me again. His face is pained and he is starting to worry me. “Seth, it wasn’t a dream. I called Mia and told her you were here,” he says.
“What the hell, man,” I shout. “Why would you do that?”
I’m beyond pissed right now. The last thing I would want is for Mia to know about this mess. She doesn’t deserve this and I don’t want her to see me in this low place in my life.
“I did it because she needed to know. Seth, you are falling deeper into a shit hole. If anyone could save you, it would be Mia. She was really worried about you.”
“Mia has moved on, Brody. I don’t need her worried about me,” I say, tears burning my eyes.
I can recall only a few times I have cried in my life. All of
them were when I was a young child, but right now, I feel like I could sob like a baby.
“Seth, Mia is not over you. Neither one of you will ever get over what you all shared. When she walked into this room, I saw nothing but love and fear in her eyes. Mia loves you, Seth, and you still love her, too,” Brody finishes and crosses his arms across his chest.
He looks sly, but I know he is right. I do love Mia, but does she love me, too? I have to get out of this hospital so I can find her and figure all of this out once and for all.
Chapter 27
Mia
I find solace and peace in the strangest of places.
Take for example, the field that Seth and I had made our spot. It feels like a million years ago, but at the same time, it feels like just yesterday we were sitting in this open field together. A slight breeze flutters through my hair and I sigh, taking in the moment. I don’t know why I came here today, or why I have been coming here for the last two days since seeing Seth in the hospital. Something inside of me brings me here, like I’m not even in control of myself anymore.
The first day I came here, I cried. I had fallen to my knees in the middle of the vast open space and wept so loud, I was afraid the heavens would hear me. The second day, I screamed. I allowed my anger to burst from within and I screamed and cursed everything I could think of. But today, I sit in silence. I just want to be at peace with everything that has happened.
Grace and Jamie had come with me the first day, but realizing this was a personal mission, they gave me the space I needed and didn’t ask to tag along again.
Laying back on my elbows, I stare up at the baby blue sky as the white cotton-like clouds drift across the openness. I hear the roar of an engine, but I don’t dare to look back. My mind has played way too many games lately, so I know better than to look back at the one lane road. Releasing a long breath, I smile to myself. This is the first time in forever that I have just been content with myself.
“Have you been here long?” a deep voice asks.