Connected: Book 1 Connected Series

by Kat Stiles

  “We’re watching a movie,” I repeated. “And this one is uncut. Better leave before it gets too exciting.” I settled back in, wrapping my arms around him once more.

  “Fine.” She turned and left without another word.

  “Hmm. That was too easy,” I said.

  “I love watching the two of you together. It’s better than the movies,” he said.

  “Not better than zombies on the beach.”

  “Seriously, though, you’ve got some good comebacks. I’m impressed.”

  “Thanks. I’ve had a few years practice.” I moved closer to him. “Now for the exciting part…”

  I leaned into him, and we were about to kiss when the sound of a throat being cleared interrupted us. Lauren returned, sporting her familiar evil grin.

  “What is it now?” I asked, exhausted.

  “You’ll find out tomorrow. Enjoy the remainder of your time with him.” She practically skipped out of the room.

  “What do you think that means?” Tommy asked.

  “She’s got something on me.” It had to be good for her to leave us alone like that.

  I sighed and lay down, resting my head on his lap. He stroked my hair so softly, I had trouble staying awake for the movie.

  After it ended, I walked him out to the porch. The kiss goodnight was intense. I found myself lost in the sensation of heat running through my body, warming me all over. I pulled away, breathless.

  “You overwhelm me,” I whispered.

  “That’s a good thing, right?”

  “Yeah.” I squeezed his hand a final time before he left.

  Still feeling the effects from the kiss as I returned to the living room, it took a second to notice Lauren glaring at me. I glared back. “Don’t start.”

  “I can’t believe you were making out with him on our front porch. Have you no decency? What is wrong with you?”

  “Oh, should I have gone to the movies or something? No that’s right, the woods,” I said. “It’s true. There are better places to make out.”

  “Not that it matters for much longer anyway,” she mumbled in response.

  “What are you talking about?”

  But she didn’t answer. I wanted to scream at her self-satisfied grin.

  “What made you like this?” I said and then added more softly, “What happened to you?”

  “Exactly what I don’t want to happen to you. You’re going to have to trust me on this.”

  I folded my arms. “No.”

  “No?”

  “No, I’m not going to just trust you. You have to give me more than that.”

  She let out a deep sigh and flopped onto the couch. I sat next to her. “I was about your age when I fell for Rob.”

  I vaguely remembered her being happy. But it didn’t last long.

  She grabbed a throw pillow and hugged it to her chest. “He was perfect. Cute, smart, athletic.”

  “So what happened?” I asked, eager to get to the part I didn’t know.

  “He cheated on me.”

  “He did?”

  She nodded, and I could feel her anger start to build.

  “How did you find out about it?”

  She froze. “I…I saw. I mean, I kinda saw him. He was…”

  I wondered if she was paranoid with him like she is with me. Did it actually happen, or was it all in her head? “Are you sure? You saw it firsthand?”

  She snickered. “You could say that.”

  I looked at her blankly, waiting for her to explain her cryptic response.

  She let out a frustrated sigh, as if I were an obstinate child, refusing to listen. “Look, I know he did it, okay?”

  There was a genuine conviction in her voice, and I sensed no deception from her. But it still didn’t make sense. “So what you’re trying to say is because you dated a jerk who cheated on you, I have to be miserable, too.”

  “No, I’m saying you need to be careful. If it weren’t for my… I mean, I got lucky when I found out he was cheating. They suck you in and trick you into thinking they care. Trust me. They don’t.”

  “Tommy isn’t Rob,” I said.

  “How do you know? I had no idea Rob was cheating,” she said, her eyes losing some of their coldness. “I…I really loved him.”

  I felt her heartbreak, and all the memories of that time came flooding back to me. How she hardly ate anything for two weeks, the doctors trying unsuccessfully to help. She didn’t leave her room for over a month. Mom and I didn’t know what was wrong with her—she wouldn’t talk to us at all. I finally understood.

  “Lauren, I’m sorry. I didn’t know…” I reached out to her for a hug. For a second I thought she was going to break down and actually be human. But then her defenses went right back up.

  “It’s not your fault. I don’t want to see the same thing to happen to you, okay?” She threw the pillow on the couch and headed for her room.

  “Lauren?”

  She looked back at me. “Yeah?”

  “Thanks.”

  A flicker of a smile appeared, I would’ve missed it if I had blinked. But it was something. She is human after all.

  * * * *

  The next morning I remembered I had an appointment with the doctor that evening. He had tried to hurt me at our last session, and I recalled feeling vulnerable. I didn’t know what he would try to do this time.

  On the bus, I handed Roz the scrap paper with the address. “We saw Adam at this house last night. He was working.”

  “Cool, I’ll look into it. Maybe we can stop this one.”

  “Yeah,” I said. I didn’t bring up my doubts about Adam, knowing how confident she was of his guilt. Instead I smiled.

  At my locker, a piece of folded paper stuck out of the door. I didn’t think anything of it, I figured Tommy wrote it. It read:

  Emily, I need to talk to you. I know your secret.

  My heart sank. I looked around but didn’t see anything unusual. And then I saw him. Scott. He stared at me so deliberately I knew he must be the author of the note. He knows I can heal. What am I going to do? To my horror, he started to walk towards me.

  A familiar voice came from behind me. “Hey, beautiful,” Tommy said.

  “Boy, am I glad to see you.” I shoved the note in my bag before Tommy could see it and wrapped my arms around him.

  Scott left in the opposite direction, and I let out a sigh of relief.

  “You busy tonight?” Tommy said.

  “Unfortunately. I have an appointment with the doctor.”

  “The creepy one?”

  “Yeah.”

  “That sucks.”

  “Yep,” I agreed.

  “So don’t go.” He said it simply, nonchalantly, like it was really that easy. Don’t go. Like I would ever do that.

  A mischievous grin appeared on his face. “Go out with me instead.”

  “My mother would kill me.”

  “I seriously doubt that.”

  “You’re right. She’d punish me. Then I wouldn’t be able to see you at all.”

  “Oh.” He took my hands into his. “Well, we can’t have that.”

  “I don’t…” I trailed off, unsure of how to word it without sounding mental. “…feel safe around him.”

  His playful expression faded. “Did he hurt you?”

  “To tell you the truth, I’m not sure what happened at our last visit. I only know I always get these splitting headaches around him.” My gaze fell to the floor. “I wish I didn’t have to go.”

  “Maybe I could meet you there and sit outside in the waiting room. Then I can hear if he tries anything.”

  “You can?” I squeezed his hands and smiled. “That would be great.”

  “Tell me when and where, beautiful.”

  * * * *

  Of all the days to fly by, today was the worst. I would’ve rather had it drag on. Even an in-depth discussion of rhyme and meter in Shakespearian sonnets was better than a visit with the doctor. Before I knew it, I was home
, preparing to leave with my mother for the appointment.

  I was still pissed at her for not believing me about the doctor, but I didn’t bother to get into it with her. She dropped me off without saying a word. Down the main hall near the shrink’s office, Tommy waited outside the door. My shoulders instantly relaxed.

  I ran and embraced him. “Thanks again.”

  “No problem. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” The gentle rocking motion was such a welcome comfort.

  The receptionist smiled at seeing me enter the office, until she realized I wasn’t alone.

  “I’m here for my appointment,” I said.

  In a superior tone she informed me, “Outside visitors are prohibited during the sessions.”

  “He’s going to wait out here,” I explained.

  “Fine,” she said and then motioned hastily to one of the chairs for him to sit. She turned to me. “You can go into the treatment room. The doctor will be with you shortly.”

  Shortly, I found, was a matter of perspective. I wanted to use the time to calm down, but instead my mind wandered back to the last session. The doctor enjoyed it entirely too much, and I remembered feeling a lot of pain. There had to be something to that. I mean, why did I get headaches at every visit? And why did he know everything about me?

  My thoughts were interrupted by the doctor entering the room. “Hello, Emily. How are you feeling today?”

  Not this stupid question again. “Fine.”

  He laughed. “Could you be more specific, please?” Settling on the couch opposite me with his legs crossed, he couldn’t be more at ease. He appeared warmer, friendlier somehow. But then it always started out that way.

  I racked my brain for an answer that would satisfy him. “Happy?”

  He smiled. “Are you asking me or telling me?”

  “I never know how to answer that question.”

  “Try the truth,” he said.

  “I’m anxious.”

  That seemed to appease him. His eyes came alive, and he leaned forward. “Good. What makes you feel anxious?”

  He asked for the truth. “You.”

  An eerie look of satisfaction surfaced, not the reaction I expected. “Then perhaps it’s time to relax.” He played the soothing music and talked me through the relaxation process once more. I had to keep my wits about me—my eyes remained open the entire time, and I thought about Tommy to keep myself grounded.

  The pain began when the doctor grinned.

  “You are happy,” he said. “You have a boyfriend.”

  My heart sank in fear. There was no doubt now. He could read my mind. Quick, think of something else…. Ducks. I pictured going to the park and feeding ducks in my mind.

  “Don’t be afraid, Emily. I’m here to help you.”

  His words were a sharp contrast to his feelings. I felt a strong desire, and I guessed it was to uncover what was in my mind. But what terrified me most was I wasn’t sure.

  The pain, a stabbing sensation, grew more intense with every passing second. I placed my hands on my head to counter it. I tried to regulate my breathing, but the anxiety quickly spread, and the breathlessness only got worse.

  “Let’s leave the park, shall we?”

  I lifted my head to see his wild eyes staring at me.

  “Tell me about your father.”

  In an instant, the stabbing intensified, piercing through my head in exquisite agony. A surge of heat ignited from my hands, which were still pressed against my head in a futile attempt to heal myself.

  “It’s easier if you stop resisting,” he whispered. “I have so much more to see.”

  The receptionist shrieked, and the door to the treatment room flew open.

  “Are you okay?” Tommy asked, touching my arm.

  I managed a weak smile. “I am now.”

  He turned to the doctor. “This session is over.”

  The doctor’s dropped jaw changed to a knowing smile. “You must be the boyfriend.”

  “Stay away from her,” Tommy said, as he helped me to my feet.

  “You’re making a mistake,” the doctor said, in a perfectly calm tone. “You shouldn’t interfere in what you don’t understand, boy.”

  “I understand you were hurting her. What kind of a doctor are you, anyway?”

  The same maniacal grin from the last session returned. “The kind who gets results. Go ahead and play the knight in shining armor. But know this won’t go unpunished.” He stood and looked down at me like I was an insignificant insect he could crush on a whim. “Emily will see me again.”

  I felt his anger inside, which I guessed was directed at Tommy. But when his evil smile resurfaced, I knew I was in trouble. His threats were all too real; I dreaded the conversation with my mother that would undoubtedly follow. I still had a hand on my forehead when Tommy and I left the treatment room.

  I sat on one of the waiting room chairs, and Tommy kneeled down in front of me. “Does it still hurt?”

  “Almost gone.”

  The receptionist appeared flustered, and when she spoke, I had to hold back a laugh at the ridiculous indignation of her voice. “I’ve half a mind to call the police on you—” she said, glaring at Tommy.

  “If you’re going to call the cops on anyone, it should be that asshole you work for,” he yelled. “Can you not see she’s hurt?”

  The blank look on her face was awesome.

  “Guess we should go before you get arrested,” I said.

  No sooner had I spoken than the receptionist regained her composure. “If I ever see you trespassing here again, I’ll—”

  “Bite me,” Tommy responded on our way out.

  In the hallway, I stopped him. “Thanks.”

  “What did he do to you in there? I heard what he said, and I half-expected him to be…” He didn’t finish.

  Seeing his disturbed expression, I didn’t need to be empathic to know what he felt.

  “I don’t know what he was doing. But I’m pretty sure, whatever it is, it’s an ability. Like ours.”

  “So what happens now?”

  “Good question. Here’s my guess: he calls my mother and tells her you stormed in. Then she doesn’t believe me when I tell her he’s an evil doctor trying to melt my brain. And the cherry on top is her forbidding me to see you all together.”

  He laughed. “Maybe you shouldn’t word it quite that way.”

  “It doesn’t matter how I word it. He walks on water with her.”

  He enclosed me in his arms. “It’s going to be all right, beautiful.”

  I was glad he couldn’t see my face. I wasn’t so sure.

  My cell phone rang, and with utter dread I retrieved it from my purse. The caller ID displayed my mother’s cell.

  I had to pull the phone away from my ear her voice was so loud. Tommy looked at me sympathetically and took hold of my free hand.

  “But—” I tried to speak, to no avail. She wouldn’t stop screaming. “You don’t understand—”

  I had to pull the phone away even farther. She yelled she was on her way, before disconnecting.

  “The ride home is definitely going to be interesting,” I said.

  “Do you want me to talk to her?”

  “I think it would only make it worse. You probably shouldn’t be here when she arrives.”

  “I won’t leave you here alone.” He grabbed hold of both of my hands. “Not with that maniac right down the hall.”

  “I’ll be okay. I’ll wait outside. She won’t be more than a few minutes.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I’m positive. Go,” I said, but then added, “hey, thanks. For being here with me.”

  “No problem, beautiful.”

  The hug that followed warmed me so completely, I found myself not wanting to let go of him.

  “Why can’t I stay with you instead?” I whispered into his shoulder.

  With one hand he began to stroke my hair, and the delightful sensation of his fingers combing through it caused
a hundred little chills to run down my spine.

  “You wanna run away with me?” he said affectionately. “We can find some little serial killer town in west Texas to disappear in.”

  I laughed.

  “We’ll raise alpacas on a giant stretch of land,” he continued. “They’ll never find us.”

  “Alpacas? Seriously?”

  “Yeah. There was a commercial about the joys of breeding them. Everyone was very happy.”

  “Sounds like you got it all planned out.” I finally released him and smiled. “When do we leave?”

  “The Nova’s parked right outside, Em. I filled the tank this morning. We could get pretty far.”

  “Too tempting,” I said with a sigh. “You should go.”

  He kissed both of my hands. The warmth of his lips set me off, and I couldn’t resist pulling him into me for a kiss. The pleasure was short-lived, interrupted by the sound of a car horn honking repeatedly.

  “Damn.”

  “I’ll wait until you drive off before I go out,” he said. “Don’t worry, it’ll be okay.” His strong hands rubbed my shoulders briefly, before he kissed my cheek.

  I wanted to believe him, but the dread of facing my mother had already set in. I took a deep breath and exhaled, then joined her in the car.

  “What in the hell were you thinking?” Her voice was already hoarse from the screaming she did on the phone. She was so excited, her breaths sounded shallow.

  “I tried to tell you before,” I said. “He’s dangerous.”

  “Emily, I don’t know what kind of movies you’ve been watching—”

  “Why won’t you believe me? I get headaches every time I see him. He’s trying to…” I didn’t finish the sentence. I couldn’t figure out a way to word it that wouldn’t end with me being institutionalized.

  “He’s trying to what?”

  “He’s trying to hurt me. I don’t know why.”

  “Emily, you’re not making sense. And bringing your boyfriend to the session…”

  “I didn’t bring him to the session. He waited outside,” I corrected.

  She scowled. “I was told he interrupted it.”

  “Tommy only came in when he heard me cry out in pain.”

  “That’s ridiculous. If he were waiting outside like you said, he wouldn’t have heard you. Or are you trying to tell me you screamed at the top of your lungs?”