Tammy hurried out from behind the counter and approached Chris and his friends, making small talk and jotting down their orders.
Valerie quickly slipped out from behind the counter, grabbed Liam’s arm, and bolted through Eric’s front door before Chris could make a move.
The night air was cool and refreshing. Valerie hadn’t realized how hard it’d been to breathe in the diner since Chris walked in.
“You okay?” Liam asked, hesitantly putting his arm around her shoulder.
Valerie leaned into his side and breathed deeply. She shook her head. “I don’t know,” she said. “I feel better getting away from him though.”
“We can still—”
She cut him off. “No. Please… just… don’t say it.”
He sighed and led her to a dark colored older model Dodge Stratus parked nearby right on Main Street.
The short drive to her house was quiet, but not uncomfortable. Despite his tough exterior, Liam’s presence calmed her.
“I’ll walk you to the door.” Liam put the car in park on the street across from her house.
“You don’t have to,” she replied.
“I know I don’t have to.” Liam rolled his eyes and opened his door. Valerie unclasped her seatbelt and reached around to grab her bag from the backseat. By the time she’d pulled it into her lap Liam was beside her, holding her door open. She smiled. “Thanks.”
Liam nodded.
Together they crossed the street and made their way up the driveway and onto her porch. She glanced at the street, biting her lip. She knew Chris was probably still at Eric’s, but that didn’t stop the fear of him showing up from creeping into her mind.
“See you tomorrow morning?” Liam said, interrupting her thoughts.
She nodded. “Yeah. See you tomorrow morning.”
They stood there for a moment, eyeing each other, before Liam turned and headed back to his car. Valerie quickly unlocked the front door and closed it behind her, locking it once more. She peered out the front window to see Liam safely in his car. His headlights flashed on and the car slowly rolled down her street. She watched until she could no longer see his taillights in the dark.
Valerie closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.
"You're going." JoJo crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Valerie.
Her best friend all but begged her to attend a bonfire that evening. "JoJo, I really don't want to."
"Come on, Val. It's our senior year. Live a little."
She groaned. Valerie hated when JoJo pulled the senior year card. She did have a point. She knew she would regret missing out on these things if she didn't have these experiences, but at the same time...
"What's holding you back?"
Chris. That was what was holding her back. She had survived the whole week and he hadn't followed through on his threat. Yet. But now it was Friday, the weekend was upon them, and if she was running around town he would have plenty of opportunities to attack again.
"I don't know..."
"Valerie. You're going. End of story. There are only a handful of bonfires left before you ditch me for college. Let's enjoy our youth."
She was laying the guilt on thick. Valerie knew if she told JoJo her real reason for not wanting to go, her friend would back her up. Hell, she'd probably try to kick Chris' ass on her behalf, and as tough as JoJo acted, she couldn't take him.
No, she wasn't going to tell her. She wasn't telling anyone. What happened that night was between her, Chris, and Liam. That was already too many people.
"Pretty, pretty please with a cherry on top?"
"Ugh. Fine." She knew she would regret it, but she hated to disappoint anyone, especially her best friend.
JoJo squealed in delight. "Yes! It's going to be awesome!"
Valerie sure hoped it would be awesome, but her positivity was lacking these days.
JoJo invited Liam to the fire as well, and when he heard Valerie was going, he agreed to come. Valerie worried something would happen to him. She hadn’t told him about Chris’ threat and she felt guilty for keeping it a secret. But at the same time, she knew he’d just insist she go to the police and she couldn’t do that. She couldn’t let the entire town know what had happened.
Valerie and JoJo arrived at the field between the drive in and the rodeo grounds where bonfire parties were always held. It was actually farmland, but it had been vacant for as long as she could remember. The sun was almost completely set, and off in the distance she could make out the silhouette of an abandoned barn.
She wasn't entirely sure who had initiated this gathering, but it seemed as though most of her classmates were there, including some of the underclassmen.
"I need a drink," JoJo announced. The party was well under way by the time they arrived. She scanned the crowd until she spotted a pickup truck parked off to the side with coolers in the back. She grinned and marched over. Valerie followed, hoping the coolers weren't all booze.
JoJo grabbed a beer and offered one to Valerie. She shook her head. JoJo shrugged and twisted the cap off her bottle and took a sip.
"So, Liam..." JoJo grinned. She waggled her eyebrows up and down suggestively.
"What about him?"
"He's cute. And nice. And totally into you."
Liam was cute and nice. But Valerie wasn't sure if he was into her. He'd kissed her after the dance, but every other interaction between them... well, the most she could say with any certainty was that Liam was chivalrous. He watched out for her, but she didn't know how much of that was out of obligation and how much was because he actually liked her.
She had bigger problems than finding out how he felt about her though. She still had Chris' threat looming over her. She knew his patience wouldn't last long. Whatever he had in store for them would have to be coming soon.
She spotted Liam approaching from the road and waved him over, ending the discussion with JoJo abruptly. Her friend glared, but Valerie knew it was half-hearted.
"Sup dude?" JoJo said. She grinned at Liam and took a swig from her bottle.
Liam nodded. He studied Valerie as if searching for... she didn't know what. But he still had that look of concern he'd taken to wearing when he was around her.
"So. I'm here. Now what?" he asked.
JoJo laughed. "Now you grab a beer and have a good time."
Liam appeared doubtful. "I won't have to dance again, will I?"
JoJo’s eyes lit up at his words. "Ooh, let’s dance, Val."
"I'll wait here," Liam said.
Valerie groaned.
"Shut up. Come on!" JoJo grabbed her arm and dragged her up into the bed of one of the other trucks parked nearby. Music blasted from a set of speakers in the back and JoJo began moving with the beat, her beer bottle still in hand. Valerie met Liam's eyes and rolled hers. He stood in the field and watched the girls dance, a bemused expression on his face. Valerie gave into the music, swaying with the beat and singing along to the Kadaisha song blasting from the speakers.
Maybe tonight wouldn’t be a disaster. She was having fun and was actually glad JoJo had talked her into coming out. Her happiness faded when she heard a commotion nearby. She looked over in time to see Liam pick himself up off the ground. He glared at Chris, his hands clenched in fists at his sides. Her heart paused a beat before starting up again at a frantic pace.
Holding her breath, she watched, frozen in place, as everything played out. Chris reached out to shove Liam to the ground again, but Liam grabbed his arm and twisted it. Chris' face was a mask of fury as he broke free from the hold. He took a step back, shaking out his arm. Liam still stood before him in a defensive stance. Chris turned his attention to her and smirked. He winked and she inhaled sharply.
Liam said something, but she couldn't hear it over the music blasting and her own blood rushing through her ears. Chris glared at him and stomped away. He shot one last menacing glare first at Liam then at Valerie.
"What the hell was that?" JoJo said. Her eyes were fixed on
Chris' retreating back. Valerie followed her friend's gaze and watched Chris sling his arm around Katie Harder's shoulders. She smiled and giggled at the attention.
Valerie bit her lip and shook her head. She hoped Katie knew what she was getting herself into.
With Chris out of sight she was finally able to breathe and move again. She hopped down from the bed of the truck and joined Liam. He continued to stare into the empty night air.
"What did he say to you?" she asked.
He shook his head. "He was just talking shit."
"You’re new so you probably haven't heard of the Harrington's yet, but he's one of them. You need to watch out."
JoJo hopped down beside her. She glared into the distance as well. "What Harrington's want, Harrington's find a way to get. They don't let anything stand in their way."
Liam shook his head.
"Enough about that douche. Let's party," JoJo said. She downed her beer and threw the bottle in the empty box near the cooler, then grabbed another.
Valerie did her best to enjoy the party, following JoJo's lead and staying close to Liam. She kept her eyes peeled for Chris but didn't spot him again.
"Can we talk?" Liam asked, pulling her aside a while later. She glanced at JoJo, then nodded, telling her they'd be back soon. JoJo grinned, her mind probably going into the gutter.
Liam led her from the bonfire, one arm protectively around her shoulders. The air was chilly away from the burning blaze and swarm of warm bodies. His arm felt nice, like a security blanket. She slapped a mosquito; mildly surprised they hadn't died off yet. It was October after all.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.
"I'd tell you if I wasn't."
"Would you? Really?"
She didn't answer, instead staring at the party. They were still close enough to hear the music and laughter, but far enough away that she no longer felt like a part of it.
When she didn't answer, he continued. "From the short time I've known you, I've learned one thing. You don't like to be seen as weak."
Her shoulders stiffened. Was she so transparent?
"But it's not weakness to need help," he said.
She turned and faced him. Valerie didn't know what to say. She wanted to spill all of her feelings of terror to him, but she knew what he’d say. So she kept silent, her eyes searching his for some sort of understanding.
His gaze burrowed deep into hers, and then his face tipped forward and his warm lips were on hers. The tension drained from her body. She reached out and wrapped her arms around him. Liam felt safe and secure—and he was a good kisser.
He drew back a moment later, staring into her eyes. "Sorry," he whispered.
"Don't be." Her voice was barely a whisper.
She leaned forward to kiss him again, but just before their lips could touch, he said, "Shit."
She jerked back, startled. His eyes were wide and fixed on something behind her. She turned around and cursed. The old abandoned barn could be seen in the distance.
And it was on fire.
Valerie and Liam raced back to the party.
"Fire," Valerie yelled. She waved her arms, trying to get everyone's attention. Of course, yelling fire at a bonfire wasn't going to do anything. She dug her phone out of her purse and called her dad. He would raise the alarm for the rest of the volunteer firefighters and haul ass to put out the flames, hopefully before it could spread through the fall brush surrounding the old barn.
He answered after three rings and she quickly explained the situation. He hung up and she knew it wouldn't be long until the team arrived.
She scanned the party. "We have to find JoJo. I don't want her to get busted for underage drinking."
Together they scanned the crowd, trying to pick her out of the crowd of bodies.
"There." Liam pointed and together they pushed their way through the crowd until they reached her.
"Time to go."
"It's still early," JoJo complained.
Liam placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her toward the burning barn in the distance. JoJo’s eyes grew large and she yelled, "Shit!"
JoJo dropped her beer bottle, grabbed her purse from the ground beside her, and they bolted. Valerie climbed into the driver's seat and JoJo tossed her the keys from the passenger side. Liam slid in the back.
"What do you think started it?" JoJo watched the flames dance in the night sky as they drove away.
Valerie shook her head. "Probably whoever started the fire at the bus depot."
Chris. Her eyes met Liam's in the rearview mirror and a wave of guilt washed over her. There was no doubt in her mind Chris was behind the fires. There was no way this was a coincidence. The glint in Liam's eyes told her he was thinking the same thing.
Valerie dropped JoJo off first so her friend could be safely in her own home in case the cops—well, cop, there was only one deputy from the Sherriff’s department at any given time to enforce the law in Peace—decided to pull people over in connection with the fire.
The drive to Liam's house was quiet. Valerie was lost in thought, guilt eating away at her conscience. When she pulled up in front of Liam's trailer and put the car in park, she sat and stared out the windshield in front of her.
"Well, that's not exactly how I pictured our second kiss," Liam said. Valerie smiled a little at his attempt at lightening the mood.
Her smile faltered as she continued to stare at the front of his trailer illuminated by her headlights. "I feel guilty." She turned her head and faced him. "Should I feel guilty?"
He shrugged. "We don't actually know that Chris is responsible for this fire."
She searched his face. "Who else?" she asked. "Who else would do this? It's obvious he set the fire in the bus depot. He got pissed at you—at me—and lashed out. Why wouldn't he do the same thing tonight? I saw him pick a fight with you. You didn't let him get away with that." She shook her head, staring out the windshield again. "He's got something bigger planned. I can feel it."
"Maybe," Liam said. "Maybe not. Maybe this was a coincidence. Maybe some other idiot was smoking in the barn and didn't put it out properly."
She turned to face him again.
"My point is, we don't know," he said.
"You're right. We don't know."
"Tomorrow, when the fire is out, we'll get answers, okay?"
She nodded. "Okay."
"One day at a time."
She nodded again, willing herself to believe him.
They sat in silence for a moment, then she asked, “Did you ever find your lighter?” She bit her lip and hoped the answer was yes.
Liam shook his head. “No, I’ve looked everywhere. I know I had it in my pocket after the dance. I had it in my hand on my walk home, before…”
She shook her head. Chris had it. They both knew it. If he’d had the lighter after the dance and it was gone after he rescued her in the bus depot, the only possible explanation was that it fell out of his jacket and Chris took it. If he didn’t, one of the firefighters would have found it in the debris and she would have heard about it from her dad.
Liam reached out and patted her arm. "Listen, I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
"Not if I call you first." She smiled, but it felt forced.
Liam leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to hers. She still felt miserable, but his kiss lit the sparks of a tiny fire deep in her core. Maybe he was right. Maybe she shouldn't stress when they really didn't know what was happening anyway.
He pulled back and smiled at her. "Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow," she repeated.
Liam opened the door and slid out of the car. She waited until he entered the trailer before she put the car into gear and drove back to park in JoJo's driveway. She stepped out of the car, locking the door with the button on the key fob, and slipped the keys into her purse. She'd return them tomorrow morning. Right now, she wanted to be in the safety of her own house.
Looking left and right, she quickly jogged across the st
reet and up her driveway. She took the steps up the porch two at a time and pulled at her front door. Locked. Quickly she reached into her purse and with shaking hands managed to pull out her house key. She fumbled with the key, trying to fit it in the lock. Checking over her shoulder to make sure she hadn’t been followed, she continued to fumble until the door pulled away from the key. She turned back in surprise. Her mother stood in front of her, holding the door open.
"Did you forget how to use a key?" she asked.
Valerie chuckled uneasily. "Just a little shaken up, I guess," she admitted.
"What's going on?"
"Have you talked to Dad?"
Her mother shook her head. "No. I got a call from someone at the bar that he had to race out of there to put out another fire, though. Why? What's going on?"
Valerie shook her head. She entered the house, closing and locking the door behind her, then collapsed onto the couch in the living room. "I was at the bonfire tonight."
"And?" Her mother sat beside her. She crossed one leg beneath her and angled her body toward Valerie.
"One of the old barns caught fire. I don't know how. I was walking around—" kissing "—with Liam when we saw the flames. I called Dad and we got out of there."
Her mother reached out and wrapped an arm around Valerie, pulling her close. "I'm sorry, baby. I'm sure that was upsetting, but remember, it's just an old barn. Those things probably should have been torn down ages ago anyway."
"I know..." she said. She couldn't tell her mom her real fears, not without admitting to her mother—and herself—what really happened the night of the dance.
"Why don't we put on a movie until Dad gets home, okay?"
Valerie nodded.
"Princess Bride?"
“Yes, please.” Her mother knew that was her go to movie to take her mind off things and cheer her up. She grabbed the fleece blanket from the back of the couch, sank down and spread the throw over her legs. Her mother grabbed the disc and slid it into the DVD player. Remote in hand, she slipped back into her seat and Valerie snuggled in. Her mother curled her arm around Valerie and pulled her close. She felt like a kid again, safe in her mother's arms. She could almost forget her worries.
Peace in Flames: A Peace Series Novella Page 6