by Heather Beck
Ava quickly reached for her phone that she always kept on her nightstand, but it wasn’t there. “Shit,” she cursed, realizing that she’d left it charging in the living room earlier that night. Without a phone to call for help, she jumped out of bed and searched her room for something – anything – that she could use to defend herself. It was hard to see, the moonlight streaming through the window her only source of light, but she soon spotted her tennis racket lying beside her closet. She grabbed it, clutching the handle tightly as she crept toward her bedroom door.
Her mind raced, trying to decide what to do next. Should she catch the intruder by surprise and try to take him down? Or maybe run to her phone in the living room and call for help? Silence had fallen over the hallway again, making it increasingly difficult to concentrate on her next move. She kept listening for a sound, wondering if the intruder was still there, waiting for her. It was like she was caught up in some sort of sick game.
Ava reached the door, pressing her ear against it to listen for the intruder. Instead, she heard a bloodcurdling scream come from the other end of the hallway, echoing eerily off the walls. Ava’s heart almost stopped. She was certain that scream belonged to her sister.
Not thinking twice, Ava unlocked the door and burst into the hallway, finding it empty. “Tessa!” she screamed as she ran toward her sister’s bedroom. The door was wide open and the lights were on, but when Ava barged inside, her sister wasn’t there. Everything in the room was in perfect order, like nothing out of the ordinary had happened, but Ava knew better.
“Ava...” a creepy voice echoed all around her, chilling her to the bone. “I see you, but can you see me?”
“Who are you?” she screamed. “What do you want?”
“I want you, Ava. I want you all to myself.”
A sick feeling formed in the pit of Ava’s stomach. She knew that voice. It was Christopher.
Footsteps sounded again, coming from nowhere but everywhere, as if mocking her. Suddenly, a tall, dark figure appeared in the doorway. She ran to the door, but before she could slam it shut, a hand reached out and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her off the ground.
She kicked and struggled, trying to pry his fingers from her neck, but he refused to let go, her efforts to break free making him angry. With brutal strength, he forced her backward until they were both in the light of the bedroom.
Ava looked into Christopher’s dark, soulless eyes, wanting to plead with him to let her go, but when she opened her mouth, all that came out were choked gasps, his grip on her neck too strong.
“You can’t escape from me,” Christopher said, his voice suddenly raspy. “I’ve been waiting for you, waiting for this moment for such a long time.”
Ava wanted to cry, wondering where the hell her parents were and fearing what Christopher had done to Tessa, but she was too weak and tired to do anything other than dangle lifelessly in Christopher’s grip. It felt like her body was shutting down, a deep, dark sleep coming over her, and the next thing she knew, everything went black.
Ava awoke with a gasp, her heart pounding as she sat straight up in bed. Anxiously, she looked around, finding that she was back in her bedroom, sunlight streaming through the window, Christopher nowhere in sight.
It was just a dream, she told herself, taking a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. But, gawd, did it ever seem real. She touched her throat, the feeling of Christopher’s fingers squeezing hard, stopping her from breathing, lingering in her mind.
Trying to forget about her disturbing dream, she got out of bed, glancing at her bedside clock that read 10 am. She then headed to the bathroom, showering quickly before getting dressed. She hadn’t meant to sleep in so late since she had something important to do, something that couldn’t wait any longer.
Ava slipped out of her bedroom and made her way down the hallway, toward Tessa’s room. She’d given her sister time and space to calm down yesterday, but now they needed to talk. Ava just hoped that Tessa was willing to listen, because when she reached her room, she found the door firmly shut. She knocked and waited, but when she didn’t get an answer, she knocked louder.
“Go away,” Tessa’s voice finally came from behind the door.
“Tess, it’s only me. Can I come in?”
“I want to be alone.”
“I know you do, but I need to talk to you.” Ava tried not to sigh. She had a feeling this would happen. “Please, let me in.”
There was a long pause until finally, Ava heard her sister’s footsteps and then the sound of the door unlocking. Ava opened the door and stepped inside to see Tessa going back to her desk and throwing herself into her chair in front of her open laptop.
“What were you looking at?” Ava asked as she sat down on the edge of Tessa’s bed. She was hoping to ease into their conversation, so her sister wouldn’t feel cornered.
“How to emancipate yourself from your parents,” Tessa answered, closing her laptop with a thud, “but the legal process is so long, I’d be eighteen before anything got done.”
“You know it would break their hearts if you ever did that.”
“I don’t care.” Tessa folded her arms across her chest. “They broke my heart when they decided to play God with my career, my life. Why should I show them any mercy?”
“Because they’re our parents.”
“Well, they’re definitely not acting like it.”
“Yeah, Tess, they are.” Ava sighed. “I get why you’re pissed, but Mom and Dad really are looking out for us. Christopher would’ve killed me if he’d gotten the chance, and he probably would’ve done the same thing to you.”
Tessa’s expression softened. “I’m glad Christopher didn’t hurt you, and I’m thankful Nate was there to protect you, protect us, but I don’t think we should overhaul our lives because of one messed-up night.”
“I know it’s crazy, but if Christopher is still on the loose, it’s not safe for us to be here. Maybe Mexico isn’t such a bad idea. It’s got to be better than being under lock and key, right?”
“I guess,” Tessa said grudgingly. “It’s not like Mom and Dad will give us any freedom if we stay here.”
“Doubt it,” Ava agreed.
Tessa slumped in her chair. “It’s so unfair. We’ve worked so hard, and now we’re going to be labeled as those girls who walk away from contracts. No one’s ever going to hire us again.”
“That would never happen, especially to you. Besides, we don’t know how long we’ll be in Mexico. We might not miss as much work as you think.”
“But what if it doesn’t matter? What if everyone forgets about us the second we’re out of the spotlight?”
Ava shook her head. “You’re thinking about this the wrong way. All anyone can talk about is what happened at Live Luxe. If we suddenly disappear, they’ll go crazy trying to figure out what’s really going on. Give them a little mystery, Tess. They’ll love it.”
“You really think so?” Tessa asked, her interest piqued.
Ava smiled. “Totally.”
Tessa looked thoughtful for a moment and then she smiled, too. “You could be onto something. And like you said, we won’t be gone for that long. Maybe you’re right. Maybe going to Mexico isn’t the worst thing that could happen to us.”
“Um, no,” Ava said with a laugh. “Sun, sand, surf, sexy guys…it doesn’t sound bad to me at all.” She cast her sister another smile as she stood up. “I’m going to hit up the kitchen for some breakfast, but later, if you want, I can help you pack.”
“Sounds good. Thanks, Ava.”
“What are sisters for?” Ava said before leaving Tessa’s room. As she closed the door behind her, she felt a pang of guilt for persuading Tessa like that. She suppressed the feeling, though, knowing that keeping her sister safe was far more important.
“Ava,” someone said so suddenly that it made Ava jump. She spun around, relieved to see that it was only her mom. “Sorry, dear, did I startle you?”
“Yeah, a bit.”
Isabelle gave her an apologetic smile. “I wanted to make sure you were alright. You usually don’t sleep in so late.”
“I was tired,” Ava said with a shrug, not wanting to talk about her dream. She was a little like her mom in that way, hating to burden others with her problems.
Isabelle placed her hand lovingly on Ava’s shoulder. “You’ve been through a lot,” she said, then casting a glance at Tessa’s room. “You both have. Did you get a chance to talk to your sister yet?”
Ava nodded. “She’s a lot more on board with going to Mexico than she was last night.”
Isabelle sighed with relief. “Thank goodness. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
“I do,” Ava said, causing her mom to cast her a curious look. “Nate’s still in the hospital, and I really want to see if he’s okay. Do you think you and Dad could loosen the chains a bit and let me go see him?”
“Of course, honey. All you had to do was ask. Nate’s been on my mind ever since that night. I want to go with you, and I’m sure Tessa will, too.”
Ava gave her mom an appreciative smile, but inside she was secretly praying that it wasn’t already too late.
A couple of hours later, Ava, Tessa, and Isabelle entered Hollywood General Hospital, following the signs that led to the Intensive Care Unit. The ward was busy with the receptionist answering a phone that never seemed to stop ringing, nurses coming in and out of patients’ rooms, and family members, who’d gathered together in the waiting room, talking nervously among themselves.
“I’ll see if the receptionist can help us,” Isabelle said.
“Don’t bother,” Ava said as she saw a familiar-looking woman with long dark brown hair, pale skin, and blue eyes coming out of a patient’s room. She recognized her as Nate’s wife, Kourtney, even though she’d only met her once before at a Fourth of July party her parents had hosted.
“Oh, isn’t that…?” Isabelle began to say.
“Yes,” Ava answered before her mom could finish her sentence.
Kourtney must have sensed Ava’s presence, because she looked straight back at her, appearing tired but otherwise emotionless. As Kourtney made her way toward her, Ava wondered how she was going to react to her being there. After all, it was kind of Ava’s fault that Nate was in the hospital in the first place.
“Ava, it’s so nice of you to come,” Kourtney said with a weary smile, wrapping her in a hug. “It’s so nice of you all to come,” she added, giving Tessa and Isabelle a hug, too.
Ava was taken aback by Kourtney’s warm welcome. She’d expected her to be at least a little pissed, but instead, she seemed genuinely grateful that they were there. “Of course. We wanted to,” Ava spoke up first. “We’ve been really worried about Nate, but no one at the hospital has been able to tell us anything. We thought if we came down, we might be able to see him, to find out how he’s doing.”
Kourtney nodded. “I’ve been meaning to call you, but something always came up. It’s been so hectic here with Nate.”
Isabelle cast Kourtney a sympathetic look. “We can’t imagine what you and Nate have been going through.”
“Yeah, it must be really tough,” Tessa added.
Kourtney let out a little sigh. “I’m not going to lie – it has been very hard. The doctors removed the bullet from Nate’s side and managed to stop the internal bleeding, but a day later, he started to bleed again. He needed to have another surgery, and after that, the next forty-eight hours were crucial. Thank God his bleeding problem seems to be fixed now and that he’s getting better. I just pray it stays that way.”
“Oh my gosh,” Ava muttered, horrified. “We had no idea. Can we see him?”
“Yes, but he’s still very weak, so it might be best if only one of you goes. He’s in room 6B.”
Ava turned to her mom and sister. “Is it okay if I see him?” she asked, her expression hopeful.
“Sure,” Tessa said, giving Ava an understanding nod.
“That’s fine, honey,” Isabelle agreed. “Let Nate know we’re asking for him.”
“Thanks. I will.” Ava headed toward the room marked 6B, coming to a stop outside so she could take a deep breath. When she opened the door and stepped inside, she saw Nate lying still in the hospital bed, his eyes closed and looking very pale. If it wasn’t for the continuous beeps coming from the heart monitor that he was attached to, she would’ve thought he was dead.
“Nate,” Ava whispered, moving closer to him, “are you awake?” She waited for a few seconds, but when she didn’t get a response, she continued anyway, needing to get something off her chest. “I want to tell you how sorry I am,” she said, now standing at the foot of his bed. “I’m sorry you had to risk your life to save mine. I’m sorry you’re stuck in here, trying to recover from a gunshot wound when that bullet was meant for me. I’ll never ever be able to repay you, so all I can say is thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Ava fell silent as she looked at Nate, tears brimming in her eyes. He seemed so small, weak, and powerless that it almost broke her heart. Hating to see him like this, she turned away and headed for the door.
“It’s not your fault, Ava,” came a groggy voice.
Ava spun around, surprised to find Nate awake and looking straight at her. “Nate,” she said, hurrying to his side. “How are you feeling? Are you in a lot of pain?”
“For someone who’s had two surgeries and ribs broken to do said surgeries, I feel pretty damn good. I think the pain medication has something to do with it. Great stuff. I highly recommend it if you ever get shot.”
“I’ll be sure to remember that.” Ava tried to smile for Nate’s sake, but instead, she felt her eyes mist over again. “Nate, I’m so sorry,” she rushed to say. “We – my family and I – have been thinking about you, praying that you’d be okay. We’re so grateful for what you did.”
“Hey, don’t cry.” Nate started to sit up, clearly wanting to comfort her.
“No, don’t get up,” Ava said, wiping away her tears, “especially not for me.”
“This isn’t your fault,” Nate said, listening to Ava as he lay back in bed. “Why can’t you see that?”
“Nate, you got shot – protecting me.”
“It’s called doing my job.”
“It’s called saving my life.”
Nate sighed. “Listen, Ava, I chose to do this job, and out of all the clients I’ve ever had, I’m glad it was you that I was able to save. You’re not like the other spoiled brats I’ve worked with before. You have heart, and I hate to see you blaming yourself for this. The only one to blame is Christopher, okay?”
Ava nodded as she let Nate’s words sink in. “Thank you,” she spoke softly, “for everything.”
Nate gave her a lopsided smile. “Don’t mention it, kid.”
A comfortable silence fell over them until Ava asked, “So, do you know when you’re getting out of this place?”
“I think it’ll be a while yet, and when I do get released, I’ll probably be sidelined for a couple of months.”
“A couple of months? Damn, Nate, I’m so…”
“Sorry? I thought we were past that? If you really want to make it up to me, make sure I have a job to come back to. I wouldn’t turn down a raise, either.” He laughed, but when Ava said nothing and avoided his gaze, his smile faded. “Hey, I was only kidding. What’s wrong?”
“I…I might not be here,” Ava said, trying to find the right words. “Christopher…he’s still out there, and my parents don’t think it’s safe for me and Tessa to stay in Hollywood. We’re leaving, like, really soon.”
“The police haven’t caught him?” Anger streaked Nate’s face. “I assumed they had. How the hell could they let this happen?”
“I honestly don’t know. They’ll find him, though, they have to. I mean, he can’t hide forever. He’s going to slip up eventually.”
“In case he doesn’t, I want you to promise me that you’ll stay safe,” Nate said, sounding serious as h
e looked at her.
“Don’t I always?” Ava tried to lighten the mood.
“Ava…”
“I will,” she promised him.
“You better. So, where are you going, anyway?”
“Mexico. To some little town called Mar de Lágrimas.” Ava was about to say more when she heard a knock on the door. She turned around, seeing Kourtney standing on the threshold.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Kourtney said, coming in, “but Nate should get some rest now.”
“A wife and a nurse. How lucky am I?” Nate joked.
“Very.” Kourtney kissed his forehead.
“Kourtney’s right,” Ava said, feeling like a third wheel. “I need to get going, anyway.”
“Thanks again for coming, Ava,” Kourtney said. “It means a lot to the both of us.”
“It’s the least I could do. Get better, Nate.”
“I already am,” Nate reassured her, smiling goodbye. “Take care, Ava.”
As Ava left the room, she glanced back to see Kourtney kiss Nate again, this time her lips lingering on his. She watched them, a bittersweet feeling washing over her. Nate was a great guy, and Kourtney was lucky to have him. She suddenly wondered if she would ever have what they had – that perfect kind of love.
It was mid-afternoon by the time Ava, Tessa, and Isabelle left the hospital, the sun high in the clear blue sky as they drove along a busy street, heading home. Isabelle usually had the roof of their stylish red car down on beautiful days like these, but now, just like this morning, it was firmly shut.
“Can we stop at Boulevard Café?” Tessa asked, looking at herself in the passenger side mirror as she applied a coat of tinted gloss to her already rosy lips. “I’m dying for one of their tropical sunset mango smoothies.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, honey,” Isabelle said, stopping at a red light. “Your dad’s working from home today, and if we don’t get back soon, he might start to worry.”
“That’s why they invented phones.” Tessa playfully rolled her eyes as she reached into her purse. “I’ll text him and let him know where we’re going. He’ll probably want us to pick him up something, anyway. What is it that he likes again? Oh, yeah, the green delight seaweed and kale smoothie. Can we say gross?”