"You know I love a man in uniform," I tease as he carries me toward the field house. "Are you trying to swoop me off my feet, handsome? You can't just come and whisk me away. I have certain duties I must attend to."
He smiles ahead at the horizon, never making eye contact with me. "There's a certain blonde that's had my attention for quite a while. Her heart is not so easy to rapture. I guess you could say she has an immunity to being swooned by womanizing males." He looks down at me, capturing my attention and dominating my mind, body, and soul. How much longer until he has my heart as well? If only I could be immune to him. It would make things much easier. I'm not so lucky. "Do you have any advice on how I could sway her heart in my direction? I promise I'll cherish it if I ever get it."
Oh my beautiful boy, if only you knew the control to my heart is already slipping from my grasp. It seems to feel like it's being summoned each time I'm in the presence of yours. I'm afraid my soul has found its mate and now that it has, it demands to be conjugated with his. How long can I keep this secret though before it finds a way out? I'm completely and irrevocably in love with Breyson Abercrombie.
He stops just outside of the field house; out of sight for everyone else. He places his index finger just below my ear and traces down my neck and bare shoulder all the way to my hand, where he takes hold and brings the back of my hand to his lips. "You take my breath away every time I see you. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met." Pulling my body against his, he clamps down on my bottom lip between the edges of his teeth, lightly skimming my skin. It's just enough to make me want more.
"Why do you do this to me? I need you in ways I can't have you right now. Don't tease me." Cupping my face he kisses to the left of my lips and then the right followed by my lips. The way he tastes and smells is an aphrodisiac to my senses. The overload of pheromones released in his presence is enough to make you lose all modesty; in a dying need to feel every inch of him inside me. I can no longer fight the addiction that is Breyson Abercrombie. The withdrawal I experience when I do is almost unbearable.
"I would never tease you baby. Everything I have is yours for as long as you will allow it; yours and only yours. I need you tonight. I need to look deep into those beautiful eyes while you say my name. I want to see the ink that is etched permanently on your skin as I slide inside you. You are and will always be the love of my life. I need you to close down your reservations tonight and just feel. I have to have you completely barred to me. I will get your heart in time, but I need you to open yourself up to me. I need to make love to you; mind blowing, passionate love. That is the only way I will have you. I have experienced that high and I can't stop. I will go through any means to keep getting that drug. You are my drug Kinzleigh."
He touches his lips to mine and inserts his tongue in my mouth on the hunt for mine. Once he finds what he's after they mingle, barely brushing against each other. Kissing him is an escape for me; sucking me into a world that I've never known and a world I want more of. The loss of him is going to be the end of me.
The last of my walls just came crashing down around me. I feel naked; vulnerable. My existence was mapped out for him. I was born to love this man. Nothing was ever more obvious. God, I'm giving in. I'm letting go of my heart. I'm following the direction of the pull. Please, oh please, don't rip him from me. I will not survive. What I am about to do, there is no going back. It's irreversible. If he leaves me, my heart goes with him. I cannot survive without a vital organ. Only one thing will be in its absence: Death.
I reach down and pull up the bottom of my dress, revealing my left ankle; the one closest to my heart. This is going to forever change everything. Unclasping the anklet that holds a silver heart engraved with my initials, I stand back up and look at him. His eyes take on a new emotion as he discovers what I'm holding. There is something in those midnight blue eyes that I'll spend the rest of my life trying to interpret; solid, raw, uninhibited emotion. His hands are fisted by his sides.
Wrapping my small hand around his fist, I pull it between us. Turning it over, I open it palm side up. Placing the anklet in his hand, I look him directly in the eyes without even blinking. Closing his hand around the anklet, I breathe slowly, trying to keep from crying and smearing my makeup. "Please don't hurt me Breyson. I can't promise you forever or happily ever after, but I can promise you right now. I have tried to steer my heart away from you to protect it. It's no use. It reigns over my brain and it wants you. I would rather give it to someone that deserves it than to keep it forever being cautious. I don't know what will happen in the future but I know only after a few short months, you were meant for me. I'm giving you my heart. I'm pretty sure it's been yours all along. I was just keeping it safe until you found it. I can't deny it anymore. I love you Breyson. The love I feel for you is immaculate and to be honest, scary as hell. You asked me to trust you and I'm giving that trust to you freely. I won't come back from this. Please don't make me regret it."
A solemn tear drizzle's down his cheek. He doesn't say a word; just stares at me, at what seems a loss for words. I can tell though that he must not cry often. That shows how much of a momentous essence of time this is. He holds his right fist over his heart, encapsulating the anklet. "I will spend the rest of my life loving you. I will do everything in my power to be by your side. If it means jumping from an airplane or swimming the width of the ocean, I'll do it. You have no idea what it feels like to hear you say you love me."
Grabbing a hold of my waist, he lifts me off the ground and spins me around in a circle. I feel like Cinderella in the arms of my prince. He grins from ear to ear. "I love you Kinzleigh Berlyn Baker."
For the first time since my grandmother died that word doesn't scare me. "I love you too Breyson Patrick Abercrombie. Let's go. You have a football game to win and I'm needed centerfield." Someone very wise once said, Three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love. The greatest of these is love. If you don't believe me, read 1 Corinthians 13:13 in the good book. I'm going to have faith it's the truth, hope I don't get hurt and love like I'm dying because the alternative just isn't good enough anymore.
***
The six of us all get out of Breyson's truck. We decided to ride together because it would be more fun as couples and Breyson seems to be really close with his brothers. I love that family is important to him because I am close to mine. I look down at myself and want to laugh. Never have I owned a pair of cowgirl boots. Adalynn does have fabulous taste though. I owe her that. She has me in a navy blue dress that slides off the shoulders and comes right above the knee. It's comfy but classy. She has coupled it with a pair of pointy toe, calf height boots in tan.
Breyson meets me in front of the truck and grabs my hand with a big smile on his face. I guess he's going to be in a superb mood for the rest of the night. "You ready baby? I think you owe me the first dance." He kisses me on my cheek and I flush red. I'm not sure how the most popular guy in the school and not to mention the hottest, in my opinion anyway, is so sweet and crazy about me.
"As I'll ever be." We walk hand in hand alongside his brothers and the girls into the building. As we get inside, it's dark with strobe lights swirling around the room, bouncing off the walls. The music is blaring. I can barely hear anything else. In the back of the room is the makeshift dance floor facing the DJ set up against the back wall.
Breyson leans down to talk into my ear. "I'm going to request a song and hit the bathroom on the way. You okay until I get back?"
"Sure babe, go on." I swat his butt for emphasis. As he walks off Briar and Londyn begin in the direction of the dance floor leaving me, Adalynn and Braxton. It's currently a slow song and Braxton turns to Adalynn, asking permission to lead her as well.
"I can't leave her alone. Breyson isn't back yet." He gives her that face that I know she can't deny because I can't deny it when Breyson uses it on me. She looks between us as he starts pulling her away. I can tell she's crazy about him. Maybe she'll get her chance at soul binding, true
love after all. "I'll be right back okay?" I nod because I am not going to be a baby.
I'm standing here only a few moments when a girl comes up beside me. I don't recognize her, but she's pretty. That is, until she opens her mouth to speak. "So I guess you're the home wrecking tramp that stole my boyfriend." She doesn't waste any time with accusations. I'm guessing this is the infamous Natalie.
"Natalie, I didn't steal anything. I didn't even know he had a girlfriend when I met him and I didn't have anything to do with the two of you breaking up. I didn't even know where he was from so I certainly didn't anticipate living in the same town. I understand if you dislike me, but I won't tolerate being falsely accused of something I did not do." By the look on her face, I'm assuming she didn't expect me to defend myself. I may not be very outspoken but I will stand up for what I believe in. Every. Single. Time. I've always been nice to everyone unless they personally do something to me. I never judge someone before I know them.
She looks at me with so much hatred in her eyes. I begin looking around for Breyson. This is getting really awkward. I have no idea what else to say to her. "I wouldn't get too crazy about him. He's only with you for one thing: to fuck. Breyson Abercrombie doesn't do love or sappy romance. He only cares about that one thing. He'll tire of you eventually just like he did me. I see how you are around school. You're in love with him. I can see it in your eyes. It takes someone in love to sense it in another. I've known Breyson for years. I know exactly what he likes and what he dislikes. When he's tired of the boring sex I can imagine you give, he'll come back to the rough and rowdy he had with me. You're just something unfamiliar right now; like a shiny new toy. When he's bored and needs his wild fix, he'll come back to me and I'll be waiting. Watch yourself, sweetie. I don't give up on what I want that easy." The nickname slides off her tongue, dripping in sarcasm.
She is really pissing me off. The thought of knowing she has been intimate with him like I have makes me sick and her arrogant attitude about taking him back makes me want to slap her. I will not let her get to me. I'm going to be the stronger person. I have to be or it'll ruin us. I'm not going to be the jealous girlfriend. He asked me to trust him and I said I would. I'm going to stand by my word. "Goodbye Natalie."
Flipping her hair she stomps off in a rage. She is acting like a child. I don't even know what he saw in her if she always acts this way. It really makes her look like a fool. I take a seat in one of the chairs against the wall, waiting on Breyson. I look around again wondering where he is. He's been gone a while. I haven't seen any of the others either.
Finally, about fifteen minutes later, Breyson comes into view with two cups of punch. "I'm sorry it took so long. I ran into a problem that I had to deal with. You thirsty?" I nod and take one of the glasses from him. Before I can think about it I drink the whole glass. I guess I was thirstier than I thought and now frustrated from my unwelcoming visitor.
"Let's go dance. I'm tired of sitting here." Nodding, he takes my sets down his punch, takes my hand and leads me to the dance floor.
After a few songs, everything is starting to feel really weird. The strobe lights are making everything pound in my head. I have no idea what's going on. Breyson brushes up against me and the sensations of it on my skin, make me want to take my clothes off right here. Something is wrong. This isn't normal. "Kinzleigh."
I can't concentrate. I'm internally freaking out. I realize I'm swaying unstable on my feet. "Kinzleigh! What's wrong?"
He grabs my face in his hands and looks at me. My heart is pounding wildly. I feel like I'm on some kind of speed; energized. All of my senses are amplified. The longer he stares into my eyes, the more he looks like he wants to kill someone. He looks back and Natalie is standing in the middle of the dance floor, staring right at us with a smirk spreading maliciously across her face. "Breyson, something's wrong with me. I feel like I'm dying or something. Something is wrong." Tears begin streaming down my face and my chest starts to heave. I didn't bring my inhaler and I'm having a panic attack. Trying to inhale, enough air isn't reaching my lungs.
Breyson grabs me by the shoulders, trying to calm me down. "Baby it's okay. Just breathe. I'm here. I got you." I try to focus on his eyes but everything goes black.
Breyson
I'm going to kill that bitch. I swear on my life I'm going to kill her. Some people think it's funny to put ecstasy in a drink and give it to someone as a joke. It catches them off guard when the high hits. People like it when they are partying. The night I slept with Natalie for the first time, someone put one in my beer as a joke. I wanted to screw everything that walked and was female. The sensations are crazy, but I'm not into drugs. As soon as she started freaking out and I saw Natalie's face, I knew what had happened. The more I think of it...Oh my fucking hell. Now it all makes sense. She's the one that spiked my drink that night.
Natalie came over to apologize for the way she has been acting and wanted to make a truce. She said she missed being friends and wanted to wish me the best with Kinzleigh. She was standing at the punch table and handed me the cups. I never would have thought she would stoop to this level. She is now dead to me. I was busy talking to Kinzleigh when she was drinking hers to drink my own and then she wanted to dance so I never drank from my cup. I feel like total shit. I never should have taken that cup from her.
I'm trying to calm Kinzleigh down but it's not working. She is screaming and crying and everyone has stopped dancing. Adalynn and Londyn immediately rushed over when they knew something was wrong. As soon as Adalynn gets to us and sees Kinzleigh panicking she looks at me. I know by the look she's giving me, she knows what happened but she doesn't want to freak Kinzleigh out more.
She doesn't touch her because she knows the drug alters nervous and sensory systems. "Babe calm down it's okay. What do you need from me. You need to be able to breathe." Kinzleigh begins shaking her head side to side and she is making a whooping sound each time she breathes. Adalynn turns to Natalie, now looking a little nervous. "Natalie what the hell did you do? What is wrong with you? You're such a brat! You couldn't stand someone else getting Breyson away from you and him actually falling for them could you? Get over it. He doesn't want you anymore. If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at him. Kinzleigh has done nothing to you! You have no idea what that drug does to people. Everyone reacts differently.
"It was supposed to be a joke. I'm so sorry." Her voice is low and she's biting her nails. If she wasn't a girl, I'd beat the shit out of her. She can tell she has hit the wrong nerve. Her eyes widen when she glances back at Kinzleigh and that's when I realize she is convulsing underneath my hands.
I turn back around and Kinzleigh has gone into a full seizure. "Kinzleigh! Oh fuck...someone call an ambulance," I scream now in full panic. Oh God, please let her be okay. Please don't take her from me. I'll do anything.
Adalynn is now in full hysterics pulling out her cell phone. Kinzleigh's eyes are rolling back in her head and she falls backwards slipping from my grasp. Just before her head hits the floor, I cup the back of her head in my palm. What the hell am I supposed to do? I've never seen anyone have a seizure before. My eyes are burning from the tears, seeing her this way. Adalynn is screaming into the phone trying to get someone out here to get Kinzleigh. I feel so helpless.
I slide my arms under Kinzleigh's legs and neck. Picking her up, I cradle her in my arms and sit on the floor, pulling her into my lap. I have never been more terrified than I am right now. She is breathing, but unconscious. My eyes fill to capacity with unshed tears. I'm not a crier. I never have been, but something about seeing her completely unresponsive breaks me down.
I can't hold them at bay any longer. Spilling out, the tears run down my cheeks and drop on hers as I pull her face to mine. Rocking back and forth, I plead with her. "Kinzleigh, please come back to me. I just started loving you. I haven't had enough time with you. Please, I'm begging you, please come back. I need you Kinzleigh. Dammit, I need you. I've never felt this way about anyone before. I'll
do anything if you'll just come back. I'm so sorry I took that drink. I didn't know. I swear I didn't know."
I'm not sure where my brothers are, but Adalynn is kneeling in front of me, staring at Kinzleigh as if she is about to break should she touch her. Her voice comes out in a faint whisper. "I know you can't touch Natalie, but I can. I will make her pay for this. No one harms my family. That girl is more of a family to me than my own sister. I love her as my own blood. She has never done anything to anyone to deserve this." My heart feels like it's being ripped from my chest the more she shakes. Adalynn stands and walks over to Natalie standing by the wall. I can't hear what she is saying, but by the look on Natalie's face as her eyes dart out of her head, it isn't good.
Before I can even process what's happening, she slaps her across the face, hard. It must have hurt because it echoed across the room and a red hand print is already beginning to form on her cheek. Natalie looks at me with tears in her eyes and takes off out the door. If she wants sympathy from me, she isn't going to get it. We each make our own decisions. I warned her what would happen if she didn't cut the psycho bullshit out. She chose to spike the drinks. We have to reap what we sow.
Hugging Kinzleigh to my chest, the paramedic runs inside with a stretcher in tow. He kneels in front of me after being pointed in my direction. Looking up, it's a male that looks to be about thirty at the oldest. "Hey man, I need to take her with me. I promise I'll take good care of her." He's talking so fast I can barely process what he's saying, but he continues to rush his words. "When I make a promise, I don't break it. Time is of the essence and we need to get her to a doctor to assess the damage if there is any. The brain can be a tricky thing and seizures aren't anything to take lightly. I need you to trust me. I need you to let her go. I have to get her to the hospital right now! I would take care of her just like I would my own wife. Can you do that?" He reaches down trying to take her from me in a hurry.
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