Parallel (Prophesied a spirit within,Book I)

by Cheryl Doucet-Surette

Chapter 11/Regrets & if only

  As soon as they left Friday morning Selah decided that she would make the most of her overnighter, she let go of all her anxieties over Daniel and just relaxed with the girls. Mia’s mom had hugged her when she arrived; Selah tried to reassure her that she was alright, and then gave up trying to appease her.

  They listened to Mariana’s Trench the whole way to the city, they stopped and ate at Swiss Chalet as they didn’t have one close to home. The change was welcoming so they enjoyed it, not to mention the food was delicious.

  They talked girl talk the whole time; as they arrived at the Comfort Inn just inside the city. They checked in, then went for a downtown to look at all the quaint shops, Selah found a cute little bear holding a hockey stick, she strongly felt her instinct scream at her to buy it, she knew her mom wanted it for Jacob she had always called him her cuddly bear and he loved hockey so they both fit. Then she looked down and saw the bear had a name, Jake it said on the tag. Selah smiled to herself she would tell Jacob it was what their mom would have bought him.

  The concert was only beginning at 7 that night, and the doors only opened at 6, they had an early supper at the nearest Pizza Hut, again another restaurant that they didn’t have back home. They had stuffed crust and enjoyed every morsel; she hadn’t eaten this much in the past week.

  When they left they came across a Lulu lemon store as the girls went in. Selah splurged and spent quite a bit of her money there just buying some workout pants and a sweater, she would have to cherish them at that price. Feeling slightly reckless, because in a few hours she would be in the same room as Josh Ramsey,and when she had tried on the clothes, Brittany had informed her she had the best looking butt ever in the pants, that alone had cinched the deal.

  They got in the growing line waiting to go into the concert, the closer they were to the front of the line, they closer they would be in the mash of people on the floor, trying to get as near to the stage as possible. The excitement was growing in the pit of Selah’s stomach. As it truly dawned on how she was gonna by a few feet away from one of her all-time favorite bands, she had been listening to them for years now, the lead singer had a way of putting so much emotions in each of his songs.

  Their new album was all about a bad breakup, it was called Ever After she had never listened to an album that actually never ended, as each song continued into the next one as if a story was being told, she hoped they would play some of their old stuff too, The line was getting much longer, time flew by quickly Selah was glad she had the foresight to dress warm it was chilly tonight. As she noticed some girls in little tank tops and shirts, micro mini’s no jacket. As Mia, Brittany and Selah all looked at each other simultaneously when they spotted them and just all started laughing together. Selah figured they must be band roadies or something, or they hoped to pick up someone on the way home, they looked half dressed.

  Soon the doors opened they were all jammed together until a little woman electrically scanned their tickets. They saw the lineup for t-shirts of the featured bands it seemed a good mile long, where had they all came from? As they got in hoping to get

  each one, meanwhile Brittany tried to sneak a peek to see what the shirts looked like and off she went. She returned a second later and grabbed Selah wrist and dragged her on, as they went right up to the table from the side and no sooner had they gotten close than a fellow behind the counter selling the shirts asked them what they wanted, Selah glanced at Brit she had a huge smile on her face. They never hesitated and bought what they wanted, forty dollars for a band shirt, but it was worth it, and she would cherish it “Ever after” just like it said.

  As they checked their coats, found some water at a booth; then proceeded to pile into the mass of people congregating in the arena in front of the stage. Trying to push their way up as close as possible, it was an experience Selah knew she would never forgot the smells of bodies pressed together and sweat, the sheer excitement floating in the air was part of the whole ordeal.

  As they waited for the opening act to begin they talked and people watched, Mia`s mom Sharon had chosen to keep an eye on the girls from a much safer distance. She wanted no part of the mob of people squeezed in front of the stage. Selah glanced back at her occasional, her excitement mounting as they had managed to be a mere 10 feet from the stage. They had made sure that they stayed glued together, Selah had brought her camera and her phone took very clear pictures, she took a trial picture to see how it would be from the distance they were from the stage. Her camera did a decent job, she then tried her phone, after she had taken a picture she automatically put it into her files, suddenly the first thing in her vision was the picture Daniel had taken of himself staring back at her. She hadn`t seen any sign of him since the huge fight they had had. She felt her eyes fill up as she saw him staring back at her.

  Mia quickly saw what was going on and hugged her telling her it would be ok. “ It was his lost, right? Holy shit Selah! Can you see something shiny red back there on the side of the stage?”

  “Do you think it’s him? Could it really be?” She let her thoughts get carried away with the prospect that they had just seen Josh Ramsey. She grabbed Mia hand and squeezed tightly.

  Selah skimmed over the picture and found the one she had just taken of the stage it was really clear. Deciding she would just use her phone, and then she could post it to her Facebook acct. easier. It wasn’t long before, the lights went down and the first band began to play, Selah had heard of them before, they were called All-time Low. They were an American band while Mariana’s Trench were a Canadian band, they were on for about half an hour, then another band came on for another half an hour, they were being continuously pushed and prodded by people trying to get better access to the stage, Selah watched as paramedic pulled a girl out from the throngs of people, she had passed out and the crowd was stepping over her to get closer still. Selah nursed her bottle of water slowly, she was sweating profusely the outfit the girls at the door had, were looking pretty good to her now, as the temperature soared from the body heat alone.

  The lights came back on the next band was finally the one she was waiting for, she managed to ignore the heat and began feeling all excited again, she watched a fight break out with two girl not too far from where they were, one slapped the other because they had tried to cut in front of one another, Selah knew if she did feel faint she was so jammed in with other people she wouldn’t even fall to the ground they would keep her up.

  She watched as the crew prepared the stage for the grand entrance of the band, they had wheeled out a large box, it had a crank on the side like a child’s jack in the box. They changed the band equipment quickly as Selah saw the band’s name printed on the set of drums. The excitement was building as the reality of seeing them in a few short minutes dawned on her.

  Suddenly the lights were lowered and the music began it sounded like a musical jewelry box, suddenly a figurine popped out from the box, and there he was Josh Ramsey the lead singer of Mariana`s Trench he had a sparkly white coat on and red metallic pants.

  Selah turned to Mia and in unison they both screamed, “It was him earlier!”

  Selah was so surprised at how tall he was in person ,as he began singing one of the songs from his new album, they all jumped up excitedly the moment they had been waiting for was here at last.

  He talked a bit to the crowd saying “Hello Halifax,” and introducing the different band members. Then he went right into his next song as the girls sang along he looked right at Selah it seemed, singing the song. Selah had goose bumps run through her whole body, this was amazing. He kicked it up a notch and began singing a song with a faster tempo next thing she knew he just literally dropped himself into the crowd. Like you saw groupies do in videos. He was lifted by the crowd, when the next thing the girls knew he was passing on top of them Selah reached out and helped push him along while he kept singing, she managed to grab his very firm derriere and Mia had his leg. He let it continued for a while lo
nger in the rest of the crowd, then he was brought back to the stage as he finished the song. When he got back onstage he pulled out an old sock someone had shoved down his pants while he was being carried around, how gross was that!

  Selah watched as a girl not far from her removed her bra then threw it onto the stage, Josh caught it and put it on for a laugh, as he removed it he started into the next set of songs. Selah was enjoying fully immersed in every second longing it to never end, this was the best time she had had in a while. They sang until their voices were cracking, as they watched the entire band sing with Josh, they sure did know how to put on a good show. It lasted for what seemed just a short while, but it had been much closer to an hour. As they sang their last song, the crowd cheered and hollered so much they came back for an encore.

  Before Selah knew it the concert was over, she clutched her souvenir t-shirt as they slowly made their way out of the crowd. They all talked a mile a minute about all the strange occurrences that had taken place they had all seen different sights. It was a long night since they were all wound up tight after that, as they went to their hotel room, they saw the wee hours of the morning before they all managed to crash exhausted from the adventure.

  The next morning they were dragged out of bed by Mia`s mom around 9 am saying they had to get washed up to shop and check out of the room. They were not a very lively bunch shopping that was for sure, but they made the best of it, as Selah spent most of the

  money her dad had given her to shop with, she only bought items she pictured her mom approving of.

  She could feel her there with her all afternoon, she enjoyed her time with her friends and suddenly began to wonder why she had been so hasty before to begin relationships with any girls, as she thought about it she knew she had been guarded after she had been rejected by Mia all those years ago, she hoped she didn`t get the same way with boys after her breakup with Daniel, but she couldn`t ever picture herself with anyone but him.

  On the way home Selah busied herself posting her pictures onto her Facebook timeline, she passed and stared at the picture of Daniel, he was so handsome, he was only briefly ever out of her mind, the minute Josh Ramsey had made his appearance on stage he had disappeared from her thoughts, I mean it was Josh Ramsey! But he had crept in steadily since the concert ended, she would have to confront him she wished she hadn’t made plans with Colby for the dance. It was as if she were betraying Daniel, she would be clear with Colby right from the start, then she would try her best to work things out with who she wanted to, no needed to be with, Daniel.

  Daniel had spent the entire weekend at the Jones house he loved being there. It helped him immensely he could picture Selah there everywhere and all the photos of her helped too.

  They hadn’t had a lot of time to practice together so when Peter called him saying he had shipped Selah off to the city for a two days, well he jumped at the chance, he kept asking silly questions about Selah, and Peter answered surprisingly amusing him..

  As the boys played guitar and ordered pizza it actually felt like old times and Daniel tried to imagine that Selah was just in the bathroom or even at work, so that things were normal, they were still together and everything was mint.

  They had had to let Jacob in on their little secret he was ecstatic and told them he wanted to witness the big show, promising to keep it quiet until then. He was glad Daniel was not out of the picture just yet.

  -----*****-----

  When Selah got back home after her adventure she went to bed early and slept late, she had trouble sleeping in strange beds and the hotel had been no exception. Beside they hadn’t gone to bed that early, leaving too little time for actual sleeping.

  Jacob had loved the bear she had gotten him and had placed it next to his bed and close to the tape recorder, Selah wondered if he would actually cuddle with it when he went to bed, if he did she would never tell a soul.

  The next week was upon her before she knew it, and Selah never had a chance to talk with Daniel he was literally nowhere to be found. He hadn`t even responded to a text from Jacob after much convincing on Selah part, to convince him to do it under false pretenses, she was a coward so afraid of rejection she dared not try herself. It seemed as if it was years since they had last spoken and the more time she put between them the harder it was to make the first move.

  She spent her days with her friends at school, she hadn`t made it very far in badminton after the new assistant coach had suddenly failed to make regular appearances, she

  had ended the season in fourth place in the provincials not even ranking high enough to go to regionals.

  She worked her 18 hours a week and while she was there let her thoughts drift on Daniel and all the memories they had there, there was a open mic night coming up, it was the only thing she remotely looked forward to, she had to work and she knew it would be busy so she wouldn`t have time to moon over Daniel, it was her only consolation.

  She barely ate her heart just wasn`t into it, and just swallowed enough to keep her body going, she just was never hungry. She had even tried to change her plans for the dance with Colby but he wouldn`t hear none of it, he told her it would be just the thing to cheer her up, he was sure of it. It was making her physically sick thinking she had to explain to her dad who she was going with, when she knew he would be disappointed in her choice. And her dress had been picked out with Daniel in mind, she would definitely feel too self-conscious with Colby showing that much flesh, her shoulders would be bare, and there was a long slit in the skirt that parted when she walked. A bit too sexy for someone she wasn`t interested in at all, but it was too hard to change it now.

  The night before the dance as she was washing up the dishes her dad reading the paper at the table, Selah stopped and was looking at him. She had a renewed respect for him; he had totally stopped drinking and had never started again. He was doing so much better now in the weeks following her mom`s death, she wished she could explain to him how she saw her all the time now, almost every night she went and spent some time with her.

  Her mom had told her things about her dad that Selah had never known as she stared at him she saw the new lines that creased around his face they had not been there before. He had suffered a much greater lost than she had with Daniel, but he hadn`t complained about having to raise two kids alone, she had thought she had heard him crying sometimes late at night but he had kept it to himself, she walked behind him and hugged him from the back.

  Peter so surprised by the physical affection Selah was bestowing on him dropped his paper and returned the hug as best as he could. He had never admitted it, but knew the children were his anchor in this storm he had set sail upon this terrible winter. But spring was coming he knew and new life came with spring every year, he only had to hang on until then then things would get easier and easier, he would tell no-one how grateful he was for the distraction Daniel had become for him, he didn’t want to come off as selfish.. And was really glad he had decided to help him, and Selah would be too if he knew her at all.

  He wished he could tell Selah about their plan, but they had promised each other to keep silent until the time came. Actually they hadn`t even confided in Jacob until the weekend, not wanting to ruin it in case he let it slip. “Are you alright honey?” Peter asked her, concerned.

  Selah hesitated slightly, she had to confess to him hating herself suddenly, “Dad have you ever done something you wish you could take back?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  ‘Just wondering.” Nervously biting her lip

  “We all have, at one point,” Peter wondered what was leading up to the question. “Don’t go beating yourself up over it though, tomorrow is a new day to change things.” He offered.

  Selah sighed deeply, “What if it’s not that easy, to change things, I mean if it’s too late and people were depending on you.”

  He looked at her wondering what she meant, “Is this about Daniel, I know you have been moping around the house lately, why don’t you
call him and apologize?”

  Selah looked at her dad, if only things were that easy, she had messed everything up. She thought, “sure dad I’ll call Daniel and tell him I want you back but oh by the way I’m going to the Valentine’s day dance with this guy I crushed on for the past 3 years, she thought, yeah he would be so like Of course Selah baby no prob, you can see as many guys as you like and I gonna be right here for you!” Instead she said, “Well yes and no, I told someone I was gonna do something and I can’t back out now, and I wish I could.”

  “What do you have to do?”

  “Well I had bought this great dress to go to the dance with Daniel when things were great, then we had that big fight and I can’t even bring myself to apologize to Daniel, but when I was still pissed at him this guy asked me if I would go to the dance with him and I said yes, cause well…but I wish I was going with Daniel, dad, I made a big mistake and I don’t know how to fix things, Colby said it was too late to cancel cause very other girl he wanted to go with is going with someone else. But if Daniel finds out…what should I do?” she lifted her arms up in exasperation.

  Peter was speechless for all of a few minutes what would Daniel say, he knew he was crazy over Selah, but with someone else in the picture…well that really put a damper on the situation. “So this is what teenage drama is all about.” Peter instantly wished he had shown a bit more compassion to his daughter, the look she gave him said he had gone too far.

  “Maybe you should give Daniel a bit more credit, he’s a good guy, and Selah if this other guy doesn’t mean anything I’m sure he’ll understand, does this mean you two are getting back together?” he asked hopefully.

  Selah again bit her lip nervously, she wished she could call him and ask his forgiveness. “I don’t think it’s that easy dad, I was really angry towards him.” She remembered how she had hit him and he had done nothing. “I’m lucky if he ever talks to me again.”

  Peter watched his daughter’s reaction he had called it right she was just like her mom, a forest fire at first and if you tried to pour water on her well it just changed direction and kept burning, but if you let time wear her down she eventually fizzled out, and came around to the right way of thinking. She would enjoy the little thing Daniel had planned for her, as she would never be able to say she was sorry first. He wouldn’t let Daniel know about this dance, it would be over before they knew it and they could forget it had ever taken place.

  “Just go to the dance with the boy then tell him that’s it, if that’s how you feel honey, no harm no fowl, right?”

  Selah was glad she had confessed to her dad she did feel a little better now. “I hope so dad…and dad thanks for listening I know it’s not easy for you, drama and all. Oh and I forgot to say thank you for the weekend, it was a lot of fun.

  Peter got up and hugged his daughter, she was so much like his Diana, “I do know one thing is that women love to shop, and have a good time with other women. I know it a lot of testosterone in this house, and you need a different kind of nurturing. Did Mia’s mom talk to you on the trip?”

  She had forgotten, Sharon had pulled Selah aside in the mall and tried to have a heart to heart with her, saying if she needed anything she could go to her for advice. Selah couldn’t tell her she still had her mom, they would think she was crazy. “Yeah she did, she said I could lean on her. I don’t know though dad, it doesn’t feel right to do that …you know what I mean right? I thanked her though.” Selah thought of the stories her mom told her of them when they were younger and first together she wondered what her dad’s side of the story was. “Dad did you and mom go to a cabin in the wood before I was born?”

  Peter froze for a second, surprised by the question, as he remembered…that had been a magical time, Diana always said Selah had been conceived then, he didn’t think she had told Selah that story though… “Why are you asking?”

  “Just wondering mom told me a story about a cabin, she said it had been some of the best times ever…she said you were the best thing that had ever happened to her, and you two were a perfect fit, like a glove.”

  Peter had heard Diana say those words on numerous occasions, he had always thought they were for his ears only…as Selah said them he felt a wave of emotion run through him, it felt good to remember the good times.

  Selah then said something she hoped would reassure her dad, “She’s here with us all the time you know dad, she’s just harder to see that’s all, but if you have your heart open you can feel her presence.”

  Peter looked deep in Selah eyes and saw a maturity there he hadn’t noticed before he had felt Diana’s presence but had been too afraid to mention it thinking they would think he was drinking again. “I feel her too, all the time that’s why I stopped drinking she was mad at me for checking out on you guys, I could feel it.”

  Selah smiled at him glad to have him opening up to her, her mom had been worried. They continued to talk about their mom revealing things to each other that helped their grieving process, they were passed the anger, denial, and had finally come to the acceptance, and they both felt that she would always be with them. Lucky for Selah in the void she was accessible to her when she went there. Peter clung to the hope that in his heart and mind she would be kept alive forever, to be his memories.

  “Whatever you do don’t ditch me tonight!” she texted Thomas.

  A few minutes later she felt the familiar vibrations, “Will try but no promises I have to keep Cindy entertained, and ya know how she likes all my attention!”

  “Whatever!”

  Selah observed herself in the mirror she wished she had a different dress on, she would wear a shawl or something to tone it down, and it was way too sexy for Colby.

  Peter took one look at Colby and didn’t like him on the spot, he seemed arrogant and a bit too self-assured he wished it was Daniel here instead. He had sat down the minute he walked in and started talking about himself as if he were the next best thing to milk and bread, he was trying to figure what Selah had ever seen in him.

  “I want Selah home by midnight if you don’t mind,” Peter said in his deepest tone of voice hoping to put some fear in the boy.

  Colby turned and casually looked at Peter “I’m having a small gathering of some of Selah closest friends after the dance, so we might be a bit late on the curfew ok pops.” He answered cockily.

  Peter wanted to smack him in the head, and was about to say something when Selah began descending down the stairs, she was gorgeous a real knockout, he could see why she had bought the dress for Daniel it emphasized her every curve, and made her long legs look longer, the jerk she was taking instead was almost drooling as he looked at her.

  Colby whistled as she walked down the stairs, when she reached the bottom she saw she was actually taller than Colby with her heels; she wouldn’t have that problem if she was with Daniel. She felt as if Colby was looking right thru her, could see her naked or something he reminded her of the perverted old men she sometimes saw at the park. He had whistled at her like she was a dog, had she been blind all these years? Or maybe Daniel had raised the bar for all men.

  They made their way to the dance as Selah got there she looked desperately for someone she knew so she wouldn’t be left alone with him, he was giving her the creeps, he brought her in a corner and pulled a flask of liquor out of his pocket, offering her some, Selah flatly refused. Great he was drinking she hoped he didn’t get too rowdy. He guzzled the liquor and called her a “wimp” Selah didn’t care what he thought of her.

  He grabbed her, his breath stinking of whiskey, “I figured you going out with an older guy would have made you much more flexible,” he grabbed her butt cheek and laughed.

  Selah slapped his hand away disgusted by him, he held onto her arm. “Hold on there missy! You and me are gonna have some fun tonight; he held her close as he lead her on the dance floor it was a slow song. Selah looked around and spotted Mia with her date, she waited for the music to be over then rushed over with her before Co
lby had a chance to stop her.

  She convinced Mia to go get some punch with her, as they got to the refreshment table Selah took one sip and saw it was spiked and put it back down, they went out to the vending machine and paid for a water, Selah had put her phone and a bit of money in her bra, thank god.

  “Did you know Colby was such an ass?” Selah asked her.

  Mia looked at her not a bit surprised, “Yes, I was surprised when you said you were coming to the dance with him, he’s a total player and he treats women like they are dirt.”

  Selah wished she had asked them before, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I figured you knew it’s not a secret, and well you went out with Daniel so I thought you were…you know”

  “Know what, what are you talking about?”

  “He’s gonna try to have sex with you, he think’s you and Daniel...” She left the rest unsaid.

  Selah felt the fool why hadn’t she seen this coming, she would be polite and then that was that, she would say goodnight at the end of the dance and be done with him for good. She spotted Thomas across the way; she excused herself from Mia and went over to Thomas.

  “So tell me you didn’t know he was ass of the century!”

  “Were ya gonna listen to anything I said, miss I know what I’m doing, so don’t question my motives.” the response eerily settling on her.

  “But”

  “You were your own continent needed no outside help, what the hell Selah”

  “He thinks I had sex with Daniel”

  “Well didn’t ya?” The look on her face told a different story. “I’m sorry Sel, the rumours have been going around for a while, I mean why else…” he stopped talking letting the remainder of his thoughts linger in the stale air.

  “Ya, go ahead finish it, why else was he with me?” her phone was slipping out of her bra, suddenly afraid she would lose it, she passed it to Thomas for safe keeping, she wondered what she had gotten into, and apparently she was the only one in the dark about her escort.

  Thomas had tried to warn her weeks before she should have listened. He was actually having a good time with Cindy he had been spending a lot of time with her since he had asked her to the dance, and well there was just something about someone who hung on your every word, he could get used to it. And besides Selah had made it clear he stood no chance with her. He watched as Colby came over and led her on the dance floor, she seemed to be stiff as a board.

  Selah dance a few fast songs with Colby, refusing the slow ones, not wanting to be any closer to him than she needed. Her water was gone she told Colby she was going to go find another one, he told her to sit tight,it was the least he could do.

  A few minutes later he arrived with her water, as he was about to give it to her he opened it for her, then passed it to her. It was hot in the gym; Selah took a big swig of the bottle feeling instantly refreshed.

  “So do you want to leave soon to go to my place, I have to get some things ready for the party, put away the fine china and stuff,” he held onto Selah hand, while laughing at his lame joke.

  “I don’t think I want to go to your party Colby, I’m gonna stay and get a ride home from Thomas, ok” she shifted her eyes to where she saw Thomas laughing with Cindy.

  “Oh you’re gonna come for a little while, you have to, you’ll have loads of fun trust me.” Colby smiled his sweetest smile which fell short by a mile in sincerity.

  Selah rose from the chair and felt her whole body swaying, she was dizzy all of a sudden, things weren’t right, her hearing was even muffled, what was going on. Colby grabbed her by the arm to steady her, every part of her body felt like foreign, detached not her own, she turned and scanned the crowd for Thomas he was still laughing with Cindy, as her vision blurred she almost doubled over she was so weak.

  As she barely held on to consciousness she felt herself moving, but it was like in slow motion. She managed to put one foot in front of the other, she heard a voice saying they would get her to a chair. It felt like hours trying to make it to a chai,r didn’t she have one right behind her, she couldn’t lift her head higher than her breast. She stumbled and felt her heel bend and snap, suddenly there was a cool breeze as if she was outside. Then she felt herself being lifted right off the ground, she was being carried. Her mind was so sluggish and her ability to move was getting worse and worse. She suddenly realized what was going on, he had drugged her. The water he had opened it before he gave it to her. He was taking her to his house; she barely lifted her arm to fend him off.

  He laughed at her feeble attempt to smack him, she felt herself being swung down from his arms, someone had to be seeing this, and someone would help her.

  “Is she alright?” Selah heard a female voice ask.

  “She drank way too much, she’s an amateur,” Colby answered smugly, Selah wanted to scream but had no voice, no words came out, she hadn’t drank anything. He put her in the back seat of the car, she suddenly heard more male voices joining in, he wasn’t alone.

  Selah tried everything in her power to lift her hand for her phone so she could call 911, she finally was able to reach up to her bra and found nothing, Thomas had her phone, the panic began to set in, she was out of options and her strength vanished, she felt the tears streaming from her eyes as the reality of her situation sunk in.

  “So you had to drug her, she wouldn’t come willingly?” A voice asked, Selah had no idea who else was in the car, “That too bad it’s so much better when their willing, a few more drinks though, and it won’t matter much?” he snorted disgustingly.

  Thomas had turned his head just in time to see Selah leaving the gym, he had been surprised to see how cuddly she was with Colby, he walked over to the doors she had asked him to bring her home, he would ask her if she changed her mind. As he got outside he saw she was being carried by Colby, he heard the girl ask if she was alright and then Colby’s response. He suddenly felt a huge amount of bile rise up in his throat, what was going on. Selah was literally thrown in the back of a car as 3 more guys got in, he could feel the sweat running down his back.

  But what could he do? There was only him, he struggled in his pockets for his phone, and instead found Selah’s he did the first thing that popped in his mind and looked through her contacts and made the call.

  Selah couldn’t stop her eyes from tearing she heard the car stop and the doors opening and closing she felt her body being lifted and carried, she tried to get a good look at her surrounding but she couldn’t stop her vision from clouding, whether from her tears or the drugs in her body she wasn’t sure. She knew she was being carried in a house she manage to see the color grey. Colby’s house was grey with white trim she remembered, she was at Colby’s.

  She felt herself dropped from high on something soft bouncy, she assumed it was a bed, she managed to turn her head to look around the room, she was on a bed and there was a bedside table she thought she could make out a phone there.

  “Let’s go have ourselves a quick drink before we unwrap our present.” A male voice uttered.

  She squinted her eyes to see who it belonged to, dark hair medium height, then he was gone, they all were. Selah tried desperately to scoot herself over towards the phone it was as if she was stuck in cement her body was so heavy.

  It seemed like a few minutes had passed of her trying to reach the phone to call for help, but she was trembling from her exertion, she heard the door open and saw the four guys enter. She tried desperately to go into the void but her panicking left her totally unfocused she couldn’t concentrate enough, she closed her eyes they were all drunk she could smell the alcohol on their breath as they got closer she felt the tears pour down again as she began to pray.

  Daniel had been at home when his cell phone rang showing Selah‘s number as the caller, his emotions took a leap for joy. He didn’t care if he wasn’t supposed to talk to her yet.

  So when he heard a male voice on the other end he had trouble wrapping his mind around the situation an
d it didn’t help that Thomas was talking a mile a minute. He got on his motorcycle and took off for the high school; his mom had taken the car, so the bike was his only choice to get there fast. He hoped he had understood the situation wrong, he drove like a maniac to get there as soon as possible, within a few minutes he was at the school and jumped into Thomas’s vehicle as soon as he spotted it, leaving the bike there not caring what happened to it.

  Daniel could feel the fear creep up inside him like a like an insect filling him with doubts and crazy thoughts, he urges Thomas to drive faster. Thomas listened his face looking just as anxious as Daniel’s; Cindy sat motionless in the back seat.

  . When they arrived Daniel ran out of the car leaving the door ajar and busted into the house he never even checked if the door was unlocked instead ramming it in with his shoulder. He felt nothing he was filled with pure adrenaline now, he had to protect Selah, it meant everything.

  As he found the room she was in, he accessed the situation in one single glance four to one, he never hesitated just acted.

  Selah thought the drugs were making her hallucinate, all of a sudden she saw Daniel or what looked like Daniel entered the room. Everything after that was as if it was in slow motion, Daniel kick the fellow leaning in towards the bed looking to make the first move on Selah. He was pushed back with such force his head butted the guy besides him in the stomach, making him vomit instantly. Then he leaped over the bed barely missing Selah and punched the other guy while he was midair on the other side of the room, blood spurted from his nose as it sprayed all over her. He grabbed at his nose and cursed, lunging towards Daniel, Daniel then took his arm and twisted it behind his back, Selah was sure she heard a snap, the first guy Daniel had kicked began to move slightly he was covered in vomit from the guy behind him. Daniel went right for the one he wanted the most, Colby, Thomas had told him who had drugged her.

  Colby was astonished in the corner trying to comprehend what was happening, it was that fast. Daniel grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and lifted him off the ground, slamming him into the wall. Selah heard glass breaking and then she saw neither as Daniel began to pommel him on the floor all she could see was a fist raising and falling, and it was bloodier with each swing. They all watched no one daring to pull Daniel off Colby.

  Cindy screamed when she saw the blood. As Thomas found courage to break Daniel out of his frenzy, he put his hand on his shoulder and quietly said “Enough, Daniel, you don’t want to kill him do you?”

  Daniel looked at him without any recognition, his eyes were glazed over with something Selah could not describe, and he would have killed him she was sure. He got up and sat gently besides her, he looked at the remaining guys in the room they were all suddenly sober; they sunk down to the floor not wanting to look at Daniel, ashamed suddenly.

  “If I ever hear that any of you did this to another girl I will personally make sure I finish what I started here tonight…and no-one will be there to stop me.” The tone of Daniel’s voice was pure cold fury, Selah felt chills run down her spine she had no doubt that he wasn’t bluffing.

  He reached on the bed and lifted Selah up as if she were a rag doll, and motioned for Thomas to lead the way. They made their way to the car and he never once let her go, she could feel him trembling with the rage inside. Selah tried her best to talk as the words barely came out, he held her close to his chest cradling her.

  “Sorry” she whispered to him, her fears all coming to the surface she wished it was under different circumstances that they had been reunited. She searched his face for something…

  Daniel looked at Selah knowing if they had been together she would have never had to go through such an ordeal, “Don’t talk its ok,” as he pushed her hair back behind her ear she saw the swollen knuckles where he had punched Colby continuously they were bloody she wondered how much was Daniel’s blood if any.

  She wished she could tell him how she felt but it had taken everything out of her to just get “sorry” out, she tried to keep her eyes open but they kept getting heavier, at least she was safe, Daniel would never hurt her she was certain of that now, it felt right being here with him. She struggled to keep her eyes open still, Daniel was looking at her with such love she was sure she felt it, he took his fingers and rubbed her eyebrows gently and whispered “Sleep my angel, sleep your safe now I will never let you down again, I promise.” She drifted the drugs ultimately winning, she smiled when she heard his voice and was sure she heard him say “I love you” as she lost consciousness.