Beyond the Eyes: YA Paranormal Romance

by Rebekkah Ford

  * * *

  An hour later, the voices of all the people who mattered most to me in this world drifted from downstairs. I zipped up my black hoodie and wiped my slick palms on my matching sweat capris, wondering why I was so nervous.

  Could it be because Brayden was here? No. I wasn’t in love with him. I mean, I did love him, but I was in love with Nathan, and Brayden needed to accept that. I had to admit, though, I did have feelings for Brayden that went beyond friendship, but they paled in comparison to my feelings toward Nathan.

  “You can do this,” I whispered.

  The image of the look on Brayden’s face when I told him about Nathan being my first entered my mind, and I recoiled against it. I hated hurting him and was actually surprised at how much it did hurt him, but I had no choice. He needed to know Nathan and I belonged together, and I would remind him again if I had to. I squared my shoulders and marched out of my room.

  “Paige!” Carrie ran to me and threw her arms around my shoulders. “How are you doing? I’ve missed you. It’s so weird being at school without you, which by the way, you don’t have to worry about your grades,” she rattled on.

  Nathan and Tree were standing in the middle of the living room, beaming. I glanced at Brayden. He was standing beside Tree. He smiled, but the look in his eyes went deeper than his smile.

  Carrie dropped her arms, her face full of reassurance. “My mom had a talk with your teachers, and they told her you already did all your assignments for this last semester, and you’re going to graduate.”

  “That’s good to hear.” Her mom’s thoughtfulness touched my heart, and I had to swallow back the tears when I thought about her always treating me like a second daughter.

  “I can’t believe you finished all of your work for the year,” Carrie said, impressed.

  “How are you doing?” Tree asked, hugging me before I could respond to Carrie. “We were so worried about you.”

  I forced a smile. “I’m doing better. It’s still hard, but I’ll be okay. I appreciate what all of you has done for me. I’m sorry you had to see me like that.” I looked down, staring at the floor. Tree bent his face in front of mine. I turned away, but he stuck his face in front of mine again, giving me his famous goofy look. I laughed.

  “Now isn’t that better than feeling sorry for something you shouldn’t feel sorry about?” he asked.

  “Yeah. The look you gave me reminds me of the picture Nathan and I found in the attic,” I said.

  “Which picture is that?” Carrie asked, sitting on the love seat. Tree sat beside her, taking her hand. They looked so cute together.

  “Remember our second grade Thanksgiving play?”

  Brayden looked at me in surprise. “You have a picture of that?”

  I nodded. “I couldn’t stop laughing when I found it. Remember, Carrie had long hair then?”

  The memories we shared surfaced on their faces.

  “Oh, God,” Carrie moaned, covering her face. “And Nathan saw that?”

  All of us laughed.

  “You and Paige were so cute in your pigtail braids.” Nathan wrapped his arm around my waist. I looked at Brayden, and he was staring at the front door, deep in thought.

  “I agree.” Tree grinned.

  “Can I talk to you, Paige?” Brayden opened the door.

  “Sure.” I followed him outside.

  The sky was swathed in beautiful pink and orange colors, but the air smelled like a wet dog, causing me to wrinkle my nose.

  He opened his mouth, but then closed it, looking past me. “Do you know there’s a cat lying on your porch?”

  I turned. “Oh, that’s Mr. Kitty. He’s been hanging around here for a while.”

  He tilted his head to the side, his green eyes jumping with laughter. “Mr. Kitty? Couldn’t you come up with a better name than that?”

  I shrugged. “That name suits him.” I thought it was perfect.

  He curled his fingers on his lips, snickering.

  “Shut up.” I shoved his waist, pushing him backwards.

  He took my wrist and held onto it. “I saw a cat a lot like that outside our garage before we left, and if he’s still there when I get home, I’m going to give him a better name than Mr. Kitty.” He lowered his voice in a mocking tone when he said “Mr. Kitty.”

  Against my will, my stomach dipped when my eyes fell on his lips, and the memory of our long makeout sessions entered my mind. I dropped them to his hand still holding my wrist, remembering a time when he had grabbed me like this, took me into his arms, and kissed me. I pulled my wrist away and rubbed it. It felt warm, just like my cheeks, and I knew I felt this way because of our past.

  “Paige,” he said. “I’m sorry how I acted the last time we saw each other. That was wrong of me to do.”

  “Apology, accepted,” I said, unable to look away from him. His sincerity evoked a trove of old feelings I didn’t want to feel.

  “I mean it. I am sorry.” He ran his fingers down the length of my face. “You’re so beautiful,” he half-whispered. “I should have never left you.”

  I took a step back. “Don’t do that. I’m with Nathan now.”

  He looked away, staring off onto the street while I nervously moved my zipper up and down on my hoodie. He closed his eyes and stuck his palm to his forehead. For a second I thought he was going to cry. I chewed on my lip, feeling guilty, but then he abruptly turned to me. My fingers froze on my zipper when I saw the eager passion in his face.

  He stepped forward and lightly gripped my arm. “I’m in love with you, Paige, and I have no doubt in my mind that we belong together. I know you’re with Nathan, but you belong with me.”

  I removed his hand from my arm. “Listen to me,” I said. “I will always love you, but I’m in love with Nathan.”

  “No, Paige.” He placed his hands on my arms. “You’re wrong, but you don’t see it yet because you’re infatuated with Nathan and–”

  “What Nathan and I have goes beyond infatuation,” I said, breaking free from his hands. “There are no words to describe the bond and love we have for each other.”

  He raised his eyebrows and made a vibrating sound with his lips, like he was doing a raspberry. “Bond?” He let out a humorless laugh. “How long have you known each other?” He crossed his arms and looked down his nose at me, reminding me of Mr. Harrin, pissing me off.

  I stuck my hands on my hips. “That doesn’t matter,” I fired back. “When I first looked into his eyes, I knew he was the one.” I could feel the heat rising up my neck. The last thing I wanted was to part ways like this. I smashed my lips together to prevent myself from shouting at him.

  He rolled his eyes in disgust. “Just because he had his cock inside of you doesn’t mean he’s the ‘one’!” He yelled, waving his fingers in the air, raising his eyebrows again.

  A loud crash came from inside the house, and we jerked our heads toward the door.

  “Brayden!” I yelled back, mortified. “That was rude!” I couldn’t believe he said that. It was like the rudest thing anybody had ever said to me. He even trumped Ashley with that remark.

  He lowered his voice. “I’m sorry, but it frustrates me because you’re so blind.”

  I pointed a finger at him. “You’re the one who’s blind.” My face felt hot.

  He shook his head and jerked his hands in the air. “No. I’m. Not. And if I have to wait until you realize you and me”–he moved his finger back and forth between us–“are meant to be together, then I will.”

  “Well then you’re going to grow to be a lonely old man,” I replied. “Because I’m going to be with Nathan forever.” I glared at him.

  His face softened, and he touched my cheek. “I don’t believe that, not for one second. I saw the way you looked at me earlier, which tells me differently than what you’re saying now.”

  I pushed his hand off me. “I do love you, Brayden, but those feelings you saw in my face stem from what we once had, and they’re nothing compared to my fee
lings for Nathan. You need to accept it and move on.”

  “I’m never going to give up on us, Paige. I might have a girl here and there, but you’re the one I’m going to be with.”

  Irritated, I turned away.

  God, he’s thickheaded.

  But then I felt his hand clamp my arm, turning me around, pulling me to him. I yanked my arm back, but he had a strong grip. He pushed my hoodie off my shoulder, exposing my naked breast through the lace tank.

  His voice was husky, his eyes on my breast. “I bet if I touch you like I used to, you’d realize I’m right about us.” His hand drifted to my breast, fondling it. He moved his face down, his rapid breaths blowing across my lips.

  “Brayden! Get your hands off me!” I screeched, fighting to get away, but his determination to prove his point caused him to tighten his grip, restricting blood flow.

  And then I heard a loud bang, and Brayden went flying backwards. Nathan stepped in front of me. Carrie moved to my side while Tree went to Brayden.

  Nathan pulled my zipper up and cupped my cheeks in his hands. “Are you okay?” His furious eyes were searching my face for the answer.

  “I think so,” I said, even though I was shaking.

  “I’m not going to look at him,” he said between clenched teeth. “Because if I do, I’m going to kill him.” His voice had a deep, wrathful tone that worried me.

  “I’m sorry, Paige.” Carrie anxiously looked at me. “We shouldn’t have brought him here, but you’re all he talks about.”

  “I don’t under–” I stopped when Tree raised his voice at Brayden, telling him what he did was wrong.

  “She belongs with me, not him!” Brayden hollered, shoving Tree back.

  “Stop it, Brayden!” Carrie yelled, running to Tree’s side. “It’s over between you and Paige. She’s with Nathan now.”

  Nathan’s face was consumed with rage and agitation, and he was breathing rapidly through his nose. This wasn’t good. I knew I had to do something in order to stop it. But then Brayden opened his mouth and it was too late for me to do anything.

  “I’ve known and loved Paige way before he showed up, and I know she loves me too. I also know if she’d let me touch her like I used to and make love to her, she wouldn’t be with him.”

  “Whoa,” Tree and Carrie said in unison when Nathan suddenly appeared behind Brayden, pinning his arms behind his back.

  “What the hell,” Brayden said, not realizing what was happening. But when he twisted his head back and saw Nathan, he started fighting against him, swinging his body from side to side.

  Tree and Carrie moved out of the way. I ran to them, afraid of what Nathan would do.

  “You will not touch her,” Nathan raged, forcing him forward.

  “Fuck you,” Brayden said, struggling to break free from Nathan’s grasp. “I’ll be back, and you won’t be able to keep me away from her. And that’s a promise.”

  Nathan tossed him off the top step in disgust, sending Brayden tumbling to the ground. Brayden hopped to his feet and Nathan was in his face. Brayden threw a punch, but Nathan caught his fist and powered Brayden to his knees. He slammed his foot against Brayden’s chest, pushing him backwards, restraining him against the ground. I hurried to them, scared Nathan might crush Brayden’s chest. When Nathan looked at me, the porch light caught his eyes, and the brutality Aosoth had mentioned flickered in them.

  I shook my head, mouthing not to hurt him. He turned to Brayden.

  “If you ever violate her again, I will forget you’re her friend, and open the gates of hell upon you with my own vengeance,” Nathan said, his tone deep and furious.

  Brayden squirmed beneath him, his hands clawing at Nathan’s iron foot.

  “I’m not afraid of you. And I didn’t violate Paige. If you weren’t around, she would have let me touch her and liked it. Paige knows I’d never hurt her.”

  Nathan lifted his foot, shaking with rage. “Get him out of here before I seriously do some damage,” he told Tree, and then took my arm.

  Tree’s face was frozen in shock. “Okay.”

  “I love you half-pint,” Brayden called, sounding like his old self.

  “Don’t look at him, Paige,” Nathan told me when I went to turn around. “That’s what he wants.”

  But my heart wept for the Brayden I grew up with and love. I wanted to shake this craziness out of him and bring my old friend back to me. He was still inside there. I heard it in his voice, and he would have never forced himself on me. I truly believed that.

  “We need to take you home.” I heard Tree say.

  “This isn’t the last time you’ll see me!” Brayden hollered from across the lawn. “One day I’ll come for her, and you won’t be able to stop me! What Paige and I have cannot be broken, and she’ll see the light and be in my arms instead of yours!”

  I heard a deep rumble in Nathan’s chest. A growl maybe. And then he flung the door open. When he slammed it behind us, the whole house shuddered in response to his rage. I touched my cold cheeks. They were soaking wet. Nathan sat on the couch, clenching his hands into fists, taking deep breaths. He hung his head and stared at the floor. I noticed his ears were beet red. When he looked up, his gaze went to my cheeks. He shook his head and jumped to his feet.

  “I need to get out of here.” His voice was thick with anger, and for a second I thought it had to do with me. “You stay here, and don’t go outside,” he ordered.

  “Are you mad at me?” I hated the way my voice sounded, weak and pathetic.

  He looked at me, the fury still visible in his eyes.

  “No. I’m not mad at you. Why would you think that?”

  I bit my lip, hearing the annoyance in his voice. I moved my hand across my cheek. “Because I was crying.”

  “I’m not mad at you, Paige. I’m mad at him for putting you through this. The last thing you need right now is more heartache in your life, but he will not stop.” He paced the room. “He’s not going to quit”–he jabbed a finger on his chest–“and I have a real problem with that.” He paused in the middle of the room and shook, his hands balling into a fist. “When he forced himself on you, and I saw where his hand was …” He blazed passed me. “I’m sorry, Paige, but I have to leave.”

  I turned to look at him, but saw the door close instead.

  Chapter Twenty

  Anwar