This came as an epiphany, yet it contradicted my previous decision. I knew who my true friends were, and I decided in that moment that after school I would have to talk to the other girls. Mike would probably catch on soon, too. He could always tell when there was something going on. I laughed to myself when I realized he probably already in contact with Brandon, his buddy.
During lunch, I tried to act normal. Mckayla sat next to me, watching over me. I caught a couple of looks the girl shared, but they never asked what was wrong. I appreciated them giving me space, but their patience would wear down soon.
Andy and Tucker walked by during lunch and waved. I had almost forgotten about the weekend already. It seemed so long ago, before I was worried. Before I knew that my past had followed me.
I didn’t want to feel like a victim again like I had been back in Chicago. I hadn’t done anything to take back control, but I’d learned my lesson and I wasn’t going to do that again. When I got home, I was going to talk to Brandon. I wasn’t going to let this take over my life again.
That was the catalyst for my determination. With newfound confidence, I decided I was going to figure out who this was, and I was going to stop it before it escalated like it had in Chicago. Morgan was gone from my life. Whoever this was a copycat, some sick person. I’d learned from my mistakes, and I wasn’t going to run this time. This was the life I wanted, and I was going to fight for it.
Chapter 12
During Yearbook, Mckayla and I came up with a plan. We made a list of the people we could trust. She wanted to be as exclusive as possible; hurt feelings didn’t matter.
She texted Talia, Alexis, and Mike and invited them over to my house for dinner. I asked about Cassie, Gage, and their boyfriends, but she told me to only trust those we knew we could trust. She had been friends with Cassie for years, but she was at Catalina and might have had alternative motives for getting close to me. I absolutely hated assuming the worst in my friends, but I knew in the end she was right. Hopefully it wouldn’t matter, since they would never find out they were being excluded.
Mckayla and I were setting out pizzas when the doorbell rang for the first time. Before I could turn to open it, the door swung open, revealing Talia and Alexis holding bottles of soda.
Alexis waved two bottles around. “Who’s ready to party?”
I laughed at her despite Mckayla’s glare.
“This isn’t a party, Alexis,” Mckayla said. “This is a very serious matter.”
Alexis frowned and set the bottles on the counter. Talia stood next to her, almost defensively. “Calm down, Mac. You didn’t tell us what’s going on, just that we needed to be here at seven.”
Mike let himself in and stared at all of us, sensing the tension. “How are my favorite ladies doing?” His big grin helped to defuse some of the awkwardness, but not completely.
I stepped around the girls and into his open arms. I was beginning to really love that spot. “We’ve got dinner ready, and I have something I need to talk to you guys about.”
Talia raised a brow, but nodded without a word and started handing out plates.
After we all had food and a drink, we sat around the island. I caught them sharing curious glances and decided it was time.
“Alright. Moment of truth, you guys.” I paused, trying to figure the best way to break the news.
“Dramatic pause?” Alexis giggled, amused by herself.
“Sorry, I don’t know where to start.”
Talia gathered her hair into a ponytail, catching my attention. “Try the beginning. We’re here to listen and help. No pressure.”
I smiled gratefully at her. “The notes have started again and they left pictures of me from the weekend.”
I looked at each of them, gauging whether or not I could go on. They had various looks of shock, so I thought it would be best to power through before the questions came.
“I found the pictures in an envelope next to my bed on Monday morning, and there were two messages on my computer. Brandon and Carter were able to isolate the area the messages came from.” One more sigh before I dropped the bomb. “It’s someone here. Someone in the area is doing this to me, again.”
I counted to five in my head before the questions poured out. I shot a desperate glance to Mckayla, silently begging for her help.
“Guys, stop! That’s all we know right now. Asking the same questions we already have isn’t going to help.”
Mike looked angry, scary angry. “Why is this the first I’m hearing about it?”
My mouth opened and closed. I was shocked that he was more upset with me for not telling him than he was with the situation as a whole. “I’ve been trying to process this, Mike. It’s been an insane couple of days. I only told Mac this morning.”
He crossed his arms and stared me down. “You aren’t alone this time. I want to be here for you, but I can’t do that if I don’t know it’s going on. You should have called me. I would have come over.”
“I appreciate that, but I haven’t been alone. Brandon has been here and even took a day off work, and Carter has been here when Brandon can’t be.”
“Carter? I don’t think that’s appropriate.”
I tried not to react, but his words shocked me. What did he know about Carter?
Talia saved me. “Relax. Carter is Brandon’s best friend. Nothing would happen there. She’s like his little sister.”
Ouch. That was my worst nightmare. Carter thinking of me as a little sister.
“I just wanted you guys to know what’s going on. Brandon asked me to plan ahead and never go anywhere alone. I’m pretty covered at school and at dance, but I was hoping you guys would be willing to chaperone if needed.”
They each nodded in agreement. I let out a sigh of relief. That had gone better than I had expected, but the girls made it easy on me.
☼ ☼ ☼
Things went pretty well through the rest of the week and the following, but by the end of the next week I was beginning to feel like I was under house arrest. I hadn’t been on my own in nine days.
Even leaving the dance studio without a chaperone was out of the question. As if the person planning on attacking me would run away at the sight of me walking with Cassie.
I went through the motions of school, but I felt like a zombie. The nightmares had come back with a vengeance. I barely slept, and it was starting to show.
Today, during lunch, the girls were talking and tried to include me, but I was zoning out. Suddenly someone slammed their hands down on the table in front on me. I jumped and looked up, meeting Tucker’s gaze.
He had a slight smile as he leaned down and whispered to me. “Party tonight. Call me if you’re interested in breaking free.”
By the time his words registered, he was walking away with Andy. Mckayla leaned over and asked what he said, but I just shook my head. His words had woken something within me. Going somewhere new with Tucker might be a good idea; otherwise, I was going to go insane soon. I needed a break in the monotony . . . but there was no way Brandon would approve. Or the girls. Or Mike. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea.
Later that night, I sat staring at the walls in my room. It felt like they were closing in on me. I was bored out of my mind. Reading out on the balcony didn’t help; neither did watching a movie. Brandon was at work again tonight, so he had security on guard. I refused to call someone to babysit me this time. Feeling like a burden to my friends was not high on my list on priorities, and I felt like I was close to crossing that line.
Mike had made it clear he was always willing, but I didn’t want to send him the wrong message before I had time to figure out how I felt.
My phone sat next to me on my bed, taunting me. It was beckoning me to make the call. I knew calling Tucker would be a mistake: Alexis had burned that into my brain from the moment I met her. It might be a mistake, but it was something to do. Plus, I wouldn’t be alone, so it was within the rules, right?
The text was sent before I had
time to change my mind. Just one night out wouldn’t kill me, and Tucker and Andy would be there to watch over me.
Thirty minutes later, I was dressed in the black dress Alexis had worn on the yacht. It probably didn’t look as good on me as it did on her, but it made me feel like I was someone else. Someone who was brave and didn’t hide at home on Saturday nights. I was finishing my makeup when I heard a knock on the door. Slipping into some nude heels, I grabbed my smallest purse and opened the door.
Tucker was leaning against the frame with a smirk on his face. “Hi, babe.”
I took in his dark jeans and tight white shirt. He looked like he just walked off a Calvin Klein ad. Just behind him was Andy, who looked more casual in jeans and a soft-looking tee. Andy smiled at me, looking apologetic for his friend.
“Thanks for letting me come out with you guys. It beats being alone on a Saturday night.” I pushed Tucker out of the way so I could lock the door behind me. “Where’s the party?”
Andy pressed the elevator button but stayed silent. Tucker followed me inside when the doors opened. “It’s down on the peninsula. One of the guys from the team that graduated a few years ago lives there now.”
So this was a college party? Oh boy.
Andy led us to a newer Jeep, but it wasn’t open like Talia’s. He opened the passenger door for me and smiled as he let me in. Tucker slid into the backseat behind him. Rap music blasted out of the speakers when he turned on the ignition.
Andy grimaced and turned it down low. “Sorry. Tucker tends to turn that up whenever he drives with me.”
I looked in the back seat, and Tucker shook his head. “Whatever, man. You like it too.”
They both laughed and kept a conversation going as we drove along the beach to the neighborhood, which was at the end of the peninsula. I’d run along these streets before but never paid much attention to the houses. They were slender, tall structures that resembled row homes in the South. It must have been the best way to maximize beach front property.
We pulled up next to a dark house and I looked over at Andy. He must have understood my expression. “The house is a few blocks up, but there’s never parking, so I just took the first one I saw.”
I nodded but began to wonder how big this party was. Tucker put his arm around my shoulders as we walked. I wanted to push him off based on principle, but I was kind of cold. I hadn’t expected to be walking a distance when I put this dress on.
Luckily, we only had to walk two blocks before I could hear the music coming from the house on the corner. It was similar to the others with its long, narrow design, but it was obvious only guys lived there. Several wetsuits were draped on the fence, and the windows were open, exposing the inside walls of surfing posters.
When we got to the door, Tucker dropped his arm and let us in. I stepped behind Andy, using him as a shield. I wanted to check out the party before I was seen. The smell of alcohol was overwhelming and there were people everywhere. With people standing on the stairs and sitting on the couch and along the walls, it was way mellower than I had anticipated.
I focused on one group and realized why they had caught my attention: they were passing around a joint. Before this sank in, Tucker put a drink in my hand.
“Loosen up, Aubrey. That’s why you came, isn’t it?”
On one hand he was right, but this is not what I had in mind. I took a sniff of the drink and quickly set it down. It was one thing to sneak out, but Brandon would never forgive me if I drank too.
Andy noticed and nodded in the direction of the kitchen. I followed him in and he opened the door of the fridge, offering me a bottle of water. I accepted with a smile, and he turned to grab one for himself.
“I don’t drink either.”
“Thanks.” I turned slightly away from him, looking around. “Do you know a lot of people here?”
“Nah, just Blake from basketball. I’ve been over a few times, but I don’t recognize anyone.” He smiled down at me. “Hang close to me.”
That was enough for me.
☼ ☼ ☼
That plan worked out for about an hour. A cute girl caught Andy’s eye, and he disappeared. Not that I could blame him. Who would want to babysit me all night? I ended up in the same situation that got me here. I was alone and growing bored.
A few guys approached me, but gave up when I refused whatever they were offering.
After midnight, things changed. The mellow crowd was replaced by the crazy, drunken groups normally seen at a party like this. People were slamming into me as the size of the party doubled. I hadn’t seen Tucker since we’d gotten here, and I started to panic. Did they leave without me? What if they forgot I was with them?
I took out my phone and debated who to call for a ride. It was only a few miles from my house, but I didn’t want to walk around in heels and a short dress this late at night.
Mike was out of the question. He would be beyond furious with every decision I made tonight—being alone in my house, leaving the house, leaving with Tucker and Andy, going to a party, going to a party with drugs and alcohol, and getting stranded. Perfect.
I didn’t want to call any of the girls this late, either. Mckayla’s parents would find out and that would be worse than Mike’s reaction.
One option left. Hopefully he would take it better than how I’d picture Mike.
There was no way I could make a call with the noise so I sent a text and prayed he was awake.
Seconds later my phone vibrated.
Carter Blackwell: On my way
Relief flooded through my body before I realized the wrath I was soon to face. I moved through the crowd and stood next to the window by the front door.
It only took a few minutes for Carter to get there, so he must have been in the area. He sent me a text to let me know he was outside, and when I walked through the door he took one look at me and turned away, already walking down the sidewalk. I rushed to catch up to him, but he wouldn’t look at me.
He continued to walk silently next to me. His disappointment was obvious, but I didn’t know what to say to explain.
“I’m sorry, Carter.”
“I know you are.” Well, at least he was talking to me now. Those words were better than what I expected the first thing he would say to me.
“Thanks for coming to get me. I didn’t know the party was going to be like this, I swear.”
Silence.
“I wasn’t trying to get into trouble. It just seems to follow me.” I looked up at him but his gaze was fixed forward.
“Why do you put yourself into those positions, Aubrey?”
I shrugged, but realized he wasn’t watching me. “Some guys invited me. I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do things on my own. Everything I do either involves Mckayla and the girls, or Mike.”
“That’s for your own safety! No teenage girl should go off on her own. Especially with guys she barely knows.” He stopped walking and turned to me. “Do you realize what could have happened to you? If I hadn’t been close by? If someone slipped something into your drink? You could have gotten yourself into a lot of trouble.”
“I know, Carter. I was so stupid, but that’s why I called you. I realized I was in over my head and got out as soon as I could.”
“You shouldn’t have done something so stupid in the first place.” He turned and continued walking, not waiting for me.
I stood there for a moment, frozen. Yes, I had called him for help, but that did not give him the right to lecture me. “I would have called Brandon if I wanted to listen to someone berate me for an hour.”
“Then why did you call me, Aubrey?”
I didn’t have a good response for that, at least not one that I wanted to admit to him or myself. I could have called one of the girls or Mike if I needed to, but I called him. Why? I bit my lip, thinking for a second. “Because I trust you. I knew you would come for me.”
He continued on silently for a few moments. “Yeah, I guessed I proved you right.�
�
I knew I was going to get into trouble for my little excursion, but I’d been expecting the punishment to come from Brandon, not Carter. I brought this upon myself, so I guess I deserved to face the consequences, but knowing Carter was disappointed was almost unbearable.
Just as I was going to apologize again, I saw a flash a movement from the corner of my eye. Before I could register what I saw, a masked person jumped out from the shadow of the building next to us.
A scream caught in my throat when I saw the glimmer of metal. He had a knife.
Carter flew his arm back, knocking me toward the building. I screamed for him to run, but he continued forward toward the assailant.
In a blur, I watched Cater take a swing as the knife swung toward him. The two were exchanging blows until suddenly the masked man dropped the knife and ran back through the darkness of the alley.
I ran to Carter and held on to his arm as I guided him to a nearby bench. He said nothing, but a grimace appeared when I let go of his arm. I grabbed for my phone in my purse and called 911. Carter sat with his head thrown back, his face streaked with pain.
The dispatcher asked for our location and what had happened. When I finished, he asked about the severity of Carter’s injuries. I looked over his body and gasped when I saw red streaking the front of his shirt and upper left arm. I relayed these as I pushed Carter’s hands away so I could lift his shirt. Blood trailed down his defined stomach. When I exposed his chest, there was an opening several inches long.
“We need help now!” I couldn’t take my eyes off the wound despite the objections of my stomach. I swallow back the urge to throw up and focused on Carter. “Carter, help is coming. Can you hear me?”
He groaned once in response.
The dispatcher said the first responders were in the area and should be there soon. In the distance, sirens rang out. When I saw the flashing lights, I hung up.
I held Carter’s hand as the ambulance pulled next to us and parked. A few EMTs jumped out and rushed over with their gear. I stepped back to give them room to work. One of the paramedics cut open his shirt, pulling it back and then down his arms. This exposed the other wound.
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