Resuscitate (Annihilate #1)

by S. Morayla

  His eyes seem to gain some semblance of humanity.

  Finally.

  Exhale.

  “Yo, Chance! Hey, man, let it go. She was trying to prove a point. A stupid one, but still.” Chance looks down at Les, who backs away from him before Chris continues. “You know Harrison is a pussy. He wouldn’t mess with her again.”

  Time feels endless. The crowd and I wait to see his next move. His eyes stay on Leslie. Eventually, Chance’s laugh breaks the stale air of the night.

  “Fuck, baby, I’m sorry. I know you don’t want that pansy. Just hearing his name come from your beautiful mouth sets me off.”

  The crowd starts to disperse.

  Some people are upset.

  Whispers of disappointment.

  “I can’t believe that is the ‘only thing’ that happened.”

  Barbarians.

  What, did they expect him to hit her?

  I lose Leslie and Chance in the crowd, my damn height making it hard to see over the sea of people. A small opening allows me a peek. Chance is whispering in Leslie’s ear. She just nods. I walk toward them as Chris comes to clap Chance on his shoulder, steering him away, giving me the perfect opportunity to make my way to Leslie. My mind soaks in questions, bringing up Leif’s roommate Harrison weighing the heaviest.

  Mid-step, I hear an irritating fucking laugh to my left. I look over to see Lexi blowing Chance a kiss and grinning salaciously. I turn my attention back to Leslie, rolling my eyes. “You okay?” I ask, touching her arm. Her eyes brim with tears. Shaking her head, she asks if we can just leave.

  “I can’t be here anymore.” Her voice is soft. “I need Har—oh God.” Tears slip down her face.

  Looking over, I see Chris and Chance way too busy staring at Lexi and her friends. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch Leslie’s eyes slide toward Chance.

  “Alright, let’s go.” I grab her hand, leading her away from this disaster.

  When we first arrived, I had a hard time navigating because of all the people. Now, it’s damn near impossible. My frame is so small, it feels like I’m going against a water current.

  Frustration.

  My body rushes with adrenaline.

  I take in large breathes, needing to get a grip.

  My energy level is too high to be confined.

  At last, we approach the front door.

  Relief.

  Freedom is steps away.

  Two beefy frat guys step in front of us, blocking our way out. “Let us out, Brad,” Leslie whines. “I don’t have ti-time for this shit.” Her voice is full of venom, but her crying is making it hard to talk.

  “No can do. Chance said not to let you leave the house without him.”

  I clench my hands.

  Infuriated.

  Who the fuck are these assholes to tell her what she can do?

  Brad looks past us and nods his head. I look back in time to see Chris chuck deuces and smirk before disappearing into the crowd.

  Cocky asshole. If I don’t see him again, it will be too soon.

  A Love Like War

  I stand before Leslie’s car, keys in hand. It didn’t take much to make her relinquish them to me. She is in no condition to drive. She can’t even take a steady breath. I thank God for small miracles. My dad made me get my license last year. Maybe it was more for his own sanity. Who wants to drive their daughter to therapy?

  Or perhaps he thought it would help move me forward. Either way, in this moment, I’m relieved. I can’t imagine Les having to drive. I take a deep breath and look at Leslie sobbing into her hands, her shoulders shaking.

  Out of my element.

  How do I do this?

  Comfort someone?

  Think, Nat.

  Think.

  Think.

  Think.

  Instinct takes over. I reach across the center console and rub soothing circles on her back. I grab my cell and call the only person I know who can help.

  “Hey, Nat!” Adriana’s sugary laughter caresses my ear. “Hold up,” she says, talking away from the receiver. “I knew you’d end up calling. Damn it, I lost the bet. You only made it three hours!” Again, she speaks to someone in the background. “Yeah, I lost. Don’t tell Leif yet. The fucker will be all kinds of gloaty.” Her laugh fills the receiver and a gruffer voice answers her before she asks me if I’m going to join her.

  “Um, I…” A sigh escapes my trembling lips and my eyes close. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” My emotions are starting to surface. My eyes drift back to the girl still sobbing uncontrollably next to me.

  It scares me a bit when she cries out. “I just miss him so much. Oh God, please…”

  “What happened, Nat?” Adriana rushes out, urgency clear in her tone.

  “We were dancing. I don’t even know how it all happened, but I heard Leslie yelling. I guess Chance was taking body shots off Lexi.”

  “Fucking Lexi, that bitch,” she mutters as I continue.

  “Then she said something about doing that with Harrison and he went all Hulk on her,” I say.

  “What! Oh my fucking shit!” Adriana yells, causing me to remove the phone from my ear. “Did that uptight, no good, bullshit, fuckface of a motherfucker hurt her?”

  “Not physically, no,” I tell her.

  “If I give you the address, do you think you can bring her here to me?”

  “Sure, just text it to me.”

  “Thanks, Natalee.”

  I shrug, then roll my eyes at myself.

  “No problem.”

  Fifteen minutes of lights, crying, and traffic.

  The Corral comes into view.

  I pull into the lot.

  My body relaxes.

  Leslie is no longer sobbing full force. Tears still stream her face, but now she is just looking out the window, mumbling, “Why do I have to miss him so much? Why does it have to be this way? Why him?”

  I may not be an expert, but I can almost guarantee she is not talking about Chance. My fingers fly as I type out a text, letting Adriana know we are here.

  A figure.

  A shadow.

  Runs through the night, straight toward the car. A breeze blows through the confines of the cab. Grateful. I breathe a sigh of relief.

  Flinging open the door, Adriana takes Leslie into her arms. “Shh, it’s okay. It’s okay. I am here. I am so sorry. I love you. Shh, it’s okay, let it all out.”

  Movement behind Adriana catches my eye. Glancing in that direction, I notice two males hang back a bit while the female walks over, touching Adriana’s shoulder. She turns her head to look. “We are taking off, just wanted to make sure you’re both okay,” the girl says.

  “Yeah, we are. Thanks, Keri.” She nods, turning to one of the guys, who takes her hand as they walk away. In the silence of the night, all that is heard are sobs and sadness. I don’t know if I should stay…throw in a word of encouragement.

  The decision is made for me.

  Knuckles rap on the window.

  Rolling it down, I look up at the stranger.

  “You might want to come inside. I think they may need a few minutes.” His velvet, accented voice hit my ears. My stomach tightens, a volcano of butterflies erupting. His voice is a salve to my burned soul.

  Confusion rocks me.

  How is this even possible?

  Can it be?

  But how?

  Shaking my head a bit, I clear the burning questions. I turn toward Adriana, who nods in agreement.

  “You sure?” I ask.

  “Yeah, we will be in in a few,” Adriana assures me. Mystery man opens my door after I close the window. When we are a few feet from the girls, his rich, smoky voice hits my eardrums once again.

  “I didn’t want you to sit out there and witness all that. It’s hard to see your friends in pain.” When I look up, my voice is stolen. I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.

  Swallow.

  Breathe deep.

  Try again.<
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  “Yeah, thanks.” My voice comes out breathy, like I just ran a mile. Mortification takes hold. I’m totally embarrassed. He chuckles, pulling open the door for me. I stand there, drinking him in. In the darkened parking lot, it was hard to see.

  Gorgeous.

  Breathtaking.

  Awe-inspiring.

  He has an undercut, which allows his hair to be up in a samurai topknot. Almond-shaped, amber eyes. Thick, dark lashes most women would kill for. Well-defined cheekbones and jawline with a bit of scruff lining it. Not too much, but enough to run my hands over it. Lips full and luscious—suck-able, kissable. His tattoos stand out against his olive skin. His body is lean, but not too skinny.

  He is a living Adonis.

  My body stirs from its slumber and my heart erupts, beating faster than I thought possible. There’s a tingle between my thighs, which causes my nipples to tighten. Flustered, surprised, and unprepared for this type of reaction, I suck in a shocked breath and take a step back. I haven’t felt this way in a long time.

  “Is this a bar? I’m not old enough if it is,” I say to him, needing to distract my mind and emotions.

  “How old are you?” he asks, cocking his head to the side. His beautiful smile catches me off guard.

  “Eighteen,” I squeak out.

  Seriously, what the hell is with me tonight?

  His smile widens. “Brilliant! And no, this is a karaoke café. They’ll only serve you alcohol if you’re old enough.”

  I shudder at his words. For the life of me, I’m trying to understand this. I’m not one of those girls. I don’t fall for an attractive face and rocking, tattooed body.

  His name and face pop into my head, reeling me back into the darkness. The light I was experiencing extinguishes. Like fingers snapping, it’s gone.

  Just like him.

  Mystery man notices my shudder. “You cold?” His eyebrows furrow together. My face warms up, making me feel humiliated. It’s a balmy eighty-two degrees out. This is Southern California, there’s no such thing as cold here.

  “No, I, uh...just...um...” Holy shit, I can’t even speak. It’s like his accent went into my brain and scrambled my vocabulary.

  He shakes his head and gives a little laugh. “It’s okay, Shorty. Let’s get you to a table, shall we?”

  “Shorty?” I smile at him, waiting for an explanation.

  “Yeah, you are kinda short.” He shrugs, matter of fact.

  “Thanks,” I say, not knowing whether I should take it as a compliment or an insult.

  “What?” he exclaims, humor dancing in his eyes. Oh, he wants to joke about my height? Two can play this game.

  “Okay, Adonis.”

  “That’s not funny. At least I gave you a nickname that makes sense.” He frowns

  “Yours does make sense,” I counter.

  “In what way?” He cocks his head to the side, licking his bottom lip.

  “I mean, look at you. Have you seen you? You’re the definition of tall, dark, and handsome, not to mention...” I trail off, noticing how his eyes light up. Oh, hell no, I’ve gone and done it. When I’m nervous, my mouth just runs on its own accord. Like my brain malfunctions and I word vomit whatever comes to mind. No damn filter.

  “You think I’m handsome?”

  Bashful.

  Sheepish.

  Embarrassed.

  “So, about them Dodgers,” I say, trying to distract him from my diarrhea mouth. Adonis laughs, shaking his head, knowing he won’t get an answer. As we continue walking, I start to take in my surroundings. Mirrors line the walls. A large stage with two big TVs straight back. Two monitors on each side of the stage. In front is a small dance space. The pictures and signed memorabilia lining the walls mesmerize me. I follow him as he makes his way to the back. My eyes stay glued to one instrument in particular: a guitar.

  Not just any guitar, but one signed by Slash from Guns and Roses. I nearly run into...uh...fuck, I don’t even know his name. He reaches out to steady me when my steps falter, causing me to almost fall on my ass.

  “Whoa, sorry,” I rasp out, grabbing onto his forearms. A zing of electricity shoots through me, stealing my breath. Clearing my throat, I step out of his hold. “Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.” His face gives nothing away. Did he not feel that? Great, I’m fucking crazy. Can this night get any worse? He motions for me to have a seat in the booth.

  “My name is Natalee, by the way,” I tell him as I scoot toward the center.

  “Natalee,” he says. His top teeth gently scrape his bottom lip, and it’s the sexiest thing I have ever seen. He smiles down at the table.

  Sensual.

  He made my name sound like he was having oral sex with it, his accent adding a hint of opulence. I want to hear him say my name over and over.

  “I’m Zayne,” he says, offering me his hand to shake. Our eyes lock on one another. I want to look away, but he has me dazzled. His lips pull into a smile before he looks away, breaking the spell. My nerves hum, full of adrenaline. I try to gain my composure, looking toward the stage where two drunk girls are singing Hey there, Delilah off key.

  “How do you know Ana and Les?” Zayne asks. I swallow a few times before I can answer.

  “Les is my roommate.” Feeling shy, I look down at my hands, picking at my pink nail polish. I’m having a hard time understanding why that is. Sure, I try to stay away from people as much as possible, but I don’t necessarily feel shy. The way Zayne looks at me, the way my body responds…it’s not something I can comprehend, or put into words. It hits me then who Adonis is. I’ve heard his name quite a few times in the past weeks. He is Leif’s other roommate. How the hell did these girls meet these hot ass British guys? I’ll have to ask Adriana. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve heard how she and Leif met in high school, but there is more to the story.

  “Hey, man, where are the girls?” Leif says, nodding his chin toward Zayne while sliding into the booth. “Natalee, I didn’t see you there. How are you?”

  “I’m alright, just been a crazy night.” My weary eyes take in Leif’s smile. He has an air of peace that surrounds him and I find myself wishing I could have that.

  “How’s Leslie?” Leif’s face falls sullen as he turns to Zayne. “Is she okay?”

  “Yeah, I guess. I mean, she was crying pretty bad.” Zayne shrugs. “I don’t know all the details. Where is he?”

  “I texted him, told him not to come. If Chance comes here looking for her and he’s here, it would just make it worse. I don’t know, though. You know how he can be, especially when it comes to her.”

  “Fuck, I know it,” Zayne says, briefly closing his eyes.

  Intruder.

  Outsider.

  Trespasser.

  I have no clue what the hell they are talking about and honestly, I just want to go back to my room, have a shower, lay down, pop on my headphones, and listen to music. My hands start to sweat. Unease rolls through my body as images assault me.

  His jacket.

  His smile.

  His laugh.

  I want to grab those images and turn them into the real thing. My heart aches knowing it can never be.

  He left.

  He will not return.

  Even if I beg.

  He won’t come back.

  I’ve tried.

  I’ve pleaded.

  All to no avail.

  Reality mocks me.

  Breathe in, breathe out. Calm down, Nat. Push it back. Breathe in, breathe out…

  I feel a gentle nudge against my side, snapping back to reality. “Huh.”

  “The party, what happened?” Leif asks, his chocolate eyes expressive with curiosity. Finishing the party story, Leif mumbles, “Shite.” He sits in the booth when his phone goes off. “Baby, you o—” he stops mid-sentence and his eyes grow big. “Motherfucking shite,” he yells. Getting out of the booth in a hurry, he strides to the door.

  I look to Zayne for answers, but he has his eyes closed, shaking his head.
“Fuck!” is all he says after he opens his amber eyes. The vein in his neck pulses and his face has a tint of red. He gets out of the booth and takes off after Leif. Apprehension unfurls deep in my stomach. I have a bad feeling. This is going to be a long night.

  Your Guardian Angel

  “Fucking pussy ass bitch, I’ve told you to stay the fuck away from my girl.” Chance is in some guy’s face. The guy he’s yelling at stands there like a statue, not flinching, but his hand is balled into a fist at his side. I don’t have a clue who he is and right now, it’s not my concern. My eyes roam the parking lot, looking for Adriana or Leslie. I don’t see either girls, just a bunch of frat guys I saw earlier at the party. I finally spot Leslie pushing her way through the crowd to stand in front of Chance, begging him to walk away. The whole scene before me looks like one from the movies.

  Chance pushes Leslie’s hands away from his chest, trying to advance on the guy. “She doesn’t want you, Sterling. Get the fuck over it!” I search my memory bank for this guy’s name. I’m wondering who he is and why Chance is all up in his face. Is he stalking Les? Did they date? The crowd gathers and shrinks in toward the two guys, some yelling, “Hit him!”

  “You’re a fucking pussy, Sterling. What, you have nothing to say? That’s what I thought. You’re just a little bitch.” Chance’s laughter roars louder than the murmurings of the throngs of people milling about, as if this is all nothing but a big joke.

  I stand transfixed, my hands shaking. A flash of long brown hair charges toward Chance. While spinning around, Chance knocks Les down just as Adriana rushes at him again. “What the hell?” Chance shouts. Sterling reaches out to help Leslie up, but Chance turns away from Adriana and knocks his hand away before pushing Sterling.

  “I said back off, motherfucker.” Leif seems to appear out of nowhere and grabs Adriana’s waist. Chance swings at Sterling and the pack of people swarm in closer, propelling me forward. I try to turn around, to run away from the fight, but I’m knocked to the ground. I push to stand, and stumble forward, hitting the pavement once more. My heart rate spikes, breathing becomes harder. I feel like a fish out of water. My eyes become blurrier with each tick of my heart, numbness begins spreading through my weak limbs.