Falling Awake

by T. A Richards Neville

  “Excellent.” She twisted around in her seat. “We’ll pick you up at six thirty okay?”

  “I can walk,” I said, getting out of the car.

  “Like I said, we’ll pick you up at six thirty.”

  I leaned down into the open car window. “Fine, I’ll see you tonight.” I said.

  “Bye Drake.” He winked at me, and then backed the car up.

  “Hi Mr Jensen!” Mellissa shouted, waving as the car tore off back down the street.

  “Hi dad.” I went over and slumped down onto the love seat, the cushions warm under me from the afternoon sun.

  I was on speaking terms with my dad, but under the unspoken condition that he didn’t mention my mom to me unless I brought it up first.

  “Hi,” he said, getting out of my car.

  “How is she?” I gestured toward the Fiat.

  “It was mostly minor interior damage, apart from the doors which I’ve fixed. The paint needs touching up, but Caleb’s going to see to that. Then just the roof, which I can’t fix, so I’ve booked it into the shop Friday.”

  I watched his expression shift to one of deep thought.

  “Whoever done this, was looking for something.”

  Well he was right about that. They were looking for me. I wouldn’t tell him that though. I knew he had enough on his plate, and I already had Caleb on side looking out for me.

  He shook his head. “Anyway, she’ll be as good as new by the time you come back from Paris.”

  “Great,” I said half-heartedly. The thought of Paris brought the absence of Caleb with it.

  I jerked my head sideways at the sound of the porch door swinging open. Gracey emerged from the house dressed like the mascot of summer in a yellow shirt rolled up to the elbows which she tied at the waist, and white cut-off jeans. Her honey volumised hair was pushed back off her face with a yellow and white polka dot headscarf.

  “Hey Darlin,” she said, catching sight of me.

  “Hi Gracey.” I cocked an eyebrow at my dad who came over and took a glass of what looked like lemonade from a tray she was carrying. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’d made that lemonade with her own bare hands. It would be typical Gracey. “Homemade lemonade?” She offered, thrusting the tray in my direction. I smiled. “Sure, why not.” I took a cold glass complete with a straw, umbrella, and lemon wedge, and took a sip. “Mmm this is delicious.”

  “Thanks honey.”

  “This is good,” my dad agreed, and she smiled at him fondly.

  “How about I take ya’ll to dinner tonight?” she offered. “I don’t have to work, and I think ya’ll could use some fun after what’s happened.”

  I looked over at my dad wondering exactly how much he’d told her, but he shook his head discreetly.

  “I’m actually going to jets tonight with Mellissa,” I said. “You two go though. A night out is a good idea.”

  “I think it would be better if you came with us,” my dad said, looking anxious.

  “Don’t worry, Caleb is going to be there. I’ll be fine.”

  “Okay, I guess that’ll work. I just don’t like the idea of leaving you too much right now.”

  “I know your still in shock from the break in Gabriel. Especially in such a, well a supposed safe neighbourhood where you think nothin’ like this would ever happen, but she’s a big girl hun.” Gracey said, taking my dad’s hand, and throwing him an understanding look.

  So he hadn’t told her anything then. That was good.

  “Your right,” he said, and kissed her on the cheek.

  “I’ll just go clean up then put the car away, and we can get out of here.” He vanished inside of the house, and Gracey came and sat next to me, setting the tray onto the floor.

  “So Caleb, he’s somethin’ I’ll tell ya that.” She nudged me, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Where did you find him anyway?”

  “He just kinda fell out of nowhere…he’s not staying though.” My throat tightened as I said it, and upset settled low in my stomach.

  “Why’s that?”

  “He just has to– I don’t know.” My voice cracked.

  “Honey are you okay?” She rubbed my leg.

  “Yeah I’m fine. He’s just he’s going to be working somewhere else, that’s’ all.”

  “Shouldn’t school be his main priority?” she asked me. “He’s a junior too right?”

  “Yeah. I’ve told him that, but he won’t listen. He’s kinda stubborn.”

  “You really like him huh? I won’t say anything to your dad, scouts honour,” she said, holding her three fingers up, her thumb crossed over her palm.

  “I guess I do yeah.”

  “He really likes you too.”

  “How do you know?” I asked, unable to help but be pleased that an outsider might think I stood a chance.

  “Your daddy was telling me the other day while we were cleaning up. Well not in so many words he didn’t, but he mentioned more than once how Caleb’s mentioned you a lot lately at the garage.” I looked at her. She looked like she was telling the truth. Her large brown eyes were honest and wide.

  “And as a woman myself dear- I see the way he looks at you, and that’s somethin’ special right there let me tell you that. Just don’t lose hope okay? I have a feeling that boy will never leave.”

  “Oh he’s leaving,” I said with conviction. “He’s definitely leaving.”

  “Just don’t be so sure,” she said, patting my leg and then got up and went back inside the house. I stayed where I was under the dipping burnt sun, thinking about what she said.

  ***

  I changed into a white long sleeved body suit with prints of large mink, and dusky pink roses on it that plunged into a V neck, and a pair of faded denim shorts with frayed edging that pulled up extremely high at my thighs.

  My dad would probably want to have a fit when he saw me, but he would contain himself in Gracey’s presence. That, and the fact that he probably wouldn’t want to do anything more to piss me off. Yep, Gracey really was turning out to be a welcome addition to the family.

  I hadn’t asked either of them about their relationship yet, and I assumed that was exactly what they had now- a relationship. The two of them were getting ready in my dad’s room whilst I dressed, which meant she must have some of her stuff here.

  I didn’t want to come off as rude by not asking them about it, and it wasn’t that I didn’t care. I just had other things on my mind.

  I made a mental promise to myself that I would ask them about it tomorrow after school.

  I slipped on my white lace flats as they both came into the living room.

  My dad was dressed the smartest I had ever seen him, in well-fitting grey trousers, and a black shirt which he wore tucked in, and his grey hair was styled to perfection. I could tell he’d had more than a little help getting ready.

  Gracey looked beautiful as always in a knee length black pencil dress, her hair up in a plaited bun.

  “Are you guys going out a date?” I asked them teasingly, and my dad shifted on one foot obviously uncomfortable.

  “I’m joking,” I said. “I already know it’s a date.”

  Gracey looked at me wide eyed, probably worrying that I’d guessed their badly kept secret. Right, she didn’t know I’d already caught her in my dad’s bed, and I wasn’t about to mention that now.

  “I’ll give you a ride to Jet’s,” my dad said, his eyes roving over my outfit as his mouth twitched at the corners, and his face settled into a deep frown.

  “Isn’t it a little cold for that outfit?”

  “No dad, it’s nearly summer.” I smiled triumphantly, happy that my prediction had come true. He didn’t argue with me. He just let it go, but he didn’t look happy about it either, and I knew he would scour my bedroom later until he found it, and throw it in the bin.

  “And I don’t need a ride. Mellissa will be here in a few minutes.”

  “We’ll wait with you then,” he said.

  “Dad pleas
e. Go out and have a good time. She’ll be here in five minutes tops. Really, I’ll be fine.”

  “Come on Gabriel,” Gracey said, taking his arm “You heard her. Mellissa will be here soon. Text us please when she gets here?” Gracey said, probably more for my dad’s sake than anything else.

  “Yes, I’ll text you I agreed.”

  “Okay, have fun tonight honey,” she said.

  “You too,” I replied as she made her way out of the door.

  “Be careful,” my dad whispered following her out. “And text me as soon as Mellissa’s here.” He stuck his head back around the door.

  “I will,” I said, and threw a cushion at him from off the sofa. He picked it up and threw it back and I threw my hands up to shield myself.

  “Love you, bye,” he said quickly, then left, the door slamming shut behind him.

  I sat in silence. Cool air blew in from the slightly open window, and I went over to close it. I watched my dad’s silver Chevrolet Colorado drive away, then grabbed my phone from the sofa where I was sitting, and returned to the window with Mellissa’s number dialling on my phone.

  I hung up after reaching her voicemail, and turned my back to the open window. A chill ran up over my spine from the draft. Where was she? It was almost six thirty. If I didn’t text my dad soon, he would drive right back here, and take me to Jet’s himself.

  I stared into the black screen of my IPhone deciding I would just send him a text anyway saying she already picked me up, when I saw something not quite right in the blackness of the reflecting screen. It took me what felt like an age to respond to the arm that was reaching through the open window and securing itself around my neck.

  I dropped the phone as fear gripped at my heart sending my pulse through the roof, and I tried to force myself free from the tight grip that was cutting off my circulation. I gasped frantically for air as my head was pulled roughly back against the window. I was choking. Pain shot through my neck, pressure burning into my throat, and I did the only thing I could think of. I forced my head down, ignoring the throbbing in my oxygen deprived head, and bit down hard on the arm wrapped around me.

  I felt the skin breaking under my teeth, and the grip on me loosened immediately. I fell to the floor and gasped at the air, starved of it. I crawled over to the kitchen, eventually scrambling to my feet, and grabbed a knife from the block on the counter. With my head still pounding, I dashed back through the living room and stumbled out of the front door in my eagerness, to find no one there.

  I ran over to the window, then around the full length of the porch, panting roughly as I went. When I could find no one there either, I looked out down the empty street.

  Nobody.

  I staggered back over to the house, and locked the living room window, shivering with adrenaline and fear. I went hastily through the whole house, locking all the windows, and checking the doors, before I slid down the side of the couch, and tried to normalise my breathing.

  Where the hell was Mellissa? I crawled over to where my phone lay on the floor in front of the window, and swiped the screen to life. Three minutes to seven and no text, no phone call. Nothing.

  I jumped at the sound of heavy pounding at the door, and I shuffled over to the wall under the window, pressing my back up hard against it, my breathing becoming erratic again.

  “Pria open the door now!”

  I heaved a massive sigh of relief at the sound of Caleb’s familiar voice.

  “One second,” I shouted, my voice wobbling as I clambered up trying to breathe normally. I opened the door.

  The look of terror and panic must have been written all over my face, because the first words out of Caleb’s mouth were, “What happened here?”

  “Let’s just go,” I said, stepping outside and locking up behind me, my phone clutched tightly in my shaking hand.

  Don’t lie to me

  We sat outside of jets in Caleb’s truck. Jets was packed with kids from school, and music bellowed out penetrating the tense silence in the car.

  “I should have been there sooner.”

  “How were you supposed to know that was going to happen?” I asked sharply. “You can’t protect me twenty four hours a day Caleb.”

  “I can, and I will,” he said. “That’s what I’m supposed to be doing. I could feel something wasn’t right.”

  “This is crazy,” I said turning around to face him. “Look, I’m fine honestly.”

  He turned his head and skimmed his eyes the full length of my body.

  “That’s not the point. It still happened, and it could have ended much worse. You don’t know how lucky you are.”

  “Ugh, I knew I shouldn’t have told you,” I groaned, dragging my hands through my hair in frustration.

  “Of course you should have told me.” He blasted me with his darkest look. “I knew anyway.”

  “Please don’t do this Caleb.”

  “Do what?”

  “This.” I waved my hands in the air. “Get all angry on me and shut down. I didn’t even know you were going to be here tonight, and I’m so glad that you are, so don’t ruin it okay? I’m doing everything you ask me to, so please just drop this. You already knew I was in trouble; you were the one who told me. So let’s not dwell on this one thing please?”

  I watched his still face, waiting for his response.

  “I don’t think you have any sense of danger Pria. I feel like you don’t really care if something happens to you. I mean, when I say this to you, “Pria, fallen angels are trying to kill you.” Do you understand that statement?”

  Cheeky bastard. I punched him hard in the arm, but he didn’t even so much as flinch.

  “This is the real deal, and whether or not you care about your life, I care, and I need you right now, to start taking this seriously.”

  He looked tired, angry, sad, and exhausted all at the same time, and even though I knew he would never admit it. For the first time, I really saw how much making sure I stayed safe was taking out of him.

  “I can take it serious,” I said meaning it.

  “I won’t forget what happened. I can’t do that, but I’ll let it go. At least for tonight anyway.”

  “Thank you. That’s all I want.”

  He took my hand in his. Heat raced up through my fingers and spread throughout my body, his touch was magical. I was a live wire around him.

  “Come on then let’s go. I promised Mellissa I would have you here by now. She’ll probably be thinking I’ve run off with you. She doesn’t trust me for some reason.” He flashed me a sly grin.

  I wish, I thought to myself.

  I wanted to lean over and run my hands over his hard body, but that wasn’t in the rules of friendship, and I wouldn’t be making any more first moves. It was just too painful to be reminded of something I would never have.

  “Let’s go then,” I agreed.

  We walked into Jet’s, and nearly every girl in the place turned to stare at Caleb. I rolled my eyes. Oh please, I thought to myself. Obvious much?

  I couldn’t really blame them though. He looked gorgeous in his dark blue jeans and white polo shirt with the collar turned up. Only he could get away with that without looking preppy.

  “Over here!” I looked over to where Mellissa stood waving at us from a booth at the side of the room just behind the bar. I slid into the green leather seat at the mahogany table, and Caleb followed.

  “You guys are late,” she said to Caleb, even though she was talking about the both of us. Caleb more or less scowled at her.

  “It just took me a little longer to get ready,” I said, brushing it off, hoping she couldn’t read my lying face.

  “Well you do look good.” She grinned at me. “I love those shorts. They should be illegal they’re so tiny. I really need to borrow those.”

  “They’re yours,” I told her. “My dad will only throw them out anyway.”

  “I’m surprised he even let you out in them.”

  “Well with Gracey around, he�
�s a little more lenient in front of her.”

  “Get out!” She exclaimed, slamming her hands down onto the table.

  “So he finally took the plunge then.” She shook her head. “Man my mom will be devastated.”

  “Your mom’s married.”

  “And your dad is hot.”

  “Hey.” Drake nudged her in the arm looking insulted.

  “Not as hot as you though babe,” she said, and kissed him sweetly. I laughed. “Okay, awkward.”

  “I’ll be back in a second,” Caleb said, looking distracted and stood up fluidly, leaving the table.

  “Why did you send Caleb to pick me up?” I asked Mellissa as Caleb disappeared into the crowd.

  “I didn’t send him. He wanted to pick you up. No, he insisted he pick you up actually,” she said, looking at me funny.

  “Why? Should I have told him no or something? I get that he’s your friend and everything Drake.” She stopped and gave him an apologetic smile. “But there is something off about that one.” Drake gave her a lopsided smile, and shrugged. It was obvious he agreed with her, and so did I. He was most definitely off. He had more secrets than a teenage girl’s diary.

  “I was just wondering that’s all.” I met Drake’s eyes across the table and I could tell he knew something was up. I was sure back in the car I’d heard Caleb say he knew something was going on, but how could he? I must have misheard him.

  “I’m gonna go see if Caleb want’s a game of foosball,” Drake said, getting up. He was his typical casual self in loose fitting blue jeans and a grey vest, yet somehow still managed to look extraordinary.

  “Okay babe,” Mellissa said. “Actually I’ll come with you. I love foosball,” she announced, swiftly changing her mind, her eyes fixed on something in the distance. Then she stood up shadowing Drake over to the gaming area.

  “No you don’t,” I shouted after her. “And you can’t just leave me here on my own…” The words trailed off when I saw Ressler walking over to me, smiling at Mellissa as he passed her and Drake. She turned around and mouthed the word sorry.

  I knew I shouldn’t be reacting this way to his appearance, but I couldn’t help it. He was dressed in blue jeans, the same colour as Drake’s, except not as loose and a white vest under a mint green hooded jacket. His high tops shone brightly under the subtle yellowing light.