by Mercy Amare
“You’re lucky, Kihanna. Your dad is paying for you to go to Bora Bora for two months. Who does that? Seriously… This is a once in a lifetime kind of thing,” she says. “We will be telling our grandchildren about this trip someday.”
“Yes, we will.”
“And you’re really not messing with me?” she asks again.
“I’m really not messing with you,” I confirm.
“But what about your stalker?”
“They will be gone in jail before summer starts. They have to be,” I say confidently. If they aren’t, I may go completely crazy.
“They will,” she agrees. “We are going to have the best summer of our life.”
“Umm, yeah!”
“And you’re going to look so hot with a tan. My brother will bone you for sure then,” she says.
I roll my eyes. “You’re such a weirdo.”
“You’re the one who has dated my brother three months and hasn’t slept with him. Seriously. Three months is a long time.”
“Maybe I’m waiting until we’re married.”
“I highly doubt that,” she says.
“Or maybe I’m waiting for him to make the first move.”
She nods. “Now that I believe.”
“Brian says he respects me,” I tell her. “And if he wants to wait until we’re married to have sex, then I’m okay with that. I actually think it’s kind of… romantic… to wait.”
“I would hate that.”
I shrug. I kind of hate it too, but I kind of love it. The buildup is the best part.
A few seconds later, Bay Young walks up.
I have hardly ever talked to Bay. When Jacqueline was alive, she mostly stayed quiet while I was being bullied, and after Jacqueline died, Bay and I never have anything to say to each other. Though I guess she and Ty slept together often.
“Can I talk to you?” she asks.
I nod my head, because I’m too stunned to talk.
Olivia looks between us. “I’ll talk to you later, Kihanna.”
Bay waits until she walks off before she says anything.
“This person whose stalking you… he killed her, didn’t he?” she asks, with tears in her eyes. “He killed Jacqueline?”
“Yeah,” I answer. “I think so.”
“Do you think it was Gabe and Ty?”
“I don’t know,” I answer. “All I know is Gabe ran away before we could ask questions and Ty won’t come forward. He’s hiding behind his dad’s power. But he can’t hide for long.”
“I know that Jacqueline wasn’t nice to everybody, but she was nice to me,” Bay tells me. “I’m sorry that she bullied you, but she only did that because you were richer and prettier. Then you started dating Ty, and I don’t think she ever got over him… Jacqueline was my best friend, and I miss her so much.”
“I’m sorry for what happened to her. We didn’t get along, but I never wanted anything to happen to her.”
Bay wipes away a few of the tears that have fallen down her face. “I’m sorry. This is your birthday party. You should be celebrating.”
“To be honest, I don’t really feel like celebrating. I won’t celebrate until whoever has done this is behind bars.”
“Me too,” she says. “Jacqueline deserves justice.”
“She does,” I agree with her. “And so does everybody else who has died because of whoever did this.”
“I just can’t believe I ever slept with Ty Newman,” she says and crinkles her nose. “If he is the one who did this, he’s a disgusting human being… Jacqueline was in love with him.”
“Why did you sleep with him after she died?”
“I don’t know,” she answers. “I did it when she was alive too. When they were dating, he came to see me almost every night after he took her home. I tried telling myself that it was okay, but I knew it wasn’t.”
“Did you sleep with him when I dated him? I mean, it doesn’t matter now, but I’d like to know.”
“No. None of us slept with him when you dated… Except Jacqueline at homecoming,” she answers. “It ate Jacqueline up that he chose to be with you. You dated him a lot longer than she did. We heard that you and Ty weren’t sleeping together, and we all know Ty. He can’t go long without having sex. So Jacqueline cornered him, and well… you know the rest… After homecoming, Ty was really mad at Jacqueline. He blamed her for you breaking up with him. He really scared her.”
“Do you think Ty killed her?” I ask.
“I don’t know. It doesn’t seem like something Ty would do. He’s always been really sweet to me. But I’ve heard stories about Gabe and Ty.”
“What kind of stories?”
“It doesn’t matter. What matters is that they’re found, and that we figure out the truth.”
“I agree.”
“I just wanted to let you know that I’m sorry for what has happened to you. You don’t deserve it.” With that, Bay walks away, and I’m left wondering what kind of stories she’s heard about Gabe and Ty. What else is there about them that I don’t know?
9pm
…is my stalker.
Oh my God.
“My dad is the best dad ever!” I scream at Olivia, who is standing beside me speechless.
On the stage in none other than Scarlett Ryan, my favorite singer.
“Happy birthday, Kihanna,” she says as the music starts playing. “Your dad must really love you a lot to do this for you. I hope you enjoy.”
Fog starts pouring onto the stage, and the spotlight shines on Scarlett. Her blonde hair glows in the light, and I’m trying not to have a panic attack because Scarlett Ryan is here for my birthday. I’m pretty sure that this is the most epic thing that could ever happen to me.
Best.
Birthday.
Ever.
All eyes are on Scarlett as she sings the first song. She sounds just like she does on the radio. And soon I am lost in the music. Olivia and I are dancing together, even though I really am not a good dancer. We are singing along, and I am having the time of my life.
I can forget that there is a killer on the loose.
I can forget that I possibly slept with that killer.
I can forget that said killer wants me dead next.
And I can pretend for this one moment that my life is perfect.
My dad is Mark Evers. He is a billionaire. He paid for this. For me. Because he does love me. And this is how my life is supposed to be. Carefree. Full of adventure… A life where trips to Bora Bora happen, and rock stars happen to show up at my birthday party.
I can’t wait until my stalker is gone. I can’t wait until every day is just like this one. Every day will be amazing, and worry-free… Because, in comparison, nothing will seem as bad as being stalked. Nothing will ever be as bad as losing my mom. Nothing will ever be as bad as watching my friends die.
After the first few songs, I decide to grab a drink. I head back to the table, and ask for a water. Just as the bottle is handed to me, somebody walks up behind me.
“Hello.”
I look back to see Gabriel Johnson in the flesh.
“I’m pretty sure you weren’t invited,” I tell him coldly. “You need to leave. Or better yet, stay. The police are looking for you.”
“I am leaving,” he says. “But you’re coming with me.”
“No I’m not.” My heart accelerates. “Leave or I will scream.”
Before I can open my mouth, I feel a pinch in my arm, and I feel weightless. I am getting dragged out of the party, and I can’t move. I can’t scream. I can’t do anything.
Gabriel Johnson is my stalker.
And I’m about to die.
The end, for now.
Look for I Need You, book 5, coming August 2014!
As an indie author, I rely heavily on my readers to get the word out on my books. If you loved this story, it would mean the world to me if you left a review where you purchased it! <3
Check out my other books!
The R
ock Star Trilogy:
— Jaded (Book 1)
— Faded (Book 2)
— Hated (Book 3)
The Kihanna Saga:
— The Fab Life (Book 1)
— I Hate Goodbye (Book 2)
— Stranded in Paradise (Book 3)
— It’s So Obvious (Book 4)
— I Need You (Book 5 — coming August 2014)
Stand Alones:
— Don’t Tell
— You Got Me
— Char
Acknowledgements
There have been a lot of people help me along my journey. First and foremost, I want to thank all my readers. Everybody who has read Kihanna’s story this far and loved it… You guys are the best, and I can NEVER thank you enough. I can’t believe that this journey is almost over! And especially thank you to everybody who has taken out time to review my books! I am blown away!
My husband is definitely my number one supporter. Without him, I’d probably be working a 9-5 job, miserable. He is the one who encouraged me to follow my dreams. For that I will always be grateful.
Laura Heritage… What to say that I haven’t already said to you? Without you, my books wouldn’t be what they are. The beautiful covers and the wonderful editing! Just… THANK YOU.
Tess Watson, you are the one person I can truly say has been at my side from DAY 1… From PAGE 1. You were with me through this entire journey. You beta read my first book. And then again when I completely re-wrote said first book. I enjoy my summers spent with you… You’ll always be my BBF (BEST BOOK FRIEND)!!! :)
To my internet provider, for NEVER working. Without that, I would probably spend a whole lot more time procrastinating instead of writing. And also to The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, for providing hours of entertainment, and for giving me lots of good date ideas for my next book. Seriously. Thank you.
So this is my tenth book (that I’m releasing for the world to read). It doesn’t seem possible. Sometimes I can’t believe that this is my life. It’s crazy, beautiful… WONDERFUL. Now on to work on book number eleven! I can’t wait!!!
<3 Mercy Amare
Find me online:
Website: http://www.mercyamare.net
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