***
We’d been dating a little over a month and everything seemed perfect, with the exception of his creepy friend. I planned to tell Seth I was in love with him after his football game but they played terribly and lost. He was in a bad mood and it was something I’d not seen before. I waited for him by the fence like always, but when he came out he didn’t greet me with his usual smile and kiss. Instead he reached out, grabbed my hand and jerked me hard in the direction of the jeep.
It startled me. I’d never seen him like this before. “Wh-What’s wrong, Seth?” I asked, unable to steady my voice.
He remained silent. I figured he would be upset after the loss but this was more than that. He didn’t speak as he practically dragged me across the parking lot.
“Get in, Katie,” he growled, once we were beside his jeep.
I gasped, shocked at his tone of voice. I stared at him unmoving, confused, and afraid. Seth had always been kind to me. He had never raised his voice. I opened my mouth to speak but before I could, he pressed me against the side of the jeep with his body, his hands clenching my waist roughly.
I felt his nails bite into my skin as he dug his fingers into the soft flesh above my hip bones. “Why can’t you just do what I say?” he roared.
I stared into his eyes and noticed they weren’t their usual green. They were darker, and I saw something in them I had never seen before- rage.
“Seth, let go of me. That hurts,” I pleaded, almost in a panic.
Breathing heavily, he finally released me. “Please, Katie, get in the jeep,” he said, his voice softer.
I didn’t hesitate. I turned and opened the door, climbing in the jeep as best I could with my legs feeling like jelly. I slumped into the seat and tried to slow my pounding heart. What is going on with him? He climbed in, settling in his seat, but didn’t move to start the jeep. He turned to me, and I peeked up at him through my lashes.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m just so mad. My coach got in my face after the game, and I took it out on you.”
I studied his eyes, they were back to normal. Whatever I’d seen a few minutes before, was gone.
He reached over and cupped my face with his hands. “I love you, Katie,” he whispered as he lowered his lips to mine.
I froze for a second, unsure of what I felt, but as I thought back on the past month, I realized how happy he made me. He said he’s sorry, and he sounds sincere. I let it go and returned his kiss.
We went on to dinner, talking and laughing like normal, the incident at the jeep forgotten. He walked me to my front door later that night and kissed me gently.
“I love you,” he said, gazing into my eyes.
I smiled, enjoying the sound of those words coming from his lips. “I love you too, Seth.”
I reached up and placed my hand over his heart. He tugged on my arm, pulling me against him.
“I’ve been waiting to hear those words from you. It took you long enough.”
I rested my head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. “I’ve known it for a while. I just couldn’t say it first,” I whispered.
He rubbed his hand down my arm, taking my hand in his. I leaned back to watch his face. He brought my hand to his lips and kissed it. “And you’ll never say it to another guy. I’m it for you, and you’re it for me,” he said and gave me a cocky grin.
I stilled at his words. Is he serious? He hadn’t given me time to process his intense comment before leaning down and kissing me passionately. All thoughts I had before the kiss fled my mind. He smiled once more before sauntering back to his jeep.
I went inside the house, knowing my face glowed. Mom glanced over at me from the couch, where she sat folding laundry.
“What’s with the giant grin?” she asked with a laugh.
I giggled and reached for a towel. “Seth told me he loved me.”
Mom’s smile matched my own as she took the towel from my hands, threw it back on the pile, and scooted closer to me. “So, how do feel about him?”
I knew she already saw the answer on my face but wanted to hear the words. I felt myself blush all over.
“I love him too, and I think he might be the one for me.”
She pulled me in for a tight hug before leaning back and looking into my eyes. “You know your dad will want to talk to both of you if this is getting serious.”
“Mom, I already told him I was saving myself for my husband, and he is fine with that.” Good grief! Dad seems determined to run him off.
“Good, he seems like a wonderful boy,” she said, smoothing my ponytail.
I rolled my eyes. “Mom, he’s not a boy. You make it sound like we’re twelve.”
She laughed loudly. “Sorry honey, but you know you’ll always be my baby girl. I don’t care how old you get.”
I leaned my head on her shoulder, and she kissed my forehead. We said our goodnights, and I climbed the stairs to my room. I took off my clothes and was about to slip on my pajamas, when I caught a glimpse of something dark in my reflection in the dresser mirror. I looked down at my bare belly and noticed two small purple bruises above my hips. I reached down, touching one, and winced at the pain. I turned to the side and there, on the back of my hip, were four small bruises in a row. I twisted to look at the other side and saw the same pattern of bruises there too. I stared at them as a tear fell from my eye and rolled down my cheek. The happiness and love I’d felt only a few minutes before had vanished. I tried to mold my fingers to fit the bruises but couldn’t, because Seth’s hands were much larger than mine.
***
The next day we had a date to go to the movies, and my parents were about to leave to go to the grocery store. Dad stopped at the front door. “Katie, watch for Seth out the window. He’s not allowed to come in while we are not here,” he said.
“I know, Daddy. He won’t.”
He kissed my cheek and smiled. “We trust you, pumpkin, but as your dad, I still have to say it,” he said with a chuckle and they went out the door.
I ran upstairs to my room to check my hair once more before Seth arrived. I heard the front door close and called out, “Dad, did you forget something?”
I didn’t hear a reply so I stepped into the hallway and there stood Seth with a huge grin on his face.
“Seth? How did you get in the house?”
He gave me a sly grin. “I saw your parents drive away and tried the door. It wasn’t locked.”
I put my hands on my hips, angry at him. He knew the rules. “You’re not supposed to be in the house when they’re gone.”
He sighed and rolled his eyes. “Don’t be such a baby. I just want to see your room.”
“No, Seth. They trust me,” I said, holding out my hand to keep him back.
He brushed past me and stuck his head into my room. He laughed as he stepped in and looked around.
“Man, even your room looks innocent.”
I looked around my room. It looked normal to me. “What do you mean?”
He picked up a stuffed teddy bear that was on my dresser. It was one I had since I was a little girl. He held it out and shook it at me.
“Don’t you think you’re a little old for this?”
I walked in and took it from him. “Let’s go, Seth,” I said, putting it gently back on my dresser.
He wasn’t done though. He sat down on my bed and noticed my pajamas on the floor. He picked up the shirt and shook his head. “Tell me you don’t seriously sleep in these hideous pajamas. They’re covered in kittens.”
I felt tears well up behind my eyes and looked down at the floor. I’d never been so embarrassed. Why is he being so mean to me?
“Hey, come here. I was only playing,” he said, his voice gentle.
I walked over to him and stopped. He grabbed my waist to pull me forward and his hands hit my bruises, causing me to cry out in pain.
His head shot up, his eyes searching my face. “What’s wrong?”
�
�Nothing,” I replied quickly.
He lowered his head, staring at my middle for a second before raising my shirt. He cringed when he spotted the bruises on my belly. He turned me to the side and tried to tug my jeans down so he could see the others, but I placed my hand over his, stopping him.
“Don’t,” I whispered.
“I want to see them, Katie, all of them.”
I started to turn my head. I couldn’t bear to look at his face and remember the things he had done to me, but his hand shot up, grasping the side of my face, stopping me.
He spoke in a low firm voice, “Either you show me yourself, or I’ll take your pants off to see them.”
I took a deep breath and unbuttoned my jeans. I folded the waistband over so he could see all the bruises.
He brushed his finger lightly over one. “I’m so sorry, Katie. I won’t do it again,” he whispered.
He leaned over and kissed every bruise. He turned me to the other side, doing the same before kissing the two on my belly. Even though it felt wrong, it still melted my heart to see him do this, to know that he really was sorry for what he’d done. I buttoned my pants as he stood up. He pulled me into his arms, giving me a gentle kiss.
“I love you,” he said, his voice ringing with sincerity
“I love you too,” I replied, meaning it with all my heart.
As we got into his jeep, he gave me his cocky grin. “I’m glad your parents trust you,” he said and winked.
I looked at him, suddenly uncomfortable, as I wondered what he meant by that. Seth was different now, and I wasn’t sure I liked it.
Chapter Six
Over the next couple of weeks, things seemed to go back to the way they were before the incident at his jeep. Seth was gentle and kind, walking me to class and holding my hand.
He didn’t have a game that week, so we were going to hang out at my house on Friday night. I warned him before he came over that my dad would probably want to talk to him. He’d laughed, and said he could handle it. He arrived at seven, and Mom ordered pizza for everyone. We sat at the table and Dad said grace. I peeked over at Seth and saw that he had his head bowed. I closed my eyes and smiled, remembering what he told me when we first started dating. He’d said that he prayed before every football game. I smiled and told him I did the same.
“So Seth, I hear you’re in love with my daughter,” my dad stated, a bland look on his face.
Really Dad!! I thought, cringing. Seth swallowed his bite and took a long drink of his water. I tensed, afraid of his reply. He set his glass down and met Dad’s piercing gaze.
“Yes sir, I am.”
“Well, we have certain expectations for whomever Katie dates. She’s told you how she feels about a physical relationship, and I want to make sure you understand how important it is that you respect that.”
I groaned, covering my face with my hand. “Daddy,” I whispered and shook my head. I wanted to crawl under the table. Seth reached over and squeezed my leg gently.
“Yes sir. She told me, and I totally respect that. I will follow whatever decision she has made.”
Dad smiled, pleased with Seth’s answer. “Good. I’m glad to hear it, son.”
Dinner continued with casual conversation flowing between my parents and Seth. I was too mortified to join in. Dad had already quizzed him during his last visit about his faith, plans for college, and what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Seth had been accepted to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and I had been accepted to Union University in Jackson. It was sad that we weren’t going off to college together, but I wasn’t going to change my mind no matter how much he or Hallie pressured me. She was very upset because she was going to U of T also and didn’t understand why I wasn’t, especially now that Seth and I were a couple. I explained to her that I knew from the age of twelve that I was meant to serve the Lord in some way after college. I didn’t yet have a direction, but I felt like Union was where God wanted me to go. She said she understood after that, but every once in a while she would mention it again. My answer always remained the same- no.
My parents went upstairs to their room after dinner, leaving us alone in the living room to watch a movie. Seth had brought over a scary movie even though he knew I hated them. I’d never been able to watch them without having bad dreams. This one was pretty violent and gory, so I clung to a throw pillow and kept my eyes covered for most of the movie. When it was over, I felt a little queasy.
“You are unbelievable,” Seth declared.
I turned to him, a look of confusion on my face. “Why do you say that?”
“I picked this movie so you would be scared and snuggle up to me, but instead you held on to that pillow,” he said, snatching it out of my hands before throwing it to the floor.
I eased back into the couch, hands raised in front of my body, instinctively protecting myself for a blow that never came. “I’m sorry, Seth. I didn’t even think about that.”
He blew out a loud breath, running his hands through his hair. “I know and that makes it worse.”
I swallowed back my sharp reply and kept my mouth shut. I didn’t want to cause a fight.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, checking the time. “Do you think we could go for a ride?”
“Uh, let me go ask my parents,” I replied, slipping past him.
Seth sighed loudly as he flopped back against the couch. I hustled upstairs and got permission. As he helped me into the jeep, he sent someone a text message. I didn’t comment on it, I wasn’t sure he would tell me who it was anyway.
Once he was inside, I asked where we were headed but he didn’t answer, only smiled. He drove over to the rich part of town and pulled into the driveway of a gigantic house I didn’t recognize.
“Whose house is this?” I asked, feeling an uneasy knot form in the pit of my stomach because in the back of my mind, I already knew.
He gave me a smile, as if sensing my unease. It seemed sincere, but in the darkened jeep, I couldn’t be sure. “JT’s. He was having a few friends over, and I wanted to bring you by.”
I stiffened in the seat, my fears confirmed. I didn’t want to be anywhere near JT, but if I wanted to spend time with Seth, I would just have to deal with it.
“Okay, but I can’t stay long,” I insisted.
He led me inside through an elegant foyer, past a state-of-the-art kitchen, and into a spacious game room. Several kids I knew from school stood around with plastic cups in their hands, full of what, I didn’t want to know. Music blared from hidden speakers, and curse words flew from the guys sitting on the couch with controllers in their hands. They were battling it out, their army men fighting to the death on a giant flat screen television mounted to the wall. It was almost more than I could handle. My senses were overloaded. I’d never been to a high school party, but I assumed this was what they were all like. Where are his parents? Just as the thought entered my mind, I spotted an older woman, cup in hand, leaving bags of chips on a nearby table. Noticing me, she smiled and gave me a small wave before sashaying away. Well, I guess that answers my question.
“This is great, huh?” Seth shouted in my ear, startling me.
In taking in all the new sights around me, I’d forgotten he was there. “Uh, sure,” I replied, just to keep him happy.
As I looked around, I saw a handful of guys huddled around a pool table. JT was one of them. Seth left my side to join the game, so I scurried over to an empty couch facing the pool table and sat down. I watched them all bump fists before one of them passed Seth a cup. JT laughed at something Seth said and glanced over at me. I kept my face unreadable. I wouldn’t let him get to me. Ever since he accosted me outside the bathroom that night after the football game, he would occasionally make little snide comments to me- which I ignored. He studied my face for a moment, before giving me an almost sincere looking smile. He leaned over to Seth, whispering in his ear. Seth broke out into a smug grin and nodded his head as JT handed him his pool s
tick. JT swaggered over and sat down close to me on the couch. I looked straight ahead, pretending he wasn’t there.
“Katie,” he purred in my ear.
I had to lean to the side to look at him because he was so close. “JT,” I said flatly, mentally preparing myself for whatever barbs he threw.
“Seth tells me your daddy had a little talk with him about you not wanting a,” he paused, running his hand along my ponytail before continuing, “physical relationship,” he said, contempt dripping from his voice.
I felt heat fill my cheeks and bit down hard on my lip, trying to fight it.
“Oh look, I made you blush,” he said, stroking his finger down my cheek.
I flinched and scooted away from him. I looked up, my eyes meeting Seth’s. He grinned but as I got up to go to him, JT grabbed my hand, pulling me back down on the couch.
“You can’t leave yet, Katie. I need to talk to you.”
I glared at him. “Say what you have to say, JT, because I’m ready to leave,” I spat out.
He released my hand and looked deep into my eyes. “Seth really does love you, but he’s not going to stick around if you don’t ditch this good girl attitude. He can have any girl he wants, but he wants you. You need to do whatever it takes to keep him. Do you understand what I’m telling you?” he asked.
I understood exactly what he was telling me and it was infuriating. “I don’t see how any of this is your business.”
He grinned and leaned close. “Seth is my best friend and always has been. We talk about all kinds of things, and I hate to see him wasting his time with you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Gee, thanks for the unwanted advice, JT.”
He leaned even closer, whispering in my ear. I shuddered as his warm breath blew against my neck. “I’m going to tell you something but if you say anything to Seth, I’ll deny it. I would be honored if you let me take care of your first physical experience. You don’t want to waste that on him,” he said and kissed me below my ear.
I swallowed hard, fighting back the waves of nausea as they crashed over me. He was repulsive. I closed my eyes and took a deep calming breath. I turned and stared into his bright blue eyes. Suddenly, I didn’t feel disgust for him anymore. I felt something else, pity. He had everything going for him but was completely lost. I couldn’t stop the tear that fell from my eye as my heart broke for JT Grant.
Katie's Glimpse (The Glimpse Series) Page 5