Collide: A Riverbend Novel

by Sara Daniell

  I've never heard her curse. Oh, she must be really mad if she cursed.

  "Break it up, Garrett!"

  "I tried. The cops have them both now. Here comes the owner. Gotta go." Garrett hung up.

  "I'll call his dad to go deal with this." She dialed Rick's number.

  I looked out the window. Havock you can't be doing this. I looked up just as a truck slammed into the car. My head banged off the door, metal twisted, glass shattered, and then everything blacked out.

  HAVOCK

  I sat on the steps of the gas station and wiped my bleeding lip on my sleeve. I watched as the cops talked to Tyler and his parents. It would be my turn next. I couldn't wait.

  Garrett walked over and sat down next to me. "Alright, little brother. . . what did she say that upset you so bad?"

  I shrugged. I didn't want to talk about it. I just wanted to drop it and go home.

  "You know mom is going to make you talk about it, right?"

  "No one makes me do anything, Garrett."

  He laughed. "You go to school and make good grades and you come home at night. You apparently do follow some rules."

  "That's by choice. I don't want to be homeless. But if I didn't want to make good grades, go to school, or come home, I wouldn't."

  "There's no way you're going to talk to me about it is there?"

  I just stared at him. Were seriously having that conversation? If I said no once, I'm not gonna change my mind. He knew that but he still insisted on pushing me. The more I stared without a word he finally got the point.

  "There's dad," he said as dad's truck pulled in.

  "I wonder if he'll take us out for ice cream?"

  Garrett laughed and shook his head. "You are an idiot."

  Dad came over with the cops. They were just about to get my side of the story when they got called out to a wreck.

  I'm glad, because my side of the story would've been a shocker. Yeah, I beat the shit out of him. His girlfriend is a bitch who should have kept her mouth shut. Can I go home now? I laughed at the thought of what their faces would've looked like. I watched the cops get in their car and speed off.

  "You get in the truck and you drive straight home! Do you understand me?!" Dad yelled in my face. He went to yell more when his cell phone rang.

  "Hello?!" He snapped. "What! No...On my way." Dad raced towards his truck. Garrett and I caught up with him. I knew it was bad. He wouldn't have been that dramatic over work. His job wasn't that demanding.

  "You're mom and Reese were in a wreck. A gravel truck rear-ended them. I don't know if they're okay...just meet me there!" Dad got in his truck and drove off.

  To save time I decided to ride with Garrett. We got in his truck and didn't say a word the whole way to the hospital.

  When we got there, we sat down in the waiting room. I wanted answers. I got up and walked around until I found someone sitting at a desk. She took one look at me and groaned. I'm sure I was a sight. Busted lip, blood on my shirt which was mostly Tyler's, and a lip ring.

  "Yes?" She said while she finished painting her nails.

  "I'm here for Johanna Satterly and Reese Johnson."

  "Relation?" She said while concentrating on her pinkie nail.

  "Johanna is my mom and Reese is staying with us right now.”

  "They are back there but there is already someone back there with them. Only one person can be back there."

  "Are they alright?"

  She looked up at me. "Do I look like a doctor?"

  Garrett grabbed my shoulders and moved me away from the desk before I went postal on the lady.

  "Dad is in the waiting room."

  I picked up my pace.

  When we reached dad he had a disheveled appearance and his eyes were red. My heart constricted in my chest. Was I even breathing?

  Garrett grabbed my arm for support.

  "They're fine. Thank God," dad breathed out.

  Garrett and I both let out the breath we were holding.

  Dad sat down and I'm glad he did. I wasn't sure he would be able to stay standing much longer. "They're getting some tests run just to make sure everything is alright. They're lucky, boys. Reese especially. She took the hardest hit since the truck hit her side."

  My heart did that constricting thing again.

  "I need a cigarette." I went outside but on my way I stopped by to pay a quick visit to the bitchy lady at her desk. She wasn't there. I found her nail polish, opened it, and dumped it all over her desk. I walked away satisfied and went to the smoking area behind the hospital.

  As I smoked I pulled out my phone. I had several text messages from a few of my cousins and Jude.

  I didn't text any of my family back. Garrett would be the good Samaritan that would do that. I did text Jude back, though.

  Me: Fine. Both of them.

  Jude: Good.

  He texted back almost immediately.

  Unknown Number: Whatcha doing?

  I looked at the number and didn't know it.

  Me: Who is this?

  Reese: Reese

  Me: Wow. We must be official now. We're texting. This is what couples do right?

  Reese: Some do. Of course friends text as well. Turn around.

  I took a hit off my cigarette and smiled down at my phone. I looked over my shoulder and saw my princess all bruised up standing behind me.

  "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that."

  "Sorry. I'll wear a bell next time," she said as she wrapped an arm around her waist.

  I put my cigarette out and walked over to her. "Come here," I whispered and held my arms open to her. She moved into my arms.

  I held her tight. "You okay, Princess?"

  "Sore, but okay. I'm a little high right now though," she said as she buried her face against my chest.

  I laughed. "On?"

  "I don't know. They gave me a shot for the pain. You smell good," she said softly.

  "I smell good? I don't smell like a big ash tray?"

  "I smell that, but I also smell you." She looked up at me. "We should go. Your mom was getting released." Her eyes looked heavy.

  "I bet dad is getting her out to the truck. We'll go find Garrett. He has to take me to go get my truck from the gas station."

  We started to walk. "And I shouldn't go back in the hospital. I made a secretary mad."

  "If it was that mean lady it's okay." She scrunched her eyebrows. "We can walk around."

  "The one who looked like a cross dresser?"

  She nodded. "She's not nice," she slurred.

  I laughed. "Let's get you to the truck."

  REESE

  Four days after the wreck, and I still hurt. And the stupid meds the therapist gave me don't work. They just made me feel blah. I looked out the window as the snow fell. I put my head against the window. I can't sleep. I haven't slept in two days. I slipped on a hoodie and silently headed to Havock's room. I knew this was a bad idea, but I wanted sleep. He'd help me sleep. I knew it.

  I quietly opened the door. "Havock?"

  He was sitting at his desk and closed a notebook when he heard me.

  "Sorry. I can leave."

  He stood and walked over to me. "No. It's fine. What are you doing up?"

  "I can't sleep."

  "I can't either."

  He walked back over to his desk and opened the drawer. He stuck the notebook in it and closed it.

  He turned and leaned against his desk. "So, you came in here because?" This was the first time I was in his room. It was messy just like I imagined it would be.

  I chewed on my lip. "I thought maybe..." I shrugged.

  "Maybe what?"

  "Well, I thought you would be asleep so I was just going to crawl in bed with you. You help me sleep," I said as I played with my hair nervously. “I'll just go.”

  He stripped down to his boxers, turned off his light, and climbed in his bed. "Okay, let's try this again." He picked his head up to look at me. "Do I need to pretend to be asleep so you'
ll get over here?"

  I smiled and walked over to the bed. I crawled in and laid down next to him.

  He wrapped his arm around my waist and the side of my shirt was showing my skin a little. Of course he noticed and started running his fingertips up and down my bare skin.

  I sighed a little and closed my eyes. I liked being in his arms. I felt safe here. Of course, as he touched my bare skin other feelings were surfacing.

  "Reese?"

  “Hmm?”

  "Can I ask you something without you being offended?"

  "You can try."

  He laughed. He wasn't a guy that cared if he was offensive or not, but I appreciated that he at least tried a little with me.

  "Have you ever been with a guy?"

  "No. I have been literally locked in my house for the past nine and half years," I said with a smile. I turned so I faced him. "Why do you ask?"

  "So, I knew to lie to you if you ever asked me if I had been with another girl."

  "Lying is bad. It always comes back to haunt you," I said as I moved closer and touched his face.

  "Do you want to know or is it something we are to never talk about?"

  I thought about it for a moment. "I'd prefer not to know. I'm not an idiot, but I believe in, ignorance is bliss."

  "Are you mine, Reese?" he asked so sweetly that I wasn't sure it was him. I knew he was capable of being sweet, sort of, but his voice was filled with so much emotion I didn't recognize it.

  "Yes. As long as you'll have me."

  He touched my lips as he bit his. He was thinking. Lost in thoughts I wished I could hear. He brought his lips to mine and kissed me so carefully and so perfectly like he was taking in everything about our first kiss, writing it down in his brain, so he'd never forget what it felt like.

  My hand cupped his cheek as I moved even closer to him. I needed to be close to him. My eyes closed on their own, and feelings I'd didn't know I was capable of erupted in me.

  He moved to his back and pulled me on top of him. I felt his hand slide up my shorts as he continued to kiss me. One hand rubbed my neck, the other my upper thigh. The only thing that was going stop us from going all the way was me.

  "We're in your parent’s house," I whispered as he kissed my neck, and I ran my hands up his shirt. Yeah, my discipline sucked.

  He didn't stop. He pulled my shorts down and used his foot to slide them down my legs and off my feet. He then rolled me over on my back and moved my arms above my head. He slid my shirt over my head and brought his lips to my shoulder then my chest as he unhooked my bra.

  There was a light knock on his door. "Havock? It's Garrett. You awake?"

  Havock rolled off of me and I jumped out of bed. I pulled my shorts and shirt on quickly. I kissed Havock one more time then opened the window and climbed out. After, I closed the window I walked along the roof to my window. I climbed in and shut the window just as I heard Havock open the door. I heard whispered talking.

  I sighed in annoyance. I pulled out my art book and drew. I drew Havock. All of Havock. Every detail I've remembered since that towel fell in the hallway. I chuckled as I remembered it.

  I looked at the time and noticed it was two on Christmas morning. Havock's family was going to be coming today. All of them. I don't know if I want this. What if they don't like me?

  I continued to draw for another two hours. I looked out the window and saw it was snowing hard. I sighed and put my art book away. I laid down and tried to sleep.

  ~~~

  I woke up with a start when my door flew open. I blinked as I saw Garrett and Havock there. "What?" I asked confused.

  "It's Christmas morning!" Garrett smiled. "Get up sleepy head!"

  "We'll be down in a minute," Havock said to Garrett. Garrett hesitated before leaving my room.

  Havock shut my door and climbed on top of me before I could sit up.

  "What are you doing?" I asked as I laughed.

  "Coming to tell my princess Merry Christmas." He kissed my neck then my lips. "So, Merry Christmas."

  "Merry Christmas, Havock," I whispered softly back. I smiled against his lips. "We should head down."

  "You should brush your hair first," he teased. "It looks like you were up to no good last night." He climbed off me and walked to the door. "See you in a minute." He walked out.

  I brushed my hair and teeth. I then put on a pair of comfortable sweats and headed down stairs. I smiled at everyone as I came into the kitchen.

  "Merry Christmas!" I said as I took the glass of orange juice Garrett handed me.

  "Thanks."

  I didn't see Havock anywhere. When Johanna and Rick weren't looking he pointed out the window. Smoking. Of course.

  "You should talk him into quitting. Mom's been trying since he was thirteen," Garrett said quietly.

  "I’ll try," I said as I put some of my curls behind my ears.

  "Is he being nice to you?" he asked but I couldn't answer because Johanna and Rick came over.

  I left the kitchen and headed into the living room. The tree was surrounded by presents. Dad, being the mayor, he was always gone celebrating on Christmas. It had always been me. I liked this.

  "Be back." I ran upstairs grabbed my art book I didn't mind others looking at and hurried back downstairs. I then drew the scene before me.

  Johanna opened the front door. "Havock, come in. We're ready for presents."

  Havock came in and shed his jacket that was covered in snow. He kicked off his shoes and came over and sat right next to me on the couch. Too close.

  I drew hoping Johanna didn't notice. Garrett came over and plopped on the other side of me.

  Garrett took the book and pencil and set it on the floor. "Present time."

  Garrett and Havock got up and started helping their parents pass out gifts. A pile was made for each of us.

  "I have presents?" I asked excitedly.

  "Of course you do! You're family now. I consider you a daughter and the boys have a sister."

  Havock started coughing to cover up laughter.

  Real smooth.

  "Honey, you should really quit smoking." Johanna said as she handed him the last present under the tree.

  I laughed then.

  Havock didn't say anything as he put the small box on my lap. He purposefully put it up high on my thigh and smiled when I blushed.

  He then took a seat in the floor resting his back on the couch.