He has to be lying. I imagine the type of girls he’s been with had supermodel caliber looks. Then I’m curious about his past relationships. “How many girls have you been with?”
He crooks me a smile. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” He holds me tightly to his chest and rolls over on top of me. I can’t help but feel a rush of pleasure. I love the way his body feels on top of mine. “Yes. I would,” I tell him. I need to know what I’m up against.
His lips graze the tip of my ear. “More than I can count on my fingers and toes.”
Suddenly I feel silly. I’m embarrassed. Adam catches on to the rift in my emotions. “Don’t worry, Ellory.” A hushed loving whisper dances over my earlobe. “You’re special. I’ve never felt this way with any of them.”
I feel like a heroin addict, anticipating the high I’ll get after I’ve shot the drug into my veins. I arch my back as Adam’s lips meet mine. His lips move over mine in a frenzy. The kiss is a lot like the first one he gave me, hungry, ferocious, and passionate. Except this time, I let myself crumble beneath him. A heap of trembling desire. I want to kiss him for hours. I don’t want this moment to end. And this time when he kisses me, this time…
I actually kiss him back.
Chapter 10: Adam
A radiant beam of sunshine bleeds through my window. The bright light pierces my eyelids and pulls me from my slumber. I sit up delirious, wiping my eyes. Adam’s smell lingers on my skin and I squint over my shoulder at his sweater sprawled across the empty spot on my bed. Last night definitely wasn’t a dream. I moisten my lips and I can still taste him. I bring a finger to my mouth and trace the lining of my lips. They feel raw—chapped from his kisses.
I fall back on my bed, giddy. Hugging myself, I laugh out loud, sounding happy and crazy at the same time. Suddenly, I’m yearning for Adam. As my fingers stroke the fabric on his sweatshirt, I long for him so much it makes my stomach hurt. I never thought that I would ever be putty over some guy and here I am longing for him. And it sucks.
Even though I want to lie in bed all day and think about Adam and his beautiful smile, hypnotic touch, and mesmerizing voice, I know I can’t. Its 11:30 and I’m shocked that Mom let me sleep in this late two days in a row.
“Mom!” I call, stepping into the kitchen. “You here?” My eyes sweep across the vacant room as silence creeps up on me. The refrigerator kicks on and a light humming drowns out the silence. Light hits the stainless steel and I notice a white piece of paper underneath the “World’s Best Mom” magnet. I remove the paper and forty dollars falls out from behind it onto the crème tile. “Score!” I bend over and pick up the cash and palm it. This money is going to burn a hole right through my pocket. Then I read mom’s note.
Ellory,
Went to Fall Fest early. I’ll be home later.
Love you,
Mom
She must have had a good day at the pumpkin booth yesterday. I place the note back under the magnet and my heartbeat escalates when the phone ring. “Hello,” I say and hold the receiver on my shoulder with my head.
“Hey.” It’s Wren.
“What up, Wren?”
“Mollz and I are going to the mall. You want to come with?”
I snap the bills of cash and grin. “Absofreakinglutely!”
“Sweet. Pick you up in 30.”
I hang up the phone and sashay to the bathroom. Going to the mall is an adventure. Mainly because the only we have is about 45 minutes away. Unless you want to go clothes shopping at the K-Mart. But that has never and probably never will be cool.
***
An hour later, I walk to Wren’s car while Freebird blasts from her stereo. I turned her to the song a few years ago. We both know how to appreciate the wicked guitar riffs. Wren even joined in my campaign to make it our class song. The rest of the girls in our class are gunning for some song by a whiny female country singer. I can’t believe they'd rather have that over Skynard.
Molly offers up the front seat and climbs into the back. I slide into the car, close the door and fasten my seatbelt. “What’s up guys?” I ask excitedly.
Wren eyes me oddly as she backs out of the driveway. “You’re awfully chipper today.”
I shrug. “Mom left me some cash. I’m eager to spend it.”
The North Place Mall isn’t anything spectacular, but they have a Victoria Secret’s, Hollister, and a Buckle just to name a few of cool stores.
Molly leans forward. “No that’s not it.” She squints as her eyes dart over my face. “You’re glowing.”
Wren’s head snaps to her right and she narrows her eyes. “Did something happen that you’re not telling us about?” I love that Wren knows there’s something going on without me having to utter a word. Nervously, I play with my hands. “Maybe.”
“You better spill it,” Molly comments.
Wren turns left out of the driveway. “Did something happen after I dropped you off last night?”
I nod.
Molly exhales, frustrated. “You’re killing me, Ellory. What happened?”
“Adam came over last night,” I gush. Just his name on my lips sends a volt of electricity to my heart. It beats rapidly. Almost pounding out of my chest.
Wren’s mouth hangs open. “Oh my god! So what happened?”
“We watched the stars. Talked and umm…”
“He kissed you again, didn’t he?” Molly cuts in.
Wren merges onto the highway cautiously and gasps, “Wow.”
Molly falls back into her seat. “What was it like to kiss him?”
“It was kind of surreal, but I kept thinking like I’d rather suffocate than stop.”
I catch Molly’s reflection in the rearview mirror. She frowns. “Did I say something wrong, Mollz?”
“No,” she mopes. “I just hope I’m able to feel that way someday. To me, it feels like that day will never come.”
I turn around and place a hand on Wren’s seat. “Don’t say that. If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t even like Adam at first.”
“I don’t know why,” Wren huffs. “What’s not to like?”
Cars whiz past us as Wren switches lanes. The sounds of horns and squealing tires ring out in my ears. Wren and Molly banter over Adam for a minute while I tune them out. I’m a little upset with myself for misjudging him. He’s not at all who I thought he was. “Yeah,” I say, not even sure what they’re talking about.
“Well,” Molly goes on. “At least I know I can live vicariously through you, Ells.”
I snap to attention. “Molly, don’t count yourself out. You’ll find someone who makes you feel that way. I promise.”
A half-crescent of a smile appears on her lips. “I hope you’re right.”
“She is.” There’s a positive spike in Wren’s voice. Wren looks into the rearview mirror meeting Molly’s gaze. “We’ll be fine, Mollz.”
One of the things I love most about Wren is that she’s able to take a depressing situation and turn it into a positive one. And on top of that, she’s selfless. Always worrying about everyone else. I know she feels the same way Molly does. But she’d rather pretend that it doesn’t bother her if it might make Molly feel a little better.
I place my hand on Wren’s shoulder and squeeze. She glances at me momentarily, smiles, and then looks back out her windshield. We ride in silence the rest of the way.
Chapter 11: Bloodlust
The North Place Mall was like a harem of temptation for someone like Adam. That was one of the key reasons why he avoided malls all-together unless he was stalking a potential victim.
Three attractive teenage girls walked passed him and were checking him out. His head snapped around, his eyes followed them. All three of them glanced over their shoulder at him and giggled. Adam started toward them, but caught himself before his urge overwhelmed him. He suppressed the urge by shoving his fist in his mouth and biting down on his knuckle—hard. His sharp canines drew blood.
The bitter metallic blood dripped int
o his mouth and danced over his taste buds. Adam sucked on the open wounds, to help the blood clot.
Katie slid up next to him and tugged on his arm. “Come on Adam. You can watch me try on clothes.”
That was the last thing Adam wanted to do. He exhaled when the thought of ripping out Katie’s jugular seemed more appealing than watching her try on outfits.
Katie’s finger trailed up his torso and Adam felt his stomach lurch. “There is this cute mini-skirt in….”
Adam yanked his arm away and cut her off. “I don’t want to, Katie,” he said flatly.
He wished Ellory were here. If she were here, he wouldn’t be on edge, Katie wouldn’t be touching him, and his urges wouldn’t be overwhelming him.
More girls passed him. Adam knew he had to leave. He had to go home. He felt stupid for agreeing when Blake invited him along in the first place. He stalked toward the exit.
Katie followed him. “Where are you going?” she called after him.
Her shrill, piercing voice made his skin crawl. He clenched his jaw and balled up his fists. Inside he kept repeating, contain yourself.
She lowered her voice and smiled, trying to be flirtatious, but it made Adam nauseous. “Where do you think you’re going?” She reached out for Adam’s hand. He didn’t respond. Instead, he clasped his hands together because his fingers were trembling. The blood on her neck was calling out to him. Adam closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. “Can you just leave me alone, please Katie?”
Adam opened an eye as Katie pouted and puffed out her bottom lip. She needed to just let him go. Adam turned and Katie gripped his arm. Adam was seconds away from choking the life out of her until, he saw Ellory.
He whipped around and saw her stalking toward the music store. He peeled Katie’s fingers from his arm. “Later, Katie.” Then he followed Ellory.
She was the first girl he could tolerate long enough to actually get to know a little bit about her. Ellory had issues. She was tragically flawed, but that didn’t keep Adam from being fascinated by her.
For the first time, he enjoyed another person’s company. There was something lurking deep inside of his hollow shell. Even though he was certain it wasn’t love. That tiny twinge of a something gave him hope. And for a sadistic sociopath like Adam Jacobs that tiny twinge was the biggest shock of his life.
Chapter 12: Kiss Me
Wren and Molly wanted to go to Victoria’s Secret, so I part ways with them at the entrance and stalk toward FYE. I’ve got an appointment Steven Tyler and I don’t want to miss it. His raspy, shrieking voice already plays out in my mind as I hum the melody to Dream On.
I catch a glimpse of Adam on my way. He’s with Blake, Katie, Megan, and two more people they hang out with, a girl Corinne Connor, who is co-captain of the cheerleading squad and Josh Turner. I try not to be too obvious when I stare at him. But I’m so caught up in him I almost bump into a woman. I stop inches in front of her. “I’m sorry.”
She scowls, her cat-like blue-green eyes are pools of anger, and the ivory skin on her heart-shaped face is pink. “Damn kids. You never pay attention to where you’re going.”
I ignore her rude comment and continue on my way.
FYE isn’t crowded at all. There are a few stragglers, in the aisles checking out some DVDs, but other than that it’s pretty quiet. I’m glad. Now, I can totally unwind, put on a pair of headphones in the back of the store, and whip out my air guitar if necessary.
In the back of the store, I slip on the head phones, and I’m immediately captivated as the first song begins. Most girls my age don’t appreciate this kind of music. In my opinion, this is real music. It’s haunting, poetic, and carefully-crafted. Not that techno teeny bopper crap that only sounds good because of all the machines the record label uses to make it.
I’m absorbed. Lost in a sea of guitar solos. So far gone that I barely feel the tap on my shoulder. Then the person taps me again. Startled, I whip around and chuck the headphones at them. Adam stands in front of me. He holds the headphones up and laughs. “Good catch,” I quip.
“You know,” he begins as he places the headphones on the holder, “These are bolted to the wall.”
“If your reflexes weren’t so spot on, I still could have hit you with them.”
“Maybe.”
My eyes center on his lips. I think about how bad I want to crush mine to his. I think about what he might taste like today. My stomach swirls. Touch me. I want him to touch me. “Are you following me?”
“So what if I am?” he muses.
“So you’re stalking me?”
Another vague answer. “Maybe.” I pick up a CD from the rack and walk to the register. “But, I was at the mall first,” he says. “How do I know you aren’t stalking me?”
Sometimes, I think about it. “Believe me,” I assure him. “I’m not.” I set my CD on the counter and the clerk rings it up. Adam reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a wad of cash. I stop him. “I don’t need your charity.”
He holds up his left hand with a CD in it. “I wasn’t giving you any.”
“Oh,” I say quietly. I’m angry with myself for assuming he was going to pay for my purchase. And I’m embarrassed. So embarrassed that red flushes my cheeks and as soon as I pay for the CD the clerk hands me my change, the bag, and then I bolt from the store.
I don’t make it very far.
“Hey! Wait up!” Adam jogs toward me as a crowd of people pass by. Loud voices echo off the high ceilings. Even through my head is telling me to run, I slow down allowing him to catch up. “Let me walk with you.”
Katie, Megan, Corinne, Blake, and Josh are walking toward us. Katie sneers at me. She’s acting like she’s got animal instincts. Adam is her territory and I’m trespassing. But he’s not her territory. He’s mine. And it’s about time I let her know that.
She inches away when I place my hand flat on Adam’s chest. He comes to a halt and I spin around to face him. He gazes at me confused as I slide my hands up his chest. He leans down and whispers, “What are you doing?”
Honestly, I don’t know. “Just go with it,” I tell him. Then I smother his mouth with mine. I kiss him hard. Entwining my fingers in his hair, clutching on to him as his arms wrap around me tighter. I block out Katie as she yells an insulting word. I block out everything. There’s no one in the mall. It’s empty. All the stores are closed and it’s just me and Adam.
He pulls out of the kiss breathless and a little part of me dies inside. He rests his forehead against mine while we both steady our breathing. I already want to kiss him over and over and over again. I want time to stand still again. He brushes his lips gently over mine and breathes, “That was amazing.”
I agree. What’s even more amazing, the look on Katie’s face as I strut past her and when Adam shouts, “I’ll call you.”
A joyous feeling flourishes through me. I can’t wait for that phone call to come.
****
I walk into Victoria’s Secret to Wren and Molly spraying body splash into the air and lifting their noses to sniff it. I wave the mist out of my face as Molly steps forward with a frown. “Where have you been?”
“I told you I was going to buy a CD. Geez, who are you my Mom?”
Molly crosses her arms and taps her foot. “That was over an hour ago!”
Sometimes Molly can overreact and it gets on my nerves. I eye her scornfully. “Nobody said we were on a time schedule.”
Wren steps forward and stands in between me and Molly. “That’s enough guys. Molly, who cares? Ells, you ready to leave?”
“Yeah.” My eyes wander back and forth between Molly’s hands and Wren’s. “You guys didn’t find anything?”
Wren shakes her head. Molly looks at her fingernails, annoyed. “Everything was so picked over,” she says haughtily.
We ride home in silence. I watch the cars passing by on the freeway, trying to hold back a smile. Closing my eyes, I think of my steamy spine-tingling kiss with Adam. I don’t think I’ll ev
er forget it. No… Think isn’t the right word. Will is correct. I will never forget the kiss with Adam in the middle of the North Place Mall. His kisses are like the bite from a poisonous snake. Sitting in the car, I can feel the venom spreading. I can feel it writhing in my veins. I’m so elated that I don’t care if the venom kills me.
Wren drops me off and Mom greets me at the door with a furious look and a wagging finger. “Where have you been?”
I start toward my bedroom. “At the mall.”
“You’re supposed to be grounded!” she yells, her temper flaring.
“Then why did you leave me money?” I completely forgot about being grounded. I assumed she did too.
Mom throws her hands up in the air. “For pizza!”
“Forty dollars for pizza? Then you should have said it was for pizza in your note.” How could she expect me to know what the money was for if she didn’t specify it? “I’m not a mind reader, Mom. Sorry.”
“Oh you’re gonna be sorry!” she threatens. “You’ll be making up for this next weekend.”
“You can’t be serious?”
She looks at me sternly. “Do I look serious?”
“Mom. Please.”
“Go to your room,” she huffs and points to my open door.
Go to my room? What am I? Five years old? I start laughing. Me finding Mom funny enrages her further. “I’m serious, Ellory! Go! Now!”
She doesn’t have to tell me twice. “I was on my way here anyway!” I snap and slam the door.
Pacing, I stop in front of my bed. Was my trip to the mall worth all the trouble I got into? Absolutely.
Fury surges throughout my body. I clench my jaw, letting out a frustrated scream and I punch my pillow. If I’m grounded next weekend that mean I won’t get to see Adam. All I want to do is see Adam. And spend time with him. And feel the heat from his arms as they cover me.
A Whisper To A Scream Page 9