by Arthurs, Nia
Her green eyes slid to the floor. “With Monique?”
“You made sure I’d have nothing to do with Monique, why would you ask that?”
“Then why are you being vague?”
“It’s a family thing,” I snapped. “My dad’s having a dinner with his business partner.”
“Great. I could come along.”
I rejected her swiftly. “No thanks.”
She glided closer. “Why not? You said we should tell our parents, didn’t you?”
If we announced the pregnancy in front of Asher and Rose, Dad would kill me. Right there. Right then.
I eyed Marissa. She smiled innocently. What was her angle? She’d been dragging her feet on telling our parents before now. All of a sudden, she was gung-ho about it. Something felt off.
“Let’s pick another time,” I said uneasily.
As usual, my rejection never seemed to faze her. Marissa’s expression turned thoughtful. “James, you remember the day I told you I was pregnant?”
“Yes.”
“That day, I was so scared. I watched the lines on the pregnancy test and thought my life was ruined. Now, I think the baby is saving everything. Even though we’re not in a good place, I believe that we’ll understand each other eventually.”
“Marissa…”
“Don’t.” She held up a hand. “You’ve made yourself clear, but I’m telling you that I haven’t given up on us.”
Is she delusional or blind? “There will never be an ‘us’.”
“I’m going to fight for this family, James.” Her eyes glimmered with determination. “Don’t worry about cheerleading.” She slipped her hand over her stomach. “I’ll protect you both.”
“Awesome. If we’re done here…” I walked toward the door.
“James?”
I sighed. “What?”
“I love you.”
The words crashed into my ears like a mosquito I wanted to slap away. I rubbed the bridge of my nose. Did I have to speak in another language to get Marissa to understand?
Gritting my teeth, I opened the door and walked out.
I shouldn’t be this stressed. Things were quiet at home. If Dad and Mom were arguing, they weren’t doing it in front of me. According to Marissa, the baby was right on track. Everything was good.
So why did I feel so trapped? So miserable?
The sound of laughter grabbed my attention. I looked around the crowded hallway until I found the source.
Monique.
Harley and Angie surrounded her. They were laughing too, but I barely paid them any mind.
Monique had her hair down this time. The curls looked black and wet. I studied the curve of her cheek, sloping down to her jaw and throat. My chest burned as she tilted her head and flashed that beaming smile on Harley before tucking her arm through Angie’s elbow.
The trio walked off, disappearing through the door.
I followed them, not quite sure what I was doing or why.
“Excuse me,” I mumbled, elbowing people when they got in my way. “Sorry.”
Monique got farther and farther away.
My pulse skittered. I needed to see her. Just for a minute. Not even that. A moment would do.
Suddenly, Eric popped up in front of me.
I skidded to a stop, narrowly avoiding plowing him over. My neck craned to see above his head. Monique was through the door now.
Damn it, Eric!
“What do you want?” I barked.
“Dude, chill. I just came to ask if you’re coming to practice tomorrow?”
“No.” Without hesitation, I shoved him aside. He landed against a locker. The bang drew the eyes and gasps of several students. I didn’t care. I was already sprinting toward the door.
When I got outside, I swung to the left and right.
Monique was gone.
Frustration boiled inside me. I played with the idea of finding Eric and pummeling him into the ground for keeping me back. Thanks to him, I’d have to suffer through the entire weekend until I could catch a glimpse of Monique on Monday.
The disappointment was so strong and swift, my knees went weak.
You’re crazy, James.
Probably so. Insanity was the only thing that could explain the sensations that erupted in my chest when I saw Monique laugh or smile or breathe. She’d infiltrated my mind like some sort of enchantress.
Students poured around me, sending me weird glances. I realized I looked like a maniac staring out into nothing, so I ducked and scrambled toward my car.
That night, I locked myself in my room and played guitar until my fingers curved up and refused to straighten. When I was too exhausted to hold myself up anymore, I rolled into bed.
Monique filled my thoughts. My dreams. I woke up the next morning, desperate to return to sleep so I could see her, even if it was just an illusion. But the sunlight was harsh and my mind was already moving on.
There was no going back.
I sat up and grabbed my phone. Tapping the screen, I clicked through my contacts until I found Monique’s name. My finger hovered over the tab.
In the end, I chickened out.
The state I was in, there was no way I could be satisfied with one call. Maybe it would start out that way, but I was pretty sure I didn’t have the self-control to keep our relationship platonic.
Marissa’s threat hung over my head like a dark cloud.
Still, I couldn’t sit back and wait for a solution to present itself. I was slowly going crazy. If I didn’t do something, these strange, powerful feelings would come bursting out whether I wanted them to or not.
I threw my blankets off and pressed my feet against the floor. There was no other option. I had to see Monique. Today.
I took a shower and got dressed. As I headed downstairs, I saw Dad sitting in the dining room reading a business magazine.
I tried to tiptoe past him, but at that moment, he moved to grab his coffee and saw me sneaking away. His dark gaze pinned me in place. “James.”
“Hey, Dad.”
“Come here.”
I winced, but moved closer to the table. “What?”
“Your mother said you did well on your English test last week.”
I looked at him, stunned. Dad usually didn’t sound so calm and, well, human whenever he discussed my grades.
What’s going on here?
Dad sipped his coffee and pulled his magazine back up. “Good job.”
For a moment, I wondered if I was still dreaming.
His magazine rustled. “You can leave now.”
“Y-yes, sir.” I turned and sprinted to the garage. Once there, I leaned against my car and tried to figure out what his angle was. No answers came to mind.
Maybe he was genuine. Maybe he wasn’t. I didn’t care. Dad was still a failure as a husband and as a father. One compliment wouldn’t fix years of fear and abuse.
I got into my car and drove, leaving the weird moment in the kitchen far behind.
A few minutes later, I parked in front of Pizza Joe’s. From my vantage, it looked like very few people were inside. I checked my watch. It was almost one in the afternoon.
What time does Monique’s shift start?
I chewed my bottom lip, debating whether I should head inside and ask, when two familiar figures strolled down the sidewalk. A glance in my rearview mirror made me hunker down and duck my head for fear that Angie and Monique would see me.
They passed, chatting and laughing loudly.
I eased up again and peeked past the steering wheel.
The girls slipped inside the parlor and disappeared from sight.
My resolve wavered. What was I doing? Driving to Monique’s job? Watching her from afar? Hiding in the car like some kind of criminal?
I was James. Freakin’. Sawyer.
I didn’t chase anyone. I sure as hell didn’t hide from anyone. When I wanted something, I got it. No questions asked.
Who did Monique think she was to make m
e act this way?
My confidence rising, I burst out of the car and stormed into the pizza place.
Angie and Monique weren’t around.
I slipped into a booth and glanced at the kitchen, waiting for one of them to emerge. They didn’t. Instead, a preppy brunette stopped by my table with a pen.
“Hi, handsome. Welcome to Pizza Joe’s. Let me give you your menu and—”
I stopped her with a hand and looked her straight in the eyes. “I’ll give you a hundred bucks right now if you get Monique Hughes to wait this table.”
“A hundred?”
I pulled the money from my wallet and slapped it next to the menu.
A hand rose to brush against her throat. I saw the struggle in her eyes. She wanted the money.
“Who are you?”
“James.” I offered a charming smile. “What do you say? Do we have a deal?”
She grabbed the bill and whirled around. “Your server will be with you in a moment.”
“Excellent.”
As she skipped away, I rubbed my hands together. A few words with Monique would be enough to calm the chaos in my head. After that, I’d leave her alone and move on.
Someone rapped their knuckles against my table. “Can I get your order?”
My head whipped up. I saw a pair of familiar brown eyes set in a thin face. “Angie?”
“Look at that, Catherine, you remembered my name.”
“Would you stop calling me Catherine?” I hissed. “And what are you doing here? I wanted…”
Her eyes arched up when I didn’t finish. “Who? Monique?”
I glared at my napkin.
Angie laughed. “You know, no one thinks stalking is romantic.”
“Stalking? I’m not—”
“I saw your car in the parking lot. So did Monique.”
I winced. “Did she see me?”
“No, I distracted her so she was too busy to notice.” She scrunched her nose. “If you want to see her, you should come right out and say it.”
“I can’t.”
“So you sneak around her job and stare from afar? Is this how you rich people date nowadays? Because it’s creepy.”
I blew out a breath. “There’s something I can’t explain right now, but I have a good reason for doing this.”
“Doing what? Stalking or…?”
“I told you. I’m not stalking! I’m just here to eat pizza like everybody else.”
“Right…” Angie narrowed her eyes and nodded slowly. “Well, in that case can I get your order?”
“I’ll have—”
“Before you say anything, let me give you a tip.”
“I thought I was supposed to leave the tips.”
She smiled, glanced around, and slid in across from me. “James, I like you. I think you’re less of a douche bag than people make you out to be. So here’s my advice. Instead of sitting here and staring at Monique from afar like a psycho from a Lifetime movie—”
“Hey!”
She held up a hand. “I’ll give you Monique’s schedule. Go home. Drive around. I don’t care, but come back when she’s done and talk to her then. Okay?”
I pulled my lips in and nodded.
What other choice did I have?
20
Bruises On My Heart
Monique
I waved goodbye to Angie and left through the back door. The sky was alive with brilliant shades of red, pink and orange as the sun made it’s final descent into night. A gentle breeze cooled my face.
I sucked in a deep breath, savoring the non-pepperoni-scented air. As much as I loved pizza, serving it for five hours straight was tiring. My feet ached. I wished a cloud would descend, lift me up and take me home so I didn’t have to walk a step.
I grinned. Angie would accuse me of smoking mushrooms if I told her that.
My stomach grumbled. I pictured the contents of our fridge. Thanks to Dad’s job—which he seemed to be holding down steadily, Mom had gone grocery shopping this weekend and she’d stuffed every shelf with fruit, vegetables, and meat.
Maybe I could make pasta with tossed salad. I licked my lips at the thought.
As lampposts popped on, I strolled down the street and fished in my bag for my headphones. Harley had given me a bunch of songs from his band’s old demos and I’d found myself listening to them a lot lately.
Yeah, rock wasn’t my thing, but guitars were heavily present in each of the tracks. The fact that James was the one behind those riffs made me appreciate the songs more than I usually would.
A pair of headlights blared behind me. I straightened, abandoning the challenge of untangling my headphones. The hair on the back of my neck stood to attention. Why was that person driving so close to the sidewalk?
I glanced around. The street was empty. Where is everybody? My heart hammered in my chest. I quickened my footsteps, searching for a restaurant or store I could run into for safety.
There were none. This was a strictly residential area.
I heard the engine rumbling close, breathing down my neck. My fast trot turned into a jog, but it was easy for the mysterious car to keep up with me.
Sweat beaded on my temple. I turned my neck slightly, peering out of the corner of my eye to see if I recognized the vehicle. I knew James had been at my job today. Was he trying to scare the crap out of me?
But no, that boxy SUV looked unfamiliar.
It wasn’t James.
My instincts screamed at me to run. I abandoned all other thoughts and took off, sprinting down the sidewalk. Behind me, the strange car shut off and doors slammed.
Two doors.
So… two men?
My mind raced as I searched for refuge. Help. Anything. But I was on my own.
Footsteps pounded the sidewalk. I spun and found two men in dark suits gaining on me. The first was tall and skinny with a spindly moustache and beady black eyes. The second was shorter and stockier with dark skin and an earring glinting from his left air. Tatoos crept out of his collar and stained his neck.
I’d never seen them before.
I didn’t want to get to know them now.
They caught up quickly. The tall one grabbed my arm and wrenched me around. I cried out in pain, my eyes filling with tears. It felt like he’d popped my shoulder from the socket.
“Where are you going?” Tattoos sneered.
“Please,” I begged, “I don’t have any money.”
“We know.”
“It’s such a sad thing that a pretty girl like you has to suffer because of their bum father.” Tall Guy stroked my cheek. “Come with us, darling.”
They each grabbed an arm.
I fought against them, wrenching my body from side to side.
They grunted.
“Hold still!”
I ignored that command and kicked Tattoos in the groin. He dropped my arm and sank to his knees, his cheeks ballooning. I wielded on the other and used my free hand to push him away from me.
His clamp was like a vise. I couldn’t overpower him and when I brought my knee up to give him a taste of his friend’s pain, he blocked me with his thighs and flipped me around. His skinny arms bound me to his chest.
I screamed. “Let me go!”
“Shut up,” Tattoos hissed.
“Help! Someone! Hel—” A punch came out of nowhere, clocking me in the side of the face. Stars exploded behind my eyes.
My attacker was the one I’d kneed. He shook his head. “We were trying to do things the easy way, but fine. We’ll do it the hard way.”
Together, they dragged me to the car that was waiting on the sidewalk. I bounced and fought, but they kept their grips firm, leaving no room for escape.
My head swum.
The sound of another engine revving toward us grabbed our attention. The thugs froze, tightening their hold. I cried out in protest, but they weren’t paying me any mind.
“Who’s that?” One said to the other.
Tattoos shrugged.
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I peered into the darkness. My heart jumped when I recognized the black car squealing to a stop in front of us.
James?
He leapt out of the driver’s side.
“Who are you?” Tall Guy demanded.
James responded by grabbing my attackers by the throat and shoving them back. In the scuffle, I was freed. I squirmed away from the men and ran a few steps away, stopping when the world around me tilted.
In the dimness, I saw James fighting with the thugs. He moved like a professional, all muscles and sinew beneath that white T-shirt. Tattoos was already on the floor, knocked out cold.
James advanced on the tall one. He scrambled back, fear in his gaze. The moonlight sliced through the scene. I saw anger in James’s eyes, a fury so livid, so consuming that it made me shiver. He seemed like a different person.
As the thug cowered, James leaned down and spoke in a clear voice. “Who are you?”
“I-I’m just here doing business, man.”
“What business?”
“Her dad,” he pointed a trembling finger at me, “owes our boss money. He told us to shake her up a little. Send a message. That’s all we were going to do. We swear. She’s the one that started fighting—”
James grabbed the man’s throat, cutting him off. “You touch her again, you die. Do you understand?”
He nodded.
Sirens wailed in the night. I sank to my knees, all the strength in my legs gone. Black spots danced around my vision. I heard James calling my name before everything slanted and fell into darkness.
When I woke up next, I was in James’s car. I sat up, groaning in pain as the world spun. James shot me a concerned glance.
“Monique, don’t move.”
“How long was I out?”
“A few minutes. I’m taking you to the hospital.”
I pressed a hand to my face and felt the tender flesh. Pulling the sun visor down, I looked in the tiny mirror and gasped. The length of my face from my left eye to my cheek was bruised and swollen.
“Those jerks!”
James huffed out a breath. “I’m glad I got to you in time.”
“How did you even know where I was?”
He shifted. “I went to Pizza Joe’s to see you, but Angie came out instead. She told me when you were clocking out and suggested I come back then.”