Define Me (23 page)

“Oh, yeah, like we are ever going to hear the end of that one, Vincent is not the type of person to forget.”

“Well, I think I have overstayed my welcome, Thank you Caitlin, Heather pizza was great.”

“Thank you for joining us Brent let me walk you out.”

“Thanks, so what time tomorrow do I need to report for duty?”

“What?”

“What are your plans for tomorrow Princess, your boyfriend asked me to look after you or have you forgotten already?”

“Oh yes, well I want to go for a run first, you up for that?”

“I just finished boot camp not too long ago; I think I can handle a little bit of running early in the morning
.”

“Oh you think so, well let’s see about that.  Report for duty then at 5:30, I like to see the sun come up.”

“See you in the morning, Princess.”

“Why do you call me that?”

“Just a thing from back at school, you were always untouchable, little bit of a snob, like royalty.  So princess just felt like the perfect name for you.”

“You know maybe you should have tried a little harder at school; you would have seen I’m not like that, it’s just that Hunter …”

“I know, you don’t need to explain, I know.”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For back then and for now.”

“I failed you then but not this time, we will get him if it is the last thing I ever do.  Men like him don’t deserve to walk on the same earth as you. I will not let you down again Caitlin.”

“You never let me down, what
are you talking about?”

“It’s a conversation for another time, it is late you need to get to bed, good night Caitlin.  You have my number if you hear anything or just need to talk; just phoning me.”

“Ok thank you Brent.”

Brent walked out towards his car; I turned around and closed the door.  I wondered what he meant by “let me down again”.

As I walked back into the lounge Heather and Cole were having a serious make out session, I really didn’t need to see that. I texted Vincent a quick goodnight kiss and waited for something in return but nothing. 

5:30
sharp Brent knocked on the front door. (Oh so punctual.)  I opened the door, shit, I never realised how good looking he was.  The white T-shirt was a tad too tight; it was hugging his upper body in all the right places.  (Close your mouth Caitlin you are drooling.)

“Mmh so you made it.”

“I told you I would, you ready?”

Both Heather and Cole were still fast asleep.  (I eventually needed to put my pillow over my head, didn’t realize Heather was a
screamer
.)

I closed the door behind me and locked it, tucking the keys into my sweat pants.  Brent and I walked in silence down to the beach.  I suddenly felt really strange.  This was mine and Vincent’s time and now I was sharing it with Brent.  This was not right, but I couldn’t turn back now.  I just needed to keep my distance.  We started running my normal route, that morning my pace was a little faster than usual, I should have skipped the running for that week.    

“You ok
?  You look like you have something on your mind.”

“No nothing, I just wonder if it is such a good idea to go running this time of the morning with Hunter on the loose.  Talking about Hunter, have you guys found him? Do you know if the police have any leads, Vincent changed my phone number after the last phone call, so even if Hunter tried to get hold of me again he can’t.”

Brent grabbed me by the arm, stopping me in my tracks.  I turned around to face him. 

“Caitlin stop babbling, we’ve got this.  The police have a lead and the guys are good, we will find him. Let’s go back and talk I can see you are not comfortable doing this.”

“No I’m fine, it’s just this thing with Hunter is getting the better of me.  I never realized that he was capable of this, at school things were so different.”

I tried to play down what I was really feeling, I hoped Brent bought it; I didn’t want him to think.  … OMG I don’t know what I want him to think!  I felt an attraction towards him, but I was with Vincent and I loved Vincent.

“No Caitlin, things at school weren’t much different from now; you were just too close and too blind to see.  Let me take you back home, you’re right, I can’t do this running, you going to kill me and then your boyfriend will finish the job because I was not capable of looking after his “precious”.”

“Ha, ha, you so funny, ok I will let you off.”

I was relieved, I think the less time we spent alone the better.  By the time we go back home, Heather was dressed and ready for the day. 

“Where have you been, I woke –up with your phone going crazy and then Cole’s, I think you need to go check, your boyfriend phoned.  Oh good morning handsome, you look sexy, sweaty and all.”

“Glad you think so, but you better not let your boyfriend hear you say that.”

“Oh don’t worry his gone already; you want to come in for some coffee, just made a pot.”

“No Brent is just leaving, stop flirting with him.  Bye Brent, I don’t have class today so I will be staying home studying
.  Will let you know if I’m going anywhere, ok.”

“Yes I better go, chat later.”

I closed the door and turned to look at Heather. 

“You have no shame do you?  Flirting with Brent what is wrong with you?”

“What?  He is freaking hot, did you see the body on him?  That white t-shirt left nothing to the imagination and I’m not even talking about the shorts hanging low on his hips.  The V, freaking hell, how do they say, it makes clever girls do stupid things.”

“Oh so you say you are clever, well come genius I need some coffee.”

“Please tell me that you are not that blind to see what I just saw.”

“I’m also a clever girl and well this morning the drool nearly dripped out of my mouth when I saw him. But I’m with Vincent and can’t be thinking things like that about another man. Shit if you ever repeat what I just said I will kill you.”

“Our secret, promise.  So what did you guys talk about?”

“Not much, I was freaking out a little, so we did not finish the run.  He said something strange last night and again this morning.  He said that he failed me back in school and will not do it again, that I was too blind to see the real Hunter back then.”

“I don’t know babes, I was also blind when it came to Hunter, and he looked like the perfect boyfriend, the type you take home to mom and dad.”

Heather and I had breakfast and then she left for work.  I needed to study, exams were coming and I needed to do my prep.  I was just about to get ready to jump in the bath when my phone rang.  Shit I forgot, Heather said Vincent was trying to get hold of me this morning. 

“Hey”

“Morning, darling.”

Vincent sound
ed very calm but I could tell he was holding back.  After the previous night I think he was exhausted.

“Sorry, I forgot my phone again.”

“Yeah, I suspected that, are you ok, Cole said you went for a run this morning.”

“Yes, Brent offered to run with me but it was a short one, it did not feel right.  My morning runs are time with you and the sea, I can’t share it.”

“Oh, I’m very happy to hear that.”

I could almost hear the tension drain from his voice. 

“So what are your plans for today?”

“Going to hospital with my mom and then sorting a few things back at home and you?”

“Um, not much, I need to start prepping for exams so just staying home.  No need to worry.”

“Well enjoy your day, will chat later, my mom’s calling.”

“I love you, chat later.”

Talking to Vincent made me miss him even more.  Didn’t know how I was going to make that week without him and spending time with Brent was just not an option. Thank goodness for school, I had back to back classes that week and then prep in the afternoons. 

Lucky for me the rest of the week went by without a hitch.  Brent was always in the background, not intruding but yet close enough so I knew that he was there looking after me.  There was still not luck with finding Hunter; it was like he had just disappeared.  The phone he used to contact me the last time had been disconnected.  But I could feel he was near.

It was Thursday, one more sleep and then Vincent would back, I had missed him so much, but at least we spoke every day, texting or phoning as much as we could.  I woke up that morning with a sick feeling in my stomach. It was late afternoon already, but I needed to go for a run, the 4 walls of my room were closing in on me.  I needed to clear my head.  I knew Brent would be outside at his post, but I didn’t want him to come with me. 

I texted Vincent and Brent at the same time.

“Going for a run, don’t worry, I won’t go far.”

When I got outside I saw Brent’s car parked to the side of the house, he was sitting inside it.  When he saw me he got out and started walking towards me.

“I need to do this on my own, please.”

“Ok, I understand, but please Caitlin, don’t go far, I have posted some of the guys further up the trail, just stick to your normal route please.”

“Ok I will.”

I was glad Brent respected my request, I could see the worry in his eyes, something had happened.  It was strange that Vincent did not text me back.  The run was good, with my music in my ears I could drown out all my worries for just a little while.  On my way back I noticed Brent sitting on the rocks looking out to the sea; he was sitting at my favourite spot. 

“Hey
, this is my spot.”

“I know, I was hoping you would find you way back here.”

“Oh really and why is that?”

“I need to talk to you.”

I was starting to freak out, I had a sick feeling the whole day and this was not helping.

“What is wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong; I just need to say something to you.”

“Ok, you are freaking me out you do understand that, so spit it out.”

“Come sit here next to me the wind is starting to pick up and you all sweaty.”

I climbed onto the rock and sat next to Brent; I was starting to shiver a little, not too sure if it is the wind or my nerves.  

“Say it already, please.”

“Caitlin you asked me what I meant when I said I failed you before. Well here it is, I liked you from the very first day I laid my eyes on you.  I felt something for you and I saw the sign with Hunter, my father was a psycho as well and I should have stopped Hunter then already.”

“Wait, what?  I don’t think we should be having this conversation about how you felt about me, but when it comes to my history with Hunter, there is nothing anyone could do about it in school, he never hurt me.”

“Yes he did and then I got myself kicked out of school and I was not there to protect you.  I’m sorry Caitlin, but I promise you I will not fail you again, like I failed my mother.”

Brent leaned in,
(I’m very sure for a kiss) but before he could do anything I pushed him back and jumped off the rock.  I wasn’t sure how to react to what just happened all I knew was that I needed to get away.  As I turned to walk back home, I saw Vincent walking way.  (Oh shit!)  No wonder he did not text me back, he was on his way back home.  Oh fuck what part of what had happened did he see? I started running towards him.

 
“V I N C E N T!  Wait, it’s not what you think, wait for me.” 

I ran as fast as I could but too late, Vincent got into his car and drove way.  I couldn’t believe what had happened.  I couldn’t believe Vincent could think that I would …
oh god
I didn’t even want to know what he might have thought happened.  I needed to get back home and phone him, explain to him what had happened and that it was just a misunderstanding.  I turned around and looked back to where Brent was sitting; he was also gone, thank goodness.  It is creepy the parking lot behind Simplicity was almost empty, no one around.  Shit I needed to get back home; I was just about to start walking when I heard a car screech to halt behind me.  I thought it was Vincent, had he come back.  I turned to look at what was going on but before I could react it all went black. 

“Wake up to you stupid bitch”

What was going on?  My eyes were shut, I squeezed them tightly.  Where was I?  It is freaking cold and hard. 

“
Wakey, wakey beautiful.  We are waiting.”

Oh fuck, this couldn’t be happening. I recognised that voice; how could I forget, it had been haunted me in my dreams every night since the attack.  I felt like freaking out but I needed to play it calm.  I was alone in this one. Both Vincent and Brent had left when Hunter took me, I didn’t think they knew I was gone, well not yet.  I was trying to comprehend what was happening and pretended to be asleep, it bought me some time to think, it wasn’t very long.  When what felt like a whole bucket of water was dumped on my head. 

“What the fuck, I’m awake.”(Ok, that might have been the wrong reaction.)

“Well hello there, you finally joined us.  I told you I will get you and I also told you to drop the charges against me, but you seem to think I’m not good on word.  Well baby you going to see how good I am now.”

Now that I was fully awake, my head was throbbing, my arms were tied behind my back and my feet were bound.  Hunter pulled me up by my arms and made me sit on a chair.  It was dark everywhere, it looked like we were in some type of basement; the only light in the room was the light that was shining right in my face, blinding me.

  “Hunter what are you doing
?  The police are looking for you. Let me go now and I will pretend nothing happened.  I will withdraw all charges. Please just let me go.”