Taking Chances (Blackrock Book 2) (12 page)

I’m
about to answer when Eric stops by us. “So you two back on?”
he asks dropping onto the seat in front of us.

“We
were never off, asshole.” Knox smiles and Eric shrugs.

“Cool
that means I get fifty bucks. Thanks, fucker.” He smiles at
Knox.

They
talk about this stupid bet that is going around and I feel like a
piece of meat getting bartered for. Knox pulls me onto his chest
resting his chin on my head while rubbing my leg. Who knew some many
unknown co-eds would be interested in our love life? I mean it’s
not like we are famous or anything. Maybe this has something to do
with the flowers?

“Hey
Eric, do you know who started the betting?” I ask, interrupting
their conversation.

“Na
sorry, don’t think anyone knows.”

Frowning
I try to think of someone, anyone but honestly I don’t know
many people too well. I have kind of stayed closed off from most
other students not really wanting to get too close to them. I don’t
think I could take loosing another good friend. Knox is about the
closest I am with someone, but even he doesn’t know everything
about me.

I
see a hand wave in front of my face, causing me to snap out of my
thoughts. “Did you hear me?” Knox asks, smiling at me.

“No
babe, sorry.” Shaking my head, I frown. Still my thoughts
linger on the sender of the flowers.

“I
am going now, darlin’. I will see you at your car by four.”
He kisses me and pulls my hair before he leaves.

I
watch him and Eric stroll towards the main building both engrossed in
conversation when my phone rings.

“Hi dad.” I smile
hearing his voice.

“Hi
sweetheart, just a quick call. Sorry, I will be in town on Friday but
only for one night then I have to go to a meeting in New York.”

I
groan, listening to him. “Dad, you know sometimes I think I
should have stayed in Grove,” I joke with him.

“I
know Bailey, I’m sorry but things are picking up here.”

“I
know dad. I’m fine but I do need to talk to you.” I rise
from the bench and load my computer into my bag.

“I
am going to a business dinner but we can meet in my office after
school,” he tells me as if it was a normal Friday occurrence.

“Okay dad, see you then.”

Walking
over to the main building, Sean slides up beside me. “Hey
beautiful, can I walk you to class?” he says in a voice
dripping with seduction; it makes me want to gag.

“No
thanks, I’m good,” I deadpan at him but he stays by my
side as we enter the doors.

Walking
through the halls, I see a few guys nod and grin at Sean as we walk
only realizing they must think he has won the bet. I spot Eric about
twenty feet away so I am sure Knox is around. My class is the other
way but I walk straight for them. Sean is still walking with me,
smiling at other guys as he does. I hear Knox laughing as I get
closer but I can’t see him. Sean makes the fatal mistake of
putting his arm around my shoulders.

“So
do you want to come to my place on Friday night? We can hang out.”

As
soon as the words slip out of his mouth a dark shadow falls over us,

“Why is your arm on my
girl?” Knox has his hands balled by his sides and looks pissed
however, Sean doesn’t move.

“Dude,
you’ve no claim on her you fucked up.” He shrugs making
Knox quirk an eyebrow.

“That
so?”

Sean
nods and gives me a shake, smiling down at me. I don’t even see
Knox move until Sean is on his back and Knox pulls me into him.

“What the fuck was that?”
he asks taking my face between his hands.

“I
walked this way so I could get close to you. My class is over in
Eastman hall.” I point. Knox grabs his backpack and my hand,
pulling me away from a sorry looking Sean.

“Darlin’, don’t
ever let me see another guy fucking touching you.” His jaw
clenches and he has my hand so tight it hurts.

“Babe,
my hand,” I say as I jog to keep up with him.

Rounding
the corner, he backs me up against the wall resting his forehead on
mine.

“Damn Bailey, you’re
goanna kill me,” he breaths hard against my face trying to
control himself.

“You’re
kinda turning me on,” I whisper, making his eyes pop open wider
and a cheeky smirk curves his lip.

“That
so?” Nodding, he crushes his lips against mine, pulling my hair
down so my head falls back a little more. I hear the bell but we both
ignore it lost in our own world up against a wall tasting each other.

“Come
on fucker lets go.” Eric pushes Knox away from me.

My
lips feel swollen and my breathing is shallow. Knox traces his thumb
across my lower lip. “Four o’clock, darlin’,”
he says and walks away, leaving me feeling naked and exposed in front
of curious stares.

I
always heard Knox telling me he would protect me but not until now
has he proven it; I really don’t know what to think. I am happy
he is willing to fight for me but on the other hand, I don’t
know if Sean deserved to get knocked out. Then again maybe he did. He
has been coming on to me for months, knowing that I was with his
friend’s boyfriend.

By
four o’clock, I meet Knox at my car and we drive to the police
station downtown. I make a statement to the desk officer but she
tells me that there is nothing they can do at the minute without any
proof of who it is.

Knox
doesn’t take the news well. “What the fuck!” he
yells as we walk down the steps of the police station.

“I
knew they couldn’t do anything without proof,” I say,
sliding into my car.

“Fuck!”
he shouts and whacks his palm on my dashboard.

“Calm down, Knox,” I
say driving back to his apartment. Glancing over I see his knee
bouncing and he is chewing his lip. His hand is fisted so tight his
knuckles are white. “Babe, calm down. You’re getting
worked up over nothing.”

“Nothing!
You call getting dead flowers from some sick mother fucker nothing?”
he shouts at me as I stop the car.

“Don’t
shout at me. I am not sending them to myself.”

He
shakes his head raking his hands through hair. “You just don’t
get it do you?” he says, looking at me, making the vein in his
neck pop. Huffing, he opens the door and slams it so hard my car
rocks. I watch him walk into the building without a backward glance.
I pull out of the parking lot and drive home.

I
have no idea why he is so annoyed. I didn’t do anything to
deserve some crazy sending me flowers and it pisses me off that I
don’t know who it is or even have a tiny inkling of who it
might be. Reaching the lake house, I see another box on the porch
without even turning off my car I stop, jump out, then march over to
the box. “I don’t need this shit in my life!” I
shout at it and kick it until it flies across the yard. Then in my
moment of madness, I jump on the box screaming at it to leave me
alone. Finally I walk away from it and park in the garage. The house
is cold and lonely as I sit on the window seat in the kitchen.

“Why
is this happening? Nan, Summer? Anyone, can you hear me? Can’t
you give me some help from wherever you are?” I ask as angry
tears slide down my cheeks.

The
house phone rings as I cross the kitchen, I wipe my face on my
sleeve. “Hello?” I answer but all I hear is dead silence.
“What do you want?” I scream and hang up.

What
is happening to me? Is someone trying to make me go crazy? Sinking
down on the window seat again, I stare out at the lake as I push my
emotions away and allow the numbness to take over, not wanting to
allow myself to believe that I could have had a second chance.

Sitting
there, I watch the sun descend the horizon and the moon cast its
bright blue light over the world; my mind is blank and I welcome it.
Over the last few months I have often wondered why Summer took her
own life. Never truly understanding why she did it, or maybe I do but
I just don’t want to accept it. We had a good life together.
Yes we got into some trouble, but what teenager doesn’t?
Sometimes life seems like it was easier back then. The only thing we
worried about was school and boys, and if we really got crazy, we
would often talk about being separated for college. That was probably
our biggest worry of all. Looking back now it is trivial to even
think about it but like I said, last year or even two years ago it
was a major issue we couldn’t deal with.

What
I wouldn’t give to have her back here with me and feel free
without caring about reality. We would live in our own bubble again
and smile at the world outside, never letting anyone come inside and
ruin it. I watch the stars twinkling in the sky above me, maybe they
have a secret for me; a way to help me figure out all of this shit.
Dragging myself to bed, I can’t sleep, tossing and turning for
what is left of the night. Checking my phone at what seems like half
hour intervals only to realize it’s been five minutes or ten
minutes.

Three
o’clock in the morning still. Letting out a heavy sigh, I turn
over again trying to find a comfortable place in the bed. My mind
drifts back to last year again to when Summer began talking about
loosing her virginity to Ben.

“
Do you think it will
hurt much?” she asked.

“
Yeah
I suppose it will, but maybe it depends on how rough the guy is,”
I answered, flicking through a magazine. We were lying out in my
backyard catching some sun and sipping on lemonade my mom had made.

“
Yeah
but I think Ben will be gentle with me.” Glancing at her, I
didn’t answer because if I did, I knew we would have had yet
another argument about him. Our arguments had been happening a lot
lately. There was a time pre-Ben when we never so much as said a mean
word towards the other but I didn’t bother expressing my
opinion anymore.

For
some reason Ben had changed her and she snapped at me if she didn’t
like what I was saying, even Roger stayed away from us.

“
Are
you going to the game tomorrow night?” I asked, changing the
subject.

“
No. Ben doesn’t
play football, Bails.”

Something
I already knew and I am thankful for.

“
Yeah
but we always go and Roger is going too.”

She
shrugged then turned onto her stomach with her cheek on the blanket
and she looked at me. “Maybe if I can get Ben to come.”

Groaning,
I rolled onto my back and let out a sigh. Why did he have to be
involved in every aspect of our lives?

“
Whatever, Roger and I
will be there if you decide to show up.” I watched the clouds
float across the blue sky and wished that Ben never came to live in
Grove.

Summer’s
phone rang with Gym class hero’s “Ass back home,”
Looking over I asked, “What is that?” I laughed as she
picked it up.

The
minute she started talking I knew it was Ben and I covered my face
with my arm so she couldn’t see me pulling a face.

Hanging
up, she smiled. “Ben changed my ringtone for himself.”

Looking
at her, I frown. “Get your ass back home? Sounds a bit
controlling even for a ringtone.”

“
Jesus
Bailey, do you ever stop? I am with Ben so deal.” She stood up,
grabbing her sunglasses and phone from the grass.

“
Where
are you going? You just got here,” I asked, sitting up watching
her walk to the side gate

“
I’m going to hang
out with Ben,” she called over her shoulder before slamming the
gate. Slumping back onto the grass, I cursed Ben with every ounce of
my soul.

*****

Turning
onto my back, I glance out of the window and see that familiar orange
glow on the eastern skyline. Throwing off the comforter, I dress in
my running gear, may as well go out running now for all the sleep I
got. It’s just before six in the morning when I set out on the
trail. I cautiously watch Sean’s house as I pass but it appears
to be silent and dark. I run until my legs burn and my throat stings
from breathing hard. Maybe I should join a track team again and get
back into racing, but just as soon as that thought forms I squash it
away. Running without my partner doesn’t feel right.

I
reach school thoroughly exhausted, my legs barley carry me to my
first class and my brain is on a go-slow. Paige watches me for about
thirty minutes.

“You
look like shit, Bailey,” she laughs at me. Rolling my eyes, I
ignore her and stare at the blank screen of my computer. Paige pokes
my arm with her pencil. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah,
I just didn’t sleep.”

She
nods and goes back to typing her notes. I try to keep up but my eyes
are getting heavy and begin closing. Hearing a loud bell makes me
jump and I look around to see the class packing up. I follow suit.
Closing my laptop, I leave the room and cross to the science
building. Climbing the stairs hurts but I manage to drag myself up.

I
cross paths with Sean who has a nice shiner and a scowl on his face
when he sees me. “Cock tease,” he says, passing me.

Choosing
to ignore it, I continue on my path slowly holding the handrail as I
drag my butt up to the second floor.

Terry
is standing at the top of the stairs watching me. “Wow Bailey,
you look bad.”

I
smile. “Thanks Terry.”

He
grins at me as we walk together down the hallway. “So Cassidy
and I are taking off to Tahoe for spring break. What you doin?”
Shrugging, I don’t answer because I have no plans to go
anywhere or with anyone.

Making
it through this class was easier. Terry kept me on my toes as best he
could, nudging me every five minutes. I was grateful for his
persistence,

“You
want to come to the cafe for lunch?” Shaking my head no, I walk
over to my favorite table on the quad.