The Valentine's Dare (The Sycamore Serial Book 1) (12 page)

Then she folded up the piece of paper and set it at his bedside table.

That left just 25 seconds, which was somehow too much and too little at the same time.

“It goes without saying that I’m sorry.” Her voice sounded small and awkward in the empty room. How many people had sat where she was now, talking to someone who couldn’t talk back? The walls had seen more apologies than daytime TV. “I wonder if it matters that I’m sorry.”

Leaning over him, she stared at his closed eyes, the shadowed lashes, the too-pale cheeks.

“It would be a little premature to say ‘I love you,’ wouldn’t it?” She stroked her fingers across his forehead and pushed his hair back. “The problem is the present tense. There should be a word in the English language, like
l’espirit d’escalier
in French, but this isn’t about leaving a room knowing that something has gone unsaid.

“What I need is a word to tell you that I’m
going
to-“ Her breath caught. “I was
supposed
to love you. Future tense, broken. Because something got in the way.”

Leaning down, she kissed him gently on the forehead, savoring the warmth of him against her lips. If only for a moment, he was hers. “I owe you a dance.”

The door opened, and the orderly came in. “Time’s up.”

With great effort, Kierra pulled herself away, knowing that she’d never be back again.

Two Days Later

He woke up and saw nothing but white.

It took several moments for Mason to realize he was staring at stucco ceiling and not, in fact, the vast white expense of heaven - or hell. The smell of astringent cleaners and the feel of a hospital gown against his skin should’ve been the first clue.

“You’re awake.” The voice, so soft, so feminine, roused him. Turning his head, Mason blinked through the haze across his eyes to focus on the figured sitting next to his hospital bed. “I thought you’d never wake up. I was so, so worried, baby.”

“Anna.” His voice came out rough and unused. “What are you doing here?”

“Your dad called me. I guess he wanted you to wake up to a familiar face.”

“Where is he?”

Anna shrugged, pulling a chapstick out of her purse and lining her lips. “Some business trip, I think. The details are a little foggy. I should’ve wrote it down, but I thought you’d wake up, like, right away.”

“You just said you thought I’d never wake up,” Mason groused, already irritated by her presence.

Anna cocked her head, confused. “What was that?”

“Nothing.” There was something about her complicated manicures that changed every day, her over processed blonde hair, and her sugary sweet voice that drove Mason crazy. He didn’t understand how he’d ever dated her in the first place.

Then again, he’d never had someone like Kierra to compare her to before.

For a moment he considered asking Anna where she was, but then he reconsidered.
No reason to start trouble.
Wherever Kierra was, she’d be back soon. He could almost
feel
her in the room, as if she’d just been there and had stepped out to get something from the vending machine, but would be right back.

“How long have I been out?”

“Two days.” Mason frowned, shocked by how long it’d been, but Anna just looked around the room in disappointment. “Really, you’d think everyone would’ve left you more gifts. They’ve had plenty of time to go shopping.”

Mason thought there were plenty of flowers, cards, stuffed animals, and chocolates in the room; then again, he had a feeling nothing could ever satisfy Anna.
Certainly I couldn’t.

“What’s that?” Mason stared at the folded up note on his bedside table, drawing Anna’s attention to it. “Did my dad leave that?”

“He hasn’t been here,” Anna said, not even noticing the look that flashed across Mason’s face. “I think that’s just trash.”

Anna snatched the note up before Mason could grab it, then stood and strode across the room. He watched as she unfolded it, a frown passing over her face.

“What is it?” he asked, but in response she tore the paper in half, folding them over and tearing the halves into tinier pieces until she’d made confetti that she dropped into the trash can.

“Like I said, it’s trash.” Anna spun on her heel and flashed him a smile. “Now that you’re awake, I’m gonna go get us some
real
food, okay babe?”

“Sure, whatever.” Mason didn’t even correct her pet names for him; he just didn’t have the energy.

A few minutes after Anna had left, he grew bored and reached for the TV remote, feeling around on the bedside table until his fingers hit hard plastic. Instead of the remote, he pulled back his phone, which was lit up with missed calls and messages. Scrolling through them, Mason was overwhelmed by the support he’d gotten from his friends, his family, and even his distant acquaintances.

None of the messages were from Kierra.

That’s just because she was here,
he thought, pushing away his panic.
She didn’t have to message me because she was right here the whole time. Until now.

A niggling feeling wouldn’t leave him. Something was wrong, and he had to know what is was. After all, for all Mason knew she’d gotten hurt just like him. So he scrolled through his contacts until he found her name, saddened to realize how little he’d used her phone number after he got it at Sycamore orientation.

First he messaged. Then, realizing she might not have seen it, he called her; and when his call went straight to voicemail, he called again, certain something was wrong.

After a few calls and messages, he realized she might not have her phone because she was too busy spending time at his bedside.

When enough time had passed that Anna returned, ate with him, and left again, he realized Kierra hadn’t been by in a while.

It wasn’t until the next day that Mason began to realize she hadn’t picked him after all.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Goodbye

There were a lot of things water could do. Chief amongst those was its ability to create life; plants and animals depended on it.

As Kierra tossed her phone into the Pacific Ocean, she found herself thinking that it could start life over again, too.

She’d been on the road for three days before she’d looked over her shoulder and realized what was happening when she saw Brooks standing outside in the gas station parking lot, his back turned to her, trying to hide. Somehow, he’d been tracking her, even after days of driving. But Brooks wasn’t the only one who watched too much
CSI,
and his money couldn’t fix everything. So she’d turned off her phone, taken as many random ocean roads as she could, and walked down to the first beach she found.
 

Now, standing in salt water up to her knees, she watched the waves carry away the phone that he’d somehow used to track her, and knew she’d never be able to go back to her old life again.

Maybe it’s for the best,
she thought, closing her eyes and letting the sun’s rays bathe her face.
The future doesn’t start until you’ve let go of the past.

All she could see in her head was two pairs of hazel eyes ringed with green. It was going to take a lot of driving down a lot of roads before she forgot about those eyes.

So Kierra turned, slogged her way out of the cold ocean water, and forced herself to keep leaving things behind.

The Sycamore Serial will continue!

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