“Sure you don’t want to go over there and help her out?” Jared smiles and pops a curly fry into his mouth.
“Oh, she needs no help from me. Besides, frat boys aren’t my thing,” I say, slowly swirling my fry into the ketchup.
“Well, what is your thing?” Jared says in a low, raspy voice that causes me to meet his eyes. There’s desire in them, and it instantly makes me look back down at my now soggy fry with flushed cheeks.
“Ummm, I can’t really say,” I say thoughtfully. “I like athletes. Physically fit guys. Nice eyes.” I say, gazing into his glittering greens. It’s the truth but I know I could be opening up a can of worms that I’m not prepared to deal with right now. Or am I?
Before Jared can address my remark, a very drunk, very scantily clad girl falls into his lap. The term slore, comes to mind.
“Heeeyyyyy, Jared! Remember me?” she slurs. She’s thin, tan and blonde, wearing a UCCS t-shirt that she’s fashioned into a mid-drift top, too short cut off jean shorts and cowboy boots. She’s beautiful and indicative of the type of girls Jared usually dates.
“Uh, yeah. Summer, right?” Jared stammers. A blush of crimson bathes his cheeks.
“Yup! How are you?” She squeezes him hard, letting her hands roam his boulder-like shoulders. I feel my blood boil.
“I’m good. Hey, this is my friend Gabriella,” he motions towards me, stealthily trying to wriggle from her grasp. Summer glances in my direction, and flashes an insincere smile. I reciprocate with a fake grin and a roll of my eyes when she returns her attention to Jared.
“So hey, how about you buy me a drink? And then maybe me and you can get outta here.” She tries to whisper that last sentence but fails miserably. Jared’s eyes grow wide with horror and he looks to me for aide. I nearly spit out my mouthful of water and try to stifle my laughter. The poor girl is oblivious to our humorous exchange at her expense.
“Actually I’m here with my friends. I’m the DD tonight so I can’t leave them,” he replies, speaking slowly so his gentle rejection sinks into her dim-lit brain. If there’s one thing I can’t stand it is a loose girl who can’t control her liquor. Or her morals, for that matter.
“Oh, I’m sure they can manage without you. Gail here looks nice and sturdy,” she chuckles at her tasteless joke.
“It’s Gabriella,” I state loud and clear, giving her a stern glare. “Dumb ass,” I mutter under my breath.
“Oh, whatever,” she waves me off. “Anyway, let them catch a cab. My roommate won’t be back tonight and I was hoping we could finish what we started,” she says, fingering her blonde locks and biting her bottom lip in an attempt to appear seductive.
I look away before I gag and catch Morgan’s eyes on us, shaking her head as if to tell me to let it go. Her frat boys have followed her stare so I plaster on a grin and shrug to indicate that there’s no worry. I start to get up and walk away, noting that Jared is whispering something to her that he obviously doesn’t want me to hear, but before I can get up, all hell breaks loose.
“Fine then! You must be fucking gay! No wonder you’d rather hang with this ugly bitch!” she screams, attempting to slap Jared before he catches her arm.
Okay, now this chick has pissed me off. Before she can spew another vile word, I palm her face and shove her backwards onto the floor. Her flailing arms take out another table’s beer and it lands all over her, drenching her bleach blonde hair. The bar erupts in laughter and cheers but I know I better get out of here before I’m thrown out. Wouldn’t be the first time.
“Hey, Gabs wait up!” Jared calls from behind me. The chilly air instantly cools my hot temper.
“You didn’t have to come out here. I can wait ‘til you guys are ready to leave.” Alone. In the pitch black night. With someone from the Dark after me.
“No, I’ll wait with you. I just told the guys and Morgan we’d be in the car.” He grabs my hand and we stroll quietly to his old Nissan. Once inside, Jared flicks on the heat and puts in a CD. It’s one I know well, John Mayer’s Continuum. I close my eyes and let John soothe my troubles.
“What am I gonna do when I can’t see you every day? Sure you don’t want to transfer to UCCS with me in the fall?” he smiles his boyish grin, leaning on the arm rest separating us.
“And have to fight off drunken blondes every night? No thank you!” We chuckle at the prospect of me defending Jared’s honor.
“You know, you wouldn’t have to, if you came. You wouldn’t have to fight off anyone for me,” he says seriously. Whoa, what happened to our lighthearted banter?
“Well, once you start playing soccer, it’ll be so hard to juggle that, your studies, your love life and hanging out with me. One of them would have to give.” I look at the car ceiling, unable to bring myself to gaze into his emerald eyes.
“That’s where you’re wrong. You and my love life would be synonymous.” His voice is full of raw emotion and the sentiment startles me. I turn my head to gauge his expression. He isn’t joking. “You know, when my mom got sick, you were there every step of the way. I shared things with you that I’ve never told anyone. You’ve always been my best friend. And I love you for that,” he adds. Love? Oh God.
I search for the right words and give him a sincere smile. “You know how I feel about you. We’ve been through so much together,” is all I can come up with. There’s so much I’ve wanted to say to him all these years, yet articulate thought fails me now.
He nods his head. “Yeah, I know. I couldn’t do that to you. I couldn’t jump into something with you and not make you my priority. With all of our family stuff going on, it wouldn’t have been fair to you.”
Oh shit. He knows how I’ve felt all these years? What am I, an open book? I feel my cheeks heat in the darkness.
“Well it’s not like you’ve been celibate all this time,” I mumble. It’s true. As noble as it is that he’s been helping to care for his mom, it’s not like it’s halted his dating life.
“Those girls were nothing to me!” he says vehemently. “They were just something to do, something to get my mind off my mom dying in front of me and not being able to do anything about it.” His words stop me up short and I instantly regret my prior comment.
“Sorry,” I mutter, embarrassed at my lack of tact.
“Now that she’s doing better, I can stop worrying so much. I can start my life. I want to start it with you, Gabs.”
I can’t believe what he’s saying. It’s all I’ve wanted to hear for years. So why am I just sitting here in disbelief? Why am I not telling him I want that too?
“Jared. I don’t know. I mean, how?” Geez, is that the best I can do? What is it with me losing my wits around gorgeous men?
Then it hits me. Dorian. He’s the game changer.
“You don’t have to answer me now, but I want you to know how I feel. It would be easy. There’s nothing we don’t already know about each other,” he breathes, looking at me intently.
Well, that used to be true. Would Jared still feel this way if he knew about my new secret life? Would he think I was a freak? He wouldn’t be that far off.
As if reading my forlorn thoughts, Jared reaches to stroke my cheek with the back of his hand, pulling my eyes to his. His touch is so soft and inviting and I instinctively nuzzle into it. My hazel eyes turn to warm caramel as I gaze into his dazzling greens. His face slowly inches closer to mine as his large hand cups my chin. He’s all I’ve ever wanted to for so long, and soon I will feel his lips on mine, something I’ve dreamt about since I was a girl.
The familiar click clack of stiletto heels stops Jared’s lips a mere centimeter from mine. I hear Morgan laughing with Miguel and James about how the drunken college slut, Summer, was crying on some poor sap’s shoulder. They tumble into the back seat with a clatter all obviously very intoxicated.
“Damn! The windows are all fogged up! What have you two been doing?” Morgan snickers. She’s encouraged by a chorus of ‘Ooooohs’ from Miguel and James, and they erupt in
to cackles as Jared turns beet red.
We stop at a local Denny’s for breakfast, packed to capacity with green-clad partygoers. We are lead to a booth only meant for 4 people so Morgan, Jared and I all cram into one side. Morgan is by the wall, I’m in the middle and Jared sits on the end so he can at least stretch his long legs. Feeling the warmth of his body touching mine, my arm brushing against his, thighs bonding under the cover of the table, makes my heart sputter. I breathe in and out deliberately, trying to regain control of my faculties. We make small talk about Morgan’s new frat boy conquests, the beer pong tournament that Miguel and James lost in the fourth round, and of course, my tussle with Little Miss Hot Shorts.
“Yeah, man, sorry about that,” James says to his younger brother. “If I would’ve known Summer was a total nut, I would’ve never introduced you two. I thought you guys hit it off?”
Oh ok, that makes sense. James attends UCCS along with Miguel. Jared must’ve met Summer while visiting the campus. She said something about her and Jared finishing what they started. What did she mean by that? The thought makes me cringe.
Jared shakes his head at his brother. “That chick was all kinds of crazy. Next time, don’t bother. I’m not interested in meeting anyone else.”
His head turns towards me just a fraction of an inch and I look down at my menu, even though we’ve already ordered. Thankfully, our waitress returns with our breakfast platters and everyone’s mouths are too stuffed with pancakes, eggs, French toast, bacon and sausage to discuss the matter any further.
**********
“I really want you to think about what I said,” Jared says under the lamp of my front porch. “I meant it,” he smiles crookedly, peering down at me. He again caresses my cheek and my heart picks up the pace. He cups both sides of my face pulling it slowly up to meet his. My head is dizzy, full of questions and uncertainty.
This is it. Once our lips touch, we can’t go back. He’ll never be my good old buddy Jared again. Can I live with that?
Blaaaarrggggg!
Holy shit! Once again, we are interrupted, this time by James throwing up his breakfast on the concrete, half his body dangling out of the open rear door. Jared and I both flinch in disgust at his violent heaving and I hurriedly unlock the door and run inside to retrieve a bottle of water and a trash bag just in case James gets sick on their way home. We awkwardly bid each other goodnight and I lock up. Once in my room, I kick off my boots and clothes and flop on the bed. I pull my cell phone out of my purse, where it’s been stashed all night, and see I’ve received 3 text messages, all from Dorian.
Dorian, 9:07 P.M.
-Thank you for spending time with me today. I will think of you while I am away.
Hmmm, he must’ve sent that while I was taking my nap.
Dorian, 10:36 P.M.
-Please be careful tonight.
Ok, that’s beyond strange. How would he know I wasn’t at home in flannel PJs and bunny slippers? What would make him assume I was doing something that would put me in danger?
Dorian, 12:48 A.M.
-Let me know when you’re in safely. I look forward to Friday.
The time shows that it’s almost 3 A.M., way too late to call him now so I make a mental note to give him a call in the morning. The day has been so long and full, I just can’t muster the strength to talk to him now anyway. I quickly wash my face, brush my teeth and climb into bed with just my bra and panties, too beat to even bother with pajamas.
I’m woken way too early by a knock on my bedroom door. I peek at my alarm clock and read that it’s 8 A.M. What the hell?
“Honey, we need you to come out here please, as soon as possible,” my dad raps on the door again. The tone of his voice instantly wakens me and I scramble out of bed, only to realize that I’m almost naked. I pull on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt and pop into the bathroom to brush my teeth and wipe away the remaining raccoon eyes from last night's mascara. When I bound down the hall, I am jolted by the sight of two police officers. Whoa.
“Ms. Winters, I am Detective Perkins, this is my partner, Detective Cole,” he motions towards a brown haired lady with a no-nonsense look on her plain face. Looks like she was woken up too early as well and isn’t happy about it. “We need to ask you a few questions.” Detective Perkins is a brown-skinned, robust man with a thinning hairline. His forehead is shiny with fresh sweat thought it is quite cool this early in the morning.
I motion for everyone to sit. My parents opt to stand together behind the recliner I choose to take. “Ok, what kind of questions?” I ask. I really am puzzled and I’m sure my face looks the part.
“Do you know this woman?” Perkins holds out a picture and I take it in my hands.
“No, I don’t know her, but I met her briefly last night.” It’s the drunken slore from the bar, Summer. Crap.
“And you had an altercation with her?” Detective Cole interjects. Her voice matches her face- flat and emotionless.
“I wouldn’t call it that. She was drunk, yelling obscenities at my friend, Jared, and me. She even took a swing.” I leave out that the swing was meant for Jared. “I pushed her and then left the bar.”
“And your friend? What did he do?” Cole asks. She seems bored.
“Nothing. He left with me. We waited in the car until our friends were ready to go,” I answer.
“And his name is?” Perkins asks, a pen and pad in his hand.
“Jared Johnson,” I answer skeptically.
I look up at my parents and read their grave, worried faces. I must’ve really done it this time. Summer probably has some rich daddy who is threatening to sue the pants off us. Shit.
“Look, Summer was aggressive towards us. There’s a whole bar of people who saw what went down. Is she really trying to press charges over a little shove?” I sigh and shake my head.
“Ms. Winters, Summer Carlisle isn’t pressing charges,” Perkins says, looking at me seriously. “Summer’s body was found early this morning.”
Shit just got real.
Chapter Seven
“What do you mean, ‘her body was found’? What happened to her?” I ask, flabbergasted. I instantly regret my spiteful musings.
“It means that she’s dead. More specifically murdered,” Cole says dryly. She leans forward and rests her elbows on her knees, for dramatic effect, I’m guessing. “Now being that you admit to assaulting her, all fingers point to you. Tell me, Gabriella, why did you want Ms. Carlisle dead?”
Is this woman for real? Someone has obviously been watching too many episodes of Law & Order. Simmer down, Detective Dramatic.
“What? Look, there’s no way I killed Summer. I had no reason to. She got out of hand at the bar. Yes, I pushed her, but that’s it,” I retort, fervently.
“No one’s accusing you of murder, Gabriella.” Perkins gives his partner an irritated glance. “But I do need to ask of your whereabouts last night approximately between 1 and 3 A.M. About what time did you leave the bar?”
“Well, after I got into it with Summer, I left and waited outside with my friend. Then we headed to Denny’s around midnight, I guess, maybe a little later. I got home after 2 or so,” I recall.
“And can anyone vouch for that?” Perkins asks.
“Yes, Jared Johnson, of course. And my friends Morgan, James, and Miguel. Wait!” I jump up and sprint to my room, returning just seconds later with a small slip of paper. “Here’s my receipt from Denny’s. I paid with my debit card.” I shove the piece of paper in Perkins’ face, pointing at the time stamp. It reads 1:52 A.M.
“This should check out.” Perkins nods, noting the time. He picks up his notepad. “And your friends? I’m going to need their names.”
“Sure. Jared and James Johnson. Morgan Pierre. And Miguel Espinoza.”
“And we’ll need to know where to find them,” Cole snaps.
I look at Cole squarely. “At their homes,” I say with a cynical smirk.
“Their addresses,” she adds, brusquely. She’s sho
oting daggers at me with her hard, muddy brown eyes.
“You’re the detective. Investigate!” I say incredulously. “Hell, you found me easily enough.” I give Cole a cold stare of my own. I hear my mom gasp in disbelief at my outburst and I turn back to my parents and mouth ‘What?’ with shrugged shoulders. I return my attention to a now furious Cole, and Perkins, a smile playing on his full lips as he scribbles down the names of my friends.
“Thank you for your time,” Perkins says, rising. He shakes each of our hands. Cole jumps up and makes a beeline for the front door without a word. Rude ass. “Here’s my card. Call me if you hear anything and we’ll be in touch if we have further questions.”
“No problem, Detective. Oh, Detective Perkins? Can I ask how she died?” I add, wondering if my suspicions are true.
Perkins looks back at his partner who is rolling her eyes, waiting impatiently with her hands on her hips. He hesitates for a beat. “Puncture wounds to the jugular, it seems, but we’re still waiting on the autopsy report.”
Chris shakes his head grimly and Donna grasps her chest with horror. I’m frozen in my seat, unable to process this horrible revelation. Finally, I meet Perkins’ eyes and nod my understanding. He looks solemn and exhausted as he walks to the door, as if he’s been working to catch the killer day and night. Little does he know that the assailant he’s searching for cannot be confined by handcuffs and a jail cell.
“Why don’t we go ahead and have breakfast,” my mom says after the police leave. She tries to usher me to the kitchen but I stop in my tracks.
“No. I’m going back to bed.” I turn on my heel and head back to my bedroom. I have no intention of sleeping but I definitely can’t eat after what has just transpired. I think to call my friends to warn them about the police but decide against it. I don’t want it to seem like we were plotting anything just in case they check our phone records. I really want to talk to Dorian, but I’m not sure if he’s on a plane or if he’s even awake. I decide to try a text message.
Dark Light (The Dark Light Series) Page 8
