Bad Storm

by Jackie Sexton

  “I should go. I have an aunt who lives nearby,” Aamir said quietly, looking away from me and to his feet.

  “How can we trust that you won’t try to harm us?” Trent said, moodily. But no one chided him. Everyone was wondering the same thing.

  “I guess you’ll just have to,” he said, finally looking up.

  “Let me walk you to the door.” I got to my feet and offered him a smile. I felt bad that he had helped me so much, and this was the treatment he received from the pack. But I knew that was how it had to be—it was how we protected ourselves.

  At the door Aamir asked to see me the next day. I agreed, but tried to hurry him out since the eye of the storm seemed to be ending and I didn’t want him to drive through the relentless tropical nightmare.

  I didn’t even bother going back to the living room after I saw him out. I just passed out on Trent’s bed, only to awaken ten hours later in Trent’s warm arms. Also, to a prescription from Mac.

  Turns out, it was unlikely that I didn’t have parasites since I swallowed swamp water. I knew then that the next time I had to save someone by jumping into filthy bog water, I’d think twice.

  Chapter Ten

  We sat across from each other at the diner, but I could do little more than stare at the menu before me. I was incredibly tired, and constantly anticipating a stomach ache (or worse) thanks to my late night dip in the swamp.

  “Feeling okay?” Aamir asked slowly, not even bothering to look at his menu.

  I forced a smile. “A little tired.” I didn’t understand how he looked so awake and alert, like nothing out of the ordinary had happened the night before.

  A waitress with a cheery disposition and a blonde pony tail came up to us, her olive green shirt neatly pressed and tucked into her black waist apron.

  “What can I get for you guys?” she asked, looking between the two of us with equal attention. She was so happy that I wondered for a moment if she was new or just one of those awesomely friendly waiters.

  “Coffee will be fine for me,” I said.

  “Anything to eat?” She asked, scribbling onto her pad.

  “Toast. Just dry toast.” I was afraid that anything else might awaken the terrible stomach ache I should have had by now.

  “And for you?” she asked, turning to Aamir.

  “I’ll have your breakfast special and some coffee,” he said pleasantly, flashing her a smile as he handed her the menu. I could see her smile broaden, and I knew she was totally smitten with his good looks. Then, something flit across her face, like recognition.

  “Are you…sorry, this is silly, but are you in Fun Aim, by any chance?”

  “Um, yes, yes I am,” Aamir said, suddenly getting bashful. It was apparent that he was still getting used to the whole fame thing.

  Honestly, it was something I had forgotten about until she brought it up. But celebrities and fame and even music, all of it seemed irrelevant after I faced certain death and ran out in a tropical storm to save the girl whose engagement I totally wrecked.

  “Oh God, sorry if this is weird, but I totally love your single Crash and Burn. I pre-ordered your album and I am just dying to hear it.” It was like she was overcome with joy, and I could hardly believe that I was sitting across the table of this random girl’s soon to be favorite rock star.

  “Thanks,” he said modestly, “that really means a lot to me.”

  “Do you think you could sign this napkin for me?” she asked, excitedly pulling a napkin from her apron pockets and handing him a pen. My eyes widened as I realized that her hands were slightly trembling.

  “Sure…” Aamir seemed slightly surprised, but took the pen and napkin with grace. “Who should I make this out to?”

  “Melissa,” she gushed, “my friends are totally going to freak.”

  Aamir laughed, as if she had made a joke, and scrawled in lovely, loopy cursive, ‘To Melissa—thanks for your kind words, hope the album meets your expectations!’

  I could feel my jaw drop. This guy just wasn’t to be believed. He was not only gracious, hot, intelligent, talented, strong, and all kinds of magical, but he was ridiculously modest.

  And it was then, if I hadn’t completely decided before, that I realized I didn’t want him. I couldn’t. Because no matter how long I could spend listing his perfect qualities, proving how he was a god among men, nothing would change the fact that he was imperfect in the only way that could make me love him.

  He wasn’t Trent.

  I could feel my heart swell with feeling at the thought of his handsome cut face, lined with stubble and that harrowing look like he hardly slept. He was impetuous, jealous, quick to assume, indecisive, and a little full of it.

  And I absolutely wanted him more than anyone else.

  After Melissa left, humming the tune to Crash and Burn to herself, I smiled at him, suddenly empowered by the strong certainty that came to me in that moment. It was like he didn’t hold power over me anymore.

  “I bet you get that a lot, don’t you?”

  “Not really,” he chuckled, scratching shyly behind his ear. “I mean, it just started happening recently outside of shows. It’s pretty crazy really.”

  “It’s great,” I beamed at him. “You’re part of a great band. You deserve this.”

  His expression faltered for a moment. “Thanks,” he said. “Honestly, I’m having a hard time reading your energy right now. Why aren’t you pissed at me? Or at least suspicious?”

  “I trust you,” I admitted. “You saved my life. You helped me save Lola, and you have no idea who she is. I mean, I’m tired and stupid and reckless, but I don’t think you know what it means to me that you came. I needed help, I couldn’t do what I did alone.”

  Aamir just shook his head for a moment. “You,” he smiled, “are incredible. You were on the verge of dying, and all you could think about was saving this girl who apparently put you in this situation to begin with.”

  I cringed. There was a lot about my relationship with Lola that he didn’t need to know about, but I knew better than to pretend that I wasn’t somewhat responsible for the situation I ended up in.

  “She had good reason to help Gita. I haven’t been the best person to her. But, since I’m part of the pack and all…” I paused to see if he would react negatively, since I was referencing the imprint. He didn’t flinch, and his expression betrayed no emotion.

  “I’m bound to her. For better or worse, I’m her family now. I’m one of them.”

  Aamir remained quiet for a moment, and Melissa came back cheerily with our mugs, pouring the black coffee into the creamy ceramic and laying out creamers for us. By the time she left, Aamir seemed ready to speak up.

  “I underestimated the power of that bond. I guess I was in denial.” He admitted, mixing his coffee with the wooden stirrer as he poured the creamer in.

  “Yeah, I think I did too,” I said, staring at the white cream as it turned my coffee into a milky brown. “But it’s not just the bond Aamir,” I said, forcing my gaze upwards to meet his. “I mean, this is my home. And these are the people I belong with. I belong with Trent.”

  The words came out strong and unapologetic, and though I hate to sound harsh, I knew it was important that I take a stance. For once in my life, I needed to feel sure of who I was, and not feel conflicted about it.

  I needed to be with Trent. Even if that meant it hurting Aamir.

  He nodded and looked away, and I could see the pain filling his deep brown eyes. I fought the urge to reach out for his hand and comfort him, to tell him that it would all work out. Because I didn’t know that it would, and I wasn’t the person who could fix it for him. By listening to my heart, I would have to accept the consequences.

  “I know. I can tell by the way he looks at you. He deserves you.” He finally forced himself to look at me, and I bit my lip, keeping myself in check. “I’m just the unlucky guy who fell for the wrong girl.”

  He forced a smile on his face that I could tell was killin
g him inside.

  “I would have never led you on if I had known,” I said quietly.

  “Hey, it would have hurt no matter what. I saw you and I knew that I wanted to be with you. It’s silly, but it’s true.” he shook his head as if disgusted with himself. “But even if things were different, something would have gotten in the way. Like my family. Or my curse.”

  “You don’t have a curse,” I said quickly. “You have a gift!”

  He laughed humorlessly. “Don’t pretend you didn’t fight it yourself. You wanted to feel your own genuine emotions, and while it’s tempting to submit to something that can make you feel good, it isn’t honest. I manipulate. I guess that’s why everything I say is honest—I feel a lot of guilt over what I do. Over what I’m expected to do.”

  He took a long sip of his coffee, his eyes wandering over to the diner walls covered in retro pictures of cars and Coca-Cola advertisements.

  “You’re in control of who you are. I know it’s easy for me to say because I don’t know everything you have to go through as a part of your clan or whatever, but you decided to be a musician. And Fun Aim is getting huge! You also decided to save me. No one told you to do that,” I said in a hushed voice. I felt a surge of affection for him. Not romantic, but filled with respect and admiration.

  Aamir was a good person, and while I didn’t know a whole lot about empaths or nymphs or warlocks or whatever, I knew what made a person good. Nobody could convince me otherwise.

  “Thanks,” he said, and I could see that he meant it. “That really means a lot to me.”

  Melissa came back with the food on a tray, mindlessly chattering to Aamir about their upcoming tour schedule as she placed our plates before us. Aamir was polite and answered all of her questions to the best of his ability before she finally left.

  I took a bite into the plain toast, realizing for the first time since I had woken up that I was ravenous.

  “Hey,” I said finally, breaking the silence between us as we ate. “I know this might be a lot to ask, but I want to be friends if that’s at all possible.”

  “To be completely honest with you,” he responded, “I think I need a good deal of space.”

  I nodded in understanding, feeling my heart drop to my stomach.

  ‘You can’t have it all,’ I reminded myself.

  “But I hope that one day that we can be friends. You’re a unique person, Bailey, I admire that.”

  I laughed, a pronounced “ha!” leaving my lips, but I couldn’t help but smile genuinely. Even if I was turning him down, I knew inside that one day he was going to make some chick super happy. And she would make him happy in return.

  Because good things happen to good people sometimes. I felt it in that moment in my tired bones and my stomach filled with swamp water, as I sat across from a guy I effectively just dumped.

  Because we were alive, and all was well.

  Chapter Eleven

  I went back to the house to pick up my things and to tell Trent that everything with Aamir had been resolved. What I didn’t expect, was, waiting for me on the porch was Allison, sitting on the old rocking chair with a book in her lap.

  “Hey,” I said, tentatively. I immediately became self-conscious—Allison was the kind of girl you looked at and had no idea what she was thinking.

  She looked up, her cute, mousey features flat, expressing nothing. She looked me up and down. Then finally, she opened her mouth.

  “Lola isn’t a bad person, you know.”

  I definitely was not expecting that. I nodded slowly. “I know.” And though it would be easy for me to feel like she was a crazy bitch and blame all of my problems on her, I knew it wouldn’t be right. I could feel her inside of me. She was a person who hurt, and hurt a lot.

  Allison nodded curtly and returned her gaze back to her book. I went up to the door and raised my fist, feeling Trent’s presence inside.

  “It’s open,” Allison said, her gaze still strictly on the book in her lap.

  “Oh, thanks,” I muttered, slightly uncomfortable. I opened the door and walked straight to Trent’s room. He opened the door before I even got to it.

  “Look who it is,” he said with a wry, tired smile. I knew he had stayed up all night: I could tell by his wrinkled shirt, tousled hair, and bloodshot eyes. And yet, he still managed to look so sexy.

  Some things in life just aren’t fair.

  I threw my arms around him, pulling his body in a crushing hug. He wrapped his arms around me and squeezed me back tightly, the warmth that flowed between us a perfect current of happiness.

  “Where’s Lola?” I asked, quickly pulling away from him and sensing her absence.

  “Don’t worry, Mac took her to his office so he could keep an eye on her. Nick’s there too. Since he’s a freelancer he’s working from there and keeping an eye on her.”

  I exhaled in relief and Trent gave me a tired smile. “You’re really worried about her.”

  “Yeah,” I admitted. “I don’t know, I felt so guilty about everything with you and me and…I just know I hurt her. And it’s weird…but I feel like she’s a part of me. Even if she hates me, it’s like we’re related,” I muttered, feeling slightly embarrassed. But it felt strong, like I had known her my whole life.

  Trent nodded. “That’s just how it feels. And whether she likes it or not, that’s how she feels about you. It makes her hatred for you probably all the more complicated.”

  Then I noticed a change in his demeanor, as if his thoughts went somewhere else. “How was Aamir?” his tone was stiff, controlled. I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Fine. He’s a very understanding guy. He said he could tell that we’re supposed to be together.”

  “God, there has to be something wrong with that guy,” Trent muttered jealously, his strong jaw tensing in frustration.

  “There is something wrong with him,” I said, sliding my hands around his neck and pulling his face down towards mine, inching my lips closer to his.

  “He’s not you,” I whispered, and pressed my mouth onto his, relishing into the hot feel of his mouth. He gripped his hands onto my thighs, slowly running them upwards to meet at the back of my waist, his hands leaving a hot trail even through my shirt.

  I combed my fingers upwards through his dark hair, feeling the force of his kiss as if for the first time, electric and explosive, like a pyrotechnic show at a theme park.

  And we kissed, long and slow, like we existed under water, like the kiss would never end. It was like we extended into one another souls, reaching into two bodies, dancing inside one another.

  It was then that I really knew that I was his. And I would be his forever.

  Epilogue

  The fourth of July was a surprisingly clear day. The terrible weather had finally cleared up, and the ocean breeze felt crisp and delicious instead of muggy and hot.

  My mother was hosting her annual Fourth of July beach party at the Ferris Park, about thirty minutes north of Deston Beach where they had a firework show every year. We caravanned together, and I even convinced Mac to come since he didn’t have any relatives to speak of. Lola didn’t come and neither did my brother, but Allison did—it felt like a small victory, even if she did bring her book.

  Out on the white sandy beach Sierra and I were giggling as we dumped whole buckets of sand over Brandon’s body, with the distinct promise of turning him into a ‘merman.’

  “You guys better not pull anything funny!” he warned, still smiling as he threatened us.

  “We’re just doing what you asked,” Sierra said innocently, fashioning some of the sand into what looked suspiciously like a tentacle. I giggled and looked over at Mac and my step-dad starting the barbeque (even though it was probably too late to be cooking any more hotdogs), and Nick, Martin and Trent drinking some beers and hanging out. Trent toasted his aluminum can towards us, giving me a coy wink.

  “If you guys don’t do what I want I won’t give you the big news,” Brandon teased.


  “What big news?” I asked, turning to eye him suspiciously. “No one said anything about big news to me.”

  “Duh,” he sighed dramatically. “Because it was supposed to be a surprise.”

  Sierra stopped patting the dirt into a curling tentacle. “Okay, we’ll make you a merman,” she said, giving in. It was so like Sierra to sacrifice anything for a bit of gossip.

  “Okay, well, I know you’ve been slacking on your social media duties Ms. Manager,” Brandon teased.

  “Give me a break!” I said, turning slightly red. While it was totally warranted a week ago when I was in danger of dying, my recent slip in my duties was due to something of a much more frivolous nature—

  Trent. But in my defense, we had quite of few years of repressed feelings to make up for. Some very, very hot repressed feelings.

  “Okay, but you better promise not to tell that I told,” Brandon warned.

  “Just tell us already!” Sierra demanded, exasperated.

  “Well, Jeez, talk about impatient. So that night at the The Nightshift someone recorded the show and put it online…”

  “Oh God,” I said mortified, suddenly recalling that I had sang in front of hundreds of people. It was only a week ago, but it felt like forever ago. “Please tell me no one saw it.”

  “Everyone saw it,” Brandon said. “It’s huge! I can’t believe you haven’t even realized. Anyway, we had a secret meeting…”

  “Who, Bad Moon?” I said, my eyes opening wide.

  “Yeah, and we want you to record with us! It could be our first single, Bailey, think about it!”

  I just gawked at him until Sierra snapped me out of my thoughts with a, “holy shit.”

  “I’m not supposed to know this, right?” I finally said, the words still processing in my addled mind.

  “Yep,” Brandon said. “Also, you promised to make me a merman.”

  I laughed, shaking my head at him. But I couldn’t stop thinking about what he had said. I just had to check the internet—I was getting up, sanding off my legs, when Sierra gave me a quizzical look.