Fractured ( Fractured #1)

by Holleigh James

  Whew! I thought… well, never mind what I thought. I was just glad it wasn’t that. I heard someone call his name, probably Matt.

  “I have to go. Sweet dreams!”

  “They will be; they’re all of you.” And they were.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  After watching Dillon get on the bus, I went back to bed until ten. I didn’t sleep, but it felt good to just lie there and do nothing. Then it took me half an hour to find an outfit I was happy with. I wasn’t sure if we’d be hanging around the creek, or the beach, or wherever, but I wanted to look good without sacrificing comfort. I settled on the red and white lacey tank top and denim shorts I had just bought at the mall. My white Converses with red, ankle-length socks seemed like a good match. After a quick shower, I got dressed, and shoved some money and my aloe vera stick into one of my shorts’ pockets, and my house keys into the other. Then I ran downstairs to the kitchen.

  I was too excited to eat breakfast. Two chocolate chip cookies settled the dispute between my brain and my protesting stomach.Excitement fueled my steps, and it dawned on me that I was singing and dancing as I washed the dishes in the sink. I attempted reading, but I couldn’t concentrate. I tried baking more cookies, but my mind was in such a muddle that I burnt them. As I scraped them into the garbage, I realized that I needed to calm down, otherwise, I’d be worn to a frazzle before it was time to meet Rob. I turned on the TV and stared at the talk show host as I thought about Rob. What was he doing? Was he looking forward to being together as much as I was?

  I peeked in on Mom for the twentieth time. “Why do you keep coming in here? Get out. You’re not my mother,” she said, raising the volume on her television and taking a swig of her newest bottle.

  I ran to the bathroom to wipe the tears from my cheek. Why did she have to be so mean? After I composed myself, I heard a car horn. I peeked outthe window and saw Rob’s black BMW at the end of my driveway. I wrote Mom a note telling her that I’d be out, and that Bryan was having friends over in the evening. I doubted if she’d even venture downstairs to see it. I knew Bryan would be home for when Dillon got home; Dad would let him leave the garage early for that. At least he’d see the note.

  I locked the front door and skipped down the driveway. The car windows were rolled up. It was odd that he wasn’t waiting outside of the car like he had all the other times he came. As I got closer, I bent down to look through the passenger side window. It wasn’t Rob. It was his cousin Eric, who looked startled when he turned his head in my direction. His mouth formed an “o” when he realized I was standing there. He swung the door open and leaped out of the car.

  “Sorry. I was supposed to be waiting outside, but a really good song came on the radio.”

  I looked around. “Where’s Rob?”

  “He told me to come pick you up.”

  “He did?”

  “Yeah. He paid me twenty bucks and said I could drive his car if I bring you someplace.”

  “And where would that be?”

  He lifted his head. One eyebrow arched on his forehead. “I’ve been sworn to secrecy.” Realizing he wasn’t performing the way he was paid to, he raced around the back of the car and held the rear door open for me. Once I pulled my legs in, he closed the door and jogged around to the driver’s side again. He glanced in the rear-view mirror.

  “What? No chauffeur’s hat?” I asked.

  He laughed. “I asked for one, but I got a smack on the arm instead.” He looked in the mirror again. “Mind if I keep the radio on?”

  “No. I like this song.”

  During the drive, Eric looked up once in a while through the rear-view mirror. He tried to make small talk. “You excited to be a senior in September?”

  I shrugged. “I guess. I haven’t given it much thought.” Then it was my turn. “Do you know who your homeroom teacher is next year?”

  “Nah. I’ll have to wait until we get the assignment letters in the mail. How about you?”

  “I’m thinking maybe Ms. Gillis. She said something about looking forward to seeing me in the fall.”

  There was an awkward silence for a few minutes. Then, “Read any good books this summer?” he asked.

  “Usually, I do, but I can’t seem to concentrate this summer. You?”

  “Nah, I protest anything academic when there’s no school.” We both laughed.

  “Say, do you know Courtney Smith?” I asked.

  His eyes flickered to the rear-view mirror. “The hot brunette that hangs out with Jennifer Sutton?”

  “Yeah. She thinks you’re cute.”

  “She does?”

  “Uh-huh. She told me yesterday.” Eric sat a little taller in the driver’s seat.

  Staring out the window, I took note of all the landmarks in our town as we passed them on the way to the secret meeting place–the hardware store still owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Henderson, Carvel, the dry cleaner, Burger Hut where Bryan and Jimmy worked. Bryan’s Mustang was parked at the far end of the lot. Eric continued on, and soon we were at the edge of our town.

  “Are you sure you can’t tell me where we’re going?” I asked.

  “Sorry,” he said. “You don’t want Rob to seriously kick my butt, do you?” He laughed and kept his eyes on the road in front of him.

  After driving down a winding street, Eric turned into a private cul-de-sac, and pulled into the driveway of a huge, two-story house. The front was mostly light grey brick up to the roof. Well-manicured bushes grew underneath white-rimmed windows with black shutters on either side of the massive front doors. Flowers stretched and yawned from newly mulched flowerbeds. A curved brick path leading to the house dissected a carpet of grass. Again, Eric ran around to my side of the car and held the door open. Drinking in the beautiful scene in front of me, I got out of the car without taking my eyes off the large house. This would be great to draw, I thought.

  Eric shut the door behind me and walked to the garage. He pressed a button, and the door rolled up. He walked inside. Strapping on a bike helmet, he mounted the bicycle that was leaning against the wall. He used his chin to point to the front door. “It’s not locked. You can go right in.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “My work here is done. I have to go to my actual job now.” I knew he was a stock boy at Walgreens. “See ya later.” He looked over his shoulder and yelled, “Have a good time,” before he rolled down the driveway. Before I knew it, he was far down the semi-private street.

  I was apprehensive as I walked up the brick walkway. Why would Rob meet me here? Was this his aunt and uncle’s house? Each brick in the path was perfectly set in a zig-zag pattern. Three slate-stone steps led up to the beautiful mahogany doors. I swallowed hard, reached for the handle, and pushed inward. On the other side was a cavernous hallway. I scanned its grandness. The detail was incredible. Elaborate crown molding outlined the walls that led to the rooms radiating from the hub. To the right, an ornate wrought iron banister, that looked as if it belonged in a Louisiana plantation house, climbed the staircase; to the left, a large, gold-framed painting of a sixteenth-century woman holding roses in her lap filled the wall. Below my feet was a shiny white marble floor. Visually, I consumed the hall. On the second pass, my eyes stopped on Rob, standing in a doorway a few feet to my right.

  He walked toward me. He cupped my face in his hands and gazed into my eyes. Then, after a long, romantic kiss, he said, “I’m glad Eric got you here in one piece. I’m not that confident about his driving. He’s only had his permit a couple of weeks, but I knew he’d be careful enough not to get caught without another licensed driver in the car.”

  Trying to regain my composure after the kiss, I asked, “Where are we?”

  The grin left his face. He squared his shoulders and said, “This… is my house. Or at least it will be when the reconstruction is finished.”

  “Your house?” Shock, amazement, and awe swelled inside me. I’m sure it was evident in my voice.

  “The contracto
rs are almost done with the upstairs. They had to replace part of the roof. The insurance adjuster said that the foundation was unharmed, even though the fire started in the basement where the chemicals were. I just ordered new wallpaper for the den.”

  It was then that I noticed the hint of smoke lingered in the air.

  “I was hoping it would be finished by the time school started. I love my aunt and uncle, and Eric’s been great about sharing his room, but their house is cramped. And, I’d rather be in my own space. I’m going to have to deal with being alone sooner or later.” His serious expression shifted to a playful smile. “Besides, Eric snores.”

  I laughed and then trailed behind him as he gave me the grand tour. Evidence of where the fire scarred them was not apparent in the rooms toward the back of the house. Upstairs, the door to his parents’ bedroom was closed.

  “It was bad in there. That’s where my mother…” He looked away from the door. “She was found in there. Construction is almost finished in there. The construction guys had to replace most of the roof. I wasn’t allowed on this floor until they made sure it was structurally sound. They had to wait for more supplies, so they aren’t here today. I hope you’ll understand that I can’t bring myself to open the door just yet.”

  “Of course.” What else could I say?

  He saved his bedroom for last. It was across the house from his parents’ room. He opened the door, and white pickled floors provided entry into shades of blues and greens on the walls. Books and papers were scattered on the top of the desk in the corner. An empty mattress cradled in a beautiful wooden frame took up most of the far wall.

  “I haven’t replaced anything in here yet. There’s really nothing wrong with any of it, but it reminds me of how it used to be.” Sorrow filled his voice.

  The curtains on the large picture window were pulled back and I could see out into the backyard. In the center of more picture-perfect grass was a small wooden structure. I walked over to the window to get a better look. It was tall, with a pointed top; it was the rocket he told me his father built for him when he was little.

  He came up behind me and whispered in my ear, “Would you like to sit inside?” He seemed eager to share it with me. Before I could answer, his grabbed my hand and led me down the stairs, through the kitchen, and out into the enormous backyard.

  He tugged me along too quickly for me to appreciate the cushion of grass below my feet. The wood of the rocket was grayed with age to an almost silver color. Cobwebs stretched across the two round windows on either side of a small capsule shaped opening. I bent my head and entered the ship. Only a small wooden bench was inside. Rob came in after me and sat on it. I joined him on the other half. It was cramped, but cozy. It was nice to be in such a small space with him.

  “It seemed bigger when I was nine.” He giggled like a little kid. “Eric and I used to play in here all the time.” He looked around, as if he could see a movie of his childhood playing on the walls. “I wasn’t this tall back then.”

  I laughed.

  “I wanted to show you this place because you’ve been so open about sharing your special place with me. Just like your creek, this place is special to me. Other than Eric, and my aunt and uncle, no one has been here, especially since the fire. I sit in here when I want to be alone, like when you go to the creek. That’s another reason why I wanted to share this with you. We have a special connection, and even though we’ve only known each other for a couple of weeks, it feels right for me. When my parents died, I didn’t know how I was going to go on. Aunt Rachel and Uncle John have been so great. I know I can count on them, but I still felt lost, empty. That day you came into the supermarket changed me. I felt like I was ready to start living again.”

  I stared at him blankly. If he only knew that he made me feel the same way. “Yeah, who knew that buying potato salad would change my life, too?”

  “Other girls try to use their phony interest to get me to notice them, but you have more than just external beauty, Mandy; your soul shines through. It caught my attention when you ordered the wrong thing that day in the supermarket. You didn’t do it to impress me; you were just being you. I could tell that you didn’t want to admit your mistake. It was cute. Instead, you made it work for you. You went with it. And the second time, when I was on the register in your line, you were mumbling to yourself. Remember? You were behind that annoying guy with all of the vegetables?”

  I grinned with embarrassment. Oh my God. Was I talking to myself? I looked down at my hands and admitted the truth to him. “I was trying to figure out what to say to you.”

  His hearty laughter caught me off-guard. “I was trying to figure out how to talk to you, too, ever since that first day in the deli section.”

  “But, why? I’m so ordinary and boring. You could have better.”

  He held my hand in his. It was warm. “That’s where you’re wrong. There is so much about you that’s interesting, and wonderful, and exciting, and creative, and—”

  I held a hand up. “Okay, okay. I get it.” I was confused by the conflicting opinions he and I both had about me.

  “You aren’t superficial. You’re genuine and beautiful, inside and out. I can’t help but be happy when I’m with you. You have a pull on me, like a strong magnet. And the more I get to know you, the more I feel like I have to be with you. It’s hard to leave when we’re together. And when I’m not with you, I think about you all the time. I count the minutes until I can see you again. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I can’t be without you.”

  His words made my heart skip a beat. My head reeled, because that was exactly how I felt about him. Was this really happening? Or was this one of my wonderful dreams?

  A few silent moments fluttered between us. “I haven’t seriously dated many girls. In fact, I can count them on two fingers, but…”

  But? My guard went up. Sweat formed on my palms. I held my breath and waited for him to tell me that it wouldn’t work. That although I was nice, and pretty, and all the other adjectives he listed about me, I wasn’t the right girl for him.

  He stroked my hair, which I had worn loose because I knew he liked it that way. His fingers meshed in my curls. His other hand caressed my cheek. I looked into his crystal-blue eyes. “What I’m trying to say, Mandy, is… I need you. You make me happy.”

  Skyrockets went off in my brain. My heart danced like it was leading a Conga line. My feet went numb, and the only thing I had control over was my mouth. I lunged at him and pressed my lips to his. I kissed him so hard I thought he would be able to feel what was happening inside of me.

  “Ouch!” he said.

  I pulled back. “Did I hurt you?”

  He rubbed the back of his head. “No, I didn’t expect you to do that and I banged my head.”

  I rubbed his head, too. “I’m so sorry.” I felt awkward and stupid.

  “Don’t be,” he said. He smiled and his dimple appeared. “It was nice.”

  “It was?”

  “Yes. It’s always nice to kiss you.”

  I leaned in and kissed him again, this time with gentle butterfly kisses. He didn’t let go of the last one. A low moan came from his throat. My blood raced in reaction.

  “Let’s go inside,” he said. “It’s too cramped in here.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  We barely made it back into the house when I felt his arms slide around my waist from behind me. They pulled me toward him. His muscular chest formed a wall against my back. His lips pressed gently against the nape of my neck. A tornado of emotions whirled up inside of me. I couldn’t control my breathing as I tried to inhale. Tilting my head to the side, I allowed him broader access. My shoulders dropped, and I closed my eyes. Unable to harness the surge of hormones, I stopped thinking about what I was supposed to do, and focused on what I wanted to do. I turned to face him and attacked his mouth with mine. My fingers raked through his thick dark hair. I couldn’t stop, but I had to; the doorbell rang.

  An unnatural ha
lt caused us to look at each other and realize how dangerous the moment had gained in momentum. The bell rang again.

  “I’ll be right back,” he said, deflated.

  I shook my head to rattle my common sense back to the front of my brain. Then, I took a seat at the breakfast nook. It separated the kitchen from the den. The wall at the far end had dark soot stains that ran up and down the once pretty,flowered wallpaper. Breathing in deeply, then exhaling to a count of five, helped to calm my over anxious body. When Rob returned, he was carrying a large box.He placed it on the counter, and the aroma of food drifted back towards me. Involuntarily, my stomach grumbled.

  “Since I haven’t been living here, the kitchen isn’t in working condition yet. I hope you don’t mind, I ordered in.”

  I spied a clock on the stove. How had it become six o’clock already? My mental checklist registered that I was hungry, but not for food.

  Removing several containers from the box, he placed them on the table. He opened a cabinet and pulled out paper plates, plastic utensils, and napkins. “Sorry it has to be paper. All of the dishes and silverware are still packed in boxes until I can move back in officially.” He pulled some cans of soda from the refrigerator.

  “That’s fine.”

  We ate slowly, exchanging wanton glances as we talked about upcoming expectations for the school year.

  From the large picture window over the sink, I could see the sun hang low in the sky. Its orange radiance spread across the horizon, making the rocket ship clubhouse look as if it had pushed off for a mission. Light bounced off of the kitchen walls. The room glowed. The amber hue made Rob even more handsome. When he realized that I was staring, his cool blue eyes locked on me. “Is something wrong?”

  “No, not at all.”

  “You’re not eating.”

  “I was thinking about what you said earlier.”

  “Oh?”

  “I didn’t want you to think I was saying it before just because you did, but you make me happy, too. That day I took you to the creek, when you looked into my eyes, you connected with my soul. Or maybe it started the day we were at the beach. You shared how you felt about the water, the clouds, and the beauty of everything around us. It made me feel special. You made sure I would remember every moment by giving me the shell as a memento. Perhaps an ordinary shell to anyone else, it will never be ordinary to me. That’s the way you’ve made every moment I’ve shared with you. When you leave me, I feel like something has been stolen from me; and when we’re together, it feels as if I’m going to explode with happiness. I’ve never experienced this before, but I’m certain that it’s love that I’m feeling now.”