Knotted Roots

by Kight, Ruthi

  “Ready? Dan’s in the car,” she said as she scanned me from head to toe.

  “Sure. Let’s get going.” I gave Grandma a slight nod before shutting the door. We walked down the stairs and made our way to the car. Before we got too close, Katy leaned over and whispered in my ear.

  “Dan invited a friend of his. His name is Jackson and he’s pretty harmless. Just be warned, he’s a charmer,” she spoke so close to my ear that I could smell the fresh mint on her breath.

  I nodded my head and we continued to the car. Katy climbed into the front seat, leaving me to sit in the back with the nefarious Jackson. As I closed the door I looked over at the person sitting next to me. No wonder Katy warned me ahead of time. He was stunning! His dark black hair fell in waves around his head, partially obscuring his grey eyes. It wasn’t quite dark out yet, so I was able to catch a glimpse of his strong jaw and chiseled cheeks. When he smiled at me I shivered. It wasn’t the same kind of shiver I felt around Chase. This one felt dangerous.

  * * * *

  The ride to the party was stifling. Jackson tried to make conversation, but after Katy’s warning, I kept my own responses to one syllable. I didn’t want to give him any encouragement. Eventually he gave up trying and decided to talk sports with Dan instead. The two of them acted as if Katy and I weren’t even there, and that was perfectly fine with me. I caught him staring a few times, but the angry glare that I shot at him almost gave him whiplash.

  When we finally reached the party I couldn’t escape fast enough. Dan had barely put the car in park before I swung open the door and rushed out. Once I was out of the vehicle I was able to take a deep breath once again. The tension had been so thick you could almost run your fingers through it. Katy hurriedly got out of the car as well and turned to look at me. Her playful smile was gone.

  “Okay, so. If anyone asks, we’re here with Jackson and Dan. Got it?” she asked as she slung her large purse on her shoulder. I nodded and smiled. “Now, don’t get mad at me, but there is someone here tonight that you should probably know about.”

  I glared at her, already suspecting who it could be. “You told him about the party? Why?” I couldn’t believe that she hadn’t warned me ahead of time. I specifically told her that I wasn’t interested in anything to do with Chase tonight.

  “He called me earlier and he seemed really upset. I panicked. I told him how to get the party details. Please don’t be mad at me.” She gave me the worst sad, puppy dog eyes and I couldn’t help but giggle at her. She failed miserably at looking innocent, especially with that mischievous sparkle in her eyes.

  “Fine, I’ll forgive you this time. But know that if I get cornered tonight, I’m totally blaming you. ” I glanced around, scanning the crowd of people. “I don’t see him, so that’s a good sign.”

  “What happened between you two earlier? Is that why he was so upset when he called?”

  I considered lying to her. Would she understand if I told her? I doubted it, so I gave her the half-truth. “We had a disagreement. No biggie. But we’re not here to talk about that. Let’s go mingle,” I grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the car, advancing quickly towards a group of people gathered around the back of a nearby truck.

  We slipped into the group easily. A few heads turned in our direction, but for the most part we were ghosts, blending seamlessly. It felt good to be anonymous, no one expecting anything from me. It had been so long since I had felt so at ease, especially among strangers. It was a feeling that I could get used to. I glanced at Katy who seemed to be enjoying herself as well. She had already been approached by a fine specimen of country goodness. He was every Southern stereotype rolled into one, right down to the faded Levi’s and broken in cowboy boots.

  I watched them for a few minutes, occasionally scanning the growing crowd. There weren’t any familiar faces. I started to grow anxious, unsure what to do next. I fiddled with my cell phone, looking through the dozens of apps, but found nothing to entertain me. I now knew what it felt like to be invisible. I had always been a somebody, and while this should have been a humbling experience, the only thing I felt was uncomfortable.

  I whispered to Katy that I was going to do some walking around, she nodded and immediately returned her attention to the cowboy she was talking to. I walked away quickly, trying to resist the urge to flat out run. Everywhere my eyes landed there were groups of people congregating around one vehicle or another. It seemed that most of them were trucks, the bed of the vehicle loaded down with coolers of who knows what. I had a feeling it was alcohol, but I didn’t get close enough to find out for sure.

  I found a large rock, devoid of people, and sat down. I pulled my knees up to my chin and rested my head on my hands. I felt completely out of my element. This was not what I was used to. This was a whole new world, filled with new people that I had no idea how to deal with. I was shocked that Katy seemed to blend in with everyone so easily. I searched for her and found her at the same truck, her hands locked around a red cup. She was now talking to a group of giggling girls, all of them animated and looking like they were having the time of their lives.

  I smiled, knowing that at least one of us was having a good time. I heard footsteps behind me, approaching slowly. I glanced over my shoulder towards the sound and nearly fell off the rock. Chase, dressed in a light blue polo shirt that accentuated every muscle in his upper body, was standing there, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans.

  “Room for another?” He motioned to the rock I was sitting on. I nodded and scooted over, giving him enough room to join me. “Thanks.”

  I nodded again and then returned my eyes to the scene around us. We sat quietly for a while, both of us content to just people watch. When he finally spoke, I nearly jumped out of my skin. “I’m sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t have said all of that. I was out of line.”

  “Not interested in talking.” I refused to look at him. My resolve to be a bitch was weakening with every word he spoke. “I’m not even sure why I came over here...” He stood up and looked down at me. “I keep telling myself to just give you some time. That you’re going through a lot of stuff. But I’m wrong, aren’t I? This is just who you are.”

  I looked up at him and shivered, the fire in his eyes felt as if it was singeing every nerve ending in my body. In that moment I wanted to throw my arms around him and get lost in his touch. I wanted nothing more than to forget about the world around me and the bullshit that I called life.

  “I thought you learned your lesson on analyzing me already?” He cocked his head to the side, studying my face.

  “I’m hard headed.” He glanced around, his eyes darting through the surrounding darkness. “I guess I’ll just leave ya to it then.” I grabbed his hand before he could make an escape.

  “Look. I’m...sorry. Okay?” I didn’t let go of his hand. The warmth of his palm felt amazing sliding across mine. The electricity coursing between us entranced me, calling to me, pulling me under with each passing moment. “I’m messed up. You know this. As much as I hate to say this, I could use a friend here.”

  His eyes lit up with laughter as a grin spread on his face. “A friend. I think I can do that.” He squeezed my hand gently, causing sparks to flare, before gently releasing his grip. My hand dropped to my side. I felt bereft now that we were no longer linked together. “But just so you know, I want more than that. And I think you do too.”

  “You don’t want that Chase. Trust me. I’m trouble. Ask anyone who knows me.”

  “Do you believe everything people say? ‘Cause I don’t think you’re trouble. Difficult, yes, but not trouble.” His words hit home. I looked at the grass for a moment, my heart thumping out a painful rhythm. What do you say to something like that?

  “Why are you so damn nice, Chase? I mean, nice is one thing, but you’re really nice. I don’t get it. At all.” I looked up and our eyes locked.

  “Why do you always expect the worst of the people you meet?” he countered.


  I wanted to shake him, show him that the world wasn’t all peaches and cream. There were terrible people out there who wanted to do horrible things to others. There was no reason to think the best of people when they continued to show you their worst. I knew this from experience. My own parents were one of the worst examples. They had given up on their love so easily, letting it fall through the cracks because it wasn’t what they initially hoped it would be. They had proven that life was cruel, and the people in your life would tear you down, from the inside out.

  “Because people are destined to let you down. They’re selfish. They’re doomed to disappoint.” I had to avert my eyes as I spoke. I couldn’t keep staring into his eyes and not get tongue tied.

  “Who told ya that?”

  “No one had to tell me. I’ve learned that first hand.”

  “Then maybe ya haven’t met the right people yet.”

  “Let me guess. You’re the right person, huh?” I smirked at him. He shrugged his shoulders and looked at something far away. As I studied his profile, my insides churned with longing. He looked so innocent right then, so unlike the flirtatious guy that I had come to know. His intentions towards me were no secret, even if mine towards him were.

  “I didn’t say that. But I will say that ya will never know unless ya get to know me.”

  How do you tell someone that you can’t get close to them because you don’t know how? Would he laugh at me if I said that? Would he end up telling everyone at this party about my inability to have “real” friends? I couldn’t risk it. That was something I wasn’t ready to give up just yet. My secrets were held close to my heart; right where I was determined they would remain forever.

  “What’s the point? I hate to sound like a broken record, but I’m leaving here at the end of August. I’ll go back to New York, back to my old life, and everything will go back to normal. Why get attached?”

  He shook his head, but didn’t say anything else. There wasn’t much he could say because he knew I was right. Why cause ourselves unneeded grief? It was easier to just keep things simple. We sat there for a while longer, neither of us talking, just watching. The party was in full swing. The music was blasting from every speaker around while people danced and drank, swaying clumsily to the sound of Trace Atkins’ amazing voice.

  I caught myself mentally tracing the lines of his face, my hand itching to reach out and caress the slight stubble on his chin. Could we keep something between us casual? Or were we destined to break each other? Our summer could be filled with romance and fun, but what would we do at the end? He didn’t deserve the baggage that I brought, or the pain that I would cause. I had to squash my urges and be his friend. The word felt hollow and empty, just like my heart.

  Chase stood up and stretched, then turned to face me, his hand outstretched. “Would you like to-”

  His voice was cut off by a scream that pierced the night. I jumped up and scanned the people around me. My heart was thrashing wildly in my chest as I searched for the owner of the screams. It sounded familiar, but I had a hard time placing it. I looked at Chase’s face which had gone stark white.

  “Chase? Is it-”

  He held up his hand, his eyes searching the surrounding area. As the realization hit him, he grabbed my hand and pulled me along. I had a hard time keeping up with the strides of his long legs, but at that moment I was thankful I had worn sensible shoes tonight. My lungs burned as we ran, my breaths become shallower with every stride.

  My feet kept catching on roots as I struggled to keep up with him. His hand no longer felt comforting. It felt fierce and strong. I could imagine what they were capable of as they pulled me closer to the source of the screams. At that moment I felt safe with him. I hadn’t felt safe with a guy in so long that the sensation was overwhelming.

  We pushed through the crowds of people, searching for Katy. No one else seemed to notice the panicked looks on our faces until we bumped into one of them. They glared at us, shooting evil looks as we ran, but we kept pushing. Another scream pierced the night, much closer this time. I pointed in the direction of the scream and we took off running again. Chase’s hand still grasped mine as we darted towards a dark patch of trees. A blur of movement caught my eye. We slowed down as we approached, unsure what we would find. As the figure became more visible I sucked in a sharp breath before releasing an ear splitting scream of my own.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  “Katy!” I screamed as I ran over to where she was lying, unmoving, on the ground. I barely noticed that Jackson was there until Chase grabbed him by the front of his shirt and slammed him into a nearby tree.

  “What the hell did you do to her?” He wasn’t yelling, but the deadly hiss that escaped instead set my nerves on edge.

  “Katy! Wake up!” I yelled in her face but her eyes didn’t even flutter. She wasn’t responsive. I shook her shoulder but she didn’t stir. I stood up and stomped over to where Chase had Jackson pinned. Before either could glance my way my hand cracked across Jackson’s cheek. The sting of my palm as it connected with his cheek was satisfying. I had no idea what had happened, but he was here and she was on the ground unconscious, so I made an obvious assumption.

  Jackson struggled to get away from his captor, the look of hatred in his eyes causing me to stumble backward. Chase regained his grasp, and then slammed his back into the bark once again. “Don’t move asshole. Or you’re going to get worse than that,” spat Chase, his fury barely contained.

  “I’m calling 911,” I said as I pulled out my phone and dialed quickly. I rushed away from them, back to Katy. I sat down beside her and brushed the hair out of her face. She was pale, her skin devoid of color. As I scanned her face my eyes found the newly forming bruise under her eye. I touched it gingerly before moving my gaze lower, continuing my inspection. There, on her neck, were angry marks made by her attacker’s hands. Jackson’s hands.

  I had never felt such immense hatred before, but the marks on her body caused my blood to boil in rage. How dare he put his hands on her! What gave him the right to leave marks on her delicate skin, to mar a body that wasn’t his? I gently traced my fingers across the marks one last time as I waited for the call to connect.

  I glanced between Chase and Katy while I spoke to the dispatcher. I couldn’t bear to take my attention away from Katy, but I had to know that Chase was okay. I locked eyes with Jackson for a brief moment and my hatred doubled. He showed no signs of remorse, instead he smiled at me, his teeth bared menacingly. Chase noticed the action and stepped in front of him, blocking our view of each other.

  I returned my attention to the phone and the dispatcher who was asking numerous questions. I tried to tell them where we were, but I honestly had no idea. All I could tell her was that we were in a big field, full of teenagers and loud country music. I made an attempt to describe my surroundings, but it was no use. Evidently telling someone that you were in the woods with trucks and teenagers wasn’t a big enough hint.

  “Ma’am, I’m gonna need more info than that. Is there anyone around you who could tell me where you’re located?” she asked in a calm voice.

  “Well, yea, of course, but his hands are kinda full at the moment,” I replied as I glanced over at Chase again. He had his arm on Jackson’s throat, probably cutting off part of his air flow. The raging part of my brain hoped he made him pass out too.

  “Can you put that person on the phone? If your friend is hurt we need to get there quickly,” she was beginning to lose her calm voice.

  “Okay, hold on,” I replied as I stood up and walked quickly over to Chase. I put the phone up to his ear, allowing him to keep his grasp on Jackson. “She needs to know where we are.”

  He spoke quickly, telling the dispatcher exactly where we were and what was going on. He sounded calm, but the glint in his eye told me that he was barely holding it together. I had never seen him look so fierce. He had always come across as poised and calm. While this was a very serious situation, I couldn’t help but let my eyes wande
r up and down his body. I made no move to conceal what I was doing, but when Chase’s eyes locked with mine my face became hot and flushed.

  He didn’t smile, but the intensity in his eyes had doubled. This time there seemed to be more than just anger. Was that passion that I saw in his eyes? Were mine reflecting those same emotions back at him? And how terrible were we that we were having eye sex while Katy lay on the ground, unconscious? I broke eye contact, ashamed of where my mind had gone. Damn hormones. They always popped up at the worst moment.

  When he nodded that he was done, I returned the phone to my ear. He didn’t meet my eyes this time, his attention focused solely on the criminal he held hostage against the tree. In no position to help him, I walked back over to Katy. She still hadn’t moved. I sat down beside her again, holding the phone to my ear as the woman prattled on, her words reminding me of the teacher from the Charlie Brown cartoons.

  The thought hit me quickly, causing a spastic giggle to escape my lips. I slapped a hand over my mouth, completely mortified. I looked over at Chase, but he hadn’t heard my insane outburst, or at least he didn’t show it. I was a terrible friend! Every move I made tonight screamed Warning: This girl sucks as a friend, has mind sex in a field, and giggles at inappropriate times. Score one more point for me on my long list of awkward.

  When I spotted the lights of the emergency vehicles I quickly thanked the woman and hung up the phone. I watched as they maneuvered among the used parking lot of vehicles. It was surreal to sit and watch, waiting, as everything seemed to move in slow motion. Behind the ambulance were the police, at least a half dozen of them. I watched as teenagers quickly poured out their drinks, pitching the cups and bottles into nearby bushes. I pitied whoever had to clean this up.