We walked over to our tents, and Beck unzipped mine. I climbed in and gave him one last pleading look. He just laughed and started zipping my tent back up.
“You’re going to be fine, I’m right next to you. If you need anything just yell over at me.”
I nodded and he finished zipping up my tent. A few minutes later, I heard him getting into his tent.
“Goodnight Beck,” I told him.
“Night.”
I tossed and turned for a little while before falling asleep. I woke up a little later to a loud thud.
“Beck?” I asked.
Nothing.
Then I heard a little rustling noise in the bushes.
“Beck?” I asked a little louder.
The rustling noise happened again, this time it sounded closer to the tents.
“Beck, please wake up,” I yelled. Then I heard him, snore. Great, after over a year of not being around him, I forgot how hard of a sleeper he was. I pulled my phone out to try and text him, but there was no service. I slowly got out of my sleeping bag, and turned on the flashlight app on my phone. I unzipped my tent and looked around our campsite; I didn’t see anything so I got out of my tent. I stepped out and started towards Beck’s tent, and heard the noise again. I shone my light towards the bushes and saw a pair of reflective eyes.
Not wanting to scare whatever was in the bushes, I slowly backed up towards the truck. Not turning my back to the bush, I finally reached the driver side door and got inside.
I locked the doors to the truck and rolled the windows up, then started flashing the headlights to try and wake Beck up. After a few minutes of flashing the lights, there was no sign of Beck waking up.
I sat there in the truck for a few minutes, trying to form a plan in my head. Suddenly there was a soft knock on the window, I looked over expecting to see Beck, but instead a woman probably about mid-sixties was standing there. She was wearing a nightgown and a robe, and had rollers in her hair.
I slowly rolled my window down, just enough to talk to her.
“Are you alright, dear?” She asked me.
“Yes ma’am, I’m just trying to wake my friend up. I’m sorry if I woke you.” I didn’t think about other people being in the campground in my panic to get away from the bear in the bushes.
“Oh no, you didn’t wake us up. My little Becca ran off and we’re looking for her,” she answered.
“Is that your granddaughter? How old is she?” I asked her.
She laughed. “No it’s my cocker spaniel.”
A guy came up behind her and gave me a little smile and a nod.
“Well I hope the bear didn’t get her,” I told them.
Her husband looked at me, and started laughing. Hard.
“There aren’t bears here, we’re too close to the city,” he replied in between laughs.
“Well there’s something over there in the bushes. It’s big too,” I said as I pointed towards them.
He turned his flashlight back on, and walked over to the bushes that I was pointing to.
As he was passing Beck’s tent, I heard the tent suddenly open and Beck jumped out. He had his big Mag-Lite flashlight in his hand, and was holding it like a weapon.
He noticed the man in our camp, then my open and empty tent, then finally looked over and spotted me in the truck. He ran over to me and opened the door.
“Are you okay?” He asked me.
“I’m fine now, even though I was almost attacked while you were soundly snoring next to me. And seriously, I tried waking you up for the last twenty minutes, and the sound of boots walking by your tent is what did it?”
He just shrugged his shoulders and looked over to where the man had walked to.
“What are you talking about you were almost attacked?”
“I heard a loud thud, then a bunch of rustling noise in the bushes. So I got out of my tent, after you wouldn’t wake up. And I saw a pair of eyes looking at me. Whatever was in there was huge.”
Beck looked back over to the bushes where the man was standing and leaning down too. Then, he started cracking up.
“Cal, since when have you been scared of a cocker-spaniel?” He asked in between laughs.
“What?” I looked over to the man, who was leading a little puppy on a leash, back towards us.
“Becca!” The woman yelled and rushed over to her husband and her dog.
“Not one word about this,” I said to Beck, as I glared at him.
He stopped laughing but still had a huge smile on his face. The couple said goodbye and walked back to their campsite.
Beck walked back to the tents and grabbed a sleeping bag, and headed back to the truck.
“Open up,” he said as he knocked on the door.
“I’m not sleeping in that tent anymore.”
“I know that’s why I brought you, your sleeping bag. Just lock the doors, and if you need me, flash the lights towards my tent.”
I laid down and rested my head against the passenger side window. He took the sleeping bag and covered me up with it. As he was closing the door, I could hear him quietly laughing. I knew that I wouldn't live this trip down for a long time.
Chapter Twelve
Asher
Summer before senior year
IT HAD been two days since I last had some relief, I needed some now. I could feel my arm throbbing, and pulled tight. I had been working it harder lately, hoping to get it good enough to play this year.
I didn’t have Rico available for pills anymore. He had been arrested for possession and was now in jail. Not knowing who else to call, I called a buddy that I knew just had surgery on his torn ACL.
“Hey Ash- what’s up?” Derek asked me when he picked up his phone.
“Hey, I was wondering if you could do me a favor. My arm is bugging me, and I thought that the pills would help keep it rested. Coach is putting me in the game for the first time this season, and I want to do good.”
“Umm... is that a good idea?” He asked.
“Yeah, it’s no big deal. Just a little bit of pain relief to help me pitch a no hitter,” I reply.
He didn’t say anything at first, but then after a few seconds, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Look, can I come over? I’m walking and I am already almost to your house. Then we can talk,” I told him.
“Sure, you can come over. Just this one time, okay Asher? I don’t need to get in trouble because of this,” he replied.
“Of course, I understand.”
I jogged over to his house, which wasn’t too far from mine.
When I arrived there, Derek was sitting on his front porch step.
“Look Ash, I’ve been thinking…” he stops, seemingly to be a little hesitant on talking with me.” I don’t think it’s a good idea to give them to you. I’m going to be honest; the team has noticed a change in you. You don’t care anymore, you barely show up for practices, and when you do all you do during them is complain about your arm. We all know that it should be healed by now, and yet you’re still acting like you just injured it.”
“I’ve been working with it a lot. It’s sore, and the only thing that seems to be working to relieve that is those pills. Look… just give me a few and I'll be better. I just need a few,” I said desperate for just a fraction of the mind numbing ability that those pills give me.
“I’m sorry, but no, I can’t do that,” he told me.
“Fine, if you won’t help me then I’ll find someone who will,” I replied harshly as I stood up to leave. “See you around.”
I walked down his path and tried to think of what my next option was.
I pulled out my phone, and called Jake. He answered after a few rings, “Asher, what’s up my man?”
“Hey Jake, I need some pills. Do you know anywhere else I can get them?” I asked him not even wanting to waste any time.
“I know a guy, but he’s a little more… how can I put this… serious than Rico. He charges like double the amount t
hat Rico did, and his stuff is a lot stronger. Come over and I’ll take you over there.”
“Okay, I’ll be there in a minute, thanks man,” I told him as I hung up the phone.
I arrived to Jake’s house, and from there we took his car to this other guy’s house. I didn’t ask any questions, I didn’t want to know any details. I figured the least I knew, the better off I was. All I cared for was getting those pills, and that’s it.
About twenty minutes later, we pulled up to a brown house. It had several cars parked outside, and there were several people out on the front porch.
“Coming Asher?” Jake asked me, as he was shutting his door.
“Yeah, man. I’m right behind you,” I replied as I got out of the car.
I followed Jake as he walked up the steps to the house, he occasionally said hi to some people, but for the most part kept any conversations at a minimum.
We went into the house, and I spotted a guy in the corner eyeing us. Jake walked up to him, and gave him a handshake that was sort of a mix of a high-five.
“Asher, this is Mack,” Jake introduced us.
Mack studied me for a minute, so I took the opportunity to study him back. He had several piercings on his face, and had a faux hawk that was purple.
“Did Jake tell you my price?” I nodded as I recalled the amount Jake told me it would be.
After handing Mack the money, and getting the pills, I popped one into my mouth.
Jake had decided to stay at the house, and so I started walking home. I thought about calling Beck and asking him for a ride. As I got my phone out to call him, I remembered that tonight was his big night with Cal. He was laying his heart out on the line to her tonight.
I was happy for them, but seeing them together always made me think of Del. I missed her, but knew that there wasn’t a point in calling her now. Seeing her happy the other day hurt my heart, but I wanted her to be happy. I’d get through this season, and then I’ll get help and just maybe then I would win her back.
The pills that I took started making me dizzy, so it took me twice as long to walk home. I don’t even remember half of the stuff I passed by, I was so focused on trying to get home.
As soon as I saw the familiar blue house, I sighed with relief. I walked up the pathway and sat down on the steps. I don’t remember falling asleep, if you can even call it that… but I was woken up by someone shaking me, and yelling my name.
“Ash… Ash! Wake up now!” I heard Cal yell.
“Cal—“I could barely get out.
I didn’t understand half the stuff she was saying… it all sort of blended together.
“I’m calling an ambulance, Ash. You need help,” I finally heard her say.
“No! I’m fine… just help me to my room,” I asked her.
She helped me stand up, and I used her as a crutch as we made our way inside my house and down the hall to my room. She helped me sit down on my bed, and disappeared out of the room.
A few minutes later, she came back in with a glass of water, and a sandwich. "I don’t know what you’ve taken now, but I think I’ve heard to eat bread. Something about soaking whatever up, I just can’t remember if its alcohol or drugs it’s supposed to help. Oh well, you look like you could use a sandwich either way, you look skinny.”
As I ate the sandwich, I finally was coherent enough to notice her outfit, and then it hit me… she had a date tonight.
“Cal, your date… aren’t you missing it?” I asked her.
She took my other half of my sandwich and took a bite. “Yeah, but I texted him when I went to the kitchen and told him something came up.”
I could tell it bothered her to cancel again, I knew that it wasn’t the first time that my problems caused her issues with Beck. Maybe everyone is right, I needed help.
“I’m sorry. I’ll get help… maybe tomorrow I’ll tell my parents. I’d like you to be there if you didn’t mind.”
“Of course, I’ll be there,” she answered.
She helped me to bed, and took my shoes off, setting them next to my closet. I was barely awake, not able to focus on anything. Every hour Cal would wake me up, and make me drink a glass of water. When she was satisfied that I was okay, she would go back to the end of my bed and lay down.
“Is this why you cancelled? So you could be with him…” Beck’s angry voice cut through my sleepy haze.
Cal sat up, and rubbed her eyes seeming to be just as confused as I was. She looked horrible… dark circles were under her eyes and her makeup was smeared a little. Before either of us could say anything, he started towards the door. “My two best friends couldn’t be honest with me. What did you guys think it was funny? See how long poor Beck is left out in the dark?”
He started walking out of the room, but Cal jumped up to grab his arm. He shrugged her off and continued to walk out of the room.
I chased after him, yelling his name to stop. Finally, when we reached outside he paused. His back was to me as I approached him, when I was a few steps away; he turned around and punched me square in the face.
Not expecting the blow, it knocked me off balance I struggled to keep upright and failed. As I fell, I could hear Beck still yelling at us to leave him alone. My head hit the step with a loud thunk, and—
***
Calla
Now
GOING HOME and living with your parents after months of being an independent adult stinks. As soon as I stepped into my old room, I felt like I was in high school again. I left everything the same, as I had it when Ash, Beck and I were friends. My parents and Parker thought that it wasn’t good, that I was holding on to the past. That I could never get over what happened if, I was constantly reminding myself of them.
After unpacking and putting my stuff away, I sat on my bed and texted Parker. It had been about a month since I last saw him, and I missed him. I asked him what he was up to and if he wanted to get together tonight.
I hadn’t talked to him that much since I started dating Beck. Beck was still having a hard time with my friendship with Parker, so I thought it would be best to put a little distance between us.
Parker came by that evening and picked me up. He took me to a little diner that we used to go to before I left for college.
“So, how are things with Beck?” He asked me. Up until now, he steered clear of talking about Beck and me. The conversation had been about school, and my parents.
“Things are going really good, it feels so good to finally have everything out in the open again with him. It was hard at first with him coming to grips with the fact that he didn’t notice that Ash was using, and then with me keeping it from him. But finally I feel like we’re back to how we were before this all happened.”
“I’m glad, you deserve to be happy,” Parker said with just a hint of sadness.
We leave the diner, and as he drove, I didn’t recognize the area we were in. There were industrial buildings lining the street and all the lampposts were covered with wreaths and Christmas lights.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked him.
“You’ll see, it’s a surprise,” he answered. He added in a little evil laugh just to mess with me.
“You’re such a dork,” I told him. I punched his arm a little harder than I meant to and the Jeep swerved to the right a little.
“Hey watch it— you don’t want to kill us before you see your surprise.”
He finally pulled into a dark parking lot, the Jeep was the only car parked in the spots. When he turned the car off, I jumped out onto the pavement and waited for Parker to lead the way.
I followed him to a set of double metal doors, and when we walked through, I was instantly hit with a blast of cold air.
I looked around and saw a big ice skating rink that was surrounded by a big, tall wall.
“What is this place?” I asked looking at Parker.
He didn’t say anything; he just took my hand and led me towards the ice. The walls were so tall, that I wasn't able to see out o
nto the ice.
When he opened the door to the rink, I immediately saw Beck and some more people. Beck skated over to me and handed me a pair of skates.
I was so focused on him that I didn’t notice who else was there.
“What’s going on?” I asked Beck and Parker as I put on my skates. Parker was sitting next to me on the bench, lacing his own skates up.
“Before you get mad, this was all Beck’s idea… so if you need to hurt someone, hurt him,” Parker said jokingly. He walked off towards a group of people that were on the ice. I immediately recognized a few of them from my old school.
Beck sat down on the spot that Parker just vacated, and reached for my hand.
“I thought it was time for you to stop hiding from our friends,” he told me.
I looked around on the ice and noticed that almost everyone here went to school with us; a few of them graduated with Parker, but they all were friends once.
“I don’t think I can do this,” I whispered to Beck.
He started to say something, but I cut him off with a kiss.
“It was sweet for you to think of this, but you have no idea what it was like after everything happened. You weren’t here, all the rumors and things that were being said about us,” I told him, trying to push back all the memories and tears. “It was bad.”
“Cal, trust me okay. It'll all be okay, I’m not leaving your side again,” he answered, wiping a few tears that had escaped my eyes.
I just nodded, and finished lacing up my skates. Beck reached down and pulled me up. My ankles gave away a little, and he put his arm around my waist to steady me.
We walked out on the ice together; he never removed his arm from around me.
The night felt different, almost normal… I laughed with my old friends and talked about the last year and a half.
One thing was missing, and no one talked about him, it was a huge elephant in the room. But no one was willing to bring him up, afraid that it would end this reunion we all had going.
After skating and visiting for a few hours, we all parted ways. I exchanged phone numbers with a few of the girls that I was friends with, promising to keep in touch with them.
What's Left of Us (The Us Series Book 1) Page 14
