Lainey stood beside me, then leaned close, slyness curving her lips. “I told you that you were a better goalie than Sophia or anyone else on the team. There’s no way Miranda can convince Coach to keep you on the bench tomorrow.”
Since I’d been practicing with Ethan, I’d taken back the goalie reins, leaving Sophia in the dust. I was pretty sure I’d be starting at the next game.
“Oh, she’ll try. You should’ve seen how she and some of the girls ganged up on me at practice yesterday.”
Lainey rolled her eyes. “She can be such a bitch sometimes. Honestly though, when it comes to the team, Miranda just wants to win, no matter what. She won’t sacrifice a ‘win’ just so she can rub her hands in glee that you sat out of a game.”
Smiling, I wrapped my arm around her neck. “Come on, let’s get warmed up.”
Toward the end of an extended practice—Coach wanted to be extra prepared for our next game—I found myself getting excited, my stomach all aflutter. It was silly to expect Ethan to show, since he hadn’t been at school, but I couldn’t stop myself from glancing toward the parking lot. It was growing dark and the field lights had popped on, making it impossible to see the lot from the field.
Once practice was over, I took my time getting my gear together. Moving slowly, I still held out hope Ethan might surprise me.
“You coming, Nara?” Lainey tugged her bag onto her shoulder. The hot pink fringe on the strap fluttered with her every movement. I’d bought the flamboyant strap cover for her as a surprise birthday present this past summer. Between my work at CVAS, the Pet Food Warehouse, and hanging with Lainey, I’d stayed busy all summer, which made it easier not to dwell on how much time I spent at home alone. I missed our girl chats. I was glad the tension between us had eased.
“I’m going to kick a few more shots, then head home,” I said, waving her on.
After everyone drove off, I frowned at the bright lights. I didn’t like how they obscured my view of the parking lot. Pulling a ball from my bag, I walked over to the goal and I told myself I’d only give Ethan five more minutes and then I was leaving.
I’d just kicked the second ball into the net when I heard a rumbling car pull into the parking lot. I didn’t turn around right away, because I didn’t want Ethan to see the huge smile on my face. Composing my expression, I retrieved the ball and turned, surprised to see the two guys who’d offered me a ride home the day my car battery died, standing next to the bench. Dressed in faded jeans, t-shirts and zip up sweat jackets, they looked pretty harmless, but Ethan’s words kept pounding into my brain. They’re dangerous…I’ve seen them in action.
The blond guy flashed a smile. “You’ve been hard to catch up with, Nara.”
His tone was light, but something in his eyes, a kind of wild excitement, looked off. My fingers tensed around the ball. “Why were you looking for me?”
“I can’t believe you picked that new guy over us when we offered you help,” he said.
“It wasn’t a big deal.” I shrugged, trying not to show them how uncomfortable they were making me. “I saved you guys some gas that day.”
He rubbed his jaw. “See, that’s where I get all bent.” His thoughtful look faded as he crossed beefy arms. “We rarely offer to help, but then you went and dissed us.”
They thought I’d rejected them? “It wasn’t like that—”
“Are you saying we misunderstood?” the dark-headed guy interrupted.
“Nah, it looked pretty obvious to me,” the blond cut in. His tone was completely different. Now it held a harsh, unforgiving grate.
“That’s not it at all,” I said, hoping they didn’t hear the hitch of apprehension in my voice. Somehow I needed to soothe their seriously whacked egos. Just how many times had these guys been rejected in their lives? “Listen, I’m really sorry. It wasn’t meant to be a diss. Ethan just happened to be going my way. I didn’t mean to insult either of you, I promise.”
The blond guy glanced at his buddy, then back to me. “Since you ‘didn’t mean it’ and all, why don’t you come hang with us for a while tonight.”
This was seriously getting out of hand. I shook my head in fast jerks. “I can’t. I have to get home. I’m already late.”
“Big surprise.” The blond guy threw up his hands and rolled his eyes.
His sarcasm set me even more on edge. “Really, I need to get home.”
“Yeah, right.” He looked at his friend then back to me, his gaze narrowed. “I’m so fucking tired of people’s lies.”
People? “I’m not ly—” I cut myself off when I saw a vein bulging along his temple and his fist clenched at his side. Everything inside me went cold and internal warning bells screamed, Run! Get as far away as you can. Yet my feet seemed to be rooted to the ground.
“Kurt,” the dark-headed guy paused and glanced nervously toward the parking lot. “Maybe we should—”
The blond glared at his friend. “Man up, Jay,” he said, then started toward me, his stride determined. “We’ll get the truth out of her.”
They’re insane. Terror unlocked my frozen feet. Tossing the ball in their direction, I bolted across the open field toward the dense woods flanking the soccer fields.
Chapter Seven
“Shit!” One of them yelled as I disappeared into the bank of trees.
“She’s just a girl. She can’t get far. Go around, I’ll follow her,” a gruff voice ordered.
I entered the forest on a well-worn path, running straight ahead. When I saw that the woods only went so far in the direction I was headed, I veered off the path. Staying within the thick protection of the trees, I alternately cursed and praised the darkness. I’d run a quarter mile in when I heard the blond guy’s gruff voice sing-song “Narrr-ah”, then deepened in a growl of anger, “Come here, you little bitch.”
Panic shot through me, but my lungs were on fire, so I quickly stopped and threw my back against a thick oak tree, doing my best not to pant or make any noise.
I thought back to the day Ethan had helped jumpstart my car. I’d assumed I’d left my headlights on, but now with these two psychos chasing me, I realized those guys probably turned my lights on to drain my battery so they could “offer” me a ride. That’ll teach me to lock my car.
Why were they after me? And why did the names Kurt and Jay sound so familiar? I wracked my brain trying to remember, but the fear pumping through my veins scattered my thoughts like the leaves falling from the trees around me.
The blond one had stopped running. The underbrush rustled as he walked a few steps, then stopped. Probably listening for my footsteps in the thick leaves.
I heard the dark-headed guy running through the woods too, but he’d run the opposite way from me and had apparently doubled back.
“Jay, that you?” The blond, not more than ten feet away from me, yelled out in the dim light.
“Yeah, I haven’t seen her yet,” Jay answered from afar.
“Go to the edge of the woods and make sure she doesn’t come out that way,” Kurt said. His friend immediately headed off to his right, away from us.
Rustling kicked up once more. Every leaf-crunching step brought him closer, making my stomach twist. He was less than five feet away now.
“I know you’re in here, somewhere between Jay and me,” he said. “You’ve already cost me fifty bucks. Don’t piss me off any more.” His footsteps stopped, then thumped the ground hard, followed by a grunt of annoyance.
I can’t believe he’s after me over fifty dollars. So the “pretending to be offended that I’d dissed them” was just an act? Still, I had no clue why I’d cost him any money at all. I scanned the woods, looking for a path I could take that would allow me to work my way around him so I could head back toward the soccer field and my car in the lot beyond.
“I know you’re the one who ratted David out,” the Kurt guy said, after another thud and huff of frustration.
As soon as he said David’s name, I froze. Everything clicked in my brain. Kurt and Jay were
the names Lila had mentioned in the bathroom in my dream. I swallowed a gasp of renewed fear. Could these guys have been the ones who beat up Lila?
“I know you can hear me,” he hissed, moving faster, closer than I wanted him to be. He was less than two feet away.
I clamped my lips shut and forced air out through my nose. My chest hurt from the effort to remain quiet.
“Wanna know how I found out it was you?”
He sounded so close and…gleeful, like he was enjoying hunting me. Grabbing the rough bark behind me, I bit my lip to keep my whimper locked inside. My pulse spiked, but I tried to keep it together, so I could react when I needed to.
“Lila called, ranting that I had nerve sending her flowers. When I told her I didn’t send them, she said ‘the real snitch’ must’ve sent them, because nobody at school cared and her family thought flowers were a waste of money. Dork-boy at the florist held out forever. I had to scrounge up fifty bucks before he gave me your name.”
Lila called the guy who beat her up? I wanted to scream at the idiotic girl. I’d written a check for the flowers. A check, which had my name on it. I squeezed my eyes shut, cursing my own stupidity.
“But what’s been bugging me all this time.” The crunch of the leaves was almost on top of me.
My heart pounded, making me lightheaded. I could hear his heavy breathing. I slowly lifted my foot and set it down on the other side of a bulging root, then slid myself slightly around the tree and away from the direction of his voice.
“And what’s been driving us nuts...” he continued.
The silence that followed freaked me out more than the noise of his steps closing in. I inched further away from where I’d last heard his voice, praying I could stay out of his line of sight.
A blur crowded my vision as he came around the side of the tree and slammed his hands against the bark, blocking me in. “How did you know about the bomb?” Kurt snarled.
I was so shocked he’d caught me, a small scream escaped, but I knew that if I let him grab me, I’d end up like Lila…or worse.
Jerking my leg up, I nailed him in the groin as if I were aiming for a goal three soccer fields away.
As soon as he stumbled back and grabbed his crotch, I turned to run. Tripping over more tree roots, I stumbled, then took off in the direction of the soccer field.
Kurt staggered after me, coughing hard. “Stupid whore,” he groaned, then howled, “Jay, she went this way!”
It took all of my willpower not to scream hysterically, but I knew I needed my lungs for running. I ran in terrified silence, ducking past tree branches, jumping over logs, zigzagging around trees, doing my best to make it hard to track me. The darkness cloaked my movements, but also forced me to slow down temporarily when a tree branch sent slicing pain along my cheek. My legs trembled and my lungs burned, but I plunged onward.
As soon as I dodged around a big oak tree, I’d never been happier to see the soccer field lights through the tops of the trees.
A surge of energy jolted through my system, and my feet hammered the ground as I jumped onto the walking path and pushed even harder. I just needed to get to my bag, grab my keys and cell and run to my car. I sent a silent prayer that I could do all those things before the guys caught up with me.
When the edge of the forest came into view, I swallowed a sob. Safety. Soon.
Startled birds scattered out of the trees, flying away in a rush of flapping wings. Their panicked flight heightened my own, and I dug my feet into the underbrush, giving my shaking legs everything I had.
Almost there.
The moment I cleared the woods, someone grabbed my arm and whipped me around.
“No!” I screamed and struck out, hammering his chest with my fist. I didn’t make it this far to give up with out a fight. I kicked at his shin, then I swung my other fist. Anything to be free.
He easily deflected my punch and yanked me toward him, folding his arms around mine in a vise-hold.
Panting, I struggled and looked for a place to bite.
Just as I was about to sink my teeth deep, he gritted out, “Nara, it’s me.”
When Ethan’s voice penetrated my mind, the fight drained out of me. Sobbing, I babbled against his chest between gasps of air. “Two…guys…ch—chasing me. Want to...hurt me.”
Ethan stroked my ponytail. “You’re safe.” His fingers slid down the back of my neck cupping it in a protective hold. “I’ve got you.”
Just then, Kurt came thundering into the clearing, yelling, “I’m going to make you pay for—” he halted and looked left, then right. Glancing back, his attention locked on Ethan and me.
Jay ran into the clearing from another area of the woods. “I heard her scream. It came from this direct—” he stopped speaking, then cut his gaze our way.
Kurt nodded to Jay and they started toward us. Trembling, I wrapped my arms around Ethan’s waist and pressed against him, trying to absorb his calm strength.
A shadow caught my eye, and a big hulking guy with olive skin and long black hair stepped out from behind one of the trees to our left and then another tall, thin guy with a spiky blond Mohawk followed him. Crunching leaves sounded to our right. Two other rough-looking boys, their jackets’ hoods pulled over their heads emerged from the edge of the woods. The field lights reflected their dark, angry eyes. I didn’t recognize any of them from our school. All of the newcomers looked fierce and mean, like they’d lived hard, rough lives and wanted the rest of us to experience their pain firsthand.
When the huge, meaty one punched his fist into his open palm, and the tall guy beside him pulled out a switchblade knife, I glanced at Ethan, eyes wide. Could this nightmare get any worse?
Ethan stared Kurt and Jay down. “Don’t go near Nara again.” Nodding to the big guy as well as the other three boys, he said, “My friends will make sure you don’t forget my warning.”
Wrapping his arm around my shoulder, Ethan led me away from the circle of guys. My legs shook as we walked. I winced when I heard running, then yelling and whoops that sounded much further away. The guys must’ve chased Kurt and Jay into the woods. I didn’t want to think about what was happening behind us, but I had to say something. Someone could get killed if things got out of control.
“They won’t hurt them too much, will they?”
Ethan stared straight ahead. “My friends have been in tons of fights. They’ll be fine.”
“What about the guys who were chasing me?”
Anger lit his eyes. “They deserve much worse than they’ll get.”
I stopped walking. “Just how far will your friends go? I mean, those two jerks need personality alterations, but I really don’t want someone being ‘maimed for life’ on my conscience.”
Ethan rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger, then sighed. “They’ll be scraped and bruised but able to walk. Better?”
My mind eased, I nodded and let him lead me to the soccer field.
I tried to pretend my hands weren’t shaking while I collected my ball and put it in the bag. If Ethan hadn’t shown up…
Once we’d stowed my stuff in the back of my car, Ethan opened the car door and waited for me to get in. Even though I wanted to ask him so many questions, I was afraid to speak. It felt like we’d moved to a whole new level in our friendship, but I wasn’t sure what that level was.
Every nerve ending urged me to hug him, to show my appreciation, but I was unsure. Would he pull away? I didn’t need any more rejection in my life. “Thank you for being there,” I said in an unsteady voice.
Ethan clasped my wrist and pulled me into his arms, holding me close. “I’ll always be here for you.”
I shuddered against his chest, mumbling into his flannel shirt. “You weren’t at school and I didn’t see you after practice. I thought for sure no one would hear me scream when those guys finally got their hands on—”
Warm fingers tilted my chin up. “I had something to do today, but I’d never leave you hanging. When I saw your
stuff on the field and then I heard a guy yelling, ‘She went this way,’ in the woods…” he paused, tensing. “I freaked.”
“You got to me just in time.” I tried to smile but my lips trembled. “Who knew knights wore flannel shirts and Led Zeppelin tees?” I knew I sounded like a goof, but I didn’t care. I wanted him to know how much his rescue meant to me.
Ethan leaned close and I closed my eyes as he lightly kissed my cheekbone, then my forehead. He had no idea that his gentle kiss had melted something inside me, how much I craved the physical connection. His warm lips lingered against my skin for a second before he took a step back and shoved his hands in his jean pockets.
“I’m no hero, Nara.” His gaze narrowed briefly toward the woods. “Go home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I headed toward Barboursville instead. I didn’t want to go home to an empty house. By the time I turned onto my aunt’s long, winding driveway that led way back into the woods, I’d finally quit trembling. Stopping my car at the end of the driveway, I frowned at my sunglasses scattered on the dash.
As soon as I finished rearranging them in a straight line from the biggest frame size to smallest, I shook my head. “Why are you sorting shades? Sheesh!”
Glancing at my aunt’s ranch-style house, warm lights glowing from within, I started to relax. With Aunt Sage, I could vent and discuss my worries. I could totally be myself, well…mostly. The thought she might think I was insane if I told her about my dreams—and we’d lose our closeness over it, or even worse, she’d ask me about it every time we saw each other—made me anxious (with Gran, the subject of my ability rarely came up). I just wanted to be a regular person with my aunt.
From the front, Aunt Sage’s home looked tiny, but she’d built a studio off the back for her custom design jewelry business. Her house was an eclectic mix of bohemian and down-to-earth, and it always smelled like an intriguing combination of incense and pastries. She made such wonderful pies that I’d become a snob, refusing to eat deserts anywhere but at my aunt’s house. My friends thought I was nuts passing up ice cream (I’m the only person I knew who didn’t like ice cream. No, I’m not lactose intolerant) and other good desserts, but they hadn’t tasted my aunt’s pies.
Brightest Kind of Darkness Page 8
