Serenity (Forever Book 1)

by India R. Adams

  “I’ve been waiting. You okay?” He sounds stressed.

  “Yes. Fine. Thank you for coming back last night.”

  “Well, I was driving home but… everything inside me said to go back. I parked the bike in the field and took the path through the woods. I was hoping you wouldn’t be mad—”

  My parents step it up a notch, and the yelling echoes into my room. I jump up to shut the door, but it’s too late.

  “Was that your parents?”

  My eyes sting. I’m so embarrassed. “No, TV.” I feel ill. I’m lying.

  “Oh, uh, good. Um… hey, want to go to breakfast? Spend the day together?”

  His kindness after my lie slices me in two. One half wants to tell him everything, so I can breathe. The other half wants to hide under a rock. The tug of war is too much. I’m breaking. I can’t get any words out as I choke on shame and guilt. All I can do is try to muffle my sobs. I guess I’m not succeeding.

  “Baby, it’s okay. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Pack a bag. You’re mine today. Serenity? If you can hear me, just hang up and get ready, okay?”

  Dereck’s truck shoots up my driveway like a discharged gun, coming all the way to my house. I’m standing on the edge of the walkway with a bag slung over my sunken shoulders. He gets out and stares at the house while guiding my slow-moving body into his truck. We can hear my parents through the walls.

  “Who is she, Rex?”

  “Willow! What I do while you drink is none of your damn business!”

  My hair down in my face, hiding my teary eyes, I feel deflated.

  As we pull out of my driveway, I wonder why we are turning right instead of left—the only way off my street. Dereck says, “Someone wants to hang with us today.”

  Dereck pulls up to Sky waiting in her driveway. Her house is big, like mine, but with an old Victorian look. A tall chain-link fence surrounds the whole property that used to house horses. Three wide cement stairs lead up to a large, covered concrete porch. Despite its character from the past, this home, sadly, is rundown in the present.

  Tiredly, I look at Dereck. He begs, “Please don’t be mad. I broke no promise—”

  Sky opens the rear door and gets in. “Thanks for calling, Dereck.”

  I’m far from mad. I’m relieved. I need her like I need air. Dereck can see he made the right call when I crawl into the backseat to be with her. Her eyes express pain, right along with mine. We are one again. I lay my head in her lap and let go. “I’m so tired, Sky.”

  Dereck drives as she asks, “Is it getting worse?” She caresses my head and nods at my silence. She knows what silence means, just as Dereck has learned. “We were dealt quite the hand in this life, huh, my sweet?”

  My tears drown her thighs as she looks at Dereck in his rearview mirror. “Can you take us to Jolene’s?”

  “Consider it done.” He backs up the truck. “Skyler, is my baby going to be okay?”

  She keeps pulling my hair from my face. “Yes. She’s strong.”

  Dereck’s tires hum. “Do you know why it’s so bad for her right now?”

  “I think it’s you, Dereck.”

  “What?” He sounds appalled.

  Sky smiles calmly. “It’s a good thing—a hope thing. You have showed her how good she can feel. That can make the bullshit harder to swallow.”

  I cry out at her words.

  She leans down. “I guess I’m on to something, huh, you beautiful, green-eyed freak?”

  Chapter Ten

  Calling to You

  Jolene is waiting on her dilapidated front porch when we arrive. She’s perfect medicine for an achy soul. We pile out of the truck, and I go straight to her open, waiting arms. I melt to her and her beautiful light.

  She caresses my head. “Someday, you think you may talk to me?”

  I cry harder with the confirmation she and Josh are no fools.

  She leads me inside and to the bathroom. “I bet a hot shower will help you breathe.”

  As usual, Jolene is right. I’m clean and refreshed. Coming out of the steamed bathroom, I hear Sky shrieking, “You’re a Hamilton?”

  Jolene is laughing. “Sky! It doesn’t change things.”

  “The hell it don’t! My Christmas is gonna rock!”

  God, I love her.

  Dereck is choking on laughter. “Gotta take care of the girlfriends, right?”

  “Right.”

  “Sky, can I take you to breakfast?”

  “You sure can. On the way to Margie’s, we’ll discuss my birthday wishes.”

  “Sky!”

  “Jolene! You heard the man. We’re dating! Just ’cause he ain’t gettin’ no nooky from me don’t mean we both have to suffer.”

  Heading out to Dereck’s truck, Sky and I throw my dirty clothes in the bag I left on Jolene’s front porch. As we catch up, Dereck has already settled Jolene in his backseat. He opens the back door for Sky.

  She winces. “What the hell are you doing?”

  I’m standing next to her, smiling.

  His head tilts. “Uh, being polite?”

  “What for?”

  Dereck leans to the open door. “Sky, you’re confusing me.”

  “Ditto, Captain Chivalry. I don’t feel comfortable with this treatment.”

  I tell her, “I know, I feel the same, but he insists on opening my door, too.”

  She eyes him. “So, your issue is simply opening a door for me?”

  He shrugs. “I guess. My mama said to treat ladies right.”

  She taps her chin. “I see. Got it. Dereck, may you please open your door for me?”

  He appears very suspicious as he slowly opens his driver’s side door. Sky curtsies. “Thank you, sir.” Then she pushes past him, crawls in, and steps all over his nice leather seats as she leaps over to sit in the back.

  Jolene howls with laughter. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way, huh, Dereck?”

  Sky buckles in. “See? Now we’re both happy. Win. Win.”

  Dereck is still standing at his door, stupefied, as I sneak past him.

  “Excuse me.” I climb up, crawl past his seat, and get to mine. I buckle in. “You’re brilliant, Sky.”

  She looks out her window, ready to travel. “I have been told this a time or two.”

  Dereck shakes his head. “I have a newfound respect for Josh.”

  In the booth, Sky—sitting next to Jolene—reaches over the table and steals a grape from my plate. I nod. “Aren’t they yummy?”

  Dereck points. “You guys have bacon, eggs—and the grapes excite you two?”

  Jolene takes a bite of her pancakes. “Josh pulls over at vegetable stands just for entertainment. Shorties barely contain themselves as they fill up a basket with fruit.”

  “What do I do?” Josh says as he suddenly appears, leaning over the back of the booth, wrapping his arm around the front of my chest.

  Jolene covers her full mouth. “Fruit stands with the girls.”

  Josh chuckles. “Hysterical pastime that all must witness.” His whisper in my ear is full of worry. “Do you need to talk to me outside?”

  I kiss his arm that’s securely around me. “I love you.”

  “Okay, my baby girl. I love you, too.” He steals a piece of my bacon.

  Dereck enters into a straw-sword fight with Josh to win Jolene and Sky for the rest of the day. He loses.

  Josh holds his straw high, proclaiming, “They were mine first! Now, take Serenity before I change my mind and keep her, too.” I know Josh would rather I be by his side since I was upset this morning, but he lets me go.

  Sitting on Dereck’s couch, I’m convinced Faith is trying to make me gain fifty pounds. She insists on snacks and lunch. We’re watching
CMT, and Destiny comes on with her song “I’m Calling to You.” Her video is ethereal, with fog and band members behind her. She sings:

  Standing on my cloud of hope, wondering where you could be

  Knowing the time is coming, when we need to be set free.

  I’m calling to you

  I’m calling to you…

  When the video ends, a TV host has a microphone in his hand, and he’s sitting in a huge, covered outdoor arena. “That was Destiny with her hit single ‘I’m Calling to You.’ And we just happen to have front-row seats here at the rehearsal for her summer tour.” He faces the little brunette sitting next to him. “Destiny, how are you?”

  Her smile shines from under her cowboy hat. “Great, and the band is pumped, as you can see behind us here.”

  I recognize her rowdy band in the background, laughing and carrying on without a care in the world.

  “I’m hearing them.” The announcer laughs.

  I know all Destiny’s boys by heart. The older, handsome blond with dreamy blue eyes is Austin. The younger, shaggy-haired blond is heartthrob Blake. And the two darker-haired guys are brothers. In articles I’ve read, Destiny calls them her “Dbl” J’s. Jessie and Jay. So cute! The four guys always seem completely used to live interviews and don’t seem to take their fame too seriously. I admire that. I wish I could hang around them with their free-spirited ways.

  “So, your tickets go on sale tomorrow?” the host asks.

  “Yes, but we have some to give to your listeners…”

  “I love her!” I proclaim.

  “No kidding.” Dereck rolls his eyes. Apparently he has witnessed me on my cell keeping track of the band.

  “Dereck!” I grab my chest. “She’s yummy and my favorite.”

  Faith places sandwiches on the coffee table in front of us. “Destiny is a soulful singer.”

  “Exactly! See?” I tell Dereck.

  Dereck takes his cluster of purple-red grapes from his plate and places them on mine, then he winks. My throat tightens, and my eyes well. Such a simple gesture, I know, but it warms my heart, completely.

  Dereck and I start watching a movie, but I don’t make it very far into the plot. With my belly overstuffed, I can barely keep my eyes open, and I fall asleep. When I wake up, the TV is off. As if I own the place, I’m sprawled on the couch with my upper body lying on Dereck’s chest. His feet are propped up on the coffee table, and he’s leaned back, asleep, with his arm around me.

  “Dereck?”

  “Hmm.” His eyes remain closed.

  Mine burn with exhaustion. “Will your mom be mad?”

  He chuckles. “For what?”

  I’m not sure if we’re breaking any rules. I whisper, “Well… we’re snuggling.”

  He chuckles deeply this time, still not opening his eyes. He places his hands under my arms, pulls me up his body, rearranges my back to the couch, then rolls next to me, throwing his leg over mine. My head rests on his arm, my face to his chest—very cozy. “She won’t be mad,” he says. “And this is snuggling. Ten more minutes, ’kay?”

  I’m in heaven and have never felt safer.

  “Dereck?”

  I shake from another of his deep chuckles. “Serenity?”

  “I like your kind of snugglin’.”

  His arm pulls me in tighter. “It’s some good shit, ain’t it?”

  I slowly walk down an aisle made of flowers that leads to the cloaked one waiting for me. I ask, “Are you her? Is she you?”

  Her hood only exposes her smile. “I am me.”

  “Are you his mother?”

  “I am the mother of none.” Her tone lingers with a touch of sadness. This is not Faith.

  The flowers behind her fade until they become a blur that slowly forms into light. Yet the light hides behind her. Again, she reads my mind. “Not hiding. Just waiting.”

  I’m to her now. “Waiting?”

  The cloaked one hands me a rosebud. I want to see her brown eyes again, but she keeps them concealed. “This rose is for me?”

  “It is you.”

  The little rosebud opens in her palm as if she’s feeding it with the special light that is now beginning to beam from within it. The light becomes brighter, brighter…

  I gasp awake.

  A deep voice vibrates against me. “You okay?”

  The sun is gone, and I’m completely on top of Dereck. “I’m sorry.” I try to remove myself, but his arms come around me.

  “Where ya trying to go?”

  “Uh, we have a party to attend.”

  “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that. You’ve slept all day. Maybe we should skip it?”

  “If I’ve slept all day, then I should be plenty rested for a party.”

  Dereck runs a palm over his face. “It’s just a party. There will be a million others.”

  I nibble on my bottom lip. “I… I’ve never been to one.”

  Okay, so being around so many people at once is a bit unnerving. I expected everyone to be happy, but their colors show this is some sort of competition convention. Dereck holds my hand, leading me through crowds until we find the Wise Ones and Sky on the back porch. The fact that they’re not inside tells me Jolene felt Sky needed some air. How she knows us so well, I’ll never know.

  Josh is extra boisterous—excited—that Sky and I are growing up and attending a party. “This is so wild. My Shorties are here!”

  Rocco walks up to us. “Can you people pipe down? We’re trying to have a party here.”

  Sky lights up. “Hey, Tower.”

  Rocco, mirroring Sky’s emotions, says, “Hey, Lil’ Mama.”

  Then a tall young woman approaches. “Rocco, did you forget me?” She speaks with a thick Spanish accent, and Sky’s smile fades. So does Rocco’s.

  He answers the sexy Latina. “Yes—I mean no. Shit. Sorry. Everyone, this is Sonia.”

  Sonia—the exact opposite of Skyler—has legs that reach the moon, brown hair cut in the latest style, and she looks as though she recently walked off the cover of Vogue. I’m impressed; Rocco can definitely pull in the bombshells.

  Quickly and nervously, he explains, “My mom thought we’d be cute together.” He peers at Sky. “Not me.”

  This makes a bit more sense now, but the damage is already done. I guess Skyler feels Rocco should’ve told his mama no. Sonia doesn’t seem to catch the “Not me” part of Roc’s explanation. She grabs Rocco’s face and stakes her claim—kissing him on the lips. Sonia reaches his height easily. She’s in sexy six-inch-high hooker heels.

  Skyler glances down, probably so she doesn’t have to watch the display. When Sonia moans, Sky walks away. I proceed to follow her, but Jolene stops me.

  “No, baby girl. You’re here to have fun. I got this.” Then she pats Rocco’s chest—“Oh, Teddy Bear”—and follows Sky.

  With Sonia’s mission completed, she engrosses herself in a phone call, speaking Spanish. Rocco remains motionless as he watches little Sky disappear. He gawks at Josh, who’s shaking his head. Rocco asks, “Teddy Bear?”

  Josh appears disappointed but not shocked with Rocco’s behavior. “That’s what my Shorty calls you, Roc. Her teddy bear.”

  Roc grabs his heart and stares at me for confirmation. I nod. His shoulders deflate. “I’m not… used to… a girl like her.”

  Josh glares at Sonia, apparently annoyed at her talking loudly in Spanish behind Rocco. “No, you’re not. Sky’s real—not one fake bone in her body. And she clearly ain’t up for games of the heart.”

  Rocco glances over at where Sky had been standing, and he inhales through his first mistake with her. “Loud and clear, El Capitan.” Again, it’s pronounced El Ca-pee-ton. Teddy Bear’s face is riven with regret.

  As i
f this drama isn’t enough, Dereck’s ex—Alexandria, aka Alex—is beelining straight for me.

  Josh throws his hands in the air. “Oh, Jesus. Here we go. Alex, I swear—”

  She grabs a hold of my arm and faces him. “Best behavior—promise. I just want to clear the air.”

  Staring at Alex’s hand, I see muddied, red color fusing to my arm. Is she angry? I want her to let go.

  Dereck’s hand tightens on mine. At first I’m shocked when I see a similar deep red coming off him, it’s just not muddled. Then I feel a protective heat wave coming off his body. His tone is harsh. “Alex. Let. Her. Go.”

  Alex spins toward him, showing even less patience. “Already the protective boyfriend?”

  She lets my arm go then looks at me. “Can we just talk in private for a minute?”

  I guess this is a conversation I can’t avoid forever. “Yes.”

  After I nod at Dereck, he finally releases my hand. Although I’m not doing cartwheels, I follow Alex farther into the backyard. Alexandria keeps her back to the Crew and her frustration toward me. “I’m trying to do what’s best and be happy for you guys.”

  “Thank you, Alex—”

  “But Dereck is very special.”

  “I know—”

  “So, please understand if I bow out of the Crew for a while.”

  “I never meant for—”

  Ignoring me, she gazes around. “For whatever reason, Dereck didn’t choose me. He chose… Ugh, even his dad and my parents wanted this. For the life of me, I will never get it.”

  I’m instantly very self-conscious when her words about Dereck’s father sink in, but I have no time to digest them. I feel as if her eyes are burning my skin.

  “Dereck and I are from the same background.”

  As I’m being insulted, I watch Jolene and Sky join the Crew again. When they see me—and who I’m with—they both attempt their own beelining. Josh grabs their arms. Jolene stops in midstride, but my fireball—Sky—slams her foot down on top of Josh’s. As he yelps in pain, no longer holding her but his injured foot, Sky is reading him his rights. Her finger is in his face—she can reach because he’s bent over clutching his toes—and her mouth is in high gear.