Chapter 4: Running Away Is My Forte

ADDY

Right now, I’m pretending to be asleep. It’s worth a shot, isn’t it?

“Addalynn freaking Reina! Get your ass out of bed!” Kay hollers, bouncing on top of me and yanking my covers away.

~Damn it!~

“I don’t wanna,” I mumble, but she cuts me off.

“You’ve been holed up in this bed for a week! Your dad might buy your ‘I’m sick’ act, but I know you better. Aunt Kelly will have your head when she finds out you’ve been skipping school.”

Kay tosses the covers aside and flops down next to me.

“Mom won’t find out, Kay! She’s not back for two weeks. And I really am sick!” I pout.

Kaylee shoots me a ~you’re full of it~ look.

I clutch my head dramatically. “Oh, my head. It’s killing me, Kay!” I groan, trying to sell it.

“Bullshit, you said your stomach hurt two minutes ago.”

~Ah, fuck!~

“Okay, okay, you got me.” I glance out the window, my heart pounding at the thought of the boy next door.

“Well?”

I turn back to Kay, who’s giving me a ~spill it now~ look. I let out a loud sigh, then another, hoping she’ll drop it.

“No way, missy. You owe me a damn good explanation for ditching me at Trevor’s party last week.

“Blake, that jerk I never wanted to see again, had to drive me home! How could you? And Blake with his stupid cute dimples.”

I raise an eyebrow at her, a smirk threatening to break out.

“Blake, huh?” Now I’m grinning at her blushing face.

“Nope, you’re not changing the subject. You’ve been in this bed since that party. If you don’t start talking in the next twenty seconds, I’m bailing on our girls’ night out.”

I gasp. “You wouldn’t!”

“Try me!” Kay challenges, sitting up on the bed, knowing I’m about to spill the beans.

“Well, you know, at the party you left me alone and I danced with some guy and then I wanted to get away so I looked for you but I couldn’t find you and it was dark and then I fell into the pool and then Asher helped me and I kissed him,” I blurt out in one breath.

Kaylee just stares at me.

“~YOU~ KISSED ASHER?”

I slap a hand over her mouth, giving her a pleading look.

“He lives next door, dummy!”

“Right!” She laughs. “I want the whole story, and then you might want to hear something interesting.”

I look at her with dread before I start reliving that night. Once I finish, she laughs and then looks at me expectantly.

“What?”

“I want the details, Addy?”

I groan.

“And everything that happened after the kiss. It was your first kiss, after all!” She smirks, giving me a knowing look.

I give her a sarcastic smile before filling her in.

***

I count down in my head before pressing my chapped lips to his soft, moist ones. My hands cradle his face, my legs tightening around his hips.

Asher freezes at first, and I’m too scared to open my eyes, afraid of rejection.

~Stupid, stupid, stupid!~

~Why would he want you? Idiot!~

Just as I’m about to pull away, he pulls me closer, tilting his head and kissing me back.

~Holy shit! Asher King is kissing me back.~

His lips move gently against mine, and I can’t help but moan softly into his mouth. My fingers tangle in his wet hair as I press myself closer to him.

Everything else fades away. I can’t hear the music, I can’t hear the screaming, and I can’t feel the fear that usually surrounds me in the dark. I feel safer in Asher’s arms than I have in years.

~Home.~

~This feels like home.~

I pull back slightly to catch my breath before leaning in for another kiss, but this time Asher isn’t as receptive.

“What the fuck!” he roars, shoving me away.

My heart stops. Some people turn around but don’t pay attention because they can’t see clearly. Or so I think.

My hand hits the metal ladder in the pool.

~What?~

So Asher has maneuvered us to the ladder. Why didn’t he tell me to get out?

“What the actual fuck!” he mutters again, turning away from me. He sounds angry and shocked.

I can see him now. The moonlight illuminates his muscular back. He doesn’t bother to look my way again.

Tears threaten to spill from my eyes but I hold them back, pulling myself out of the pool.

I don’t feel safe anymore. I’m terrified again. Some people turn to look at me, but I hide my face behind my hair and sprint through the backyard.

~I need to get out.~

The keys are still in my pocket as I make my way to the truck. I quickly wring out my long hair before pulling them out.

Just as I start the engine, the lights come back on in Trevor’s house. My breathing slows in relief.

I’m never leaving my house again.

***

I feel someone wipe away the tears streaming down my face, the memories still fresh.

“Don’t cry, Addy.”

“You don’t get it, Kay. I was so embarrassed. Still am. I should never have kissed him. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Oh, my baby!” She pulls me into a tight hug, her lips pouting.

“But Addy?” she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Hmm?” I stretch out on her lap, my eyes meeting hers with a questioning look.

“Are you sure that Asher was disgusted by your kiss?” Her eyebrows knit together in concern as she gazes down at me.

“Pretty sure, why?” I respond, my forehead creasing into a frown. “I just laid out the whole story. One moment, it seemed like he was into it, but the next he was all fired up.”

Kaylee sucks in a sharp breath.

“Because he’s been searching for you all week. I think it started after the party.”

“Holy macaroni!” I cry out.

“Holy macaroni indeed, Addy,” Kay echoes softly.

~Why the hell does this have to happen to me?~ I think to myself.