Harder Than You Know

Two Weeks Later.

Everything had started to return back to normal. Today, Rian was having a barbecue at his house. It was a blazing ninety degrees out, and my mother had taken Audrey to the park. I was still nervous on her being out, but everyonebut Alex assured it would be fine.

I laughed I watched Kara chased Rian with a cold pitcher of ice water. Michaela was arguing with Jack about who controlled the grill. I wasn't surprised.

"Sometimes I think you dress like this to make me take you in public." Alex whispered in my ear, wrapping his arms around my bare middle. Goosebumps went down down my spine, making me shiver. He laughed at me, shaking his head. I stuck out my tongue playfully, which he snapped at.

Suddenly, I heard Rian shriek like a girl. I heard giggling, then more running. Before I knew it, I was tackled into the pool. Kara came back up when I did, pushing her hair from her face. I glared at her menacingly, then shoved her back underwater.

"Cannonball!" Zack screamed, jumping in squeezed together like a ball. Everyone copied him, causing water to splash around everywhere. Soon, an epic game of volleyball started. It was Alex, Rian, Michaela, and Zack against Kara, Jack, and me. They were dominating us, until Kathryn came through Rian's sliding doors and Zack was distracted. Jack took the chance to spike him in the head with the ball, then had to make a swim for it.

"Remember that time Rian jerked down Mr. Clark's pants in front of the entire school?" Jack asked no one in particular. We were all talking, surrounded by a campfire in Rian's far back yard. I was sitting in between Alex's legs with his arms wrapped around my waist. We had a blanket draped over us and my head was in his shoulders.

"What about that time Addison accidentally knocked over the cage of snakes in the zoology lab and the classroom freaked. Then they slid under the door and went into other classrooms! That was the greatest day in our sophomore year, no doubt." Michaela recalled. It was an accident, but it was funny watching Miss Yolanda climb up on her desk. Then watching the preppy girls voices turn into shrill screams and practically race each other up to the ceiling. Only Michaela and I would touch them to return them into the cages. It was really great, as she had said.

"Then, that time that Jack dragged Sara Rosen, that really preppy cheerleader, into the janitors closet since she thought they would make-out, but then he locked her in there? The while sophomore class took pictures of her when she came out crying." Zack recalled. I hadn't heard about that one, and since I wasn't there I never witnessed it.

"Wow, that's horrible." Kara said, but laughing nevertheless.

"Guys, it's eleven o'clock, we're heading home." Michaela said, yawning. She and Jack stood, saying bye to everyone, and leaving. Kara started cleaning up, helping Rian take things back into their house.

"We should be going, too. I'll see you guys later." Alex told them, picking my still sitting form up and standing me up on the ground. I said my byes to Rian, Kara, Zack, and Kathryn.

I stood in the bedroom changing into my pajamas. Alex came in, holding a glass of hot chocolate for me. I smiled and thanked him as he turned on the television. I slid on my socks after setting my mug down on the night stand. I crawled in beside him, setting my head on his chest.

I was beginning to doze off when a sudden crash startled me. I jumped up, Alex repeating my actions. There was glass broken in the floor, and a large rock in the middle of it. I slowly slid off of the bed, much to Alex's dismay. I dodged pieces of the glass that had came from the window. There was a note attached to the jagged rock. I until the thin rope that held it there, and read the note aloud.

I hope that you know just because Jessica is in custody, doesn't eliminate your
chances of me getting you. I'll be seeing you soon.