Sequel: Like We Used To
Status: Finished. :]

I'll Leave It at "You Amaze Me"

Fifteen

I called 911 and the cops were over in minutes. I sat on the front porch, shaking violently. One of the cops came out. “Is there anybody you can stay with for now?” I tried to think. He sat beside me. “Are you okay, Miss?”

“I… um, my uncle lives across town,” I finally remembered.

“Would you like for me to call him to pick you up?”

I shook my head. “I’ll say at a hotel. I don’t want to be a problem.” My hands were still shaking. A gust of wind made some leaves fall from one of the large trees beside the house.

“I can make reservations for you,” he offered.

I nodded. “Thank you.” My phone rang as the cop walked away, pulling out his phone. “Hello?” I answered in a shaky voice.

“Hey, did you make it okay?” Garrett asked. “Mikki says Hi, by the way. So does Kylie. And Jane. Ugh, would you guys go away? I’m on the phone! They all miss you.” The shock finally set in. The picture of my dead family was forever ingrained in my head. “Merrick? Are you okay?” He sounded concerned.

“So much blood….” I mumbled. A few tears escaped my eyes.

“What?!”

“They’re gone,” I whispered. “Can you come stay with me?”

“I’ll be there as soon as possible,” he promised. “Bye.” I pressed the end button and slowly put the phone back in my pocket.

The cop walked back over. “Excuse me, how many are going to be staying in the room?” he asked.

“Two,” I mumbled. I waited out his conversation with the hotel.

“Okay, thank you.” He hung up. “You have reservations for two at the Country Inn & Suites.”

“Thank you.” Another police car pulled up and an officer got out and came over.

“I’m sorry for your losses, Miss Bradley. Is there anything I can do for you?” the new officer asked.

“We’re going to need you to move,” somebody said from behind me. I jumped up and saw them starting to bring my family out in bodybags. Tears streamed down my face.

“I need a ride to the hotel,” my voice was broken but they understood. He nodded.

“Stay with her,” the first cop commanded. The second one nodded. I climbed into the cop car and stared out the window on the ride to the hotel. I checked in and went directly to my suite. I texted Garrett and told him the hotel and suite number. I realized I didn’t have any extra clothes with me, so I took off my jeans and shoes then crawled under the covers, curling into a ball. I tried to forget; but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t.

I finally turned on the TV and put on some kid’s show, trying to at least numb my mind. The knock on the door scared me. I cautiously climbed out of the bed and snuck over to the door in the front room. I looked through the peephole and saw Garrett. I stood behind the door and opened it to let him in. I closed the door after he dropped his bag; he hugged me tightly. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, his voice sorrowful.

Images flooded my head and I started crying again. Without notice, he picked me up and carried me to the king-sized bed, placing me back under the covers. He moved his bag and then kicked off his shoes before lying next to me under the covers. He let me cry, but he comforted me. He rubbed my back and would occasionally kiss the top of my head, telling me that everything would be alright.

Our phones rang, but the calls were ignored. The night passed without even the thought of sleep; by sunrise my eyes were starting to close involuntarily. To say that Garrett was amazing was an understatement though; he stayed up the whole night and would calm me whenever I got scared.

My eyes were closed and I was starting to fall asleep when his phone rang again. “Hey,” he whispered into the phone. He lightly rubbed my back. I was trying to keep my grip on consciousness without success. “No, she didn’t sleep at all during the night; I think she fell asleep about ten minutes ago.” He drew in a deep breath. “She went to her parent’s house and they’d been murdered.”

I cringed and he shifted slightly beside me. I snuggled into his side; my head rested again his chest. “I don’t know yet.” He sighed; I wished I knew who he was talking to. “Please tell everybody to stop calling; I’ll call when I know more, okay? … Yeah, I didn’t sleep either.” He let out a yawn, as if to prove that he didn’t. “Okay. Bye.” I waited to hear the phone drop on the nightstand or something, but I didn’t.

I heard the lamp being turned off. He brushed my hair away from my face and gently tucked it behind my ear. “Goodnight, Merrick,” was the last thing I remembered him saying before I fell asleep.
♠ ♠ ♠
Psssst, you! Yeah, you. Go read this story. Its about Boys Like Girls.

Other than that, um, here's the next chapter. :]

You know, I was completely serious about that one shot thing the other day... ;]

Comment, please.

Sincerely,
Lizz