Sandcastles
fourteen.
We were a few blocks away when it finally dawned on me what had just happened. Looking back at the club, which I couldn’t even see anymore, I could only imagine the chaos that must be erupting inside.
“We can’t just leave them!” I shouted, tearing my arm from Sara’s grip before turning to go back. But, before I could get away, her hand was wrapped tightly around my wrist.
“And do what?” Sara questioned. I could see the seriousness in her eyes, which was usually never there. “They’re professional hockey players for Christ’s sake!”
“That doesn’t mean we can abandon them!!” I tried my best to slip from her vice grip, but it was impossible. I never realized just how strong the girl was.
“Yes, it does.” She began towards the hotel again, practically dragging me behind her.
I wanted to yell. I wanted to scream at her. Leaving Kaner and Tazer behind in the middle of what was essentially a bar fight didn’t seem fair, especially since we were the cause. However, I found myself trying to keep pace with her so she didn’t yank my poor arm from its socket.
“Stop worrying, Bailey. They’re big boys. They can take perfectly good care of themselves,” Sara snapped, reading the expression on my face like a book. Her eyes weren’t nearly as friendly as they usually were.
“That doesn’t mean I can sit around and not worry,” I snapped back. “You may not give a shit if Kaner ends up beaten to a pulp, but I’d rather not see that happen to Jonny.”
She finally let go of my arm, and I realized we were standing in front of the hotel. “Don’t even try to tell me that I don’t care about Kaner.” The words weren’t shouting. They were almost a whisper, but I managed to catch them.
“Why on earth are you acting so strange lately?” I asked, looking at her curiously and folding my arms over my chest. “Your boyfriend is beating the shit out of some guy just for touching you! Last time I checked, you could take perfectly good care of yourself.”
I noticed Sara swallow hard, showing a hint of vulnerability before her expression hardened again. The Sara I knew didn’t need anyone’s protection or help. She wanted to do everything by herself. Letting someone defend her honor was almost unheard of. I’d see my best friend straight up punch a guy in the ball for trying to defend her. Sara didn’t want protecting, and she didn’t need saving. She had always made it so clear that she could take perfectly good care of herself.
“It’s not just me he’s protecting,” Sara said, looking at me before heading into the hotel lobby, leaving me out in the warm, tropical air.
Raising an eyebrow, I jogged slightly to catch up with her. “What are you talking about? Him protecting me as well?”
It was no secret that I needed a fair amount of protection. I’d always been the vulnerable one. Sara had been MY protector since we met. Every time something was said or done that might harm me, Sara was there to cut it all down. I rubbed my neck, almost feeling like it was my fault the boys were in this awful situation.
“I didn’t ask him to…” I began, but my words were quickly cut off.
“Just drop it Bailey.”
And with that, she was gone.
-x-
2:58 a.m.
I had watched the red numbers on the clock change minute by minute for the last hour. Curled up in my bed, I couldn’t seem to find the comfort of sleep, the one thing I had been craving all day. Every now and then I would feel myself slip into a sense of unconsciousness, but it never lasted long. My eyes would flick right back to the clock. I wasn’t sure what I was waiting on; a phone call maybe? Anything to let me know that the boys were okay and would be back safely soon.
When the clock struck 3:19, I got something better than a phone call. The door to the hotel room swung open and in slid a figure. I thought it was just Sara coming for a good night of sleep, though I don’t know why she’d sleep here when I’m sure she could have just stayed in the boys’ suite. It wasn’t until I felt a strong, familiar arm slip around my waist that I got my answer.
Rolling over, I looked into the familiar part of dark brown eyes that stared right back into my own blue ones. Moments passed when nothing was said. Finally, Jonny kissed my forehead and flashed a weak smile. It seemed like just the little tug at the corner of his lips made him flinch slightly in pain. “I’m sorry,” he muttered.
“Don’t be,” I whispered, kissing him quickly. I came away with the taste of blood still lingering on my lips, when told me that he must have a busted lip. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” It was the only answer I could get from him. Even though I wanted to press for more details more than anything in the world, I couldn’t.
Nodding, I kissed him again. Before I could pull away, his hand was on the back of my head, tangling into my hair and pulling me closer. Part of me didn’t want to be laying here making out with Jonny. I was angry over what happened. Actually, I was furious. But there was another part of me that took over. The part that felt terrible for what had happened and that part was going to give Jonny whatever he wanted, everything he wanted.
I reached my hand up to touch his cheek, and felt him pull back against my hand. That wasn’t a good sign. In the darkness, I could tell how badly he must look. I couldn’t see the fat lip or the bruises, maybe even a black frame that surrounded his beautiful eyes. His lips left mine, trailing to my jaw, and then to my neck.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I questioned again, running my hand through his soft hair for a moment.
“I’m perfect now that I’m with you.” I could hear a hit of sadness in his voice; guilt maybe? Before I could sit and analyze it any further, I felt a hand slide it’s way up my side, touching my warm skin. Without question, I closed my eyes and let his hands and lips explore whatever he wanted. Tonight was his, especially after all the trouble he had gone through.
“We can’t just leave them!” I shouted, tearing my arm from Sara’s grip before turning to go back. But, before I could get away, her hand was wrapped tightly around my wrist.
“And do what?” Sara questioned. I could see the seriousness in her eyes, which was usually never there. “They’re professional hockey players for Christ’s sake!”
“That doesn’t mean we can abandon them!!” I tried my best to slip from her vice grip, but it was impossible. I never realized just how strong the girl was.
“Yes, it does.” She began towards the hotel again, practically dragging me behind her.
I wanted to yell. I wanted to scream at her. Leaving Kaner and Tazer behind in the middle of what was essentially a bar fight didn’t seem fair, especially since we were the cause. However, I found myself trying to keep pace with her so she didn’t yank my poor arm from its socket.
“Stop worrying, Bailey. They’re big boys. They can take perfectly good care of themselves,” Sara snapped, reading the expression on my face like a book. Her eyes weren’t nearly as friendly as they usually were.
“That doesn’t mean I can sit around and not worry,” I snapped back. “You may not give a shit if Kaner ends up beaten to a pulp, but I’d rather not see that happen to Jonny.”
She finally let go of my arm, and I realized we were standing in front of the hotel. “Don’t even try to tell me that I don’t care about Kaner.” The words weren’t shouting. They were almost a whisper, but I managed to catch them.
“Why on earth are you acting so strange lately?” I asked, looking at her curiously and folding my arms over my chest. “Your boyfriend is beating the shit out of some guy just for touching you! Last time I checked, you could take perfectly good care of yourself.”
I noticed Sara swallow hard, showing a hint of vulnerability before her expression hardened again. The Sara I knew didn’t need anyone’s protection or help. She wanted to do everything by herself. Letting someone defend her honor was almost unheard of. I’d see my best friend straight up punch a guy in the ball for trying to defend her. Sara didn’t want protecting, and she didn’t need saving. She had always made it so clear that she could take perfectly good care of herself.
“It’s not just me he’s protecting,” Sara said, looking at me before heading into the hotel lobby, leaving me out in the warm, tropical air.
Raising an eyebrow, I jogged slightly to catch up with her. “What are you talking about? Him protecting me as well?”
It was no secret that I needed a fair amount of protection. I’d always been the vulnerable one. Sara had been MY protector since we met. Every time something was said or done that might harm me, Sara was there to cut it all down. I rubbed my neck, almost feeling like it was my fault the boys were in this awful situation.
“I didn’t ask him to…” I began, but my words were quickly cut off.
“Just drop it Bailey.”
And with that, she was gone.
-x-
2:58 a.m.
I had watched the red numbers on the clock change minute by minute for the last hour. Curled up in my bed, I couldn’t seem to find the comfort of sleep, the one thing I had been craving all day. Every now and then I would feel myself slip into a sense of unconsciousness, but it never lasted long. My eyes would flick right back to the clock. I wasn’t sure what I was waiting on; a phone call maybe? Anything to let me know that the boys were okay and would be back safely soon.
When the clock struck 3:19, I got something better than a phone call. The door to the hotel room swung open and in slid a figure. I thought it was just Sara coming for a good night of sleep, though I don’t know why she’d sleep here when I’m sure she could have just stayed in the boys’ suite. It wasn’t until I felt a strong, familiar arm slip around my waist that I got my answer.
Rolling over, I looked into the familiar part of dark brown eyes that stared right back into my own blue ones. Moments passed when nothing was said. Finally, Jonny kissed my forehead and flashed a weak smile. It seemed like just the little tug at the corner of his lips made him flinch slightly in pain. “I’m sorry,” he muttered.
“Don’t be,” I whispered, kissing him quickly. I came away with the taste of blood still lingering on my lips, when told me that he must have a busted lip. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” It was the only answer I could get from him. Even though I wanted to press for more details more than anything in the world, I couldn’t.
Nodding, I kissed him again. Before I could pull away, his hand was on the back of my head, tangling into my hair and pulling me closer. Part of me didn’t want to be laying here making out with Jonny. I was angry over what happened. Actually, I was furious. But there was another part of me that took over. The part that felt terrible for what had happened and that part was going to give Jonny whatever he wanted, everything he wanted.
I reached my hand up to touch his cheek, and felt him pull back against my hand. That wasn’t a good sign. In the darkness, I could tell how badly he must look. I couldn’t see the fat lip or the bruises, maybe even a black frame that surrounded his beautiful eyes. His lips left mine, trailing to my jaw, and then to my neck.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I questioned again, running my hand through his soft hair for a moment.
“I’m perfect now that I’m with you.” I could hear a hit of sadness in his voice; guilt maybe? Before I could sit and analyze it any further, I felt a hand slide it’s way up my side, touching my warm skin. Without question, I closed my eyes and let his hands and lips explore whatever he wanted. Tonight was his, especially after all the trouble he had gone through.