Awaken Read online

“Sorry, my mind is just elsewhere.”

  “Something going on with Drake again?”

  “Don’t even go there.”

  “What’d he do now?”

  “Nothing lately. I mean, we’re not together, so I don’t know.”

  “What’s going on with you then?” Caleb quit working and was waiting for me to answer, and yet I wasn’t sure what to say. But then I looked up and reminded myself who I was talking to. Caleb was the most open-minded person I knew.

  “You’re going to think I’m crazy.”

  “And?” he said.

  “Okay.” I furrowed my brown and shook my head. I couldn’t believe I was doing this. I hadn’t even told Izzy about it. Caleb stopped working and stared at me. “Don’t freak out, got it?” I looked around the shop to make sure no one was listening. McKenna was across the room, singing to herself, and wiping down tables. “Last night when I was walking home from O’Neil’s I was attacked in the alley.”

  “What?” Caleb dropped the dishtowel he was using to wipe the head of the espresso machine and took two steps toward me, his eyes taking inventory.

  I waved his concerns off. “I haven’t even got to the good part.” Caleb’s fists clenched. “I’m not sure I should tell you the rest.” I eyed my boss with concern.

  “Sorry.” He picked up the dish towel and relaxed a fraction. “Go on.”

  “It’s just the guy pulled out a knife, and I freaked out. I’m not even sure what happened, but the next thing I know, there’s this fire everywhere, and he’s falling to the ground.” I left out the part of the flames being white and the fire coming from me. I figured the story sounded ridiculous enough as is.

  Caleb was silent. I wasn’t sure if I should continue or not. I grabbed one of the cups and pumped a couple of shots of caramel into for the latte he was making.

  “Then what happened?” he asked, his voice on edge.

  I closed my eyes and saw the scene play out. “He came at me again, but I was ready. When he lunged, I turned the blade on him, and then,” I swallowed hard before continuing, “he exploded.” Caleb stared at me. I was convinced he thought I was crazy. “Before you ask, you know I don’t do drugs and I’m not prone to hallucinations.” I instinctively pointed my finger at his chest, just daring him to make such an accusation.

  “I didn’t say that,” Caleb said defensively, but yet something simmered under the surface.

  I felt somewhat deflated. “Well, I had thought maybe someone slipped something in my drink at the bar until I saw this.” I tugged my tank top aside to reveal where the knife nicked me. “I just don’t know what to make of it.”

  “And the Internet?”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “Nothing that I want to believe.”

  Five

  Drake

  Stony silence. Rue didn’t say a word when I answered the door or when she got in my car. Real mature, I thought. How about you find someone else to give you a ride? As if it was only that easy. Izzy promised she’d make my life hell if she missed Ashes. She started sobbing the minute I told her I could give a shit less if Rue went to the concert or not. I hadn’t planned on still going. I couldn’t believe Rue didn’t feel the same way, even with Ashes as the headliner. I guess I underestimated her obsession. Typical.

  “You wouldn’t! Rue has to go. I can’t believe you’d ruin my life like this. I hate you!” Izzy wailed, throwing herself on my bed. Her screaming and sobbing continued. I was about to walk out until she turned to me and with pure ice on her tongue, “I’ll tell dad I found a joint in your room,” she said to my back.

  Her words stopped me dead. I waited for a beat before slowly turning back around and staring her down. “You’re threatening me?” My voice was calm and smooth, but my insides were boiling.

  Izzy shrugged, knowing she had me. “Did you even finish your community service from last summer?” she asked, referencing my run-in with the law and the possession charge that resulted. My uncle’s response had been swift. I’m lucky I still had a bedroom. Like Rue, I was forced to live with my uncle’s rules as long as I lived under his roof, which is why that needed to change real fucking quick.

  “What is your problem?” I asked.

  “I told you, I can’t go to the concert unless you do and we need a ride,” Izzy said.

  I was silent. I heard Rue’s car had been stolen and found smashed to hell. Felicity had to love that. She hated Rue driving. The woman had severe control issues.

  “Who do you think dad will believe?” Izzy continued. “His messed-up nephew, or his sweet, innocent daughter?” She batted her red-rimmed eyes at me.

  I didn’t respond.

  “I want Rue at the concert with me, and you’re going to drive us,” she demanded.

  I still didn’t answer. Mentally I was trying to find a way out of this, but Izzy was sweet and innocent, or she had been anyway. I was fucked.

  “What do you think dad will do this time? Just sell your Harley?” she asked with mock curiosity.

  I wanted to pummel the little brat, but then there’d be hell to pay. “Fine, but don’t ever think you can threaten me again.” My voice held an edge to it. If Izzy were smart, she’d heed my warning. But I wasn’t counting on it. In reality, I needed to move out as soon as possible and I was taking my Harley with me. With Rue out of my life, I saw no point in sticking around a town that was headed nowhere and was taking me down with it.

  “Thank you. You’re the best!” Izzy exclaimed as she hopped off my bed and gave me a hug before bounding down the hall to her room. A second later Ashes filled the airwaves and continued to blast on repeat until Rue knocked on the front door.

  So now there I was, glancing at Rue in my rearview mirror, wondering what she was thinking when our eyes met. Her eyes looked brighter, bluer—beautiful. God, I was such a fucking idiot.

  Rue scowled, and I half expected her to give me the middle finger.

  “This is so exciting, isn’t it?” Izzy asked. She bounced in the passenger seat. Izzy was either oblivious to the tension in the car or chose to ignore it. It was probably the former. Izzy was a bit centric.

  Rue didn’t acknowledge me again until we arrived at the venue.

  “Here,” she said, tapping me on the shoulder and passing me a twenty to cover the parking.

  “No, that’s cool. I got it,” I replied.

  “Take the money. You drove. It’s my contribution,” Rue argued.

  “I said I got it,” I replied.

  “You’re going to start a fight with me over parking?” Rue asked. She gripped the back of my headrest and peered around it.

  “I’m not fighting with you.” I snapped back. Was I? I didn’t even know anymore.

  “Guys, stop it,” Izzy interjected. We both looked over at her. “Just drive, okay? We’re next,” she motioned to the guy waiting for us to pull forward and pay.

  I took Rue’s twenty and handed it over, following the line of cars in front of us through the field, allowing the attendant to tell me where to park. The minute I pulled into the spot and came to a stop, the girls were out the door before I even turned the engine off.

  Why am I even here? I stared at over the steering wheel and debated it all. I watched Izzy drag Rue through the crowd, her dark hair skimming the top of her sun-kissed shoulders. Her jean skirt was dangerously short. And those legs. I fought the urge to jump out of the car and catch up with them. Fuck. I pounded my fist on the top of the steering wheel. The people in the car parked next to me jumped. Fuck you too, I thought. And Izzy for making me come here.

  Six

  Rue

  I checked behind me to see if I could spot Drake, but I couldn’t find him. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. “You sure he won’t leave us?” I asked, popping a purple Skittle in my mouth. I looked down to sort the colors out in my hand. I wouldn’t put anything past Drake.

  “Positive. I made sure of it,” Izzy replied, holding out her hand for the orange ones. Izzy could be dramatic when she wanted to be. No doubt she pulled out all the stops tonight. Izzy gave me a wicked smiled, solidifying my assumptions.

  “You’re bad,” I said.

  “And you love me for it,” Izzy replied. That was true. Izzy was impulsive, emotional, irrational—everything Felicity didn’t approve of, which only cemented our friendship.

  I poured more of the candies in my hand and tried to relax. I mean, it was awesome that Izzy and I were here together, and Ashes would be hitting the stage in an hour. I just had to stop thinking about Drake. He didn’t deserve my time.

  “I love your hair by the way.” Izzy tugged at the white streak. “You’re such a trendsetter.” I laughed Izzy’s comment off, eyeing the whiteness. “Remember the last time I tried the look and my hair ended up orange?” she asked.

  That got a genuine laugh out of me. “Blondes and bleach don’t always mix now do they?”

  “No, but yours looks flawless. Super jealous.”

  Izzy wouldn’t be if she knew how I got it.

  It turned out that the opening act wasn’t bad. The lead singer was no Arrow Evans, but they could play. However, now the crowd was getting rowdy. It was dusk; in a few minutes, it would officially be nightfall. The road crew worked switching out guitars, adding a few more to another rack. The drop cloths were pulled off Ashes’ drum set, and another microphone stand added.

  “I’m going to freaking have a heart attack,” Izzy exclaimed. The way she followed that up with an ear-splitting whistle told me she meant that in a good way.

  “You want?” One of the guys standing next to us offered Izzy a joint. She readily took a hit. “I’m such a hypocrite,” she giggled. I didn’t even ask her what she meant. She passed it off to me before drawing her hand back, “Oops, sorry, I forgot
,” she laughed and handed the joint back to the guy, “She doesn’t like it,” she whispered loudly for us both to hear. Honestly, it wasn’t that I didn’t like it. I just didn’t like it when people lied about it. That’s what Drake didn’t get. If you wanted to drink or smoke, fine, but when your girlfriend asked you about it, don’t lie. Just be responsible. How fucking hard was that?

  I reached in front of Izzy and snatched the joint out of the guy’s hand and took a big hit. The smoke choked my lungs, and I coughed harder than I meant to, but whatever. I didn’t care what anyone thought. I was tired of all the rules forced down my throat. When Ashes took the stage, I was ready to party.

  Seven

  Drake

  The crowd swallowed up the girls up, and I didn’t bother to try and find them. We had VIP tickets, which meant the entire grassy area in front of the stage was fair game, along with the other five hundred people. I sat on the grassy hill instead, otherwise known as the cheap seats, and drank a beer. The day-glow orange ID bracelet reading Over 19 twisted around my wrist. I reached over and snapped it off, tossing it along with my empty cup in the trash. Around me concertgoers sang and swayed to the music, standing on the blankets they had initially brought to sit on, but were now forgotten. I looked down at the party happening in front of the stage. I was getting more pissed off by the second--damn Izzy and her lies. I needed to get away sooner rather than later. Even if Rue was no longer coming with me

  I turned to the girl next to me. She was there with another couple looking like the third wheel. She smiled sweetly. Her long light locks looked nothing like Rue’s. A bonus. She tilted her head. I could see she was looking for an opening. A hot girl at a summer concert? Maybe she was just the distraction that I needed.

  The crowd swallowed up the girls up, and I didn’t bother to try and find them. We had VIP tickets, which meant the entire grassy area in front of the stage was fair game, along with the other five hundred people. I sat on the grassy hill instead, otherwise known as the cheap seats, and drank a beer. The day-glow orange ID bracelet reading Over 19 twisted around my wrist. I reached over and snapped it off, tossing it along with my empty cup in the trash. Around me concertgoers sang and swayed to the music, standing on the blankets they had initially brought to sit on, but were now forgotten. I looked down at the party happening in front of the stage. I was getting more pissed off by the second--damn Izzy and her lies. I needed to get away sooner rather than later. Even if Rue was no longer coming with me

  I turned to the girl next to me. She was there with another couple looking like the third wheel. She smiled sweetly. Her long light locks looked nothing like Rue’s. A bonus. She tilted her head. I could see she was looking for an opening. A hot girl at a summer concert? Maybe she was just the distraction that I needed.

  “I’m Drake,” I said.

  “Megan. Nice to meet you.”

  Eight

  Rue

  At first, I thought the green light was part of the concert’s special effects, or maybe it was the weed. My luck the joint was laced with something, and I was going to end up a statistic or worse--Drake would have to save me. I stared at the light and cursed my stupidity. The color pulsed in rhythm with the music, pulling me in like a trance. It wasn’t until the music stopped that I realized the light was still pulsing, only this time in sync with my heartbeat. I turned my head as I tried to analyze what it meant.

  “What, what is it?” Izzy nudged me.

  I barely acknowledged her, shaking my head as if to say nothing, never once taking my eyes off the light.

  Ashes’ lead guitarist, Arrow Evans, started talking into the mic and Izzy turned her attention toward him, screaming with the rest of the crowd, despite none of us understanding what he was saying. We were too close to make out the words. Not that it mattered. To me, it was all in the distant background. With each second, I felt myself being pulled further and further away from the crowd.

  “What are you looking at?” Izzy looked over to where the light was still dancing, calling for me to come closer, but she didn’t see it. I could tell. She continued to search in vain for the light that was right in front of her eyes.

  I never answered her. Ashes kicked it up again, and Izzy screamed on cue with the rest of the crowd. Everyone was singing and jumping in sync with the beat.

  Except for me.

  I followed the light.

  Nine

  Drake

  “You a fan?” I asked Megan, motioning to the stage.

  “Not so much as just needing a night out. You?”

  I shrugged. “I’m chaperoning. My little cousin and her friend are front and center.” I pointed down below.

  “Sounds like a serious job,” Megan joked, and I laughed at the thought of Rue finding out I thought of her as a child.

  The girl smiled in return. “You want to go grab a drink?” She asked, standing.

  “Yeah, sure.” I was surprised when she grabbed me by the hand, and pulled me up, leading the way. We trudged up the hill together, toward the top where the vendor carts were located. I was pretty sure her leading was on purpose. The move showed off her long, toned legs, and well, other assets. She turned and looked over her shoulder and playfully tugged on my hand to keep up.

  I looked away. Guilt seeped into my consciousness, and it pissed me off. I was single, and this girl was obviously into me. “And she doesn’t hate your guts,” I mumbled as I quickened my pace.

  “What are you drinking? It looks like they have beer and hard lemonade,” I asked her once we up top.

  “Lemonade would be great.”

  I moved to get in line. “Oh, wait, I ripped off my wrist band.” Megan looked over to my bare wrist. “Don’t ask,” I added. The entrance and the security guards with the ID bracelets were further away than I wanted to go.

  “It’s okay. I can grab them. You are old enough, right?” Megan tugged at my hand once more.

  “Promise.” I handed a twenty off to her and stood off to the side to wait. Like an idiot, as soon as she was out of sight, I started scanning the crowd for Rue. Did she see another girl holding my hand? Did it make her jealous? Did I want it to make her jealous? Of course, I did. Why did Rue do this to me? I needed to let it go. Let her go. But I couldn’t because I loved her. Fuck. The words were like punches to my gut. But it didn’t matter because she didn’t love me. And she shouldn’t. I was a piece of shit. I fucked up every chance I got. Izzy was right. I was messed up. What could I say? Temptation’s a bitch.

  I looked over at Megan, standing in line. She had green eyes, long blonde hair, legs for days. No, she was no Rue. Rue was like a double shot of espresso—strong and fierce. Megan was more like the hard lemonade she was getting to drink—light and sweet.

  I was debating tasting the sweet life when an undeniable hatred took over me. Megan turned and looked at me, and to my horror, I wanted to strangle her, put my fingers around her neck, and squeeze until she gasped and took her last breath.

  I looked down at my hands. Where had that come from?

  I looked over at Megan again. She took a step toward me. I felt my fingers form fists.

  I had to get out of here. Without an explanation, I darted down the hill, running into people, causing them to bump into one another and spill their drinks. People cussed at my back, but I didn’t care. Let them come after me. I could take them on — all of them. My body was shaking, full of rage. I was bubbling hot. I wanted to murder someone. Take their body and squeeze the life out of them. Let their blood pool on the ground. Smell the sweet scent of death.

  “Are you okay, man?” I looked over at the guy standing next to me, not even aware that I had stopped moving. I could kill him first, I thought. I shook my head. What was happening to me? I had to escape before I did the unthinkable. I wasn’t safe.

  Ten

  Rue