AllFreeNovel
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“What the fuck!?” I throw the note into the hall and slam the door shut.
Knowing I’m in a time crunch, I pull myself together and dress warmly in my black snow bibs, winter coat, and a pair of snow boots. I throw a beanie over my messy, unwashed hair and head out the door.
I’m taken aback when I see a snowmobile with a rider sitting out front. As I come down the steps, Jagger gets off his sled and pulls his helmet over his head and hands me a spare one.
Feeling numb at this point, I don’t even have the strength to argue when Jagger sits back down on his sled and says, “Get on.”
I could fight him and make the hike, but I’d never make it in time.
“You’ve got some fucking nerve.” I pull the helmet on and slide my legs around him.
“It’s nothing personal, Scar.”
“Everything about this is personal. For example, why did Neo accuse me of hurting Maddie? Is that what you all think?”
“It doesn’t matter what we think.” He accelerates the sled and takes off.
Nothing is said during the ride because it’s too loud and too cold to even speak. We come to a stop at the backside of the mountain, near the river, and Jagger removes his helmet and gets off, offering me his hand as he stands.
I tear the helmet off my head and throw it in the snow at his feet, not accepting his offer of help.
“I actually started to believe you and Crew were sincere. It was all lies, though, wasn’t it?”
“No, it wasn’t. I meant what I said, Scar. It’s not all games for me and I’m certain it’s not for Crew either.”
“Why allow it then? Why let Neo control your lives like this?”
“You don’t know what it’s like. You’d never understand.”
My chest feels like it’s caving in. I can’t do this anymore. “Tell me, Jagger. I need to know.” Tears prick at my eyes and my words catch in my throat. “Does he think I hurt Maddie?”
Jagger sits down on his sled, fidgeting with his helmet. “Yeah. I mean, I know he blames you.”
“You thought I did something to her?” I shout. “You think I hurt her?”
“No! Fuck, Scar,” he runs his fingers through his hair, “I don’t know what to believe. The more time we spend together, I start to think that maybe he is just overreacting. His demands are out of control. His anger intensified.”
“Heisoverreacting, Jagger. Neo always overreacts.”
“You could be right. Neo’s never liked you and I think he just wants someone to blame. You’re an easy target.”
“Well, make him understand. He has to. This isn’t right!”
“We’ve tried, but he won’t listen. I think the only one who can make him understand at all is you.” His shoulders slump and his voice softens. “Finish the games, Scar. Move into the house and let us handle whatever the hell is going on out there. Show him you’re not who he thinks you are. But don’t push too hard, it’ll just make things worse.”
I drop to my knees in the snow and no matter how hard I try, I can’t stop the tears from falling. “I miss her so much.”
“We all do,” he says, flinging a leg over the seat. “It’s a good ten-minute walk up the back side. If you go now, you can make it in time.”
I look up at the mountain, red flags waving in my head. “I have to go up there?”
He nods. “Your instructions are waiting.”
“No. No! I can’t go up there.”
He slips the helmet over his head and says, “You can do this.”
Before I can grab him, yell at him, or jump on the back of his sled, he’s gone.
