AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Dad rolled his eyes. “Of course he said that. What man wouldn’t say that to get you into bed with them? I see the way guys look at you, Marley. They all would say whatever it would take to get you into bed with them. I thought you were smarter than that Marley.”
I’d never fought with Dad before. I was a good teenager and gave my parents little to no trouble. I’d never seen this side of him before and it was hurtful.
“Why would you think Silas would lie to me? Isn’t he your best friend?”
“He is, but he’s also a red-blooded male who wants to get laid. Guys like that say all kinds of things like that. I would have never thought my daughter would have fallen for something like that.” Dad reached for my arm and I stepped back. “Marley, let’s go to our cabin. We’re going to leave tomorrow and if you keep talking like that, I’ll arrange for a flight tonight.”
“No, Dad. I’m not leaving. I love Silas and he loves me.” I started backing away from him.
“Marley, I mean it. We are leaving and you'll never see him again.”
“No!” I turned and started to run from my dad. There was nowhere to go but the woods on the left if I wanted to go in a direction he would have trouble finding me.
As I ran, I was hit in the face with branches and the heel of my sandals kept sinking into the dirt. Dad kept calling out to me, but I ignored him and his calls got softer and softer. He wouldn’t dare follow me with his bad knees.
I didn’t know where I was going to go or what I planned on doing. I had nothing with me and no money. All I knew as in that moment, I had to get away from Dad. I couldn’t stand listening to all of the hurtful things he said to me.
Most of all, I didn’t like the seeds of doubt he’d planted in my mind about Silas and the way he felt about me. When I walked out of that cabin tonight, I was confident in my feelings for Silas and confident in how he felt about me.
Now I was questioning everything. What if I was only a summer fling for him? What if he said all of those things only to fuck me? I had to talk to him and find out.
It was so dark in the woods and I had no idea where I was. I found myself all turned around with no sense of direction. I couldn’t see any lights from any buildings even in the distance. I sat down on a log and put my face in my hands. I sobbed into my hands and prayed someone would find me soon.
I heard thunder in the distance and shook my head. That’s right. There was a forecast of strong storms coming tonight. They’d even made an announcement at dinner to be aware of the weather and reminded us of their safety tips in case of storms.
Dad was right. I wasn’t smart. I was lost in the middle of the woods with an impending storm wearing high heeled sandals and a little black dress.
So maybe I also hadn’t been smart about my summer fling with Silas.
12
SILAS
Isettled into bed when Marley left, thinking about what I was going to say to my best friend. I finally came to the conclusion that it was best if I was just honest with him. I would tell her I loved her and wanted to marry her.
I could hear thunder in the distance and the rain started to fall on the roof of the cabin. I wished Marley could be here in my arms. She loved the rain and I would love nothing more than to have her in my arms while we slept.
I rolled over onto my side when there was a knock at the door.
“Silas, I know you’re in there. We need to talk. Now. It’s about Marley.”
I jumped out of bed at the sound of Dale’s voice. Whatever we had to talk about it couldn’t be good.
I opened the door to find him soaking wet. He shoved his way inside.
“I don’t know where she went, Silas. She ran off into the woods and now it’s raining and the wind is picking up.” Dale paced my cabin, not caring about the water he was dripping all over the place.
My heart started to sink. “What do you mean she ran off?”
He stopped to look at me. “I know about you guys. I had suspicions and tonight I saw her leaving your cabin. I followed her and confronted her.” He ran his hands over his face and clasped his fingers behind his head. “I said some mean things to her, Silas. I told her we had to leave. And that she wasn’t smart. She told me you loved her and she loved you. I told her she was dumb to believe you. I tried to grab her arm so we could go back to our cabin and she ran. With my bad knees I couldn’t follow her and now she’s gone.” His eyes filled with tears. “We have to find her. She’s all I have.
“We will find her.” I pulled a t-shirt from my dresser and put it on. “For the record, Dale. I do love your daughter. And she loves me.” I grabbed my raincoat along with a flashlight and paused before opening the door. “I plan to marry Marley, Dale with or without your blessing.”
Dale threw his hands up. “I don’t care anymore, Silas. I believe you both. Please just find my little girl. I beg you.”
“I will.” I went out into the pouring rain, leaving Dale at my cabin to wait for us.
The wind had picked up and lightning continuously filled the sky. There was rolling thunder in the distance, but that was getting closer. I had to find Marley before it was too late.
