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Austin pulls me closer. "He wanted texts, any videos, the graffiti proof."
"But we don't have what he wants because they are too clever!" Lucas bites out each word.
"I—"
"Well, well, well."
Harry is suddenly standing at our table. I roll my eyes. I can't remember what life was like without looking over my shoulder every two seconds and seeing their creepy faces.
"There's no room for assholes here," Kit seethes.
"I see plenty of them," Harry leers.
I grab Austin's arm, the vibrations pulse into my body. We can't do this again. I don't want to spend any more time with the cops or in the ER. A waitress waltzes by carrying a tray of drinks.Without a thought, Harry makes a grab for one. He grins as he pulls the olive from the stick between his teeth. That’s Nova’s drink and she won’t be impressed.
I gasp. Images flashing through my mind. Etching themselves as painful as a tattoo on the flesh of my heart.
Harry handing me a mojito and forcing me to drink...
... before my date with Zac. "You..." I gasp quietly.
Harry stares at me like the word is crystal clear. Like there's no other noise or music in this place.
Austin's body goes on high alert. He must have felt my reaction. I hold his hand, squeezing it.
"He—" I see something flicker in his eyes, but I can't be sure. Had I just been drunk that night? Had it been more than that?
I shake my head. I can’t go around voicing something that might not be true. We all know what happens when we do that.
"There'll be no trouble today!" Dexter shouts across the bar.
Harry shrugs and strolls away.
There won't be trouble today, but it's coming. I can feel it. The images flashing in my mind are starting to control me. They want out, and the moment that they are revealed, I know this crew, our crew, will go to battle. Whatever this consuming fear is, it will lead to an explosion that I’m not sure we will walk away from.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX ¦ AVOIDANCE
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Austin
Iwatch her run past the boathouse, but she doesn't see me as I've stood away from view.
"Avoiding your girl?" Lucas grunts as he kicks back harder on the rowing machine.
I am.
The more time we spend together, the more she relaxes and then the dreams come. It’s been a week of avoiding talking about those dreams. I know in my gut they have got worse since Harry had accosted us. Why doesn't she want to tell me what's going on with her? Why does she expect the truth from me, but she hides from hers? We've had a week of dancing around eggshells, ones that I'd quite like to step the fuck on. I'm thankful that the winter break is coming up soon, and going to Aspen will provide a change of scenery that we all need.
We haven't told anyone we are having a break, we don't wantOff Topic, or Zac, finding out where we are going to follow us. Although, they seem to know everything.
Every single member of my crew had approached me in some way over the last week to ask about skiing with my arm and ribs.Even Avery had tried, and she'd been shot down the same way as everyone else. No one is stopping me, and at this point, what's another broken bone to add to the ones I already have?
Maybe I can use the time away to talk to Mia about my direction in life? I don't know how to tell her that I'm not sure where my life is going. I don't know if I should still be studying nutrition as my major? I'm wasting my time handing in assignments and going to lectures. I have a student loan and I'll have nothing to show for it. A debt that I will carry with me until I can pay it off. Do I need to talk to Coach and ask about his qualifications? I don't know how Coach will respond when I tell him of my plan. There are a lot of uncertainties and I need to break them down.
Harry and Zac take the main stage at the moment.
I also need to figure out if Mia will approve the change in my prospects. I hate letting people down, and I know that I shouldn't care about other people's expectations, but I always have. It's one of the reasons I stepped into this competitive world to begin with. I wanted the praise and the pat on the back from the crowds. But now? I don't think I need it anymore.
