From Lies to Promises Read Free Page B

face. “Aren’t you just all sorts of handy? Tell me, where’d you have that knife hidden?” He pauses then laughs, “That’s alright, bitch, don’t tell me. Doesn’t matter next time you won’t be so lucky.”
      I stand up, arm still extended with the knife pointed at him, and back out the door. Outside I close the knife and put it back. Then I take off, I don’t look back, I just run. I have no idea if I am even headed in the right direction until I see the light of the fire. I’m almost there when someone steps out from around a truck and I crash into them. When their hands land on my shoulders I step back ready to take off in the other direction, thinking that Jake has already caught up to me and is going to finish what he intended on doing in that damned shack.
      “There you are. Whoa, where are you going? What’s the matter, you look like death himself is after you.” It’s Ryder. Just Ryder, but my mind doesn’t process this as he reaches out to grab me.
      “No! Please just leave me alone. I have to go, have you seen Skeigh and Lexi?” I keep my eyes downcast, so that he doesn’t see my fear or the tears that are pooling in my eyes, threatening to spill onto my cheeks. “Please, I just feel sick and need to go home.”
      “OK. Okay. No , I haven’t seen them, but why don’t you come sit over here on the picnic table and I will see if I can find them.” I can tell from his voice he doesn’t believe me, but I refuse to tell him, or anyone what just happened. Not this time.
      Liar.
      All lies.
      Liar.
      The words are always there haunting me. Reminding me.
      A few moments later Lexi and Skeigh are walking me towards the car. “I guess it’s a good thing I quit drinking a while back, huh?” Lexi, always prepared. I fake a smile, and nod, then climb into the back of the car and shut the door behind me. They don’t ask me what happened, they think I just had one of my episodes. I don’t have them often. I have become a master at keeping things buried and not letting them bother me. That is the only way I can have a semi-normal life that I have been in search of since I was little.
    They don’t say a word the whole way home. Which is fine by me, I need the quiet right now. With my head against the cool window, I watch the land as we pass. The world looks peaceful when you’re just getting glimpses here and there, but the truth is the darkness is out there, everyone just ignores it.
     
 

Chapter 3
     
     
     
                  I open my eyes, just to close them right back. My eyelids feel like they have half a ton of sand under them. Just like every other time I wake up from a night of drinking I wonder why the hell I do this to myself. Normally I remind myself that the night before was worth it, but not this time. This time I remember terror. I also remember a beautiful man, with green eyes. I sit up, grabbing my head as it starts thudding, then stand to walk to my door. I need a shower, which usually makes me a feel a tad better anyways.
      In the shower I decide to lock the bad of last night away. Forget it, like always. I’m sure I won’t see any of the people from that party again anyways and that will make it easier to not remember. I get out and get dressed. College is where I spend a majority of my time. I love to learn, but it’s Sunday and that means I get to spend the day with my little sister. I’ve been part of the Big Sister program for two years, and love Jamie. She isn’t the type of kid to get into trouble, she is just shy and her parents work all the time, in order to pay the bills. Since I have been her big sister though she has shown improvement. She has gained a friend at school, and sometimes she comes with us on our days. She has also found her niche, softball.
      I sit down at the kitchen table where Lexi is reading off her e-reader and drinking her orange juice. I reach across the napkin holder and grab her cup and take a drink.