Reclaim - Aly Martinez Page 0,50

finally found the courage to end it all.

In the end, I chickened out, but I would spend years regretting my decision not to do it when I had the chance.

One choice and I destroyed the lives of the three people I loved most in the world.

And one monster.

I startled awake at the groan of my window as it suddenly opened. Still foggy with sleep, I struggled to focus on the dark figure outside. My pulse spiked, and just before a scream tore from my throat, I made out my brother’s broad shoulders as he climbed through.

Clutching my chest, I sat up in bed and hissed, “What are you doing?”

“My window was locked,” he replied.

It was his birthday, and minus a brawl with my dad, he and Thea had been out at their tree all night. But as he stomped through my room to his across the hall, a shit-ton of pissed-off energy filling his wake, the hairs on my neck stood on end.

Throwing the covers back, I climbed out of bed and followed after him. “Are you okay?”

“Not even close,” he muttered, swiping his car keys off his dresser.

Ramsey had grown up a lot in the last few years. He was over six feet tall and, at seventeen, had filled out into a man. He’d gotten a job and bought a clunker, where he and Thea spent the majority of their time making out in the back seat. He was still my brother though, so whenever I needed to go somewhere, I always had a ride.

“What happened?” I asked. “Are you still pissed at Dad?”

“Fuck Dad,” he snarled out, marching right back through my room to the window.

I caught his arm, pulling him to an abrupt stop. “What is going on with you? Where’s Thea?”

His face turned a shade of white that almost glowed in the darkness, but he didn’t answer me before ripping his arm away.

Shit. Shit. Shit. This was bad. Ramsey was a live wire most of the time. He’d react to almost everything, but it was rare that he’d ignite into a wildfire. Though, as I watched him climb out my window, that was exactly what I feared would happen. He was my brother and he watched my back; it was only fair I returned the favor.

“Ramsey,” I hissed, following him out.

He flung his car door open and folded inside without another word spoken, so I sprinted around the hood and slid into the passenger seat.

“Get out,” he barked, stabbing his key at the ignition.

“No. There’s something going on, and if you’re not going to tell me what, I’m going with you.”

The engine sputtered, not catching, so he gave it another try. “You cannot come with me tonight, Nora.”

“Too bad. Looks like I already am.” I grinned, buckling my seat belt.

“Suit yourself,” he mumbled, jerking the car into reverse once it had finally rumbled to life.

I stared at the side of my brother’s face as he backed out of the driveway. His jaw was hard, but there was pain I couldn’t figure out crinkling the corners of his eyes.

He’d tell me eventually though. I just needed to give him time to process it himself.

We hadn’t made it more than a few miles when he rumbled, “Where are the parties at tonight?”

“Uh,” I drawled. “Since when are you up for partying?” My eyes nearly bulged from their sockets when the only excuse I could conjure up for his weird mood popped into my head. “Oh my God, did Thea break up with you?”

“No.” He winced and white-knuckled the steering wheel. “Just tell me where the hell everyone is hanging out tonight.”

I motioned a hand over my basketball shorts and oversized T-shirt. “I’m hardly dressed for a party.”

“Nora!” he boomed, making me jump. “Tell me where.”

“Jesus, cranky much?” I mumbled. “Fine. Avery Johnson invited all the seniors over for a field party, but I heard a lot of the juniors were planning to crash.”

He slowed at the stop sign and hung a hard right onto the long dirt road that led to the Johnsons’ farm.

“You gonna tell me what’s going on now, or should I start guessing?” I smarted.

He shook his head and stepped on the accelerator. His car sounded like it was going to fall apart each time we hit a bump.

I braced one hand on the dash and the other on the handle above my head. “Right. Yeah. This totally seems like nothing. We’re just out for a late-night drive, huh?”

“Shut up,” he clipped.

Cars lined both sides