Unraveling (Second Chances) - By Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,59

me wrong. You came crashing into my life like a beacon of light and chased the darkness away. You made me feel again, without touching me, but simply being there for me and knowing exactly what to say to me, that’s how I know you’re special.”

He rested his forehead against mine and his hand cupped the back of my neck.

“You’re so wrong, Katy. You’re the special one. You’re the one that chased your own darkness away, not me. I told you before, only you can heal yourself,” he brushed my hair back. “And that’s what you’re doing. I see a small change in you, every day. You may not notice it yourself, but I do. You smile and laugh more, you let me touch you,” he ran a finger down my cheek to demonstrate. “It might not seem like much, but that is everything.”

“You’ve changed me so quickly, Jared. You’ve opened up my heart and my soul. You’ve challenged me and that’s something no one has done since…” I swallowed. “Since Preston raped me. I used to wish that it never happened but I realized that you’re right.”

“About what?” he asked.

“Everything does happen for a reason and we shouldn’t question it,” I fingered the collar of his shirt. “I’m done questioning why it happened, I’m ready to start moving on, I’m ready,” I took a deep breath, “to live again.”

A smile curved Jared’s lips. “There’s something I forgot to tell you,” he whispered.

“What’s that?” I questioned.

He leaned closer, steadying me with his solid hands on my sides. His lips brushed against my ear and I shivered. “I love you too, Katy.”

22

THIS NIGHT FELT LIKE IT WAS NEVER GOING TO END, AND I DIDN’T WANT IT TO.

I wanted our conversation to go on forever.

It was the most amazing feeling in the world, to be able to talk to Jared and have him know my inner most secret, and I his.

There wasn’t a dark cloud hanging above us anymore.

From this moment on, everything was a blank slate.

Now, we could really begin to know one another without anything holding us back.

We lay on the bed, looking up at the ceiling, not touching, just asking and answering each other’s questions.

“What’s your favorite color?” I asked quietly.

“Hmm,” he mused. “Can I pick the color of your hair?” he reached over and flicked a piece. “It’s so unusual. One minute I think it’s brown, then it’s honey colored, and when the sun hits it just right, it’s red.”

“That’s a good answer,” I laughed.

“It’s an honest answer,” he chuckled. “What about you? What’s your favorite color? Favorite food?”

“Slow down there, bud,” I bit my lip. “I really like magenta and purples. Favorite food… probably anything that’s Chinese takeout.”

“Magenta? What the hell is magenta? I’m a dude, you have to explain these fancy colors to me,” he said, with a laugh.

I giggled. “It’s like a really dark pink, kind of wine colored.”

“I see,” he said.

“What’s your favorite band?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” he chuckled. “I just like music that gets me pumped up. I usually only listen to it before I fight or while I’m training.”

“That’s a sucky answer,” I told him.

“Sorry, it’s the only one I’ve got,” he laughed. “So,” he rubbed his hands together, “you said you were a cheerleader, still got that uniform?”

I snorted. “No way. I left it behind with everything else. Honestly, when I look at myself now, and then think back to who I used to be… it’s like, looking at two completely different people. I know I have my hang-ups, but I like who I am now, better than who I used to be. I was selfish and shallow. I don’t want to go back to that.”

“You won’t,” Jared said.

“I’m sorry you had to go through what you did, Jared. I really am.”

He shrugged. “It’s like you say, it was another me, another life. Most days, it’s like it never even happened.” He put his hands behind his head. “I’ve had to let it go, in order to move on, and stay sane. If I kept dwelling on it, I’d be an angry, bitter, person. I can’t, I won’t, be like that. Not just because I have my sister to worry about, but because I want to be nothing like that man. If I was angry about it all the time, the pain would consume me, and I’d turn to the bottle just like him. I won’t turn into that. I might have… if Dan and Patsy hadn’t taken us in.