Unraveling (Second Chances) - By Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,81
bed and he was hovering over me.
My fingernails raked his back as his mouth devoured mine. It was like I was his oxygen and he needed more.
I felt his tongue flick out and my mouth opened in response.
When his tongue flicked mine, my heart stopped.
Not because I was scared, but because an emotion consumed me that I’d never felt before.
Passion.
Jared made me feel things that no one else could.
My fingers dug into his skin and he moaned in response.
I realized in that moment, that Jared owned me, body and soul.
Forever.
27
IT WAS WEIRD, BEING BACK HOME, ALONE. I had grown so used to Jared and Karlie; their stuff and the comforting sounds of a home.
This place, I looked around the sparsely decorated condo, was not home.
The old saying was right, it’s not the place that makes a home, but the people.
I missed seeing them every day.
A knock on the door sounded and I opened it up to greet Piper.
“Hey, girlie, how you feeling?” she asked, stepping inside.
“Fine,” I shrugged. “The pain in my ribs is almost gone and my cast should be coming off sometime in the next two weeks.” I rubbed at it. “I really can’t wait for it to be gone. It’s itchy.”
Piper chuckled. “Just don’t break any pencils off, trying to scratch down in there.”
“Eww,” I made a face of disgust.
Piper sat down on the couch, quickly making herself at home. I took the spot beside her, drawing my legs up and facing her.
“I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever,” she said sadly. “I didn’t mean to just bail on you. When I heard about the accident it just… freaked me out. I’m sorry about that. I just don’t like being reminded that life can be cut short, so quickly. There is no guarantee that we get to grow old. It made me think about my own life and how I’m not doing what I love. I’m dropping out and I’m going to pursue fashion design.”
I was not expecting that and I’m sure my dropped jaw was proof of that.
Piper giggled. “I can only hope my parents react that way… speechless, that’d be nice. But I know there’s going to be a lot of yelling involved and they’ll probably disown me.”
“I- I- uh- are you going to leave?” I finally asked.
“I think I’ll take the rest of this year off, start building a portfolio and hope to start at a design school in the fall,” she shrugged. “I just… I need to try, you know?”
I nodded. “I understand,” I told her.
“I know my parents won’t pay for it, so I’m going to have to find a job and put back all the money I can. College isn’t cheap,” she ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. “Do you think I’m crazy?”
“I think everyone has a little bit of crazy in them,” I said, honestly, “but I don’t think you’re making the wrong decision by pursuing your dream. If you don’t, you’ll always regret it.”
“Thanks,” she said, reaching for my hand. She pulled away before we made contact. “I –uh- really needed to hear that.”
“Anytime, we’re friends, Piper. At least, now, I know why you weren’t in class this week. I was starting to worry since I hadn’t heard from you,” I said, resting my chin on my knees.
“I’m really sorry I didn’t check on you,” she smiled sadly. “It’s been two weeks and I haven’t said a word to you.”
“Piper, it’s okay, seriously. I understand. Sometimes, when bad things happen, people can’t handle it. I’m the same way. I always run from my problems and the things that scare me. You finally have to get to the point that your legs are tired and you stop. Once you stop, you begin to wonder what you were running from in the first place.”
“Jared’s changed you,” Piper smiled.
I shook my head. “No, I changed myself.”
~***~
Watching Jared punch someone was hard, watching him get hit, was three times as hard.
Every time he got hit, I winced. I didn’t like seeing him get hurt.
“Get him Jare-Bear!” Rollo yelled. “Knock his teeth down his throat!”
I shook my head, only Rollo, would say something like that.
Jared punched his opponent hard enough to send him to his knees.
“This is… extremely violent, but I feel incredibly turned on at the same time. Is that weird?” Piper leaned over to ask me.
This was the third time I’d been to one of Jared’s fights and I’d asked Piper and Rollo to come along.