Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 64979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
I stared intently at his face, waiting for the next thing he was going to share.
“I know I’m an asshole. I’m not pretending to be someone I’m not. But all the shit I run away from—the emotions, the attachments, the bullshit that comes along with girls and their feelings, I wanted no part of it. Though with you, it’s been staring me right in the face since the first moment I saw you.” He paused, gazing deep into my eyes. “I wanted it. I. Wanted. You.”
Before I could answer, thunder lit the entire sky with rain quickly beginning to pour on top of our heads.
“Fuck!” he exclaimed, handing me the other helmet while throwing his on. “We have to go!”
Putting on the helmet, I hopped on the back of his bike. He didn’t waver, hitting the accelerator at full throttle, tearing through the street. It was hard to see a foot in front of us. Light post after light post flashed by us at the speed of light. I barely had time to contemplate how dangerous it was that he was driving through a thunderstorm when my gaze landed on the speedometer which read eighty-five miles per hour.
“Tristian…” I coaxed, knowing he was speeding too fast.
Call it intuition.
A sixth sense.
Whatever you wanted to define it as.
I knew the moment he turned the sharp corner, he was going to lose control of his street bike. I did the only thing I could do, I closed my eyes and held onto him as tight as possible. At the last second, I silently prayed we’d be okay, but it was too late.
We were already skidding across the road.
Chapter 15
—Tristian—
While Belle held onto me, my whole life played out in front of my eyes. I saw it clear as day. As if it were happening all over again. Except, I was able to react and grab ahold of her before we crashed into a light post. The quick momentum of my bike spinning out of control helped in tugging her into my chest.
BANG!
The side of my bike slammed into one of the poles, throwing us onto the grass where we rolled. My body was able to break her fall, and she landed right on my chest.
“Oomph!” I wailed as the wind was knocked out of me immediately.
“Tristian!” she shouted, slowly sitting up off my torso. “Oh my God! Tristian!”
I couldn’t find the words to speak, sucking in air that wasn’t available for the taking. She threw off her helmet with shaky hands and then rummaged through my pockets to find my cell phone.
“No,” I wheezed, trying to catch my bearings.
“No? Are you insane? You’re hurt.”
I gasped, holding onto my chest. “I’m fine.”
“Fine? Oh my God!” She laid her hand on top of mine. “In and out, okay? Slowly, just try to breathe.”
After what felt like an eternity, I began breathing normally.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I rasped, trying to sit up.
“You’re not fine. You took a hard fall. Tristian, you saved me. I landed right on you.”
“Good thing you don’t weigh anything.”
She chuckled, despite the petrified expression on her beautiful face. “Let me call—”
“No. It’ll only make things worse.”
“What if you broke something?”
“Just help me sit up.”
“I don’t think we should move you.”
“Belle,” I sternly stated. “Just help me.”
“Fine,” she agreed. “How are we going to—”
“Let me see my phone.”
Once I was upright, I called the only person I trusted, my cousin, Caleb. He was the same age as us, however, he attended another school. Rain poured heavily as we waited for him, reminding me of another time, another place, where I found refuge within myself.
I think Belle was talking to me, but I couldn’t make out what she was saying. My mind was spinning out of control. Exactly how my bike just had, and the irony wasn’t lost on me. I couldn’t control the memory that it evoked. Little by little, it all came back to me.
My worst nightmare, and I was wide awake. At some point, I must have taken off my helmet.
I came to as Caleb reprimanded, “What the fuck, man?” Yanking me back to the present.
How much time had gone by?
“Can you stand?”
“Yeah, just help me.”
He laid my arm over his shoulders while Belle did the same with the other.
After we were in his truck and out of the rain, Caleb scolded again, “What the fuck were you thinking? You could’ve been killed!”
“Stop yelling. My head is pounding.”
He glanced back, took one look at Belle, and roared, “Are you fucking crazy? If her parents find out she’s with you, do you have any idea what they’ll do?”
She answered for me, “They won’t find out. I promise I won’t say a word.”
“What are you guys doing together anyway?”
“Just drive.”
“Where?”
“Ummm…” she breathed out. “Just drive to my house. My parents are out of town, and the only person who’s awake and still waiting for me is the housekeeper, though she used to be my nanny. I’ll run inside and distract her. You can help him up to my room. The elevator is by the front door. Go up to the third floor, take a left, and it’s the last room at the end of hallway.”