Ride It

Chapter 16

Her curly mane filters through my fingers as I gently massage her scalp.

Bazel sighs as she buries her head further into my lap.

It's been half an hour since I've had that conversation with my mom, and my head is spinning.

All this information.

All these accusations.

My life has never been this complicated before.

I sit on Bazel's bed with her comfortably on my lap as she goes off about what she's been up to and everything I've missed.

Apparently, with me now gone and our brother always being out of the house, it's just her and our parents. She says that game nights weren't the same anymore.

I feel for her.

I feel like nothing is the same anymore, or will it ever be.

For such a small town, it sure has a lot of damned secrets.

I frown.

"Are you listening?" Bazel whines, her finger poking my cheek.

I grab her hand and look down at her with a sheepish smile. "I am now."

She huffs. "I never see you anymore and now you don't want to spend time with me. I'll leave."

She tries to get up, but I grip her hand and tug her back onto my lap. "I'm sorry, bumble bee. I have a lot of things on my mind lately. I promise once everything settles, I'll pay you more visits."

I know how lonely it can be in this house. Our parents never allowed me out of it unless it was to attend school. I figure it's the same for her. She must be bored out of her mind.

She eyes me skeptically. "You promise, right?"

I pinch her nose until she swats my hand away. I laugh. "Have I ever broken a promise?"

"Yeah. When you said the tooth fairy would take my teeth," she glares at me. "It was Dad!"

I giggle and shrug my shoulders. "I thought it was the tooth fairy."

Tires screeching has me looking towards the window. My heart jumps and I quickly push Bazel off my lap and go to peer out.

Doors slam shut as Jason and a few men jump out of the two cars hastily parked in front of our house.

My body freezes and my eyes go wide with fear. My hand trembles as I grip the window's ledge.

I told Bentley I'd go back to Jason, but now that the opportunity is here, everything in me freezes over. Without Bentley by my side, I can't find the courage.

How do they know I'm here?

Did my mom call them?

How could she? Am I really just a doll to her?

I stumble back as Bazel quickly rushes to my side.

She anxiously frets. "Tristie, what's wrong? Are you okay? Should I get mom?"

Mom? Mom probably brought them here.

"I have to go Bazel," I don't know how I get the words out behind all this panicking, but I do.

In my old room. My window leads out onto the roof.

I quickly open the bedroom door just as I hear the door downstairs slam open. Immediately after, I hear my mom scream. "What are you doing!? Get out!"

So she didn't call them?

"Why didn't you tell me she was here!? Are you hiding her from me!? Her fiancée!?"