With the Spin of a Bottle

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Leena P.O.V.

Arguing woke me up. I wasn't sure how many days it had been sense Chase took me, but I think it had been at least three. I'd been vaguely aware of the sun rising and setting outside, as I lay in silence. I knew that my family and friends were worried. I knew that I needed to let them know that I could hear them, but something was holding me back. I was scared and I couldn't even pinpoint what still scared me. I knew, from listening, that Chase had been taken into custody and couldn't hurt me or anyone else, for the time being. So what was stopping me?

"You will not take her back to Potawatomie! This is her home now. Here, at Northwestern, with me." Reed argued adamantly.

"Son, we know that you care for her, but we think she'll recover quicker at home. The doctor said as soon as I decide, they'll release her to my care." My dad calmly explained.

I wanted to argue that I didn't want to go back to Potawatomie. If dad took me home, then I would feel suffocated by him and my brothers, because I knew they'd never let me out of their sight again. What kind of life would that be? Taking me back would actually do more harm than good, but I couldn't get my mouth to open to tell them that. What was wrong with me? I needed to snap out of it or they might never let me see Reed again. Maybe that would be for the best, a voice in the back of my brain argued. Why would it be for the best? Do you really think that you'll ever be able to have sex with Reed, after being kidnapped and traumatized? Reed will be patient with me. He's not a saint. He will get bored, he will dump you, and he will find someone new.

"No!"

I hadn't realized that I said that out loud, until I had five men surrounding my bed. Dad, Reed, Daniel, Ethan, and Kyle were suddenly leaning over me looking nervous, but excited. They all began talking at once and any sane person would feel overwhelmed. I felt scared, which didn't make sense. This was my family. They weren't scary. Overbearing and annoying at times, but never scary.

"Leena, honey, are you with us?" Dad asked, holding up his hands to shush the others.

I swallowed and said, "Yes."

I'd never seen such emotion on grown men before, but they all looked ready to cry. Had they been that scared that I'd never wake up? What am I thinking, of course they had been; I had given them every reason to believe that I was gone forever. Not necessarily my fault, but I should have tried harder to push the darkness away. In the cabin, once I'd allowed the numb darkness to consume me, it was hard to get back out. It was safe in the darkness. Nothing could happen to me there.

"Sweets..." Reed said and I glanced up to meet his glistening eyes. He smiled softly, "Sweets, your family thinks it'll be better for you if they took you back home with them. They think it'll be easier for you to cope and recover there. I don't agree, but if that's what you want to do, then I'll support your decision."

"No..." I started, but had to stop because my throat was so dry. Reed seemed to understand the problem, as he got me a glass of water and helped me sit up to drink it. My family observed the whole thing, without comment. With my throat feeling soothed, I said, "I don't want to go back to Potawatomie. I want to stay here. I've got a little over a month left in school this year and I'm not going to quit now."

"Leena, are you sure? The boys and I can't stay here forever." Dad asked, nervously.

I forced a smile, "Dad, I love you. I love all of you, but I need to do this on my own. I know that I scared all of you, but that was a one-time thing. Chase is in custody and we don't have to worry about him anymore."