The Streets Higher Stakes

25. Say Something

I woke with a start, the nightmare too realistic. My heart was beating fast, I felt hot and a small sweat had broken out on my forehead. I looked over to see if Cole was laying beside me, but he wasn't. I didn't see any of the others either as I sat on the edge of the bed and tried to get my heart rate to decrease.

"Babe? Are you okay?" Cole asked. I looked to see him coming up the stairs with two plates of food in his hand, one for me and him. He placed mine on the floor beside me and he sat on the floor in front of me, beginning to eat.

I sighed and nodded my head to his question. I looked at the food beside me,toast, eggs and bacon but I felt sick at the thought of eating.

"The others have gone to mess with The Raiders and they told me about their plan this morning, it's good." Cole told me as he wiped his mouth with a napkin.

I nodded at the information. We sat in silence as Cole finished his breakfast and I stared at mine. The only sound was him chewing and the scraping of his knife and fork.

"Trish," Cole said softly after a few moments passed. I looked at him and saw that he was kneeling in front of me, his hands on my knees, leaning in close.

"Please Babe. Please tell me what happened," he begged.

I placed my head I my hands, my hair covering my face and I closed my eyes, images quickly flashed behind my lids. The test results, the confusion, the loneliness, the decision, the appointments and then the day. I could still see the doctors as they hovered over me and asked my questions while looking disappointed.

"I can't," I breathed to him as the images faded.

"Why not?" He asked as he tried to take my hands away from my face. I wouldn't let him.

"You don't understand that's why," I whispered as I thought about what my life would be like now if I hadn't made the decision I made. My life would be so different than it is today. I imagined I wouldn't be the crew because I would be busy for the first few years and I didn't know if I would've been good at doing what I was supposed to do. I would like to think so but I wasn't sure because of the way my childhood had turned out.

"Enlighten me, please,"he whispered. I peered through my hands to see he looked hurt. His eyes were huge and he looked desperate to get information out of me. I look my head out of my hands and put my hair behind my ears. He regarded me, still kneeling with his hands on my knees.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. I knew that I should tell him to give him and the others a peace of mind. I opened my mouth to tell him but my throat clogged up again and I felt tears spill out of my eyes for the first time today. Cole grabbed me by my hips and dragged me on the floor. He wrapped his arms around me and cradled me to his chest while I sobbed into him as he ran his hands up and down my arms.

We stayed there for a long time. The others had come back and saw us and surrounded the two of us. They didn't ask what was wrong but stood silently around us. I only looked up when I heard footsteps receding away. I peeked through my hair to see Thayer disappear back down the stairs. I pretended I didn't see and closed my eyes as I continued to rest against Cole.

Dakota tried talking to me but I didn't budge. She couldn't see that I didn't want to talk but rest and I knew I was hurting them. I saw it on Cole's face when I told him that he wouldn't understand. I saw it on Dakota's face when I remained silent when she asked me what happened.

They all had to understand that I would tell them eventually but just not now.

By this time, I hadn't been able to feel my ass for hours and the floor began to feel uncomfortable. I took my head off Cole's chest and stood, trying to get the feeling back on my bottom half.

I was about to collapse on the bed and fall asleep when I heard one of my phones make a noise. I lifted my mattress as I grumbled because I wanted nothing more than sleep. I flipped open my crappy flip phone as I read the message. I stilled as I read it and heard myself give a loud gasp.

"Babe what's wrong?" Cole asked as he peered over my shoulder to read the message.

"Fuck." He said as the phone fell from my hand.

Reeker had been killed.