The Ground Below

Chapter Twenty-Six

I’m watching Seth on Hardcore Pawn fight with Ashley, as always when Karter burst through the door. He stomps to his room. My stomach swirls with worry. I stand in his doorway as he grabs a duffel bag tossing various items in the tote. “What are you doing?” I question him.

“I’m leaving,” he says shortly. My mouth drops open.

“Why?”

He strides towards me grabbing my head. He quickly kisses my forehead then returning to his packing. “I have to leave.”

I’m stunned, but I’m sure it has something to do with what happened today at the grocery store. Summer’s market is a tiny place off the side of a back road. The parking lot is almost empty, and I almost questioned if it was even in business. Karter dragged me out here to get his favorite candy, that no other place around here sells.

“I can’t believe you came all the way out here for candy,” I stand amused. He laughs.

“When you try this, you’ll be begging me to bring you out here,” he retorts throwing a piece of his special candy into his mouth. We let the back down in the Range to sit on while we feast on the candy. I take a bite, and it surprisingly tasted amazing.

“Wow,” I praise the candy. The sun shines on my bare legs darkening them further. We sit in peace for a couple of minutes. Karter stands quickly, tensing all of his muscles. I look around trying to find the source of his newly found anger. Nothing draws my eye except a tall lean figure making its way to us. The shaggy dark haired guy has a smug smile on his face.

“Karterrrr! It’s been a while, friend.” Fear has me suspecting this to be his dealer, but when Karter speaks I quickly dash that idea.

“Don’t call me friend. You have a lot of nerve speaking to me,” he grounds out with his fist clenched at his side.

The guy feigns a look of hurt, and Karter’s lip lifts higher in disgust. “And who is this fine lady you got there?”

Suddenly, Karter’s fist connects with the man’s face. “Don’t worry about her. You got two seconds to leave.”

The slinky guy smiles, “That hurt, Karter. I thought we were friends.” The cocky attitude of this guy has me three seconds from strangling him if Karter don’t.

“We’re not friends, and you’re lucky you’re still standing,” he growls. “LEAVE.” The guy stands there a moment longer smiling as if this is the happiest moment of his life. Karter stands strong, and tall, but I know something about this guy is tearing him up inside.

“Whatever,” the idiot responds walking away. I make a move to shut the back of the Range, but Karter stops me.

“I’ll get it. Go get in the car.” Not arguing is my best strategy, not that I would. I hop in the car, eager to know what all that was about.

When Karter takes his seat, I question a glance at him. As if knowing the gears are twirling in my head, he says, “I can’t tell you now, but I will.” And he does when we get home. I don’t know how he got us home safely with his nerves in such a heap.

He’s shaking in the driver’s side. “Karter?” His fist slams into the steering wheel making me flinch. Unexpectedly, a tear shimmers off his cheek. I take a risk, wrap my arms around him taking place in his lap. He grips onto my wrist, and I think he’s going to shove me away, but he just holds them there. “That…that asshole….,” he says trembling.

“Shh. You don’t have to say anything.” My hands go from rubbing the tops of his head to cradling his scruffy cheeks.

I feel him shake his head, “No, I have to tell you.”