The Babysitter ✯ Kellic

Chapter Twenty-Eight (Final)

"Kellin...Kellin Bostwick?" My name. From her mouth, in her voice. After one year and a number of months that I've lost track of, I was never expecting to hear her again. The smallest part of me wanted to, though, but the bigger part never wanted to see or hear her again. The bigger part of me just wanted to get away and never go back. Yet, here I am, being thrown straight back against my will.

I avoid her gaze, pretending that I didn't hear her. I don't know where she is, so maybe I can just get away. I quickly push Copeland's stroller through the crowd of people, awkwardly getting out of the small gathering and into the open. I keep my eyes fixed on my feet as I continue walking down the sidewalk, ready to let out a breath of relief. I should have figured it wasn't going to work.

I feel somebody's hand grab onto my upper arm, and I know it's hers. I don't even try to get away, because I have a feeling it will only make things worse. "Katelynne," I say quietly, still not looking at her.

"Hi, Kellin," she says. I finally raise my head and look at her, tears already welling up in my eyes. I feel my hands shake slightly as I really look at her, taking her features in. Her cheekbones look like they're even more apparent now, and her lips got very plump. I feel a pang in my chest and I look away again, suddenly unable to breath properly. There's no way I still have feelings for her...right?

"Kellin, don't you still love me?" she asks. As if on cue, the people around us start to fade away, my mind focusing solely on Katelynne. I open my mouth as if to say something, but I can't manage to get any words out. She furrows her thin eyebrows and speaks again, "Don't you?" She takes a step closer to me and the whites in her eyes begin to fade to black. In fear, I grab onto Copeland's stroller even tighter and prepare to walk away. For some reason, though, no matter how much I will myself to, I can't get away.

"Katelynne, what's going on?" I ask, fright lacing my words. Copeland's stroller is gone, and the second I realize this, I frantically look around, my mouth dry and my heart pounding. Everything is gone. Around us, everything is blood red. My fear only multiplies as I'm stuck in place.

"Kellin, it's your fault I left," she says. "You did horrible things and people were hurting me. You deserve to feel what you did to me, and what you did to Copeland," she says, her voice in a monotone. I gasp when I feel an intense pain in the vein in my arm, the pain spreading throughout my body, all the way to my feet. "You did this to yourself."

But the pain stops. Everything stops. Instead, everything around me is suddenly pitch black and I'm gasping, desperately attempting to fill my lungs with air. I'm sitting up, and I realize I was dreaming once I hear Vic's voice saying something, his voice muffled for some reason. "Kellin? Kellin, are you okay?" he asks.

I feel his lightly calloused hand on my lower arm, and I gasp again, but this time I'm awake. "Kellin, oh my god, can you not talk or something?!" he asks urgently, his grip tightening. I continue breathing heavily, my heart still going craze in my chest. "Kellin!"

"I'm okay," I finally manage to speak. I turn my head slightly and see the whites of his eyes. They're glossed over with premature tears that are ready to spill. He hugs me tightly, and I rest my head on his chest as he says my name quietly.

"I was so worried, oh my god," he whispers. I feel his chin on the top of my head and I feel a miniscule smile on my lips. It's still surprising how much we care about each other with how short of a time we've actually been together or even friends. "What was that, though? What happened?" he asks, releasing my body but tightly gripping my hand.

"A nightmare," I say simply, not wanting to talk about it. He asks if I do, though, and I just shake my head, turning down the suggestion. "I'm gonna go, uh, get a glass of water," I say, getting up. I glance at him as I walk towards the door, the hurt expression on his face breaking my heart. Nonetheless, I walk to the nursery instead of the kitchen, anxious to check on Copeland. She's sleeping in her crib just like she should be.