The Searching Secret

Chapter 14

I walked down the path surrounded by trees. I was looking for someone. Someone who was suppose to be here, at the park, with me. Yet, for some reason I couldn't remember who, so I just kept walking. When I turned the corner and saw his face, my heart settled and I smiled, as if there was no question in my mind. He was who I was looking for.

"Evan," I said, walking towards him. "You're back!"

"Of course, Love," he replied, when I reached him. "I've been waiting for you."

"Well, isn't that sweet of you?" I said, linking arms with him. "What are we doing this time? Going for a walk? It's a lovely day for a walk."

"No, Love. I am still waiting for my answer," he replied, detaching himself from me. "Where are you, Riley?"

I shook my head and stepped back from him. "Why do you care so much where I am?"

He smiled his flirty smile and stepped towards me. "I told you, because I miss you," he answered, as he ran his hand from my cheek down my neck. "So tell me where you are so I can find you."

I giggled. "If you want to find me so much then stop hiding."

"Hiding?" he questioned.

"Yes, hiding. I've been looking for you for weeks," I answered.

"And why, Love, would you be looking for me?" he asked, as he placed his hand on my lower back and started walking along the path.

"Because I don't think you tried to kill me."

"And you're right, but still, unless you can prove my innocence, why are you trying to find me?"

"I think you might know who did," I answered softly, as if I was revealing some huge secret to him.

Evan laughed. "For a girl who doesn't remember anything from that night you sure think you know a lot." He ran his hand up and down my back. "Tell me, Love, what else do you think you know?"

I crossed my arms faintly annoyed by his remark. Still, I couldn't help myself from answering, "I think the person who tried to kill me is somehow related to Sam and why he left. Which means you might be too. I also think that you can help me find him . . ." Evan stopped walking and stared at me. When he didn't respond I added, ". . . and don't tell me it's not true because I will know you are lying."

"Well of course you would think that. After all, this is your dream, Love," he replied.

Right, of course this was a dream. I had almost forgotten. I couldn't get any real answers from this Evan. This Evan was only in my head. Yet, I still felt like I couldn't give up. "I have to find him, Evan," I whispered at last.

"Why?" Evan asked harsher than I expected. "He left you, Riley. Why can't you just leave it at that? Why can't you let it go and just be happy?" The scene around us began to change and soon we were sitting on a sofa in a white room with a screen in front of us. "Jay is a great guy. Riley. And he can make you extraordinarily happy. You know that. Why are you fighting it?"

"Evan-"I started.

"Just look," he said, motioning to the screen in front of us.

As I faced the screen it came alive. On it I saw Jay and I. I saw us enjoying our summer together. We were laughing and having fun, playing in a pool and going on crazy adventures. I saw us going to the same college, helping each other in classes we were struggling in. I saw us staying up late together to finish papers. We were still having fun even with the stress of our classes. I saw us graduating together and sharing that moment with our families, who looked at us and smiled at our accomplishments. My heart stopped beating the moment I saw us get married. I saw Jay waiting for me at the end of the aisle with that amazing smile of his. I saw us have kids and raise those kids together. We looked so happy as I watched flashes of a life that could be. I sat there watching us as our kids moved out and fell in love themselves. I watched us grow old together.

"Why are you showing me this?" I asked Evan, when I finally looked away from the screen.

Evan shook his head, "I couldn't have, if part of you didn't want this."

I looked back at the screen and saw Jay and me laughing with wedding cake on our faces. I felt a faint smile on my face as I watched him attempt to kiss the cake off my nose. I turned back to say something to Evan, but he wasn't there. Instead, sitting in his place was Jay.

"Jay? What are you doing here?" I asked, shocked to see him sitting next to me.

Jay smiled and brushed some hair out of my eyes. "I'm being what I should have been from the beginning. I'm being the man of your dreams."

---

At that pointed he had to pull out of her dream. He didn't want to sit there and see her happy with Jay. Evan shook his head trying to put his jealousy aside. He was just as bad as Sam, and he knew, like Sam, there was nothing he could do. He had to keep her safe, and that meant pushing her into Jay's waiting arms.

Evan sighed and picked himself up from the couch. He poured himself a glass of scotch and took a drink. He knew he had the answers Sam was asking for, and he knew he'd have to let Sam know. How was he going to tell Sam that he was right, that Riley was looking for him to get information about Sam? He knew that Sam would tell him exactly what he had told him before. He would have to stay away from Riley. Her life depended on her not finding him. Evan took one last drink and then sat the glass down. He sat down on the couch with a sigh. He had one more dream to visit tonight, since there was no other safe way to contact him. He hated going to Sam's dreams. Sam's dreams would ever be as fun as Riley's.

A/N Thoughts?