Chasing Freedom (Book 2)

Chapter Thirty-Five: One Hundred Fifty-Eight Days (Aislinn)

Chapter Thirty-Five: One Hundred Fifty-Eight Days (AISLINN)

I knew there was something wrong the moment I stepped into the car and the door banged shut behind me.

Derek seemed fine in the library when all that was on my mind was the fact that he was actually right there in front of me, but now, being alone with him in the tightly isolated space of Skylar's black jeep, I couldn't deny the feeling that something just wasn't right.

"Derek, are you sure you're okay?" I ask a little warily, once he starts driving away, swerving slightly on the gravel road.

"Mmmhm," he mumbles, but his eyes don't seem focused.

I grip the edge of my seat, a sick feeling starting to bubble in my stomach but I try my best to push it away, "I can't believe it," I say,

"What?" he asks after a beat, and the car swerves again, almost as if speaking distracted him.

"That Skylar's been gone for seventeen weeks-"

"Wednesday's," Derek mutters.

I pause with my mouth open, the words just coming out of the surface but I swallow warily, whipping around to face him. "What'd you say?"

"Seventeen Wednesday's," he corrects.

My eyes widen in suspicion but I let it slide and we fall into an uncomfortable silence.

"Why did you do it?" I blurt, unable to hold it in any longer.

"Do what?" he asks but I have a feeling he knows what I'm talking about.

I open my mouth to respond and then close it hesitantly; what way was there to say what I wanted to say without rehatching the past?

"Try killing yourself," I blurt hastily and then inwardly punch myself in the face.

Way to be subtle, Aislinn.

My words don't seem to affect him in any way and I silently blow out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, but I do notice him as he steps harder on the gas, causing the car to lurch forward.

"It wasn't just a try," he says, "If you weren't there I probably would've went through with it." He notices my small gasp and sighs, "listen, Aislinn, I know you don't want to hear what I have to say but you have to understand that I was in a really bad place. I was sad and broken and all I wanted was to be with her."

"But it was your birthday-" I protest lamely.

He cuts me off by slamming his hands on the wheel roughly. "It wasn't just my birthday," he snarls, spitting out the words.

My grip on the seat tightens as I force myself to calm down. "Then who's else was it?"

"Hers," he whispers after a beat passes.

"Who, Derek?" I demand, "you keep saying her like I'm supposed to know who she is but I don't have much to go on here-" I cut myself off abruptly and my eyes widen in realization.

"Skylar," I breathe and watch as he visibly shivers, but not from the cold, "it was Skylar's birthday, too, wasn't it?"

He swallows roughly but he doesn't seem focused as he responds. "Yes."

"Oh, Derek," I sigh, my head spinning with answers; my brother's two-month-away mystery, the reason behind Derek's attempted suicide.

But ironically, after all this time of waiting and searching for answers, I didn't feel any better now that I got them.