Twenty Øne Reasons to Live

Chapter Twenty

Rider's Point of View

I drove on, swallowing. My eyes were cloudy, and I blinked away the sting from my eyes. My heart was pounding, and my hands were sweating. I stole her car. Am I sorry? No. Am I expecting a pounding from her two body guards there? Yes, but I'd win the fight easily. That one only looks built, and the other is a rail. I got this.

Snickering, I thought about Josh and Tyler. They were way in over their heads on this one. Such blind boys, really. Going around pretending to like and protect Kirsten like that. They don't know what they're doing or who she is. Who she really is. Past all her excuses and attention calling actions she's just as much of a heathen as I am. So the two angels tying to save a demon from hell, is that it?

It's sick, really. She's going to destroy those guys like she does with everything else she touches. I hate her.

Run off the bridge, Rider.

Go on and end it, boy.

What are you scared or something?

Do it.

I swallowed, as if I needed to swallow the biggest horse pill in the entire world. My throat got so tight that I honestly thought oxygen would not pass through into my lungs.

Then I pulled the steering wheel.

Josh's Point of View

"You're a jerk, I can't believe I ever had a crush on you!" Sarah said, red in the face. Probably partly from anger, and then the other part from embarrassment over admitting that. But it's not like I couldn't tell...

I rubbed the back of my neck and bit my bottom lip before crouching down. "Okay Sarah, I need you to listen to me. Tyler slipped up. He said some really confidential information concerning Kit, when he shouldn't of. You need to understand that if you let this out that you know things will get extremely bad. Worse than you can possibly imagine. So please, Sarah. Can we just keep this between us?"

She crossed her arms and huffed, making sure I would hear it. This made me smile a little, because usually huffing means someone is about to give in.

"Why didn't you at least try and stop it?" she asked, and I could tell it was a genuine question.

"I beat him up kinda..."

She looked up, eyes bright. "Really?"

"Oh yeah, had the little jerk up against a locker," I replied.

Exhaling, she said, "Fine. I'll keep quiet. But does he do it often?"

I set my saw. "Not anymore. I'll protect your sister with my life, Sarah. I swear I will. I won't let anything hurt her." She looks away, and I could tell she doesn't believe me. She nodded finally, but her lip was quivering. "I promise I will never let him touch her again." A pain shot through my chest as I said that, knowing I can't truly promise that, because I can't be with Kit to protect her all the time.

That's when I hatched the plan.

"Okay."

I smiled a little. "Here," I handed her one of our bumper stickers.

"What's this for?" she questioned, looking at it. She was still upset with me. "We don't have a car anymore..."

"It's not for your car, it's for your wheelchair." Her eyes lit up and she looked at me like I was an angel or something. "Yeah, I just figured you know, this stupid thing could use some sprucing up - make it not so....... depressing." I shrugged.