Dare to Fall

Chapter LIII

The rain had finally stopped, and the California sun poured down, drying up the last remnants of a storm that had lingered for days. Summer was here, bringing with it the warmth and brightness of new beginnings—new beginnings that felt bittersweet. 

In just a few weeks, my mom would marry Cayden's dad, intertwining our families in ways that still felt unreal. And in two days, prom loomed on the horizon, a night that should have felt exciting but instead filled me with a knot of anxiety.

As I mulled over my choices, I found myself grappling with a question that lingered at the back of my mind: should I do what I truly wanted for once? Or should I continue to push my desires aside, worried about the consequences? Cayden was right in one regard; it was time to think selfishly about my happiness. But even with that clarity, I needed a push—a spark—to propel me into action.

"Hailey, I'm going out to taste some wedding cake. You want to come?" Mom's voice broke through my thoughts, and I dashed into the kitchen, finding her sipping her usual cup of coffee, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing in my mind.

"We need to talk," I blurted out, but before I could continue, the house phone rang, shattering the moment. My heart raced as I snatched it up, a frantic hope coursing through me that it wasn't Trevor on the line.

"I'll get it!" I shouted, my urgency clear. I ran into the living room, clutching the phone tightly.

"I see you," said a low, gravelly voice on the other end. My heart dropped as I glanced out the window, searching for a familiar face but finding none. "Nice outfit."

"What do you want?" I demanded, struggling to keep my voice steady, hoping Mom wouldn't hear the tremor in my tone.

"Oh my god, are you crying? I'm sorry if I scared you. It's Amelia," she said, relief flooding through me.

"God, you scared me half to death," I sighed, the tension easing. "Why are you calling on our house phone?"

"I just wanted to mess with you a bit. Sorry! Are you coming to school today?"

"I'm not," I replied, my voice tightening. "Got something important to take care of."

"Well, I hope you get it done. I'll see you tomorrow," she said, hanging up.

I returned to the kitchen, where Mom had set her coffee mug down. "How was it?" she asked, filling a glass with water.

"My friend, Amelia," I said, trying to keep my composure. "We should go. Now."

"Why the rush?" she asked, a hint of confusion in her voice. I knew I had to tell her, but I dreaded the fear it might bring.

"Trevor is here," I blurted out, watching her expression shift from confusion to concern.

"Trevor?" Her eyebrows furrowed, disbelief shadowing her features. "As in, Trevor from our hometown?"

"Yeah, the very same. I saw him. I heard things," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Hailey," she said slowly, "you can't just throw out names like that. It's been years."

"I know," I said, my heart racing. "But it's true. He's here, and I don't think he's just passing through."

"Explain," she challenged, gripping the edge of the counter as if it would ground her. I took a deep breath and recounted the memories of spring break—the beach house, the party, the chaos that erupted when gunshots rang out. The realization that Trevor might have been there, lurking in the shadows, haunted me.

"Okay, that's enough. You're scaring me, Felicity," Mom said, her voice shaky. I could see the fear mirrored in her eyes.

"I'm scared too," I admitted. "I don't know what to do. I just feel... trapped."

"Maybe we should leave. Pack our things and go somewhere else," she said, panic lacing her words.

"Mom, we can't keep running," I replied, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "If we move again, he'll find us, and I don't want you to give up your wedding over this."

Her face softened. "But I can't just sit here and wait for him to show up."

"We can't hide forever," I said, desperation creeping into my voice. "We have to face this, not run away."

"Okay, let's not freak out. We could stay at Liam's house until the wedding," she suggested, surprising me.

"Seriously? You think that's a good idea?" I replied, skepticism creeping in.

"Yes! It's safer, and we can think clearly there. We're not going to let Trevor ruin our lives," she insisted, determination returning to her voice.

"Fine," I conceded, though the thought of shifting to another location made my head spin.

"Let me text Liam," she said, pulling out her phone. I watched her fingers fly across the screen, the urgency of her actions making my heart race.

"Instead of the cake place, we're going to Liam's," she said, her eyes focused on the road ahead as she buckled her seatbelt. "Just follow the GPS."

"Okay," I said, taking a deep breath and shifting into gear.

The drive felt endless. I turned the radio down, letting the silence settle around us, broken only by the sounds of the highway. I could feel my mom's tension beside me, her eyes darting around as if she expected Trevor to jump out from behind a tree at any moment.

After what felt like an eternity, we finally pulled into a large driveway, the mansion before us taking my breath away.

"Is this it?" I asked, disbelief coloring my voice as I looked up at the beige facade stretching before me. It felt too grand, too far removed from our reality.

"Yeah, let's go in," she said, her voice filled with a strange comfort that I didn't quite understand.

As we stepped inside, the spaciousness enveloped us. My gaze swept across the living room, taking in the high ceilings and elegant decor.

"Honey, I'm home!" Mom called out, her voice echoing through the empty halls.

"Yeah, it sure is nice and comfortable to live here," a voice interjected. I turned to find Cayden standing at the top of the staircase, a frown etched on his face.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, annoyance sparking in his eyes.

"Relax, I didn't break in. Mom has a key," I replied, rolling my eyes.

He stepped closer, crossing his arms. "That doesn't mean you can just show up unannounced. What's going on?"

I sighed, frustration boiling over. "I know you're mad at me for not putting myself first, but I'm here to tell you something important."

Cayden's expression shifted from annoyance to confusion, and I seized the moment.

"I want to fight for us," I said, my voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions. "I know things have been complicated, but I'm ready to put in the effort. I want this—whatever 'this' is between us—to be real."

His eyes widened, a flicker of hope passing through them. "Are you sure?"

"I made my choice, and it's you. I'll fight for what we have, even if it feels impossible sometimes."

For a moment, he seemed to consider my words. The tension in the air shifted as he took a step closer, closing the distance between us.

"Okay, but we need to face Trevor together. I don't want to hide anymore," he said, determination lacing his tone.

"Agreed," I replied, my heart pounding with a mix of fear and anticipation.

"Let's figure this out—together," Cayden said, the weight of our shared experiences grounding us in that moment.

As I stood there, facing him, I felt a sense of resolve building inside me. Maybe this summer, with its tangled web of emotions and impending changes, would lead us to a new beginning.

After all, happiness doesn't come from running away; it comes from confronting our fears and choosing to stand together, no matter what challenges lay ahead.

And with that thought, I took a deep breath, ready to face whatever came next.