What They Say ~ O2L Fan Fiction ~

What They Say Chapter 20

Tessa’s POV

We were sitting on a bench, although it felt more like we were in the world’s most crowded room. I could feel all of the people’s eyes on me and Connor as we sat there, depressed and hugging, in the middle of a happy and fun-filled amusement park. I still felt like crap for puking and crying and being the worst person to hang out with but I guess he didn’t mind. And if he did mind, he was impeccable at hiding it.

After a long while, I pulled myself away from Connor, keeping my eyes glued to his maroon shirt, and breathed in and out shakily. I wrapped my arms around my torso tightly and kept my mouth shut, unsure of what to say. Connor turned and clasped his hands in his lap. He looked calm but at the same time he looked perplexed, like he was having an argument with himself in his mind.

“You ready to go on the ferris wheel?” I was surprised to hear his voice after about five minutes of silence between us in the busy California Fun Zone. I looked up at him to see Connor’s eyes already piercing into mine and I just nodded my head. He stood up and offered his hand to me. Eying it carefully, I grabbed his palm with my fingertips and stood from the bench as well.

“Let’s go.” I didn’t know if I sounded as tired and worn out as I felt but I knew for some reason Connor didn’t care. He gripped my small hand in his as the sun shone down brightly. We walked through crowds and crowds of people, some recognized Connor and waved and he politely waved back. Others got in our way and he pushed through them murmuring ‘excuse me’ quietly a few times. All the while, though, he did not let go of my hand once. Usually, the feeling of excitement and thrill would have rushed through me, but this time all I felt was protection from the world around me.

“Here we are.” I looked up at the giant wheel in front of us. It had a surprisingly short line of ten or so people and it looked like it took a while for it to come all the way back around which was perfect. I wanted to stay up in the sky for as long as I could.

“Well would you look at that. Little Miss Tessa is smiling.” Connor looked down at me and that’s when I realized a small grin staring on my face.

“Don’t look too shocked.” I retorted, sarcasm lacing my words. He laughed and turned away, back to the monumental ferris wheel that we stood before. I took the lead this time, still not dropping my hand from Connor’s, and marched into the line. I soon realized that there were, in fact, ten people in front of us and five of them were in one, loud group, three in another considerately quieter pack, and then the two others were obviously a couple going for a ride together.

“At least we’ll get on soon.” Connor sounded relieved to see only three groups in front of us and I looked up to see him staring back down at me already. Why did he keep doing that?

“Yeah, I kinda just want to get up there, you know?” I spoke and couldn’t take the intense eye contact anymore so I looked away. I suddenly felt my palms sweat and felt the urge to rub them on my skinny jeans, but I could only rub one off because Connor’s hand was fastened around mine and he wasn’t moving it anytime soon.

“Yeah, I feel the same way.” He turned his gaze upwards and it landed on the huge wheel of metal and plastic and rubber and glass in front of us both, slowly turning, picking up and dropping off passengers at a steady rate.

There it was again. That look of perplexity and an inner battle going on inside of his mind took over his face. He opened his mouth to say something, even drew in a breath, but shut it and let the breath leave his lungs threw his nostrils. What was going on in that mind of his? I would surely find out on the ride.

JC’s POV

Home free. Amanda and I were home free. All we had to do was climb out of the hole in the ceiling, find our phones, call the guys and Tessa, and we were home free. The freaks that captured us were tied up in a corner so they could stop us, courtesy of me, and Amanda sat in the opposite corner of the room looking up at me. She was so beautiful, even with dirt and blood smudged across her face, blonde hair in a giant mess, and stunning eyes drooping. All I wanted to do at that moment was get her out and to a doctor so she could be herself again, healthy and outgoing.

“So what are we waiting for?” She snapped me out of my trance and I started towards her.

“Nothing. Let’s go.” I smiled and offered my hand to her, which she took without hesitation, helping her up gingerly.

We walked to the pile of broken cement and climbed up. It took us high enough to touch to tip of the ceiling and I lifted Amanda up so she didn’t have to jump to get out. She got her head above where we were and hauled herself out of the hole that had light shining in.

“You good?” I asked her.

She yelled down a small ‘yeah’ and I jumped up and caught myself on the ledge of what was a hardwood floor in the middle of a medium sized room with four screens on the wall—one was shot out—and two folding chairs in front of them. I hoisted myself up and over the edge, lightly scraping my back on splintered wood in the process.

“JC the door is over here.” Amanda spoke to me from across the room where she stood in the doorframe. I quickly jumped up and jogged towards her and away from the sound of threatening yells and clanking metal chains.

“Well let’s go then.” I quickly reached her and snaked one arm around her waist. She turned to me surprised and I snuck one sweet and short kiss to her lips before we walked out and into what seemed like a normal household. Finally getting to the kitchen, I saw our phone in a candy dish and notified Amanda. We grabbed them and found dozens and dozens of missed calls and texts from the boys and Tessa.

“Looks like they missed us.” I joked to Amanda and she smiled at me. It was filled with relief and joy and every good feeling you could imagine.

“C’mon Caylen, let’s get out of here.” She laughed at the end of her sentence and we walked out of the door to the seemingly average home we were held captive in for who knows how long. It was surrounded by woods and had a long driveway leading out to a road that eventually wrapped around to the highway behind the building.

“Shouldn’t we call someone?” Amanda asked me as we reached the highway. I was thinking the same thing and reached for my phone in my back pocket.

“I’ll call the boys and you can call Tessa.” I said.

“Coolio.” Amanda answered back. She quickly dialed in Tessa’s phone number as I punched in Kian’s, ready to talk to some one sane.

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Oh my God. Oh my freaking God. This story is almost over!!!! Drama is far from over and stuff is still gonna happen after JC and Amanda get home so don't worry. I have soooo many ideas for the chapters to come. Vote/comment/fan!!!! 

Lots of love ~ Tessa <3 :)