The Forbidden

Chapter 8

Dave is not dead.

I try to calm myself down and continue reading, but I can't. Kaylyn crawls off the bed and into my lap, pushing the notebook out of the way.

"Are you hungry?" I ask her, pushing her hair out of her face. She nods and I pick her up. "Let's go get some food then." I carry her down the steps and into the kitchen.

For a quick and easy meal, I just give her a pouch of apple sauce and a peice of leftover chicken. While she eats, I rest my head on the table.

What does he mean Dave is not dead? The police came to the door and told me. I can't seem to wrap my head around the idea of Dave being alive.

There is a knock on the window beside me. After regaining my composure, I stand and open the back door. "Is there anyone around?" Luke asks, decked out in his black again.

"Kaylyn is eating." I tell him and gesture toward the table. "Take her to your mom, tell her you have homework, and then sneak me in." He says. I shake my head at him and turn toward Kaylyn.

"Mom, come watch Kaylyn." I yell to her and push Luke outside. "Go around the front." I tell him and shut the door. My mom comes in and sits beside Kaylyn.

"What's wrong?" She asks. I freeze. "I have to get something from my car, and then finish my homework." I tell her, rushing from the room. Luke is waiting for me on the dark porch.

"Creepy much." I tell him and look into the kitchen. My mom is talking to Kaylyn, not looking toward the door at all. "Go!" I whisper yell at him and push him through the door.

He runs up the stairs silently and I follow him, quietly closing the door. "How do you know where I live? I don't think Dave even knew where I lived.." I ask him when we are in my room with the door closed.

"I followed you. Simple, really." He answers, laying down in my bed. "Stalker much." I mutter and sit beside him. I reach down and grab the notebook, laying it beside his face.

"Explain." I tell him, pointing at the first sentence. He rests his head on his hand and looks into my face. "Dave isn't dead." He says matter-of-factly. I frown at him.

"What do you mean he isn't dead?" I ask, confused. "Just what I said, he isn't dead. It was fake. He played dead so you would get Kaylyn and take care of her while Maria was in jail, and so he could figure out what to do next." He says.

My heart is racing again. Cold chills going down my spine. "You mean to tell me, I was miserable for three weeks just so he could find out if I can take care of his daughter?" I ask him angrily.

"Yeah, pretty much." He tells me. I frown at him. Why would he do that? Did he not trust me? Where is he? Why hasn't he tried to contact me? I start to cry.

"Don't cry, I hate it when people cry." He says and pulls me down to lay with him. "Where is he?" I ask through my tears. He puts my head on his chest. "He is hiding and doesn't want you to know where he is." He says.

I sniffle and frown into his chest. "Why hasn't he tried to contact me?" I ask him. "He doesn't even want you to know he is alive, but he misses you. He just couldn't stay away." He says.

My brain is swarming with all of this new found knowledge. "I miss him so much. You are just like him, and it makes me realize that it is so much harder to get over him than I though." I tell him. He still has my face buried in his chest, rubbing my head.

"I know how hard it is. I miss him too. You can make yourself feel better with me." He says, I can sense his smile. "I don't think anyone can take this pain away." I tell him. He rests his chin on my head and his breathing begins to slow.