Solace In The Silence ✓✓

chapter 18

It was a quarter past two in the morning when my phone chimed on my nightstand, but I wasn't asleep. Slowly blinking my eyes clear, I peeked at the lit up screen.
It was another text from Angie: I'm so sorry, Bess.

She'd left my house not that long ago, and yet, she'd already texted me twice, apologizing. I'd lost count of how many times she'd told me she was sorry in such a short time span.
I shook my head, smiling faintly. Don't be. I'm the one who's sorry. I hope I didn't ruin your birthday, I typed back.

A few seconds later, her reply popped up. No way. Spending quality time with my best friend? Best birthday ever.

Relief poured through me.
Shortly after I'd gotten home, Lynn had driven Angie over to check on me under the guise that her party had turned into an out-of-control rager. When it became clear that Angie wasn't planning on leaving, the three of us had settled on watching a movie together. It was so nice to just hang out with them and share a tub of ice cream, to be reminded for the second time tonight that I had such incredible friends.

It had been so kind of Lynn to bring my best friend over, too. She clearly knew that Angie was closer to me than anyone else in my life, even if her brother was the biggest jerk.
Speaking of, I hope Jake vomited and fell in it tonight. He deserved it.

Rolling over, I buried my face back in the pillow and expelled a quiet groan. I needed a distraction, something to pull me from my bleak thoughts.
For the last hour, my brain had been whirring relentlessly and replaying the same image of Jake and the red-head. How his strong arms had secured her against him as they'd danced, and how those blue-gray eyes had turned fierce when they'd connected with mine, as if he'd been daring me to look away.

Okay. I needed to stop obsessing over everything. It was only adding to the hurt that was already balled up inside me.
Fumbling around in the darkness, I flicked on my lamp. Brightness flooded my room, and my eyes took a minute to adjust to the change.
Needing to focus on something else, I crawled off the bed and over to my desk, reaching for my laptop. I still had the newest episode of Black Sails to—
Creeeak.

Shit. It was like the typical, creepy opening door sound, and I stiffened.
Except, in this case, that was impossible, because my bedroom door was unmistakably shut.
Creeeak.

The noise came again, and I jumped about five feet high. Obviously, my house was haunted, or I was hearing things. Either way, both outlooks were equally concerning.
Then, out of my periphery, I noticed my window scraping open further in the wind, which was currently rattling the house. Frowning, I stepped forward.
"I swore I closed you before I left," I whispered.

Cautiously, I placed my palms down on the windowsill and peered out into the night. The seasonably cool breeze knotted my hair as I scanned my front yard. The dense foliage surrounding my house stirred, the tall oak tree swaying, but other than that, there were no other signs of movement.
It wasn't until I'd been about to draw back from the window that I heard the crunch of dry leaves beneath feet.
My pulse jack-knifed.

There was definitely someone lurking outside my bedroom.
Scared stiff, I wondered how the hell was I going to be able to sleep now.
My phone vibrated on my quilt cover again, but this time, it droned on for longer. When I realized it was a call and not another text from Angie, I slammed the window down and dove for it before it went to voice mail. At that moment, I didn't care who it was, just as long as there was someone else on the other line to prevent me from completely freaking out.

"Hello?" I inhaled sharply, not even thinking to check the caller ID beforehand.
Oh my God.
What if this was going to veer into When a Stranger Calls land? What if the person outside my window happened to know my phone number as well?
"I didn't think you'd answer." Jake's deep voice rumbled through me, and as annoyed as I was with him, I couldn't deny the relief I felt, or the way that my heart squeezed. "It was a long shot. Listen, Bess, before you hang up on me, I'm, like, one minute from your place. So, either way, we're going to have this conversation. I can't leave it like this."