For the Love of Tennis | ✅

Chapter 25

That night I have a dream. I never threw the pendant away. I kept it on the chain still, locked away in its little box. I was still with Dayson, but I was the unhappiest I’d been for a long time. Our conversations never flowed since all he wanted to talk about was scissors that stabbed. Things got so bad that eventually the words that came out of his mouth weren’t words at all. They were a whirring sound, like a—

I crank my eyes open, only half aware of the intense pain in my neck. When I try to move, a fiery hot stab bursts through me, causing me to groan.

Blinking into the semi-darkness, I lift my head. My arms are surrounded by plush. Confused, I bend down to find myself sitting in the desk chair. Then it all comes back. I must have woken in the middle of the night to move to a more comfortable position.

The dream is still with me and I try to catch the last few tendrils of it before it fades away.

I shouldn’t have thrown that pendant away, I realise. It was a stupid thing to do. Plus that charm was too precious to be unceremoniously flushed down the loo.

But I guess I was acting in the heat of the moment. I always do. There’s no time to step back and think about the decision; there always has to be the white-hot anger that surges through my veins and clouds my judgment.
But I have one thing clear.

Pendant or not, Dayson is still out of my life and, surprisingly, I’ve been the happiest in a long time because of it.

I lie there in the dark, contemplating about the deepest things.

And then more memories arrive. Amias.

Amias!

I leap from the chair and almost crash into the door.

“Amias?” I call.

Silence.

“Amias?”

A small, groggy, “Yeah?”

I lean back and sigh in relief. So he didn’t leave me. He’s still here. You’re safe.

“What?” Amias asks. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I reply, relief flooding into my voice. “Just wanted to see if you were awake or if you’d left.”

There’s a pause which I assume is him sitting up.

“You thought I’d actually leave?”

“Well, sleeping on a hard surface is a bit too much to ask.”

“I’ve slept in a lot more uncomfortable places.”

And that’s all we can have for a conversation because there’s a creaking sound and then Amias swears.

“Shit! There’s a man coming!”

“Andre?”

“Tall, beard, looks like a rich player?”

“Yeah.”

“Hold on. Just play along if it comes to it, okay? I need to try and get the key.”

“But Megan has it.”

“She’ll have put it back in his wallet since I bet she didn’t want to get in trouble.”

Smart, I think. Not only can he handle a gun but he stays an entire night here to make sure I’m okay. And he’s not an idiot like some people.

“Who the fuck are you?” booms a voice. I clench my jaw at the sound of it.

“Good morning, sir,” comes Amias’ cheery voice. “How can I help you?”