Saving Mira-Jean (Hiatus)

Chapter 11

The next couple of days were a blur of faces as my parents practically reintegrated into Bridgewater, it was as if they never left as they walked around town, catching up with everyone. I spent most of my days down at the lake, skating on the ice; a common family activity here.

A not so long time ago, Aunt Lisa's restaurant would have been booming with Christmas music as she sold hot drinks and soup to those who braved the cold but now no one dared skate on that side of the lake. The entire town was under the impression that the restaurant was being used by some of Reyes' drug cronies but I was pretty sure Mira-Jean would commit murder before that happened.

I had not gotten the chance to talk to her since I had given her the necklace which annoyed me to no end because I had bought new winter clothes for her but thanks to my parents' plans, they were still in the bag, rousing Chase's relentless curiosity.

I was waiting in my car for Rose. It was New Year's Eve and a Bridgewater tradition was a party and a firework display in the park. It was freezing and a lot of my friends complained about getting dragged along to this instead of being able to go into some party some celebrity I had never heard of was throwing in the town over.

I looked up as Rose entered the car, her lips pressed together and her eyes welling with tears. I knew those signs, she had fought with her father again and judging from his angry stance in the doorway; it was far from over.

"Don't ask," she bit out, "just drive." I narrowed my eyes as her snappy tone but drove off, not wanting to be late and miss the fireworks.

Within fifteen minutes I had nabbed an excellent parking spot and we were walking hand in hand searching through the night for my parents and the Hammonds.

"Ryder!" Mom called a little too loudly waving her hand with her glow in the dark bracelets in the air.

"Sounds like one bottle of wine has been finished," I murmured to Rose below the music. Rose chuckled but her smile fell fast. The night was going great, from spontaneous dances whenever I could get Rose away from her phone, phenomenal food that Mom and Mrs Hammond had prepared earlier and the amazing music.

"Alright guys, we've got ten seconds to midnight!" the DJ announced over the system.

"Ten, nine, eight...." I pulled Rose close as everyone around counted down. A warm tingle went down my spine as our lips touched as the night exploded around us.

"Happy New Year babe," I said softly as Rose pulled back.

"Happy New Year Ryder," she smiled and with her eyes shining. I kissed her forehead and looked up as I held her in my arms, my eyes catching a silhouette in the tree branches at the edge of the crowd.

I released Rose, ignoring her look of confusion as I walked over to Mira-Jean. Mira hadn't noticed my approach as her eyes were fixed on the fireworks display. She was even thinner than the last time I had seen her. She had cut her hair so curled somewhat carelessly at the ends as it fell to the middle of her back. I whistled a short and sharp tune, an old, near forgotten signal I had from a fuzzy memory. Mira's head snapped around and then down as she found me. I held my breath as she jumped down from her perch. Mira was drunk. I could see it in her eyes and as I stood closer to her, I could smell the scotch on her breath. She looked at me smugly, both of us painfully aware that everyone was watching us.

"Hey Mira," I threw out casually, eyeing the now familiar silver flask hooked on her belt.