Cruel Stakes High Roller

The Real Unwanted Visitor

[24] The Real Unwanted Visitor

I fell in the depths of—

I was awake?

I opened my eyes and saw the familiar windshield in front of me. There were little water droplets on my window and my left side was slightly damp from the open window. I threw a quick glance at the house. The light was still on, but the night was darker than I remembered it to be, quieter even. My eyes adjusted manically as I checked my phone for the time. 1 AM. Did I sleep at all?

I checked my clothes, and nothing was scratched or changed, except for the few dark spots that had been damp with rainwater.

It had rained? Was I so far gone that I didn't notice anything else?

My car didn't move from where it was parked earlier this afternoon. The garage was still empty and Justin's car was not there.

I felt relief wash over me.

It didn't happen.

It didn't happen.

I found myself muttering as if thinking it wasn't enough; I had to say it to believe it. I felt the resolve creeping beneath my skin. I knew what I had to do in the morning. I have to convince her, beg if necessary. If I didn't, even if I let a day go by without fixing this, Justin will have her.

And I will lose her forever.

I didn't get another minute of sleep that night.

I saw her parents ease in the garage. It was late, and their facial expressions and body language told me that they were dead-tired. As if by auto-pilot, the lights in Felice's room turned off and the air conditioning growled as soon as her parents were walking from the driveway and into the house.

By 3 am when every light in the house was already off, one suddenly clicked open.

The crying started again a little after 3. It wasn't as loud but I imagined the sound in my mind. It was as heartbreaking to me as it was to anyone who could hear her—if they were awake that is. It was good then that she had a large yard, garden, huge trees and a garage that would provide ample distance toprevent the neighbors to hear her. Or else they might think someone was breaking-in or something.

I had a stakeout from 6 in the evening up to 7 in the morning—falling asleep between 10 PM to 1 AM. Her parents might have been too tired to notice me there across their driveway. As drained as I was, I waited forever for her to peek through the window, but she never did.

And at 7 am the next day, I receive a phone call.

"Hello?" My voice cracked like sand and rocks under a 10-wheeler truck.

"Tony?" Antoinette whispered through the receiver. "Hello? Where are you?!" She hissed.

"I'm at Felice's," I answered sleepily.

"You didn't... oh no, Tony. Tony, Tony... what did you do? Her father will murder you!" She gasped as her rough voice went a little shrill. "I'm keeping it down since Mom and Dad didn't actually notice that you weren't home. If I were you, I'd come home now."

"Antoinette, we fought, okay? I'm not coming home until this gets settled." I answered blindly, blinking at the intense sunlight. "Besides, I'm in no shape to go home."

"Of course you're going to fight. You can't expect to take her virginity and leave it at that! Felice is a virtuous woman, you mongrel!" She hissed again and with a gasp, I heard her tiny footsteps echoing in her room. "Speaking of bitches...  Here's one in our garden." She sighed. "Clean up your act Anthony. This is quite a mess."