The road to nowhere

Chapter eleven

It has been four hours since I've started my relationship with Colby, though I can't help but wonder if this is all a sort of a cruel dream that's just waiting for me to wake up back in reality. I'm not even exactly sure what happened and frankly, I don't care much. Colby has made me change in so many ways, I can't thank him enough for being there for me. I guess, there's just something about his presence that makes me feel like I can do anything I put my mind to. It's strange how one thing can change something, somehow it changes the way you see the world even though you don't notice anything. Within the past few hours everything has changed, except that it all stayed the exact same as it was.

And I'm terrified.

Because of how vulnerable I've become when it comes to him. Just the thought of him makes my stomach do twists and turns as if trying to escape. Then, I begin to wonder...

How long,

Until someone notices how much he means to me.

There's always that pocket of possibility and we reach deep into it hoping for a better chance, for a better life or a new maybe. Maybe that's exactly what I need right now. To delve into that small pocket hoping to get a better chance for a better life. A chance to do things right this time.

Everyone's live is a road. It's a road that you see on foggy mornings, not really knowing what is in front of you, not knowing exactly where it's headed. It's that uncertainty, that makes us anxious about what's waiting for us, what might pop up. Frankly, I see myself in this thought sometimes, driving down this road with a pocket full of possibility. Slowly, pulling out one by one...

On this road to nowhere.

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I roll over to my side still dreamy and skeptical about my entire day, when I hear my phone start to obnoxiously ring.

Caller ID: Ace

I smirk slightly before I pick up.

"He-"

"At the rock... NOW!"

"I-"

But he hung up.

He only does this in two instances, when he is excited or when something seriously bad has happened. I laugh lightly and jump to get dressed, when...

Ping...

A message?

I turn to my phone confused because only one person ever texts me ad that's Isabelle. I unlock my phone and gasp loudly.

*Unknown number*

"You have gotten away with it once Annabelle but you will pay for what you did yo me and so will your little friends."

Weird...

I've never gotten a text threatening me and my friends. For some reason, it just doesn't seem serious enough for me to believe it. I shrug it off and lock mt phone putting onto mt make up desk. I pull my hair into a messy bun and rush downstairs. Ace must be worried or scared for my safety because he has ever only once done that to me and it was back in primary school when our entire class organised a slingshot attack on me when I walk in. Only that time, he showed  up to my house because he couldn't wait. I laugh at the memory as I go to open the front door-

He bursts in frantically slamming the door and looking as if he has seen a ghost and followed it back to my house. Something's wrong. Something is terribly wrong. I touch my hand to his shoulder, gently. He flinches and seems to be surprised to find me here for a moment but then unbelievable relief takes over his features as he smiles a sad sort of smile and pulls me into one of his bear hugs that make it impossible for you to breathe.

As he pulls away I hold his shoulders meeting his eyes. "Ace..." I manage.

He nods.

Only once carefully as if he might break his neck. I wait... I don't want to pressure him to talk. Instead, I sit him down onto the sofa and rub his back a little.

He sighs.

"So..." I say clearing my throat.

He takes his time answering, clenching and relaxing his jaw. He sighs again.

"Thomas owns a gun." he says quietly.

I don't have words. In this moment, I wonder if a dictionary was ever invented because I can't seem to find the right words to respond. "Oh..." Is all I manage. I'm slapped right in the face with countless memories involving him threatening me with a gun he never seemed to have. So I figured, maybe he didn't actually own one.

"He tried to shoot me."

I think I'm going to be sick.

"What?" I'm starting to tremble. This isn't exactly the Thomas I remember. The Thomas I know is full of empty threats and just all around bullshit.

But this...

This is completely different. I'm starting to wonder is it was him that texted me. A loud knock that more sounds like banging on the door echoes around the house. Our heads snap in the direction of the sound, scared to even breathe. I sigh and motion for him to stay seated but he doesn't listen. We creep to the door and I look through the small window beside it.

"Who's there?"

"It's me." Cole... I open the door and as soon as he sees me his face seems to light up as he hugs me and gently kisses me closing the door behind him. He seems frustrated about the same exact thing Aaron is but Aaron is now focused on something else. He is staring at us in shock.

"Alright. Time out." he says forming a T with his hands. "When did this happen?" he says gesturing between us.

We share as look and smile a little. "Yesterday..." I say. "We'll talk about it later Ace but now we need to figure out what is going on. Cole?" I say looking him in the eyes. "What brings you here?"

Then.

He shows me  text. The same exact text I have gotten but slightly altered. It is a threat to all of us. I'm stunned by how much Thomas is really capable of. I stare straight at the wall, completely numb. I wonder how long it is until I see how much he is actually able to achieve.