Chapter 51
Chapter Fifty-One
JAYSON
A fter a shitty night tossing and turning, I’m fucking tired and running on fumes. As I’ve said before, my parents are just plain awesome. Elijah and I sat with Julien as he told our parents about their relationship. Of course, they welcomed Elijah into our family with open arms, and Mom insisted Elijah stay for dinner. Elijah’s dad showed up, and while the parents talked in the kitchen, me, Jules, and Elijah watched movies in the living room.
It was good, really good , to see my brother happy and relaxed. He and Elijah held hands, smiled, and kissed with the biggest smiles on their faces.
Elijah and Mr. Barnes left around midnight, and Julien and I stayed up for a couple more hours talking. We eventually conked out on the sofa. Not the most comfortable place to sleep, hence the restless night.
Julien talked me down from my anger at Liz. Just another tick mark on how many times I’m going to fuck up when it comes to her. I feel horrible about the way I yelled at her, and the guilt has been eating me up ever since.
I noticed headlights and heard the sound of a car around one in the morning. I wanted to run out of the house and grab her in my arms, beg her forgiveness, and tell her how much I love her. But I didn’t because I needed more time before I faced her.
At six, I hear Ryder’s Hellcat pull up outside the house. Since I’m already dressed for school, I step out onto the front porch and watch as he parks his car behind Liz’s in her driveway.
“What are you doing here so early?”
Ryder stops mid-step up the pathway and turns toward me. I jog down to meet him halfway.
“How’s Julien?” he asks me.
“He’s good. Did Liz tell you?” I wait for his answer before I blow a gasket because if she told him when she wouldn’t tell me, I will absolutely lose it.
“Nah, man. I already knew. She didn’t have to tell me anything.”
“You knew? Did Julien tell you?”
“No, Jay. I figured it out a long time ago. It wasn’t that hard to see what was going on.”
His pointed jab scores a direct hit. I’m Julien’s twin brother. I should have known. I should have been there for him, and I wasn’t. Another thing to feel guilty about.
“You saw her last night?” I ask.
“Yeah. She came by the garage, and we talked.”
“What are you doing here now?”
“Jay, what’s with the third degree? I can see Elizabeth whenever the hell I want. I don’t need your damn permission.”
I eye him suspiciously because I feel like something’s up.
“Is Liz okay?”
“No, she’s not.” Ryder glares at me for asking such a stupid question.
Of course, she’s not okay. I treated her like a grade-A asshole last night.
“I would love to stand out here and shoot the shit with you, but I promised Elizabeth that I would pick her up for school this morning.” He starts walking.
“Shit. Ry, wait. I need to talk to her. I want to apologize.”
He keeps walking. “Maybe you should give her some space.”
“I’m not going to give her some space. She’s my fucking girlfriend. We had a fight. I want to apologize.”
Ryder spins around and pushes against my shoulder to stop me from following him.
“If she wants you to leave, you leave. Understand. Otherwise, I’m not letting you take one step inside.”
I grit my teeth in annoyance but acquiesce. “Yeah. Fine. Got it. I just need to see her.”
We walk up the steps onto her porch, but Ryder suddenly stops and presses his face to the sidelight window next to the front door. He rips his keychain out of his side pocket and unlocks the door.
“Ry, it’s early. Why don’t you knock first?”
He ignores me and throws the front door open as soon as he turns the key. The first thing that hits me is the smell.
“What the fuck is that smell?”
“Elizabeth! Are you in here?” Ryder shouts in a panic.
I grab Ryder. “Holy shit! Holy fuck!”
There’s blood everywhere. I gag. Ryder pulls his arm out of my grasp and runs upstairs. He calls for Liz and yells for her to answer him.
“Liz! Liz, you in here, baby?” Terror claws at me from the inside out. I follow the trail of blood from the foyer into the living room. “Jesus Christ! Ryder!”
His footfalls pound the wood as he races down the stairs. He collides into me, and we both stand there, frozen at the sight, not knowing what to do. A small sound has us both racing from the dining room into the kitchen. I take out my phone and dial nine- one-one. I don’t know what I say to the dispatcher, but I’m pretty sure I give them the address.
Ryder’s anguished cry makes me drop my phone. I rush to where he’s kneeling on the floor.
I must be asleep or something. This isn’t real. I’m having a nightmare and when I wake up, I’ll be cuddled next to Liz in her bed. I’ll kiss her bare shoulder before tangling my fingers through her long blonde hair. I’ll hear her sweet giggle before I roll on top of her to get lost in her beautiful green eyes.
Ryder’s heart-wrenching cries pierce through my mental fog. He lifts Liz’s limp body into his arms. Jesus, there’s so much blood. And then I see Hailey. I can’t look. I think I’m going to be sick.
“ No, no, no . Elizabeth. Please, baby. Please. Please don’t leave me. Please, Elizabeth. I can’t live without you. I love you so much. Please, baby,” Ryder sobs. He raises his head and screams at me, “Jayson, call an ambulance!” He looks back down at her. “Hold on, baby. We’re here. I’m here, sweetheart. Just hold on.”
I can’t move. No. That’s not my Liz. He’s mistaken. That’s not my Liz. The girl I love more than life itself.
He shouts her name again in agony, and my legs give out. I fall to the floor next to them. Her body dangles limply in Ry’s arms. She can’t be dead. Not my Liz. Not my girl.
I slide next to Ryder and take Liz’s head in my hands and press my face to her blood-crusted hair.
“Liz, baby girl. We’re here. You’re safe. We’ve got you, Princess. Just hold on. Help’s coming.”
The sound of sirens in the distance gets louder as they come closer. I try to give her hope.
“See, baby. Just hold on. Help is coming. Hold on. Don’t leave us. We need more next times. I’ll hang a thousand stars on our tree. I’ll fill a million jars with stars just for you.”
Ryder and I are mirror images of one another—sobbing, pleading, praying, making promises, begging, telling Liz we love her.
Before the paramedics forcibly pull us away from Liz, I swear I hear her whisper, “I love you.”
Ryder and I try to push our way back to her, not wanting to leave her for a second.
One of the paramedics yells out, “We’re losing her!”