14. Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fourteen
Wilder Lee
T hat thing should be at the bottom of Lake Hollow. There is no way she managed to find it in the weeds, yards from the dock. Her repeated attempts to get me to talk about it have always been answered with my question. How did she get it?
That damn thing has resurfaced far too many times. No explanation for how, which feels sinister in itself. The lake may not be cursed, but that fucking necklace is.
Charlie wipes his hand over his mouth. “Rem, you trust us, right?” He better keep the significance of that cursed fucking thing to himself. He puts his hand out. “Take it off and give it to me. Okay?”
Like an obstinate toddler with a toy, she shakes her head no. “Forget it.”
The crowd forming around Cal’s truck is getting out of hand as more people want to get a picture with or talk to Grady. Romantic Ruin’s new release went to number two today. Good for him, but this is fucking getting out of control.
Answering my door tonight-not a good decision.
The only positive thing to come from tonight may be Remi admitting she likes me. Honestly, I could have guessed that. Whether she realizes it or not, her flirting isn’t lowkey.
At this point, the movie playing could be shut off, Grady seems to be the main attraction. He looks over to us, mouthing, ‘Help.’ He’s surrounded on all sides. Getting the attention of Cal and Charlie, the three of us jump out of the truck to move people away. Surrounding him, we get inside the concession building, pushing our way into the projection room.
“Hey, what are-” Alanna turns from the chair she’s reading a book in, accidentally dropping it to the floor. “Oh…”
Maybe it’s the shock of the four of us together, or it’s the vacuum caused by Grady’s new fame, but Alanna can’t find words. Remi peeks in to see if we retreated here, then ducks inside.
“We’re hiding out from rabid fans,” Remi tells her. She picks up Alanna’s book to hand it back. “Oh, that’s a good one. I read it in one night.” I make a mental note to check it out. I’m a voracious reader, a hobby that suits me more than socializing.
Closer examination of the necklace on Remi’s neck confirms that it’s the very same one I took from her. Not some knockoff duplicate, not just similar.
“That’s never happened before,” Grady says with a degree of sadness and awe. “It’s all a bit… concerning.”
“Better get used to it, this is just the beginning,” Cal says, patting his back.
Last night, I indulged in the pathetic activity of watching his music videos, interviews, anything I could find on the internet from the last few years. Because I’m a masochist. Oh, and that damn diss track about me? One of the best fucking songs I’ve ever heard. The way I exploded in my hand masturbating to it, still makes my balls ache. Imagining the way he moaned into my mouth the night I acted on impulse alone. God if that was a recording, I’d be listening to it all the time, my dick hard as stone.
My fantasies have been starring both Remi and Grady. I’m fucked. Good and truly fucked.
His talent was never in question. I still get misty eyed thinking about the song he sang for Lala at her funeral. That’s the point in the service when the attendees lost their composure. He made her proud, I’m sure. His attractiveness… I mean he’s turned his body into a mecca, his face has always been a stunner. The only question… still remaining… can I trust the fucker? Not likely. I’m still healing from the knife to my back.
I can’t count him out as a suspect.
The prime one in my eyes.
Cal and Charlie had no reason.
But Grady? Possibly.
Is he capable of lying without giving a single hint of a clue? Not recognizing the necklace… real or another lie?
We both know he lied to the police. He pointed them my way. To cover for himself?
Remi continues to ignore the pleas to take her necklace off. Cal looks ready to cry, Charlie’s face is flushed red. “Knock it off,” she says, “Or I’m leaving.”
My fingers start to tingle, my vision narrowing. Not now. I’ve had three seizures since we lost Carlotta. The message is a confusing blend of sensations and visions. “I’ll be back,” I tell Remi in the middle of her diatribe about secrets.
She grabs my shirt to hold me in place. “Stay put.” I love a fierce Remi, but now isn’t the time.
The only way the hell of my problems can get worse is if I have one with this audience in place.
I shake her off. “I-I’ve got to-”
My body locks up, vision at a pinprick. I vaguely feel myself fall, gasping.
Struggling to surface, a force holds me under the water. I grab at my throat but there’s nothing around it.
Choked feeling, I gag.
A voice is muffled, “Remember…. Water.”
Dizziness spins through me, no longer under water. I’m laying on my side by the pebble stone path at Lakeside Park. It’s just out of reach.
Nauseous, I groan, unable to move.
Laughter… multiple people are laughing.
My body jerks, a hand grabbing at me… “Hey… hey…”
“Hey?” Charlie’s face comes into focus, as I wipe blood from my mouth. I fucking bit my tongue. His brow is lowered, mouth set in seriousness. “Wilder?”
Each of them are on the floor around me, Remi wipes her eyes. “You’re bleeding.”
My head is pounding, my arm is going to be bruised where it struck the base of the projector. “I’m alright… could all of you give me some space?”
I guess I should count myself as lucky that this was a quick one. Sometimes I’m out for hours after a seizure hits. Maybe it was Charlie shaking me that pulled me out of it. Moron move that could’ve caused damage if this was a medical issue. Of course, since I’m enemy number one in his eyes, it could’ve been calculated.
“Wha-what was that?” Charlie stands his eyes wide.
Not many people have seen me have a seizure. Certainly no Gibson has. “Beats me. Doctors say if it’s a seizure there’s no medical reason for it.” Grady helps me up. Not letting go of my arm until I pull away.
Remi and Cal both go to grab a tissue to hand me, until I put my hand out to get it before them. This one hit fast after the aura. The predictability is next to zero now. I lied to mom, telling her that I’d been fine. No problems with seizures. She would’ve hauled my ass to the nearest hospital.
It would’ve proved as futile as all the other times.
Alanna wants to call an ambulance, but I insist I’m fine. No one looks like they believe me.
“That looked rather… violent,” Cal says quietly. He witnessed one when I dated Sara. We’d been out on the lake fishing, getting out of the boat I fell back against the side of it, knocking myself out. I got a nasty concussion as a result. “Do you get those often?”
I excuse myself to the restroom. Needing a moment alone, to get my bearings.
The three-stall bathroom is empty when I enter, so I put my weight back against the door, bending at my knees. Tears press at the back of my eyes. I want the visions, the seizures to stop. Instead, with each day spent in Lake Hollow they only get worse. Onset more quick, the messages more unclear, the aftereffects more excruciating. Someone pushes at the door, so I stand and move aside. Charlie walks in slowly. Putting his hand against the door, he looks me in the face. “Do you still have visions when your seizures strike?”
Every single person in Lake Hollow is aware of this. Thanks to my former bestie. It won me the label of evil to some, weirdo, fake… well, pick a slew of negative connotations.
“Why?” I tip my chin at him in challenge.
“Don’t start your asshole bullshit right now. Do you?” His stance relaxes, still leaning his arm against the door to keep others from entering. “Do they have anything to do with the necklace?” the added question is quiet and fearful.
There are different ways I could handle this, but I’m too tired and sore to get in an argument with him. “They aren’t like that… I don’t understand them.”
We hold a look between us. He’s trying to figure me out, and I’m waiting for him to attack me. Finally beat me like he’s threatened in the past.
Letting out a breath, his head drops to look at the floor. His voice trembles, “I… I don’t think you hurt them. Any of them. I haven’t since Remi said… nevermind. I...” He swallows, like he’s fighting, saying what he is, “I’m sorry.”
Didn’t expect that. I don’t even believe my own ears. “Excuse me? Did you…”
His eyes are bright with unshed tears when he looks back over at me, dropping his arm from the door. “I was wrong about you. Maybe I always have been, and I’m sorry. Really sorry.” With that he leaves.
Not in a million fucking years could I see this coming. Charlie motherfucking Gibson offered a sincere apology. Does it wipe away years of his bullying and garbage? Not exactly, but it helps close a chapter on the pain I never felt deserving of.
What did Remington say that clinched it?
I imagine if I ask, she’ll only demand to know about the necklace.
I sigh, rubbing my eyes.
Yeah, tonight has been full of surprises. I’m not answering my door at night anymore.