Chapter 14 TRACE #2
“Yes, and this is my last chance to tie up the loose ends.
I also have to send my stalker my forwarding address," she quips and I know she sees the look on my face morph into unpleasant concern.
But she giggles. "Joking. Joking," she chants.
But something tells me she's not joking.
"Please, Trace. Just let me go. I swear I'll never bother you about anything ever again.” She holds her pinky out and I don't accept it, because it's not a promise I want her to keep.
Seren wants to free herself of this town.
I don’t blame her. Indigo Pines is the kind of place that if you don’t leave, you’re pretty much going to be stuck here for life.
And she and I don't have the best memories here. Both of our parents are addicts to something they cared about more than us and knowing that they’ve lived here their whole lives just further pushes our need to get the hell out.
I had to stay for Seren after our parents got themselves carted out of here. And I have a future with football that could provide for my little sister for the rest of her life. It’s the only reason why I’m still here, trying to pick up the pieces. I’m here for Seren.
And for Olivia. She doesn’t know it yet but they both need me.
Especially after Olivia just lost her mom to cancer not long ago and her brother seems to be spiraling out of control.
But my relationship with Olivia is a complicated one, which is why I need to be in the Pines tonight. I need to convince her to stay.
She and Seren are planning to leave next weekend.
My heart fucking hurts thinking about the two girls I love most just up and leaving.
Seren was the one who told me of her plans a few weeks ago, but only after I saw the lease agreement to an apartment out of state sitting on the printer.
I had to confront Olivia who told me she wasn’t even sure if she was going to go or not.
I tried not to be angry with her, but I’ve been so fucking patient with her need to keep us a secret.
But this is something that I don’t think I can let slide.
I can’t let either of them make this kind of decision when I know that I can give them everything they need.
I know Seren might be mad at Olivia if I can convince her to stay, but I just need them to stick around until I can draft into the NFL and then they can have all the freedom they want.
But I sigh, knowing that I’m going to give in to my sister’s request. If Seren really is leaving, I want her to be able to tie up those loose ends she’s talking about.
But I hate that I’m giving in because I’m just looking out for her and I don’t like the idea of her being up in the Pines this weekend.
I turn to look at her, her eyes widen with hope and I open my mouth.
“Alright then. Let's go,” I say to her and her smile brightens the room more than I’ve seen in weeks.
She leans up and presses a kiss to my check before turning around and skipping out of my room.
It's not long before I pull my motorcycle into a small clearing before the first clutter of cabins come into view. Sure, it’s dangerous to have driven it up the mountain, especially with Seren seated behind me, but I tend to take risks that can get me into trouble and we make it up before the second wave of snow covers the roads.
That, and it’s my only form of transportation.
Nothing was going to keep me from being here this weekend.
I look around, spotting a beat-down yellow Beetle parked between the trees which only excites my urges even more. Olivia is here.
Seren and I get off the bike. I see her taking what looks like a folded up letter out of her back pocket and stuffing it into her backpack as quickly as it takes me to remove my helmet.
“What’s that?” I ask, curious as to why she seems frantic in her pursuit to shove it away.
“Oh, it’s just some paper I have to work on. No big deal.” She paints a smirk on her face, but I know it’s crafted from a lie, because being my little sister tends to mean we pull the same expressions every now and again, so her attempts to hide things from me don’t get past me very often.
But again, I decide to just let it go. I don’t want any more conflict this weekend than I already have and I would do pretty much anything to see Seren smile.
“Well,” I start as I place my headgear down on the seat of my bike. “You know that service is spotty up here. So I guess I just ask that you stick with someone you know at all times.”
“I’ve got it, Traceykins. I spoke to Liv before we came up. We’re going to share a cabin together.”
I cringe at that wretched nickname. But I fall distracted at the mention of Liv once more. It’s been days since I’ve seen her and just like an addict, I’m having withdrawals. And while I want my sister surrounded by people she knows, I want Olivia to myself.
I’ve had my eye on Olivia since I saw the girl show up to our house on a fucking skateboard.
We’ve been secretly seeing each other for about a year now and that was nearly two years ago.
I am just a little older, so of course I didn’t know if I could ever let my obsession with her be known, but one day I said fuck it and I’ve never regretted it.
“Right. And which cabin is that?” I ask, trying to sound more like a big brother looking out for his sister rather than someone who is interested in the location of where they’re staying for a different reason entirely.
“Yeah, I’m not telling you that,” Seren starts as she pulls a sarcastic grin on her face. “The last thing I need is for my brother to walk in on me and Olivia doing things that girls do in the dark.” She swipes at my shoulder before taking a few steps away.
I know she’s joking. God, I hope she’s fucking joking.
“Seren.” My tone is a warning. If only she knew just how close Olivia and I actually are.
“Just saying.” She holds up her palms. “So, I guess this is it?” She looks up at me, and I can’t help but notice that the battle arises behind her eyes again. The one she’s trying to hide away.
“Are you going to be okay?” I ask, knowing that I want to get more out of her. I want to help her in any way I can but if she won’t let me in, then there’s nothing I can do.
“I’ll be fine. Please, don’t worry about me.” She waves me off before starting to walk away.
I hook my helmet under my arm after adjusting my backpack but before I can start my own journey to my cabin, Seren turns to face me once more.
“Trace?” The tone of her voice sounds a little dejected. I can’t quite place it as I look at her, waiting for what she wants to say.
She runs up to me, wrapping her arms around my neck. I’m taken aback for a beat, but then I return her hug. She lets go, after damn near squeezing the air out of me, and I watch her as she awkwardly looks down at her feet.
“I just wanted to thank you . . . for everything,” she says in a quiet tone.
“For everything?” I ask, wondering why the hell she’s being so weird.
“I just want you to know how grateful I am for you and that I love you.” She keeps her head down, but I swear I hear her sniffle.
“I love you too, Ser, but . . . are you crying?” I ask, trying to pull her face up to look at me, but she swipes at me and pulls on that infamous smile of hers.
“No, it’s just really cold,” she says playfully before taking a few steps backward.
I don’t know if I should be worried or smile back at her.
My sister has always been an effervescent soul.
But sometimes she’s too wrapped up in her own world, not caring what others think of her while also worried about being judged, and emotions seem to affect her in ways she refuses to acknowledge.
It’s how I know she’s hiding something. But I don’t push her on it.
“We’ll catch up later?” I ask, giving her my big brother be careful tone.
She smirks. But it’s not a happy one. “Yeah. Later.”
Then she turns on her heel, snow crunching under her shoes, and she walks away…
Little did I know, that was going to be the last time I ever saw my sister.
I look back down at the journal, tracing my finger along the edges of the torn page, I wish I knew what the other half of it said.
I wish I knew how she finished off this journal entry, maybe then I'd have more information.
And more eagerly, I wish I knew who fucking had it, because it looks as if it had been ripped form the book in anger.
I turn my head and clamp the diary shut when I hear footsteps approaching, gripping the gun tucked into my hoodie for good measure. But I relax when I see Evrin and Sage approaching.
“Took you two long enough,” I snap, watching the both of them stroll up with ruffled hair and dirt scratches on their skin and clothes.
"Sorry, T. Evrin, here, took his sweet ass time getting to our meeting spot,” Sage says as Evrin rolls his eyes.
“So, what’s the report?” I ask quietly. Both of the boys step up next to me as we look forward to the house I have eyes on.
“Jensen is back at his cabin with some girls. And I mean girls,” Sage tells me, indicating that Jensen isn’t at all as heartbroken as he made Olivia think he was, but it’s only a matter of time before she sees his true colors anyway. We both know she’s better off without him.
“I checked on Alli.” I turn to face Evrin. His red mask now hangs around the back of his neck, his dark brown eyes scoping out the space around us. “She was headed back to Banks’ cabin before we left,” he continues, confirming that she’ll be out of my hair tonight.
“I’m not sure you want her to be too occupied though. Won’t that mean Olivia will be alone for the night?” Sage leans against one of the tree trunks as he flicks the yellow light of the mask he’s holding on and off.
“I’ll handle Olivia,” I snap as I snatch the mask from his hands and toss it on the ground.