36. Chapter Thirty-seven
Chapter Thirty-seven
Summer
I’m beginning to think drinking was a terrible idea. I hadn’t had that much, but enough to give me a blazing headache between my brows. My eyes feel heavy, like weights pulling down on my lids, but I force them open.
The sun peeking through the dark curtains is bright enough to light the room, indicating it’s not early in the morning. I slept in.
My arms push the weight of my body up so that I’m sitting, but I’m too weak to feel anything. That is until pressure on my ass cheek sparks a weird pain, and my ankle throbs as I go to move it off the bed.
The remembrance of last night snakes through my mind, humiliation taking over every ounce of moral feeling I had.
I turn my head to where Alec was laying, but it’s empty. Although, I notice a bottle of water and two small pills on the nightstand along with a note. I reach over and grab the note, reading it carefully.
Morning Sunshine,
I didn’t want to wake you. Samantha called early this morning about meeting with our coordinator. I’m not sure how long it’ll be, but I’ll only be right downstairs. Give me a buzz when you wake, and I can come up to help you. I was able to run to the store and pick up an ace bandage for you. I’ll wrap your ankle once you’re awake. If you didn’t notice, two aspirin and a water are beside this note. You’ll need it.
I love you,
Alec.
The smile I grew while reading his note he left for me faded quickly, and I hate that for him. My eyes linger on those three little words… Three simple words that mean so much, but I can’t get myself to say them back. Has he noticed I haven’t? I’m sure he has, but he hasn’t mentioned anything. I shove the thoughts aside, saving them for later.
A throbbing in my temples start, adding to the headache in the center of my forehead. I grab the two small aspirin and a bottle of water, plopping the pills into my mouth and turning the cap off to guzzle some liquid down. When I twist the cap back on, I lay the bottle beside me and pick up my phone.
It doesn’t surprise me that I haven’t heard from my father, but I check anyway with slight hope. I scroll through my contacts to find Chloe’s, thinking of the conversation that Alec and I had, and press the call icon.
I nibble on my cheek while the phone rings a few times.
“Hey, girly. How’s your time with Alec?” I roll my eyes at the droopy voice she has.
“Good… very good, actually,” I say with a smile.
“Ohh. So, tell me… how’s the sex?” She spells the word as if she's not supposed to be saying the word.
“Oh my god. I am not discussing that with you, or anyone for that matter.” She laughs, and before she comes up with something else to question, I dive into the main reason I called. “Why didn’t you tell me you were messing around with the drummer?”
There’s silence for a while, but then she asks, “Would you have believed me if I had told you?”
I think about that for a few beats. She has me there because I wouldn’t believe her. Going by every guy she’s dated in the past, he is the least I’d expect.
“ Tyler , though?” I rest the phone between my ear and shoulder, using my arms to scoot to the edge of my bed, swinging my legs off the sides.
“The funny thing about love is that it’s unexpected. When you know, you just know. I didn’t anticipate a relationship with him; it sort of just happened, kind of like you and Alec.”
I go to stand, keeping all my pressure on my uninjured foot. “How long?”
It takes her all of ten full seconds to answer.
“A couple of months before you came home.”
I blink, pausing in place, and grab my phone with my hand again. “A couple of months… before I came home,” I repeat, all the while a knot forms in the middle of my belly. This is who she's been texting every time I've seen her.
“I wanted to tell you. I planned to, but Summer… you had a lot going on. Mom’s funeral, then an argument with your dad and Alec. It never seemed like the right time.”
“Never the right time, right…”
“You’re mad,” she states.
I’m not mad. Not precisely. Maybe a little hurt. “Is that why you’ve been going to their shows downtown? To see him.”
I attempt to put slight pressure down on my ankle, only to bite back a scream. God, it hurts. There is no way this is just a simple twisted ankle.
“I have gone to every show since we’ve been seeing each other,” she admits.
“Wow… OK. So, you knew the entire band long before I had?” There’s no anger in my tone, just curiosity.
“I haven’t met the rest of the band. Only heard a lot about them from Tyler. We’ve kept a lot of our relationship private for a while.”
Resting my phone back between my shoulder, I use my hands as leverage to hop on one foot and make my way into the living room. Small grunts and short breaths come from me.
“Are you OK?” Chloe asks.
“I’m wonderful.”
“Right, OK. Are sure you're not mad at me?”
I plop down onto the couch, needing to catch my breath. “I’m not mad at you. I was taken for a loop when I found out. Not hearing it from you really hurt.”
“God, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking...”
My mouth curls slightly, but it’s barely even enough. “Hey, Chloe. Can you do me a favor?”
“Of course.”
I clear my throat. “Could you bring my bag to the studio? Assuming you know where that is and all.”
She laughs a little. “I do know where it is. Are you not going home?”
Silence falls between us again. I scratch my temple, contemplating letting Chloe know about everything my father had done. Before, I didn’t want her involved for her sake, but now things have escalated far worse.
“I… I don’t really have a home anymore.” The truth is bitter on my tongue.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
I sigh, leaning back on the couch. “Well… I had a gut feeling that Dad was behind Mom’s murder. I still don’t have solid proof he is, or he did it himself, but he… he laid his hands on me.”
I don’t know why my lip starts to wobble, and tears pool in my eyes. I should be used to admitting all of this by now.
“Come again…”
I blink back the water, taking a long breath to gather myself before telling Chloe everything that happened. From the top to the very bottom. It takes thirty minutes to go over every detail, including everything we know about Alec. When I finish, she’s speechless. I would’ve assumed we lost connection, or she hung up on me, but going by the faint breathing on the other line, I know she’s still there.
“Chlo…”
“Holy fucking shit. You’re joking, right? Is this some sick joke?”
“I wish I was joking, but I’m not. Alec has the recording on his phone.” My lip slides between my teeth, and I gnaw on it until a small tinge of blood hits my tastebuds.
“And he didn’t get questioned about what happened when you two showed up there?”
I sigh. “No… not that I’m aware anyway.”
“Summer, you know you need to report that. Turn in that recording.”
My eyes widen, and my heart skips a beat or two. “I can’t. I… he’s going to harm me. Hurt everyone else who was involved. I don’t…”
She cuts me off. “No. Stop. This isn’t something you can just sit on. You have physical proof that he tampered with a case. It may not be your mom’s, but it’s still something. If they have that recording, there is a huge chance you can dive into them reopening your mom’s case and figuring out what actually happened.”
Anxiety spreads through me as I sit for a minute, but she’s right. I can’t show my fear, not this time. If anything is going to change with the corruption in the police, if anything is going to be solved with Mom, it will be up to me to push for it.
I nod, even though she can’t see me. “OK. Yeah… but uhm… can you come with me? I think I need you this time.”
“Of course. Does Alec have any USB cards lying around? He can download the recording onto the computer and onto the drive. So you have a copy saved for yourself.”
“I can ask.”
“Great. Meet me at the commons in an hour.”
The second I end the call, my breathing starts to quicken. I’m shocked it’s waited this long. The panic pricks and pokes at my heart and lungs, causing me severe discomfort as my thoughts scatter in every direction imaginable.
I don’t think I can do this… but I have to.
It takes me a long while to gather my composure. Before I think twice, I stand up, forgetting something is wrong with my ankle. Pain shoots up my leg, ending at my knee, and I screech, quickly falling back down onto the couch.
Knowing I have wasted so much time already and have to meet Chloe in forty minutes, I push myself up again, keeping weight on the opposite foot and hopping into the kitchen. I use my hands to maintain balance, as I did when first getting out of bed.
When I open the door, my throat tightens as I look down the stairs and wonder how I will manage this.
A faint sound from the studio bounces off the walls of the small hallway. I take a deep breath to settle my beating heart as I hold onto one side of the doorframe and hop into the hall. I close the door and keep my weight against the wall as I slowly glide along it until I’m close enough to extend my arm out for the railing.
This is harder than I anticipated it would be.
Jumping on one foot, I make it to the top step. Fear clenches against my lungs. I consider sitting on the steps and sliding down the stairs like a little kid on a slide, but I would feel silly doing so. Instead, I lean against the wall the railing is screwed onto and hold on tight as I slowly leap my way down a few steps. The pain throbs in my ankle, and when I look down, I see it swelling.
I shift slightly, caving in and taking advantage of my inner child by sitting on the steps and using my good foot to scoot my way down each step on my ass. I look utterly ridiculous, more so feel like an idiot.
Finally, I reach the bottom, nearly out of breath, and press my weight onto one hand to pull myself up with the other using the railing. When I’m standing, I lean back against the wall, thankful the door to the studio isn’t that far from where I am.
As I reach the door, I turn the knob, push it open, and hop into the studio; shame creeps over me when the faint sound of music stops, and everyone looks my way. Including someone I’ve never seen before.
“Summer,” Alec says, hurrying my way after placing his guitar down. “Did you not read the note I left?” He swings my arm over his shoulder and wraps an arm around my waist. I lean against him, desperate for support.
“No, I read it,” I breathe.
“What the hell happened to your ankle,” James points out, shoving a guitar pick between his teeth.
A sarcastic, embarrassing laugh escapes from my lungs. “I fell out of the shower.” Why did I tell James that? Oh god.
My face heats, and I only want to sink back into bed and forget this late morning.
“You fell… out of the shower?” he repeats questioningly.
“James, mind your own business,” Samantha bites. He shrugs, still looking at me for answers that he isn’t going to get.
I turn, looking at Alec with sympathy.
“I told you to call me so I can help wrap your ankle,” he says low and softly.
“I’m not a very good listener,” I admit, shrugging.
“No shit.” He guides me to the closest stool so I can sit down, then begins to roll up the cotton pants he helped me put on before falling asleep to get a good look at my ankle. “Jesus. It’s swollen. You need to see a doctor.”
I shake my head. “The doctor can wait. Do you have that wrap?”
He nods, and Samantha comes over with the ace bandage and passes it to Alec. “I saw this when I came in. I wasn’t sure what it was for, but now it’s clear.”
“Thank you.” I give her a soft smile and watch Alec carefully wrap my ankle. He does it with precision, almost like he's used to concealing damaged ankles. “How many ankles have you wrapped?” I ask Alec.
He smirks. “Enough.” He continues, ensuring it’s tight enough but not too tight that it cuts off circulation. “I’ve had my fair share of sprained ankles.”
“Noted.”
As he finishes up, I can’t help but notice the strange man in a casual suit diagonal from me. He rests one elbow on his knee and a binder in the opposite hand. If I had to guess, it must be the coordinator. A swampy feeling slams into me as he studies me with precision.
He rises, and I tense a little, hoping Alec didn’t notice. The man’s fancy dress shoes click against the hardwood section of the studio floor as he walks toward me.
“You must be the newest addition to the group,” he tells me without question in his voice.
My eyes narrow, and my hands become clammy. “I wouldn’t exactly say that.”
He cocks his head, strangely eyeing me. I reposition myself on the stool when Alec finally let’s go of my ankle.
“That’ll do,” Alec says, gazing at the man giving me the creeps. “Chase, this is Summer.”
His eyes move swiftly toward Alec, nodding and then looking back at me. “It’s nice to put a face on you. Please make sure he doesn’t fuck up any more than he already has,” the creepy man, Chase, says to me with a smile on his face while patting Alec on the shoulder.
I can’t help but notice James, Tyler, and Samantha all stare, keeping their mouths clamped shut, which only escalates my feelings.
“We’ll be in touch,” he says to no one specific before leaving, and I feel like I can finally breathe again.
“Your coordinator seems nice.” I swallow.
“He’s not so bad once you get to know him. He’s currently pissed off because Alec turned down a great deal for you and made him look like a fool. He’ll get over it,” Samantha says, but that doesn’t make me feel any better.
A few more minutes go by. I know I’m pushing the time further, but I haven’t figured out how to tell Alec that Chloe is coming with me to the station with our evidence. And seeing as everyone is still here, I can’t wait any longer. Even if that means they all know what’s going on.
“Alec,” I start, grabbing his attention. He turns to me with worry spread across his face, and I hate that I gave him something to worry about. “I talked to Chloe. She is meeting me at the commons to accompany me with the recording…”
Tyler stands with narrowed brows. I guess I worried him, too. “What recording?”
Alec raises a hand for Tyler to wait a minute. “You’re not going alone.”
“I won’t be alone. Chloe will be with me.”
Alec shakes his head. “Absolutely fucking not. I’m going with you.”
I can see the anger mixed with panic in his eyes as we have a quick.
All I hear is one of the guys whisper, “Do you know what recording they are talking about?”
I go to stand, but Alec stops me. “Sit back down.”
“No. I need to meet Chloe in…” I make a small glance at the clock. “Twenty-five minutes. I need you to download everything onto a USB drive so I can speak to Officer Brentley.”
“This isn’t up for discussion. I’m going with you.”
My teeth grit together. “No. I’m going with Chloe. You cannot come with me for this. It’s not safe for you.”
“And it’s safe for you?!” he shouts.
“Will you both shut the fuck up!” Samantha steps in. “We have no clue what it is you’re fighting about, but please, for all of our fucking sanities, shut up.”
“It’s a recording of how my father set up Alec because his father had an affair with my mother. Which I believe is the reason that my father potentially murdered my mother. It needs to be sent in.” I inform Samantha but keep my angry eyes on Alec.
“Holy shit…” James chuckles, and I give him a sarcastic smile.
“OK. So, we all go…” Sam suggests, and I cut in even more angry than I was.
“What? No. How is that…”
Her dagger eyes stake through me, and I clamp my mouth shut before finishing. “We all go, but we wait in the car—including Alec. I’m not sure that will even help much, but at least it’ll ease his mind. You are now a part of our family here. I think the guys can agree on that. We’re not letting you go through this alone.”
I look over her shoulder toward James and Tyler. They both smirk and shrug. I would argue, but I don’t think I have any more arguments left in me, so I nod my head. However, I can tell Alec isn’t happy.
“This is fucking bullshit.” Alec grits.