She snickered. “Travis better do something soon. Chase isn’t going to let this continue much longer.”
I sighed and hugged my arms around myself. “I know.” My voice was tinged with sadness. I got this feeling that felt like rocks in my belly. This wasn’t going to end well, and I think I was more afraid that when it was all said and done, Travis and Chase might not ever be the same. It was an ominous mood that settled between Sierra and I, our thoughts both heading down the same road.
“What do you plan to do about it little Miss sassy pants?” Sierra goaded.
Like I had any control over the outcome or over Chase for that matter. And I wasn’t sure how I felt about her insult. “I don’t know yet?”
“Well I’ll tell you what I’d like to do to Emma.”
I thought maybe I should cover my ears for the next part. It was probably going to be graphic and gruesome.
“I’d like to rearrange twinkle toes face and shove one of those arrows up her–”
“I got the point,” I interrupted, not really needing anymore details.
“Do you?”
Yeah, she was as crazy as Emma. “We should get back to class.”
***
After dumping my bag by the front door, I threw myself on our zebra print couch, staring crossed-eyed at the black and white stripes. I was mentally exhausted and had no plans to move from this spot for the rest of the night.
Of course plans change.
Twirling the charm bracelet twinkling at my wrist, I couldn’t help but smile, regardless that today had been a craptastic day. Every time I looked at this bracelet, I thought back to the day I received it. It was one of those treasured memories that you never forget, one of those perfect days. This little silver piece of jewelry would forever symbolize that moment. It was what made it so special.
It was also the first gift Chase gave me.
Well unless you don’t count the tattoo, which I didn’t. That hadn’t been quite what I thought of as a gift, more of a hindrance.
We had been sitting on the porch steps when he pulled something out of his pocket. There was an unmistakable gleam shining in his eyes, playful and full of delight. “Here.” He held out his hand with a tiny pink box in the center of his palm. I almost giggled at seeing such a frilly and girly color in Chase’s masculine hand. The deep pink package was tied with a thin ribbon around.
“Did you buy me a gift?” I asked, my blue eyes narrowing in suspicion. What was he up to? I was almost too nervous to get excited in case this was some kind of sick joke. I wasn’t naive enough to think just because I had professed my love for him that he would suddenly become the guy of my dreams. This was the real world, and I accepted Chase for exactly what he was, an arrogant, commanding, hot, bad boy with the temper of a demon.
How could a girl resist?
I plucked the square box from his palm.
He shrugged, stuffing his empty hands into his jean pockets. “It’s no big deal. I saw it in the window and thought of you.”
I tried my damnedest to not be touched, to not let my heart flop at the gesture.
No lie. It was hard.
Impossible really.
Unraveling the white ribbon, I tugged open the box. This little package was better than Christmas morning. Better than a fresh baked orange scone. Better than getting a new video game. Better than…I think I made my point. My insides fluttered like fragile hummingbird wings.
Wow, just wow.
Resting on a bed of that poofy, fabric stuff was the prettiest silver bracelet I’d ever laid eyes. I wasn’t a blingy kind of gal, usually some earring studs and watch a completed my ensemble, but this was simple and beautiful.
With adept fingers he took the shimmering chain and clasped the charm bracelet around my wrist. The moon and stars chimed together as I spun it around, admiringly.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, afraid if I said anymore, my voice might give away too much, or there was the chance that I would choke on the intense feelings coursing through me.
He reached for my hand, sparks ignited on contact. You think by now I would be used to the whole cosmic tension that was always between us. “The two stars each have an engraving, see…” He spun the trinkets around so that I could read them, and my eyes ran over the etchings.
“AM and CW…” my voice broke off with a hitch. Our initials. Now he’d done it. For sure I was going to start bawling like a sappy twit, and I was definitely not a sappy anything.
Not a big deal? Who was he kidding? You don’t get something personalized if it wasn’t a big deal.
I came back from memory lane with a smile on my lips and suddenly heard the strangest sound. Don’t get me wrong, my house made all kinds of weird sounds, but this didn’t belong, sort of like a branch hitting the house. It started out as just a pesky scratch, but I couldn’t pinpoint the source. Ignoring it didn’t make it go away.
Drats.