Pop!
Time freezes as Brandon’s wide eyes regard me before something blinds me. My eyes close and I try to drive away what I just saw. The horror is overwhelming and I feel myself losing hold on the present as I hurtle to the past. A past where green eyes used to make me shiver with delight and my heart would patter right out of my chest when a certain smiling, spikey-haired boy would walk me to my locker.
“Why is the marching band playing in the hallway?” Audrey questions, a dark eyebrow arched. “It’s so noisy!”
I laugh as I hurry and yank my history book from my locker. Shoving it into my backpack, I stand on my tiptoes to try and see around the crowd in the hallway. Something’s going on. It’s not a pep rally day, so I’m confused about the chaos. Even though Audrey seems agitated, she’s sporting a goofy grin that matches my own.
Kids all around us are giggling and so are we until I recognize the song. As soon as the tune of ‘Keep on Loving You’ by REO Speedwagon becomes recognizable, I can feel the familiar burn on my cheeks. This same song was playing at the skating rink where he first told me he loved me. My smile grows larger when my boyfriend rounds the corner and beams at me. He’s carrying a single red rose but it may as well be a thousand. The boy makes me feel like I’m the only girl on the planet.
When his gorgeous gaze meets mine, I hear the collective gasps of all the girls in my grade. Brandon is the good-looking boy who doesn’t even realize how beautiful he is. He’s sweet and caring. A tenderhearted guy who loves his girl hard.
God, I’m so freaking lucky.
“Hey, babe,” he says with a wink as he approaches and the band grows silent. When he falls on his knee, several girls squeal, including Audrey. “Will you go to the homecoming dance with me, Baylee Marie Winston?”
My knees buckle and my jaw hurts from the smile that stretches across my face revealing my teeth which are now finally free of braces. With a shaky hand, I accept his rose and nod.
“Yes, of course I will go with you!”
He launches from the floor at me and tackle hugs me against the locker, his strong arms enveloping me in a heated embrace. Warm lips meet mine and he kisses me as if I’m the only girl he could ever want.
“Thank you,” he murmurs against my lips.
I lean my head back against the locker to better look into his expressive jade-colored orbs. “For what?”
“For letting me love you,” he says, his brows furrowing together in a serious manner. “I’ll never stop. No matter what. Always know that, babe.”
They are earnest words and weave themselves into my heart. Is this the all-encompassing love Mom always gushes about when she talks about Dad? Because I feel it. From the ends of my hair, all the way down to the tips of my toes.
Brandon is my best friend and I love him.
“Promise me you’ll always be mine,” he says sternly, his eyes darkening slightly. “Promise me, Baylee.”
My heart stops for a moment in my chest.
His declaration terrifies and thrills me at the same time.
“Always, Brandon.”
A choked sound jerks me from my memory and my eyes fly open. I shriek when I realize Brandon’s heavy body has collapsed on me. He’s still—too still. Something warm trickles down my cheek toward my ear and I start gagging upon the realization that it’s his blood. All over me.
I start screaming and squirming to get him off me. Gabe hobbles over to the bedside and pushes Brandon onto the floor, the heavy thud echoing in my heart. My eyes remain fixated on his unmoving form. The only thing moving is the blood as it continues to pour from his forehead.
He’s dead.
Gabe killed him.
The devil slayed the dragon but he took my sweet boy away in the process.
Despite my horror over having seen it actually play out, this went as planned. In our war, my strategy was to use one opponent to take out the other. And it worked. I need to move on to my next move. If I lose my focus now, I’ll completely break down and I can’t. I have to be strong.
For the baby.
For War.
For me.
“Gabe,” I sob, my entire body shuddering, “you’re the only person I have left.”
He leans down over me and strokes my hair in a loving way. “I told you that you were all mine, baby. I love you.”
I nod in vehemence, as if I wholeheartedly agree with him. The bile in my throat is sour and stings. I’m seconds from throwing up everywhere.
Breathe.
Observe every move.
Take out your opponent.
There’s only one pawn standing between you and your king.