Awakening (10 page)

I pull my hand from Danny’s grip.  I can’t meet his eyes.  He is telling me that he got drunk with the woman who he confided in, built a friendship with, and we fought over just last week; and she’s asleep in the room that was designated as mine.

“Hold on.  Melissa is here?  And you’re bitching that I was on Skylar’s bike?” I harshly whisper.  I must have heard him wrong.  This is the kind of shit I would expect from Skylar, not Danny.

“Yes,” Danny responds, head hanging low and shoulders slumped forward. 

My head is spinning.  Before I know it, I’m standing and headed toward the room where Melissa’s sleeping.  I fling Danny’s door open so hard it smashes against the dresser, knocking over cologne bottles and sending picture frames flying to the floor.  I don’t give it a second thought, my brain is headed in one direction. 
My
bedroom
.

I take a moment to take a few deep breaths before opening the door.  I need to remain calm.  Through all of this, I have never given into my feelings for Skylar.  I would break things off with Danny before I ever thought to try to start something with Skylar. 

I should just leave and think this through, but my curiosity is getting the best of me.  I place my hand on the handle and slowly turn.  I’m very surprised Danny doesn’t follow me out of the room.  He’s either really worried about my reaction because something happened or he’s embarrassed and can’t meet my eyes.  It’s time to see exactly why my
fiancé
isn’t more concerned.

Lying peacefully with a curtain of brown hair covering her face is the woman who’s invoked so many emotions from me this evening.  As I move closer to where Melissa sleeps peacefully, I’m feeling quite jealous.  It’s been too long since I’ve had a good night’s sleep and here she is, dreaming sweet dreams in my bed, had a fun night with my fiancé and is wearing his clothes, it appears. 

“Hey.”  I shouldn’t be acting like this, but the lioness comes out in me.  I shake Melissa’s shoulder, trying to wake her but get nothing. 
She must have really had a lot to drink.

“Hey!” I scream and resort to kicking the edge of the bed, shaking the mattress.  Melissa stirs as her eyes flutter open.  Disorientation hits her square in the forehead as she becomes wide eyed, searching her surroundings.

“Who are you?  Where am I?”

“Awesome!  I’m Mira and you’re in my bed.  I should be asking you the same questions.”

“Mira?” Melissa whispers, face contorting with confusion until she places who I am.  “Mira!  Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry.  I was here talking with Danny and had too much to drink.  He said it was okay that I crashed in here.  Let me get my stuff and I’ll get out of here.”

I move out of her way, motioning with my arm for her to walk past me, rather sarcastically.  Melissa looks embarrassed; cheeks flush with a slight pink tint.  I don’t care.  She should be embarrassed.  What kind of woman goes to see a man at night and then crashes there?  Especially a man who’s taken? 

Why am I getting so mad?

“I think that’s a good idea.  You really should think twice about getting drunk with another woman’s fiancé next time.”

“Just a little word to the wise, Mira.  I came over because Danny was missing you and wanted someone to talk his problems out with.  I came as a
friend
, nothing more.  But maybe if you paid a little more attention to your
fiancé
, he wouldn’t be getting drunk with other women, yeah?” 

Side hoe, say what?!?!

“You have two minutes to get the fuck out, before I put you out.”  There is no denying that I’m about to rip her head off.  Danny and Skylar are now in the hall, staring with jaws wide open.  I know I only have about three seconds to get my hands on Melissa if I want to. 

I look between the two repeatedly, waiting for the perfect time to strike.  The fact that Danny had to have heard the statement Melissa made to me and didn’t defend me has me most angry.  A man is supposed to defend his woman even if she’s wrong or makes no sense.  That’s his job and he’s failed. 
Strike one.

Danny and Skylar are looking at each other, refusing to make eye contact with me.  This only means one thing.  They’re treating me like a dog who’s stolen Thanksgiving dinner from the counter.  They’re coming for me and I need to move
now
.

I lunge forward, grabbing Melissa by the back of her hair, yanking her toward my face.  Once I get her ear within whispering distance, I make the best of the two seconds I have left before one of the guys grab me, “If you ever come in this home again or disrespect me like that, I’ll have your ass.  Understand this, I might seem sweet and nice, but I’m not.  I’m the bitch that will ruin you for running your mouth.”

I barely finish my statement before I’m wrapped in Skylar’s arms while Danny checks on Melissa. 
Strike two.
  I pull myself loose from Skylar who’s beaming at me.  I try not to smile but I can’t help it. 

Before Sky lets my arms go, he pulls close to his chest.  “Someone’s a little pitbull, huh?  Next time I won’t pull you off.  That was kind of hot.”  Chills race down my spine; all the way to the tips of my toes.  The affect Skylar has on me is unbelievable.  I’ve almost let all the anger out of my body but turning to face Danny, who’s still consoling Melissa, sets me off yet again.

“I really don’t think you should drive.  She’s just upset because you’re in her room.  Crash on the couch.  I’ll get you some blankets.” 
No, that’s not why I’m upset.
  I don’t even know why I’m upset anymore, but shouldn’t I be the one to be consoled?  Shouldn’t he be checking to make sure
I’m
okay?

“No, Danny, she needs to leave.  She disrespected me.  Play date’s over; you’re little friend can leave now.”  I know I’m being overly bitchy, but I have to draw the line somewhere.  He’s making me choose between him and Skylar; it’s only fair he make his choice, too.

“Mira, she’s been drinking.  I can’t let her leave.  If anything happens to her, it will be on me.  I can’t go through that again.”

“Okay, so let me get this straight.  Her feelings are more important than mine?” I ask with a disgusted look on my face, lip curling all the way up.  Kylee likes to call this my stank face; and that’s exactly how it looks.

“You know that’s not the case, Mira.  You can have your room and Melissa will take the couch.  It’s an easy fix to the problem.  You two don’t have to see each other anymore tonight.”

“Nope.  That doesn’t work for me.  She needs to leave.  Skylar can drive her home.  Easier fix,” I say, proud of my problem solving skills.  Let’s see if he goes for it.

“I’m not letting Skylar anywhere near her.  I’ve already lost one girl to…”  Danny stops himself in mid-sentence, realizing what he’s said and it’s far too late for him to back-peddle. 
Strike fucking three, and I’m out.

I didn’t think that Danny would ever hurt me or make me feel so insignificant.  Just a couple of words solidify what I thought about Melissa from the beginning.  Danny’s formed a bond with her and there’s no place for me.  The realization that I just lost both Danny and Skylar in the same night weighs on my heart like a ton of bricks.  The tears prickle behind my eyelids and it’s time for me to leave.

“You win,” I whisper to Melissa as I brush past her, into Danny’s room to get my purse. 

Thankfully, when Danny brought me home from the hospital, he had the sense to have my car brought here as well.  I haven’t driven since before the accident and I’m a little nervous to get behind the wheel, but I have to get out of here.  I can’t wait for Kylee to answer the phone to come get me; if she’s even in a position to come with me.  She might be in some other sort of position.

Rushing out of the bedroom toward the front door, I run into Danny and Skylar who are about to start fighting.  I’m able to squeeze past without anyone noticing until I get to my car.

“Where the hell are you going, Mira?” Danny yells from the front door as I’m unlocking my car door.

“I’m leaving.  Maybe it’s not me that needed to make a choice.  Take a look in the mirror, Danny.  You made your choice.  You chose her feelings over mine.  I’m out.”  I know I’m taking it too far, but I can’t stop now.  I need to push forward.

I’m only able to get a block away before my phone starts ringing. 
Skylar
.  I don’t have it in me tonight to deal with any of this.  I throw my phone onto the passenger seat and turn the radio up to drown out the sound of my phone buzzing on the seat next to me.

Between the music coming out of the speakers and the anger and sadness boiling up in me, I realize I’m going fifteen over the speed limit.  I really do need to slow it down but the adrenaline rushing through my body is too much to control.  I stop at the intersection near the house for a few extra beats, trying to relax my body and stop my heart from pumping so fast. 

It isn’t supposed to be this way.  It’s supposed to get easier as you get older.

I make it a few more blocks before my phone is going off so much that it’s about to rattle onto the floor.  The caller ID still says it’s Skylar calling me.  The tears I was holding back escape.  I didn’t allow myself to cry when Skylar pushed me away, when I wanted to ease his pain during the argument with Danny or when the Melissa issue came to a head.  I have been holding back for so long that I can’t control it now. 

The pain I’m –feeling—not physical, but extreme emotional –pain—flows out of my body at a pace so quick, my breath is stolen right from my lungs.  I’m sure I’ll have a bruise across my chest in the morning from where the seat belt is trying to constrict the quick rise and fall of my chest.  I really could use a package of tissues to wipe the wetness that is about to drown me.  My entire face is saturated; moisture coming from every orifice. 

I grab hold of my phone and attempt to answer but my vision is clouded with salty tears.  When I finally answer, I can’t even speak a sentence; only a few words here and there.

“What?!” I scream into the receiver.

“Sweets, what’s going on?”

“Can’t talk.  Trying to drive,” I manage to say between hiccups from extensive crying.

“Wait.  Are you crying?  You shouldn’t be driving.  Pull over and tell me where you are, please?”  Panic laces Skylar’s voice along with concern.  It should be Danny calling to take care of me. 

“Fuck my life, Sky, I’m fine.  Not too much further.” 

“Fuck
your
life? Christ, Mi, pull the fuck over, I’m coming to get you.”  Skylar’s patience is wearing thin.  I know he’s right.  I shouldn’t be driving in this condition.  I couldn’t even see to answer my phone and the lines in the road are blurring with the bright lights of the street lamps, leaving everything looking like one big cloud of space.

“I’m by Meijers.  I’ll pull over there.”

“Mira, please just pull over where you are and I’ll be there soon.  You’re not too far away.”  The anger subsides as true concern takes over.  He’s worried for my safety.  He’s worried about me. 

“Okay, I’m going to pull over.” 

Just as I’m about to pull onto the shoulder of the road, I see a car directly in front of me, without any lights on.  I try to hit the brake pedal but not fast enough.  I smash into the car.  My phone is thrown from my hand onto the floor board of the driver’s seat.  I can hear Skylar shouting but I can’t get to the phone with the airbag in my face.  The terror of being in another accident sends me into a panic attack and I can feel my body shutting down; hiding from the pain and fright. 

Oh no, not again.  This feeling is all too familiar.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Skylar

I don’t know what’s happening.  I hear a loud crash and immediately after, almost an explosion. 

“Mira?!  Mira answer me!  What happened?!” I scream into the phone receiver.  I can’t be sure, but it sounds like an accident.  My heart’s in my throat and I’m two seconds away from losing my shit.

I wait a few beats and still no response from Mira.  “Mira!” I scream.  Nothing.  “Mira, Sweets, answer me.”  The full on panic is setting in.  I came close to losing her before, I can’t do this again. 

I grab my vest from the back of my bedroom door.  I find a pair of ear buds in the front pocket.  I shove them into the headphone jack and zip my phone into the pocket.  I put one of the buds into my ear and head for the door.

“What are you screaming about?” Danny asks.

“Are you fucking kidding me? 
You
let her leave upset. 
You
let her break down while driving.  You’re such a dick!” I scream directly into Danny’s face.  “Mira, fucking answer me.”  She has to say something, give me some kind of inclination she’s okay.

“Dude, she made the decision to leave,
again
.  What was I supposed to do?” 
Is this a fucking joke? 

“You have such a precious gift with her.  She fucking chose you and you let her leave.  You chose someone else over her!”  I continue screaming, pointing in the direction of the living room where Melissa is leaning over the back of the couch watching the confrontation. 
Where the fuck are my car keys?

“So it
is
true?  You have feelings for her?  I didn’t choose anyone over her.  She overreacted to the situation and left.  I can’t keep chasing after her.”

“Listen to me, Danny and listen to me good,” I grab Danny by the collar of his shirt, pulling him to me; within inches of my face, “You have her.  She’s yours and you let her leave.  She’s so upset about this.  She was hyperventilating in the car.  I could hear her hiccup she’s been crying so hard.  Because of you.”  I let go of Danny’s shirt after pushing him backward and poking him in the chest.

“I didn’t know she was that upset.  I thought she was just pissed.  Why were you talking to her?”  Danny’s shock quickly turned to anger and jealousy. 
Yeah, buddy, get pissed.  I did your job for you.

“Someone had to talk to her and since you were too busy consoling your new
friend
; your fiancé might have been in a car accident.  I’m going to get her.  You chose Melissa once already tonight, might as well keep doing it.  You’ve pushed her too far this time.  If I’m being honest, you pushed me too.”  I reach in my jeans pocket to get my bike keys. 
Fuck the car, I’ll get to her faster on the bike anyway.