Beautifully Broken (7 page)

“No it’s ok, you don’t do heights,” Cali said putting her
head down. He gently placed his fingers on her chin
bringing her head up so he could look in to her eyes.

“I will do heights for you.”

 

“You know your lines just keep getting better and better.”

 

“Thanks I’m trying my best here,” Edwin smiled.

They all walked to the lineup for the Wheel of heights.
Grace used the teddy bear to hide her baby belly so the
guy would let her on the ride. Grace and Chuck went in
their own cart and so did Cali and Edwin. Cali could tell
how nervous Edwin was despite his best efforts to hide it.

“You’re sitting beside me and holding me the whole time,”
Edwin said in an unsteady voice as he reached for Cali’s
hand.
She sat down in the seat with him and held his hand. She
was shaking almost as much as he was. She was still a
little white and nervous herself but for different reasons.

They started moving she looked down at the carnival and
the small little town, she felt safe and free up there where
nothing bad could get to her.

“So do you want to talk about what is bothering you?”

 

“Nothing I told you I am just tired,” she muttered looking
away from him.

 

“White face, clammy hands, nervous lip biting, those are
not signs of being tried”.

 

Cali turned to face him, “How do you do that? Read every
little thing about me? You barley know me”.

“I’m sorry. I just find you so interesting. I’m trying to
figure you out. I figured talking would make you feel
better”. Their eyes met and for a brief moment Cali felt like
telling him everything.

“Well I don’t feel like talking right now” Cali replied, trying
to pry her eyes from his.

He leaned slightly towards her; face to face he never took
his eyes off of hers. He held her hand in his hand and he
touched the palm of her hand with his fingertips slowing
and gently tickling her hand. The touch sent chills up her
body. He let go of her hand and touched her face with
both of his hands still looking into her eyes. He brought
his face close to hers. She was excited and nervous and
she gave in to him. One little kiss wasn’t going to hurt. He
rubbed her face with his strong hands and brought himself
even closer. He gently blew his hot, minty fresh breath on
her lips but didn’t kiss her. He gently moved her head
slightly and he breathed all over her neck and with his
hands he rubbed his fingers over her neck. He held her
head in his hands and looked into her eyes and with his
thumb he traced her lips. Running his thumb past her chin
down her neck and held his hand over her chest. She
could feel the warmth of his hand and he could feel her
heart beat it was such an intense moment of passion and
excitement and he hadn’t even kissed her.

“Wow,” Cali whispered, trying to catch her breath. She was
overwhelmed by her feelings and by how charming he
really was.

“That was my PG version of what I would do on a real
date. I didn’t want to break your friendship rules even
though I know you are attracted to me,” he said laughing.

“You know I gave you an in you could have kissed me
more than once tonight and you failed to follow through.
You’re scared of this because you’re more than just
attracted to me,” Cali said smiling and teasing him.

“I’m not scared of you. Yes this is true things are different
with you than most girls I meet, but I am not scared, we will
share a kiss one day”.
“Ok so its official we are just never going to kiss then and
it doesn’t really matter. Because you’re leaving tomorrow
and then I will never see you again. You’ll just be some hot
guy that almost kissed me on the wheel of heights,” Cali
giggled at him as she looked down at the carnival.

“I knew you thought I was ho! It’s good to know I haven’t
totally lost my touch,” he smiled with confidence. “I’m still
confident that you’re going to run away with me and we
are going to have an incredible romance,” Edwin said in a
dramatic voice joking with her.

She turned back to look at him but he had his eyes closed.
Maybe he was deep in thought about their passionate
encounter, or maybe it was just that the height had finally
got to him.

“Thank you for bringing me to the carnival and for coming
on this ride with me,” Cali said as she held his hand and
rubbed his arm she noticed his wrists had marks on them,
she looked at her own wrist and her own marks. Their
scars were different but at that moment something told her
that he was the one person who wouldn’t judge her for her
secrets, for it seemed like he had some dark secrets of his
own. She touched his scars and realised he had seen hers.
She held her breath waiting for him to ask but he didn’t
say a word. They both sat there for the rest of the ride,
silent, lost in thought, looking at each other’s scars.
Edwin drove Cali back to the motel that they were both
staying at; he walked her to her motel room.

“Thank you for coming with me on this non date. I had a
really good time. In fact I can’t remember the last time I
had more fun with a girl who wasn’t naked,” Edwin
admitted and laughed.

“That was almost a good line but you ruined it with the
naked comment,” Cali said pushing him in a playful way.
“But something tells me you were just being honest.”

“You make me want to stay here another day. I want you
to come with me,” Edwin said in a serious voice.

 

“Why? Am I the only girl that has ever turned you down?”

 

“Well actually you are, but it’s more than that. I think it
was fate I met you,”

 

“Really why is it fate?” Cali asked mocking him.

“I was going the wrong way in my travels and I got lost
and ended up here. I wasn’t going to stay until I met you.
There is something about you. I know it’s crazy but I am
afraid that if I am not around to protect you something
bad is going to happen to you”. He took a step closer. She
tilted her head back, shutting her eyes. Her heart was
pounding as she waited for him to kiss her.

“Look a shooting star,” Edwin said taking a step back, as
he pointed up to the sky.
“Failed to follow through again,” Cali sighed with
disappointment as she looked up at the sky. “Well you
better make a wish”.

“I wish that Cali would change her mind and run away with
me and that we have an amazing love affair,” Edwin said
looking up at the sky holding her hand he looked back at
her and bent down and gently pressed his lips to her
check. “I didn’t fail we will kiss and it will be amazing but
you’re not ready for that just yet.”

“Well maybe it’s you that can’t handle this,” Cali snapped.
She wanted him to kiss her. She felt an overwhelming urge.

“Sweet dreams Cali,” Edwin said as he turned, walking
towards his room. He paused briefly and gave her a smile
before closing the door behind him.

Cali walked into her room and turned on the lights. As her
eyes adjusted she jumped when she saw Grace sitting on
the couch.

“Holy crap Grace you scared me! What are you doing in
here?”

 

“I was spying on you out the window and now I want all
the juicy details” she said excitedly.

“Well then you will be as disappointed as I am because
there are no juicy details. He kissed me on the cheek,” Cali
said with a sigh as she plopped herself on the couch
beside Grace.
“Wait a minute, you’re disappointed? I thought it wasn’t a
date? I thought you weren’t into him?”

“Oh shut up, I don’t want to be interested in him. I have
enough things to worry about. I don’t need to be worrying
about my heart getting broken too. When he gets bored
and realises I am just plain old Cali”.

“You really believe that don’t you?” Grace asked with
sadness in her voice and on her face. “I don’t know the
guys that you have dated to make you feel that way about
yourself. But you’re the pretest girl I have ever met and
too add to that you are the nicest girl I know. You
shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. You’re better than you
give yourself credit for.”

“Thanks Grace.”

 

“You know Cali we’re all running from something but
wouldn’t it be nice to have someone to run with?”

“Ya you’re right, it would be nice but eventually what
you’re running from is going to show up and bring you
right back down,” Cali bit her lip to hold back tears.

“I think you need to live a little bit Cali” Grace said.

Cali lay on the bed in her motel room thinking about her
sisters and what they must be going through without her.
She needed to know what was going on with them but she
knew she couldn’t call. It killed her not knowing.
She tossed and turned for a while but all she could think
about was that night and her father’s dead body. She
couldn’t get the horrible images out of her head. She got
out of bed and went to the bathroom to get a drink of
water. While filling the glass she caught a glimpse of
herself in the mirror
. Youare not Veronica Burns. Youare

nota k
iller.Youare sweetandsassy Cali.
She saw the
scars on her wrist from being tied up and hand cuffed so
many times, the scars that would always be there to
remind her. She could try as much as she wanted to but
the ghost of Veronica would always haunt her.

Laying back down Cali’s thoughts drifted from her scars
to Edwin. She thought back to when they were on the
wheel of heights and how amazing she felt. He made her
feel free, weightless and free. It was a feeling she had
never felt before.

Chapter 7

Andrew Harrison followed Veronica around school. She
wasn’t allowed to talk to boys so she ignored him the best
she could. Veronica liked Andrew. He was a nice guy. He
wasn’t much taller than her. He was stocky with a round
face and dark hair and eyes. He dressed in preppy clothes
and was good in school. He came from a good family with
two sisters and an older brother. His mom was a nurse
and his dad was a bank manager.

One day when the girls were coming home from school
Andrew was at Veronica’s house on the front porch
talking to her father. She was so scared she didn’t know
why he was there but she wished he would just leave. The
girls walked into the house and her father stopped her.

“Veronica you see this fine young man right here?” her
father asked putting his hand on the boy’s shoulder.
Veronica imagined her father crushing Andrew’s bones
with his bare hands.

“His name is Andrew and he seems like a gentleman. He
fancies you and wants to take you to prom but he wanted
to ask my permission first” her father said looking at her.
“I think because it’s your senior prom and because I like
Andrew so much. I am going to bend the rules this one
time. In fact all the girls can go to the prom but I have to
meet their dates first.” Veronica was shocked. That night
she lay awake, waiting for her father to come in and give
her a beating of a life time, but it never happened.

A few weeks later the girls went to prom with their dates.
They all got new dresses and their hair done and their dad
rented them a limo. Veronica was so excited and so were
all of her sisters. It was the first time that she wanted to
just enjoy every moment before she turned back into a
pumpkin. She knew her father would be waiting for her
when she got home so she was going to make sure that the
night was worth it. She had a great time, dancing the night
away. Andrew was a perfect gentleman.

“You look really beautiful tonight, I hope you know that,”
He said looking into her eyes as they were slow dancing.

 

“Thank you. I think you look good too,” Veronica
responded.

 

“Are you having fun?” he asked as he spun her around.

 

“Yes I’m having so much fun. Thank you for bringing me to
the prom,” Veronica smiled.

“There is no other girl I would rather be here with”.
Their eyes met and he gently kissed her lips. A tear rolled
down her cheek. He made her feel special.

That night when her father ripped her dress into pieces
she didn’t cry. When he tied her up and forced himself on
her she didn’t scream out. When he whipped her
repeatedly until she bled, she took it. The whole time she
thought about how she felt, about her kiss with Andrew.
She never spoke to Andrew again after that night; he went
off to college in the city. But she always had that one great
night to think about. She hung on to those happy moments
for as long as she could. Lost in thought, Cali drifted to
sleep.

The next morning as Cali got ready for work she checked
Amanda’s cell phone. She was surprised to find almost a
dozen new messages.

The last message she read gave her a heavy feeling in her
stomach.

We h
eldthem off for aslongaswe could. We are not
talking but they areafter you. Be careful. Whatever you
do, don’t call the house. Theyare waitingfor youtocall.
The lesswe knowaboutwhere youare the better.

XOXOX Love Tasha

Cali went to work with an uneasy feeling that she couldn’t
shake. She served the breakfast rush and tried to stay
focused. While pouring Edwin a cup of coffee, the news
caught her attention.

“The police are looking for this woman. She is a suspect in
a murder investigation. Please, if you see this girl call the
number at the bottom of the screen,” Cali saw the picture
of Veronica Burns on the TV and her heart stopped.

“I am so sorry,” Cali uttered. Before she could collect her
thoughts she realized that she had overfilled his cup.

“It’s ok, no need to cry over spilling a little coffee, you
didn’t hurt anyone,” Edwin said touching her hand trying
to comfort her.

Edwin’s words only made her cry more. She grabbed her
purse and ran into the bathroom to calm down. Grace went
into check on her. Cali threw her arms around Grace and
she just cried. Grace didn’t ask her anything she just held
her and let her cry. She let go of her friend and cleaned
herself up. She looked at Grace but Grace already knew
before Cali could say anything.