In the Stars
Authors: Joan Duszynski
Book One of
In The Moments
Series
* * * *
In the Stars
Book 1, In the Moments Series
Copyright © 2013 by Joan Duszynski
Cover Design © Once Upon A Time Covers
All rights reserved.
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
DISCLAIMER: This story contains adult themes, language, and sexual situations. Story is intended for adult readers.
Table of Contents
ALL THE LOUD sounds come so quick, and then there is pain. The next thing I remember is the smoke, and then more loud sounds, voices, and sirens. “Oh god something has hit us. Raleigh, Raleigh, are you ok?”
I sit up quickly from my dream, wondering what brought it on again. I dreamt it repeatedly after our car accident first happened, but haven’t had it for some time now. Then I hear the loud intrusion in front of me, and realize this must be what has woken me. “What is that noise?” I try and pull myself together and figure out whether or not I am in my room alone, and what time it is. Thump… Thump… Thump. Ok, wait, someone is beating on my door. Looking over at my clock it reads 5 a.m.. I hear a voice on the other side of my door. “I know you are in there; I can hear you moving,” a girl yells. That is so not my roommate forgetting her key again. What the hell?
“Hold on, I’m coming. Who is even up this early in the morning on a Saturday? Give me a second.” I crack my door open to a very pissed off looking blonde with her finger rising up to my face.
“Are you Piper Frost?”
I can feel my lips snarl up. “To whom am I supposed to be answering this question for?” Crazy girl tries to push her way into my room. She might be taller than me, but I’m no push over. I shove her back some with the door. “I don’t know what is going on or why you are here at this ungodly hour, but you have officially gone too far. Put your finger down and step back, and by the way I am not Piper.” Ms. Pissed off then slumps down to the floor, cradling her knees to her chest and saying nothing more.
Well then, I guess it is my turn to speak again. “So, I am guessing you and Piper aren’t exactly close?”
I hear a whimper escape her before she speaks. “My name is Tara, and I need to know, do you know an Andrew Williams?” She is still looking straight ahead and not up at me, but she does take the sides of her hair and pushes them behind her ears.
“Well, Tara, I can honestly say I have no idea whom Andrew Williams is.” Tara looks up at me through now very tear filled emerald green eyes. I take this as my cue to open the door the rest of the way, being that the deranged pissed off look has faded from her face. As I’m opening the door, though, I can’t help but think,
uggg why me
.
I try and keep the stern emotions I was feeling from my voice as I speak. “So, Tara, are you going to sit there against my door jamb for long, or, since you have now gotten me up, why not go ahead and explain to me why that is exactly?”
A squeak type sounds leaves her before she starts rambling. “Oh shit, I can’t believe I let him bring me to this level. I feel so stupid and embarrassed, and just right out pissed off!” She then stands up and leans her back against the door jamb, while hanging her head down and still not looking right at me. Even with her head down, I can tell she is tall. Although I am not exactly one that meets the height of most, being only 5’2, but I would guess she has at least five inches or so on me.
She continues with her explanation. “Andrew is, well I guess maybe was, my boyfriend. A friend of mine sent my phone a picture message last night; technically earlier this morning, really. It was of Andrew leaving a bar with his arm around a brunette’s waist, and his lips nibbling at her ear.”
As she is telling me this, she has her hands flaying back and forth in front of her with her phone in one of them, as if I can see the picture coming through or something. She went from having her back against the wall, stark still, to an over active speaker. “Although I don’t think I was seeing straight, because I am so angry I did notice when you opened the door that you are also a brunette and felt ready to pounce. The friend that sent me the picture is in a class with the girl my boyfriend seems to be fond of, and told me her name is Piper Frost. Then, after nagging several people, I was able to find out her room number, hence my appearance here.” She points down to the spot she is standing in, and takes in a deep breath and blows it back out; hard.
Before she could speak again, I felt it was best to hold up my hand and stop her there, while rubbing my other hand down my face. I don’t do mornings and I could tell this wasn’t going to be a normal one by any means. “Ok, Tara, this sounds like it could take some time, and, therefore, I’m going to need some coffee. The Starbucks opens at 5:30, so what the hell, step in and let me put some actual clothes on and make a quick bathroom visit ok?”
Since she is now finally looking right at me, I raise my eyebrows in question, waiting for Tara’s response. Her eyes widen and she wipes her sleeve across her eyes and nose, removing some of the tears and snot, reminding me of a young child. Her voice is now very low and nervous sounding. “I don’t even know your name…”
Good point, “Oh, Caroline; Caroline Reyes.” I hold out my hand for a shake. She reaches out with a trembling hand to shake mine in return. As we are shaking hands, I pull her in the door at the same time, using my other hand to shut the door.
As I’m getting some jeans, a bra, and the basic bathroom necessities out, I notice Tara staring over at the other side of my room toward the other bed. I could tell, even by seeing only the side of her face, that she was staring daggers at the immaculate half of the room. I’m not exactly messy, but I have been known to leave things out of place and lying around, where as my roommate is the beyond perfectionist type when it comes to her space. I can almost feel the anger and curiosity coming off of Tara. “Before you ask, the answer is yes, Piper is my roommate. She left before I got in last night, and obviously hasn’t come back yet.”
Tara nods her head, and then asks, “Are you two close?”
I tried to hold in my laugh, but a slight one still escaped me. “Ummm no, but that is a long story in itself. Let me brush my teeth and pull my hair back, and then we can go. Seems like we both might have a lot to say, and, like I mentioned before, I need coffee.”
I GET DRESSED quickly and am out of the bathroom in no time. I grab my favorite hoodie from the end of my bed and look up at Tara. “Ok, ready, let’s go.” Tara walks ahead of me while I lock up, then she suddenly stops. She looks back over her shoulder at me; her eyes now look very sorrowful again. “I drove here, so I guess we can take my car. Whether it is a long walk or not, it is early and I did kind of force you awake. I’m sorry about that, by the way, and appreciate you willing to talk and listen with me.” Her lips have a slight pout, and I notice her tucking her hair behind her ear again and wonder to myself if this is a nervous habit of hers.
