Secrets (Swept Saga) (4 page)

Gabriel spreads my legs with his and slams his cock inside of me. I moan with pleasure at the sudden jolt and Gabriel slides in and out of me. He picks up speed and I feel my body tense up. He’s hitting just the right spot and I am sent over and call out his name as I fall apart. Gabriel moans as he finds his release and lies down next to me in the grass. He holds me as we regain our breath. I run my fingers through his hair and gaze into his green eyes. He’s so beautiful and he wants to be with me. How is it that I’m so lucky to have him? We lay there listening to each other breath. Then, Gabriel rolls onto his back; we stare up at the sky and see a bird circling. Its body is black against the blue sky and I wonder what the view looks like from way up there. After watching the bird circle, we both get up and brush ourselves off.

I put my clothes back on and Gabriel pulls up his boxers and pants. He stands there with his shirt off. He’s so handsome and I can’t believe he’s willing to sneak behind Ryan’s back. I really do need to get to know Gabriel better. “When did you start riding motorcycles?” I ask.

“I got my license when I was seventeen, but I’ve been riding since I was fifteen.” He answers and shakes his shirt out.

“What made you want to ride?” I ask.

“My mentor rode a bike that was similar to mine.”

“You have a mentor?”

“Had. He died before I bought my bike. A motorcycle accident took him out.” He grimaces and hangs his head.

“I’m sorry, Gabriel.” I sympathize and give him a hug.

“It’s alright, I do miss him, but he died how he wanted to. He always told me that he wanted to die doing something he loved and he did. I just hope he had a smile on his face before his crash. At least it was a clear sunny day, a lot like this one. I imagine he had the perfect ride.” Gabriel smiles his gaze is distant.

“How did he crash?” I ask.

“No one really knows how it happened. He somehow lost control of his bike which is unlike him and he crashed into a tree. He wasn’t wearing a helmet. He usually wore one, but that day he decided not to. I wonder if he knew it was the last ride he was going to take.” Gabriel says and squeezes me. “One thing Justin taught me was to always cherish life and enjoy the time that I had.”

“Was that his name, Justin?” I ask

“Yes, and he was like a father to me. If he wouldn’t have spent time with me, I probably wouldn’t be here right now with you. There’s a very good chance I wouldn’t even be alive. I owe a lot to Justin; I just wish he could see me now. I wonder if he would be proud.”

“Gabriel, I think he can see you and I don’t know why he wouldn’t be proud of you. You’re a good person.” I assure him.

“I do the best I can to live the kind of life Justin would have wanted me to live. I’m even following in his footsteps and helping other kids like me. I want to build a facility for kids to come, hang out and skate, climb, bike, and do whatever. Kids need an outlet, a hobby and they need to learn skills and I want to teach them and help them.” Gabriel says. I can hear the passion in his voice and I want to help him. I don’t know how I can, but he’s right and I’m sure with enough determination he’ll be able to pull it off.

“I think that’s great, Gabriel. You’re so sweet and so passionate, you will not only be helping the kids, but you’ll be saving their lives, just like Justin saved yours, and I’m sure if Justin was standing here right now he would be cheering you on and telling you to keep going.”

Gabriel smile then kisses me. He pulls away. “Crystal, you’re amazing, you know that?”

“I feel like I should be saying that to you. There’s nothing special about me. My goals and dreams seem superficial compared to yours. I want to work at NASA. You want to better mankind. How can I compare to you?” I ask, and turn away.

“You, are not superficial, you are here right now listening to me and helping me. You are focused and determined. I wish I was half as focused and determined as you are. I wish I knew where you get it from because there are some days I wake up and I don’t think I’ll ever accomplish all that I want to. I am in awe of you, Crystal; I’m in awe of who you are. You’ve told me that your mother worked so much that you had to rely on yourself. I’m not even sure if I could accomplish all you have if I was left to my own devices.”

I blush at his words. How does he see all of this in me when I don’t see it in myself? “Gabriel, I want to help you achieve your dream. I don’t know how I can help you, but I want to try.”

“Thank you Crystal,” He smiles. “See you’re not superficial at all.” He says and kisses me again. I wrap my arms around him and revel in the moment with him. A soft breeze chills the air, but I am warm in his arms.  Eventually Gabriel pulls away and the kiss is over. He leads me back to his motorcycle and this time I’m not as scared when I sit on the back seat. I smile as we ride back to my dorm. Twilight is setting in, the air is starting to get chilly, but I don’t care. Gabriel not only warms me physically but he warms my heart. How is it that this person who is so caring and passionate, wants to be with me? I am nowhere near as kind hearted as he is. If I could, I would pause and relive this moment forever. Perhaps one day I will buy my own motorcycle and ride it, but for now I am happy seated behind Gabriel, riding off into the evening.
 

Gabriel

Chapter Three

Hike

I
wish I could say yesterday was amazing, but I can’t. I loved my time spent with Crystal, but there were a lot of high and low points and the low points weren’t good. She’s with Ryan, his plan worked. I can’t stand the idea of that scumbag with her. He doesn’t deserve her. He’s already sent her a picture of his filthy cock. I’d wish an STD on him, but that would mean he would transfer it to her and I don’t want that. I can only hope that Crystal will see Ryan for who he really is.

I still think it’s funny that Crystal was so scared of my motorcycle. I was laughing when she squealed. I’ve seen her scared before, but not like this. She was truly intimidated and I want to scare her some more; if only to help her loosen up and not be so serious all the time. She’s so careful and focused, and I can see the constant stress she’s under. She seemed so much more relaxed after the ride. I’m going to have to take her out more often. If only I can get rid of Ryan. He’s an unnecessary problem.

The talk about Justin was another low point. I haven’t talked about his death with anyone. I don’t like to think about it. I want to think that he died happy, but I just don’t know. I would like to think that his last few breaths on this earth were peaceful and pain free. I wish I knew why he lost control that day. Even if he was wearing his helmet he wouldn’t have survived the crash. His spine was shattered and he ruptured his spleen. The head trauma was a Godsend; otherwise he would have bled out into his stomach, unable to move. I can’t even imagine that kind of suffering and I’m glad he was spared. I can’t help but feel someone caused him to wreck. He was always so careful on his motorcycle. There had to be another person involved. I wish I knew; I miss him so much.

I was a mess after his death. I barely ate or slept. My grades started to slip and I had lost hope. My grief was something Justin would have understood, but at the same time disapproved. The fact that my father thought it was one big joke didn’t help my mental state either. He constantly made disrespectful and horrible comments about Justin. He asked me if Justin suffered. When I told him he didn’t my father said, “Too bad, he should have suffered in pain. That should have been his punishment for riding a bike. At least he was alone. Ha! Here he was always hanging out with you, but the old man didn’t even have a family. What a way to live and die. I hope you remember this. Keep going the way you are and you’ll be alone when you die.” I wanted to punch him in his smug smiling face and tell him off, but Justin wouldn’t have been okay with that. Justin challenged me to be a better person. I didn’t have a car just yet, but I was about to get the gift of a lifetime.

Just two weeks later, I was given the keys to Justin’s Trans Am. I cried at the sight of it when I was handed the keys. I was finally saved. I had a way out. If I wasn’t still in school, I would have left that day. My dad continued to pick on me but I didn’t let him get to me. From now on, I would stop believing what everyone said about me and I would believe what I believed about myself. I was strong, capable, and I would make something of myself. What it would be, I didn’t know. But I would make a difference.

 I decided that I was going to start every day by looking at myself in the mirror and saying that I am successful and smart. I repeated it to myself when my father would hurl insults at me, or someone would bully me at school. I wasn’t going to let them win and I wasn’t going to let their words hurt me anymore. I took everything that Justin ever taught me and threw myself into hobbies. He taught me how to work on motorcycles. I got a job and started buying my bike, part by part. It started with a frame and I built it up from there. By the time it was finished, I had a beautiful black and chrome Honda Shadow. I was proud of that bike and I still am. I’m careful with it, I don’t know what I would do if anything ever happened to it. The bike is a representation of what I can accomplish. It’s also a reminder of Justin. Every time I ride my bike I imagine him looking at me with an approving grin. Sometimes I imagine that he’s riding on his bike next to me. It was something that we always wanted to do together but it never happened.

I had to keep my bike hidden from my father, if he knew he would have tried to sell it. He tried to sell my car, but he couldn’t, it wasn’t in his name. I was able to stop him before he handed the keys over to the possible buyer. My father hurled every insult under the sun at me. I didn’t argue just got in my car and drove away. It was such a wonderful thing to get away from my dad. It angered him and I liked the fact that for once I could upset him.

There were times I would fantasize about his death. Why is it that someone so cruel and full of hate was allowed to live? Why couldn’t he have a heart attack, get alcohol poisoning, or even kill himself? On the rare occasion he would leave the house, I would wish that he would drive off a bridge, swerve into an oncoming lane or get hit by a piece of debris. Why was he allowed to plague my home and my family? Why was he allowed a life that he hated and scorned so much? It’s like he only existed to make everyone else miserable. Sometimes I still wish he would die, but I try not to dwell on those thoughts. They get me nowhere and they don’t fit in with who I want to be anymore. I sincerely want my dad to get help and change, I just don’t think he can or will.

My poor brother Michael, how I wish he didn’t have to suffer. I just hope I can get him out before it’s too late. I wish I could extend the same help to my mother, but she’s lost all sense of who she is. I try my best to push all these dark thoughts away. One day I will be able to reach my mother and my brother. One day I will be able to help them, but until then I need to stay focused on what’s important and that is getting my facility, focusing on my school work and helping Caden.

I get some clothes out of my closet, and put them on. I make sure I have my wallet, keys and phone and wave at my roommate as I walk out the door. I jump in my car and drive off to Caden’s house. We’re going to go on a hike today. His arm may still be in a cast, but he can still walk. The trail I have picked out is easy, and it would be good for him to get out of the house, after all, it is Saturday.

Parking my car at the curb, I walk up to Caden’s house. I knock at the door and Caden leaves the house with a big smile on his face. “Are you ready to go on a hike?” I ask him.

“Sure!” He says. “Guess what?”

“What?” I ask, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so excited.

“I’m getting better at writing with my right hand!” He says.

“That’s great!” I congratulate him. “I told you, you could do it with practice.”

“I showed mom, she could read every word I wrote.”

“Well, I’m proud of you, and just remember you can do anything you decide you want to, you just have to work at it, okay?”

“Okay!” he says.

I turn on the radio and set it on Caden’s favorite station. He sings along to all the songs and I join in with the ones I know.  “Where are we going to hike?” He asks.

“We’re going to a trail called, Dragon’s Head.” I answer.

“Why is it called that?”

“Well, some say a dragon used to live in this area long ago. He was a huge, mean, nasty beast. He terrorized the villagers in the area especially if they didn’t sacrifice a pretty girl to him and he required one every fifty to sixty years –“

“Why is that?” Caden interrupts.

“Well the dragon wanted a pretty girl to wait on him, clean up after him and feed him. For hundreds of years the dragon lived, and collected maidens. The villagers would have to line up all the girls ages 12-18 for the dragon to take his pick.

The villagers hated the dragon, but they were scared of what he might do if they didn’t obey him. Until, one day, a prince from a faraway kingdom came to the village. His father was tired of him acting like an entitled brat and told him he wasn’t to return until he had learned what it is like to work and provide for himself. While he was there, he fell in love with a beautiful girl. She was sixteen and the pride of the village. Her hair was long and soft, her skin was as white as fresh milk and she had a kind and gentle heart. The prince served her family and slept in the stable like a servant.