Too Many Secrets

Chapter 41

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME HE KILLED MY MOM!" I shout at Jake, tears streaming down my face.

He looks at me with so much pity I feel my heart tighten.

"Tell me, Jake!" I yell, my throat sore. "Anyone?" I look around. My eyes scan the four faces in front of me. "Why don't you trust me?" my voice cracking at the end.

The silence is deafening.

"Don't you see what your lies have done? He's dead. HE'S DEAD."

I fall to the ground, my legs unable to hold me any longer. My lack of breathing reminds me how much I don't care about living anymore. I don't want to take a breath. I don't want that beautiful hill of oxygen filling my lungs allowing me to stay another moment. I don't want to experience death and all of its pain but somehow the pain of living seems so much worse.

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"What? How?" I whisper.

"It's a birthday surprise. Don't you like it?" He asks, his grin making my skin turn up 100 degrees.

He reaches out to touch me but I step back, pressing myself against the wall.

"I didn't think she would pull this off if I'm going to be honest." He's talking about Kelsey.

"Since when are you honest?" For the first time I actually maintain eye contact with him, his brown eyes full of hatred and anger.

"What did they do to you here?"

I look at him unsure of what he means.

"You would never talk back to me. Seems you grew up, little girl."

"You have no idea."

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I've never run faster in my life. I regret it. I killed someone. It's my fault, whatever happens. How could I do that?

My legs ache and my chest burns. I need to get to him, I have to tell someone.

"Miss?" a man asks. Finally, I've found him.

"Yes?"

"Where is Ms. Williams?"
"She's on the ferris wheel," I breathe out. "Nick is with her."

With that one name the man takes his phone out of his pocket and calls someone. I did it. Now I have to go.

I run out to the parking lot, leaving the man. I look back one more time hoping that someday I can fix this.

"I love you, Sky," I whisper under my breath.

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"Come on, Skylar, you can do it. Just fix your stance a little. Move your right foot a little more back and square your shoulders."

I do as Dylan says and get ready to throw my first punch. I pull my arm back and launch.

"Good, now a little harder."

Again, I do as he says. He is oddly nice when he is training me. Ever since I was stopped from my early morning workout, Jake decided it was best to spend time with one of the boys when I workout so I don't overwork myself. So, once a week when I'm with Dylan, he teaches me self defense.

After Dylan critiques the placement of my fingers when I punch he gives me a whole lesson on the male anatomy. As horrible as that sounds it is to know where the most sensitive points are to hurt an offender.

He shows me different ways I could get away if someone were holding my arms down or pulling my hair.

"You did good today."

Woah a compliment from Dylan. Now that's a new one.

"Um, thanks," I respond awkwardly.

"I think we should meet again tomorrow. Is that okay?"

"I thought I was with Ben on Thursdays."

"If you don't want to, you don't have to. I think it's just a helpful skill for you to know how to defend yourself. It also looks like a good workout," he points at my sweaty face.

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

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He starts to walk closer to me. I can do this. I can fight him. His hands rise up to touch my face and I flitch, instinctively.

He takes a small piece of my hair between his fingers and smiles and flashes his yellow teeth.

"California suits you, girl," he says.

Everything Dylan taught me begins to wither away. My hands become clammy and my legs are frozen.

"If you ever are in a situation where you have to defend yourself you do two things. First, call us if you can. And second, get ready to kick his ass, Skylar, because you sure as hell can do it."

Remembering Dylan's words pulls me out of my trance. If I could just keep him talking, maybe I can somehow call one of them and then fight like hell to get away from him.

"Why are you back here, Nick?"

"To kill you. I said that already, stupid girl."

"I never did anything to you."

"If you weren't here, she wouldn't be dead. It was your fault."

"You said Bill killed her, not me."

"Bill is your father!" He shouts.

Why hasn't this ride started moving yet?

"How did he kill her?"

He tenses. What on earth happened?

I try to think of a new question to buy myself more time but nothing comes to mind.

He walks closer lifting his hand up towards my neck. His fingers wrap around my neck and he squeezes, adding more and more pressure by the second.

"Don't you talk about her. She died because of you," he whispers in my ear.

"She was my mother you-" I lose ability to speak before I can finish my sentence.

I look down to see his legs. Parted. I lift my right leg up and kick him as hard as I possibly can. He falls to the ground clutching himself. His face turned scarlett and it looks like he is going to vomit. I did it.

"You bitch," he snarls.

He gets to his knees and I kick him again. The ride starts to move and he falls back to the floor.

I get my phone out of my pocket, not letting my eyes leave his body. His eyes are closed and he's not moving. I think I knocked him out but I'm not sure.

I lose focus for one second trying to find Jake's name in my contacts and I feel his feet collide with my leg. Shocked by his movements I fell back into the wall. Jake's name pops up onto my screen answering my telepathic call. I slide my finger over the screen answering him.

"Help," I shout, before Nick is towering over me, taking my phone out of my hands and throwing it out of the cabin.

He lifts his right leg up to kick me but I catch it with my hands making him lose balance, but somehow he stays upright. Using the other leg he hits my ribs with such a force I feel the puke climbing up my throat. I try to suck down air but the pain is so severe I can't even see straight.

He grabs me by my hair pulling me to an upright position and turns me around.

"I'm going to throw you off this balcony, and if you are not already dead when I get to the bottom, I'll make sure it's a slow and painful death, just like your mothers."

The ride is still running and we are getting closer to the ground. What is he waiting for? Just end it already. I lost.

My vision starts to get cloudy again and the black spots return. Just before I fall unconscious I see them running towards me. They came.