Unable to move.
Paralyzed.
Frozen by shock.
By fear.
By hatred.
“You okay, beautiful?” he asked as if he had the capacity to care.
I wished with all of me I had the strength to slap him across the face. Or maybe spit in it. Scream at him to go to hell, right where he belonged.
Instead, I stood there staring at him in terrified disbelief.
He started to reach for me, and I finally snapped out of my stupor. I frantically smacked his hand away as I stumbled back. Fighting tears, I broke away and rushed for my Cherokee. I fumbled with the key, hands shaking so badly I could barely get it into the lock. Another rush of dizziness swept through me, a violent storm, taking me under.
I could barely haul myself into the driver’s seat.
Nausea whirled.
I slammed the door and locked it, hands squeezing on the steering wheel. I fought the urge to shift my truck into drive, tuck tail, and run.
He was there.
He is here.
Bile climbed my throat when Aaron looked back over his shoulder at me. He shook his head as if I were insane then turned and continued down the sidewalk as if it meant nothing at all, as my mind was jerked back to the days I’d do anything to forget.
Rynna - Twelve Years Old
I grinned eagerly, excitement blazing through my nerves. I couldn’t believe I’d been invited.
Something about this felt special. As if things were finally gonna change. I hated being left out. Gramma said it was just because I was too shy, but I wasn’t so sure.
I threaded my fingers together and set them on my lap where I sat with my legs crisscrossed on Janel’s bedroom floor.
We’d made a circle.
The circle.
My eyes made a pass over the faces: Kimberly, Sarah, Ben, Kerry, Janel, and Aaron.
Aaron.
Butterflies stormed my belly and sweat slicked my palms.
Aaron.
I kept glancing at him, wishing I was sitting right next to him, but I was too nervous to make the move.
But at least I was there. That was all that mattered.
A dim light glowed from a bedside lamp, but otherwise, the lights were off.
Janel set the bottle in the middle of the circle.
Kerry giggled. “This game is so stupid.” But she was peeking at Ben when she said it, and I wondered if she was as nervous as I was. If everyone was.
