Somewhere

Chapter Five

For the first time in my life, my parents didn't know what to say.

In the end, they forgot to be angry about the fact I was willing to sneak Gibson out of jail without telling his parents. I mean, his parents found out anyways. The Gibson family had been huddled together at their home for days, learning who their son was all over again. He called me last night, completely horrified. "We're talking about everything. EVERYTHING. I'm twenty years old and now they're giving me the sex talk."

And bless him, Officer Tanner called on my behalf that what I had witnessed wasn't normal. Most kids never forget a thing like that and that should be punishment enough. While my parents agreed, my mom hit category five levels of worry. Now she thought I was going to snap and spiral into a mental breakdown.

"Mental illness runs in our family," she said, which I really didn't need to hear.

"On Kareem's side," Nani defended herself while throwing her husband (or ex-husband, who knows) under the bus.

Despite telling everyone over a hundred times I was fine, they still didn't want to leave me alone. After class, I was given the option of doing some part-time work for my dad, be sent out with a list of errands by my mother, or help Nani paint a mural in town tomorrow.

Nani won by a landslide.

I sighed, relaxing on the couch. Sleep was useless. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw that white gaping mouth and I wretched inside. Trying to read wasn't working. I read the same line over and over and over again, until my mind started wandering and I lost my place entirely. Lying down, listening to the rain, and trying to go blank so far was invigorating.

Then, a knock on the door nearly killed me. I jumped up as every inch of my skin buzzed. Instantly, there was another knock and I hurried to answer it.

"Hello?" I opened the door. The sound of the rushing rain doubled like a choir shushing me all at once. The cold slipped inside, but I opened the door even wider and let it all pour inside the moment I saw Cooper Blackwood standing on my porch.

He immediately furrowed his brow at the sight of me. "You just answer the door for anybody?" His whole face was flushed. Cooper leaned against my house on one hand as he attempted to catch his breath. He was drenched. Soaked to the bone like a stray cat. His blonde hair was darker wet. He had obviously tried to slick it back, but rebellious stands fell across his forehead. He shook his head. "You don't even ask, who's there? Or what business they have with you? You just answer?"

Flabbergasted, it took me a couple of blinks to make my brain work again. "Um, but I know everyone."

"But! It could be anybody! You don't know for sure. You have to be careful."

"Okay." I huffed, feeling my patience slipping. This was unbelievable. It was like I was going crazy as if he wasn't really here and I was going to be caught talking to myself. I snapped at him, "Is this why you're here? To pick another fight with me?"

"No—" he started to shout but stopped himself. He sighed into his hand, rubbing the dark stubble growing around his face. He looked even older with it. His presence was devastating.

Peering past him, into the dark, I asked, "Did you run here?"

His car was nowhere behind him.

"I came to see if you were alright," Cooper finally said, calmer but still loud enough to be heard over the downpour. He stood up straighter, fixing his jacket. He steadied his icy blue eyes. They did their job, ripping holes right through my chest. "They said someone died in front of you that they fell on top of you—"

My eyes nearly popped out of my head. I stepped forward and joined him on the porch, shaking my hands as I tried to explain. "No! No! Who told you that?" I was about to ask, but I knew the answer. "The gossip in this town is ridiculous! I just found a dead body! Found it. No touching involved."