January Dreams Carrigan Richards (the mitten read aloud TXT) 📖

his chest, and I’m content. This is wrong and I know I shouldn’t be here, but it feels right.

Chapter Twenty-Four

I wake with the bright sun casting light through two giant windows and into the room. It takes a moment to remember where I am. And why. My body is sore, and it aches. The bed is empty, aside from me, who apparently took up the entire middle. I sit up and see Casper playing a video game from a chair at the end of the bed. I watch him for a second. He’s intent on the game, pressing buttons and getting frustrated, but when something goes right, he does a fist pump in the air.

I snicker causing him to turn around and smile.

“Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

I nod. “I don’t think I had a dream.”

He turns back to his game. “I didn’t have one either. But we stayed up pretty late.”

I remember lying in his bed, talking. It was unusual, but therapeutic actually. I seem to recall him kissing my forehead.

“What are you playing?” I ask, to keep my mind from thinking about the kiss.

He shrugs. “A football game. Wanna play?”

I glance at the clock on the side table. The red numbers tell me I have twenty minutes to get ready for work, but the thought of work doesn’t settle well with me. “Sure,” I answer. My parents never come to the grocery store I work in, so I’m safe. I check my phone for messages and see a few from Vincent and Cherry. I text Cherry telling her I’m skipping work and that I’ll call her tonight. She asks where I am, and I’m hesitant to say, but I tell her the truth. Then I don’t hear from her.

Vincent’s texts ask me how the party was and that he was sorry he missed my call. I want to tell him what happened, but not through texting or a phone call. I need to see him. He tells me he’ll be at the hospital, but he’ll try to visit me when I get off work.

I spend my Sunday with Casper playing video games and texting Vincent. It’s a little weird, but it also feels like Casper and I have been friends forever or something. I’m supposed to work until six, so that’s when Casper drops me off at my car. I don’t want him to leave, and when he hugs me, it reminds me of how right it feels. As I watch him leave, I’m overcome with sadness.

“So, it’s true.” I hear Vincent’s voice behind me.

I freeze and curse internally. I turn around and see a cold look in his eyes. “What?” I want to rush up to him and let him hold me, but his demeanor stops me.

“You stayed with Casper last night.”

“Who told you?”

“Cherry.”

My stomach twists. Why would she tell Vincent that? Is she against me?

“From the looks of it, she wasn’t lying. You two seemed pretty close. What’s going on?” he asks as he folds his arms.

“Nothing.”

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Tell me there’s nothing going on when clearly there is.”

“It’s not what you think.”

“Of course, it isn’t.”

He’s got it all wrong and my stomach keeps weaving into knots. “I tried calling you last night, because I needed to talk to you. But you didn’t answer.”

“So that gives you the right to cheat on me? I can’t believe you.”

My heart falters. Is he serious? “I didn’t—”

“You went home with him last night. I’m pretty sure I can guess what happened.”

I slap him. “How dare you?”

The muscle in his jaw twitches as he moves closer, but I back up.

“Then why’d you go, Megan?”

“Casper is my friend.” My tears blur and my chin quivers. “Nothing more. And if you can’t handle it, then we’re done.”

His eyes widen and I see fear set in them. “Megan, no.” He takes my hand, but I snatch it back. “I’m sorry that you feel that way, but Casper isn’t a good person. Why would you stay with him?”

“I was attacked, and Casper saved me. I had nowhere else to go, so he let me stay in his sister’s room.” I try so hard to keep the tears back, but I can’t.

“Wait, what? Someone attacked you?” His manner completely changes from cold and calculating to sincere concern.

“Yes. All I thought of was trying to break free and wishing you were there. But you weren’t.”

He steps closer to me. “Are you okay? Who attacked you? Are you hurt?” He tries to hug me, but I push him away

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Don’t do that. Tell me what happened.”

My phone rings and when I dig it out of my purse, I see Mom’s name flash on the screen. I glance at the time. Crap. It’s past six-thirty. I answer. “Mom, I’m on my way.”

“Where are you? It is six forty-five.” She yells so loud I recoil.

“We got busy and I just got off.”

“You know you’re supposed to call me.”

She frustrates me so much. “I know. I’m sorry. I’m on my way. I’ll see you in a few.” I open my car door, hoping that Mom won’t ground me when I get home, but it doesn’t matter. Cherry hates me and so does Vincent. “I have to go home,” I tell him.

“Megan, wait.”

“I can’t. I’m already in trouble.”

“Call me. Please.”

I have no patience right now to hear his pleas and excuses. I get in and slam the door shut. I immediately lock it and feel Vincent’s eyes on me. Anger seethes inside me that I peel out of the parking lot. I have never done that before.

I can’t believe he would actually think I slept with Casper. Especially after getting attacked. Doesn’t he understand the severity of