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

I can’t breathe. I can’t speak. Marriage? We are so young! We don’t know each other that well. But he’s completely serious.

“Obviously we’ll wait until we’re out of school,” he adds. “But I’ve got it all worked out.”

“This is crazy.” I stand, moving to the window. Dizziness overcomes me, and I grip the ledge. He turns me around to face him.

“I don’t mean to scare you. I couldn’t wait to ask you. I want to be with you forever.”

I start crying. This is getting too deep, too fast.

He pulls me to him. “Please don’t cry.”

“We need to talk.”

As one would assume, his muscles go rigid. He draws back, holding me at arm’s length. “What is it?”

“I just, Vincent, this is too fast. I mean we barely know each other.”

“I know a lot more than you think. We are meant for each other. I have plans for us. For us to run away from all of this. Neither one of us is happy here. My mom’s on her deathbed. Your parents are insanely controlling and strict. We can have our own life and leave this place.”

I try to get the words out, but they won’t form. “I love you; I do. I think-I think we should—”

“Don’t you dare say it. I’m sorry for scaring you but that’s no reason to end this.”

I shake my head. “It’s not that. I need some time.”

“Time for what? You’ve been distant all night. What’s going on?”

I swallow several times as the ache in my heart spreads to my stomach.

Vincent narrows his eyes and his face grows dark. His whole demeanor changes like a switch went off. “It’s him isn’t it?” His tone is harsh, and he grips my arms.

“Who?”

“Don’t play innocent with me.”

This is going downhill in a hurry.

“What are you talking about? I’m talking about you and me.” There’s no way I can admit to him about mine and Casper’s kiss right now.

“What is it about Casper that has you so wound around him? Has he been manipulating you again?”

“What? No. This has nothing to do with him,” I lie, feeling ashamed.

“This has everything to do with him. No matter what, you always choose him. Every time.”

“What are you talking about? I’ve never chosen him.”

“You always do. Even after everything I do to keep you two apart. I vandalized your car and framed him, yet you believed Casper. I spread the rumors about you sleeping with him. I was the one who killed Adam because he came after you, and you still hail Casper as your hero.”

Air traps in my lungs. He killed someone? His confessions boggle in my mind like dice in a cup. I feel sick and my knees are weak and I’m starting to feel sleepy. It’s too much. I can’t even look at him. “Why?” My voice is barely audible.

“Because I would do anything for you. I even tried killing that vile Elf by running him off the road and shooting him. I was at the hospital that night to finish him off, but you ruined that. Imagine my surprise when he woke up because of you. I have given you my heart. I have given you everything you can ever imagine. What more do you want?”

“D-did you just call him an Elf?”

“Because that’s what he is. The story you and I have been writing is real. You and I are Sprites, Megan.”

I shake my head. “Vincent, it’s just a story. A story that I created from all these crazy dreams I’ve been having. Every single night about you and Casper and—”

Vincent bursts into laughter, releasing his grip on me. “I can’t believe I didn’t see this before. That’s how you’ve been finding each other.”

I don’t know what he’s talking about and I don’t know why I’m still standing here. I need to get out of here away from this dangerous and obsessive man. But what does he mean the story is real? Does he know why I have these dreams? “What’s going on? Have you been playing me for a fool?”

He stops laughing and looks at me severely. “Absolutely not.”

“Then what’s going on? What is all this? I don’t understand. Why would you try to kill Casper?”

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out soon enough with your precious dreams.” He moves closer to me and I turn my head. His lips are on my ear and he whispers to me. “I bet you wouldn’t even have thought about him twice without these dreams.” He pulls back and forces me to look at him, his hand squeezing my jaw. “We had a lifetime once. In this godforsaken world. You never found Casper. And we were happy. But there was a part of you that remained distant. I took you home, but you aged and died. I was so lost. I thought I had lost you forever. I didn’t find you again until now.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Not now. But you will. When I first saw you, I nearly fainted.” His eyes welled. “You can’t know what this has done to me. And no matter what, you always choose him.”

I have to get out of here and talk to Casper but I’m so sleepy that I’m having a hard time keeping my eyes open or even standing still. This is insane.

“I have to go, Vincent.” I try prying his grip from my jaw, but he doesn’t budge. “Let me go.”

“Don’t you get it? You promised yourself to me. You promised we would run away and be together.”

A tear slides down my face and he loosens his grip. “I need to go home,” I whisper and fall against him.

I feel his arms around me, and he sighs. “We’ll be there soon.”

Chapter Forty-Five

Casper and I are outside in the