Page 23 of Twisting You

Chapter 6

“It was reckless, Chloe. Can’t you see that?” my mom said calmly with her arms crossed. I rolled my eyes and glanced between my ticked off dad and my overly calm mom.

“It was nothing,” I replied with boredom. “Nothing happened. Seriously, you guys are overdoing this.”

“Overdoing it!” My dad slammed his fist down on the table. “You totaled the car on purpose! You could have killed yourself, or someone else!”

“I’m fine! And I didn’t kill anyone.” I threw my hands up in the air, sick of repeating the same thing for the last hour, since the cops brought me home. “And it was my car.”

I knew too well that every pack wolf in the house could hear me being told off. Maybe some of them had gotten bored with it because it had been going on for hours.

“Reckless driving, Chloe. That’s what you are being charged with.” My mom shot a sideways glance at my dad. “We know that you are having a rough time at the moment. But this, Chloe, is beyond reasonable.”

I sighed and dropped my head in my hands. “It’s not that big of a deal. I just wanted to take the car for a spin. Really, it’s not like I wanted to kill myself. This isn’t a failed suicide attempt here.”

My mother looked at me questioningly and that’s when I got it. They actually thought that that was what drove me to drive so recklessly. Sure, I didn’t want to kill myself, but at the same time I didn’t really care if I got hurt.

“Well, we called Xavier to come around and talk to you,” my dad said. My eyes shot wide.

“You’re kidding! It’s like six in the morning!” They couldn’t have called him. Surely, they wouldn’t put me through that. But I saw my dad’s determined look and that’s all I needed to know.

“Think of this from our point of view for a moment, Chloe. One, we get a phone call from the hospital saying you were in an accident and you had disappeared. Two, hours later, the police deliver you to our door, with a tow car later showing up, delivering your car in pieces. Chloe, you have to understand what sort of message this sends us.” My dad attempted to be calm, but I knew his anger lay right under the surface.

I couldn’t focus on what he was saying, or really take it in. All my attention and senses were consumed with the thought of Xavier coming over. “You have to call him. Tell him to not bother,” I snapped and pulled my phone out, sliding it across the table in the direction of my father. “Now.”

“I don’t take orders. I give them.” He narrowed his eyes. “It will do good for you to speak to him.”

Clenching my fists and standing up from the kitchen chair, I said, “He is the last person in the world I want to see.”

“So you admit he influenced your actions tonight?” my mom spoke up.

“Did I say that?” I gritted my teeth. “Stop bringing him into my problems! He has nothing to do with me!”

My mom and dad shared one of those looks, a look that said “we were right.” And that angered me to no end.

I heard the dull sound of the front door opening and that fired a reaction in me. Darting through the kitchen, I ignored my dad’s warnings as I made a beeline through the kitchen door, making it spin But before it had spun twice, I was leaping over the living room couch and slamming through the next door.

Even though my body ached slightly from the car crash I was in just hours before, that didn’t stop me. All I needed to know was Xavier was behind me and that fuelled my legs to run up the hallway. Spotting the back door, I knew I was free.

***

I was laughing with Dan, as we walked, hand in hand, into Mr. Clark’s class.

“Your dad was fuming when he called mine to see if you were there.” Dan shot me a small smirk. “I’m surprised you didn’t hear it.”

Rolling my eyes, I said, “I’m a sound sleeper. I’m surprised your parents didn’t pick up my scent in the house.”

“I think they did.” Dan shot me his flawless smile, as he took the desk next to mine, dragging it slightly closer so he didn’t have to drop my hand. I couldn’t suppress the smile. He really did care for me.

“Well, I’m glad they didn’t give me up.” I flipped my hair back, still with a wide grin on my face.

“How were they this morning?” Dan asked, pulling his textbook out with his free hand.

“Yeah, ok. They had calmed down, though they weren’t too pleased with me not coming home last night.”

“Did you do your training this morning?” Dan asked, changing the subject. The room was beginnning to fill, and he knew I didn’t want everyone aware of what had happened over the weekend.

I sighed. Man, this guy was amazing, “Yeah I did, nearly killed me. I know I’m fit. But, you know, training requires a different sort of fitness.”

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