21. Chapter 21

Chapter 2 1

Lacey

There's a surprise waiting for me after my therapy appointment today.

Trip gives me an awkward wave from the parking lot. A wide smile breaks across my face as I pull her in for a hug.

"I didn't know you were picking me up today!"

She nods against my shoulder, "I asked Wes if it would be okay. There's a cute plant shop I thought you might like just around the block."

"You've explored Silverwood?"

Trip pulls away, looking embarrassed, "Well, no. I just saw the little boutique and thought you might want to go for a visit."

I give her a reassuring smile, "That sounds perfect. Lead the way."

We follow the gravel path all the way to Silverwood's main strip. The prairies serve as a soft backdrop for the little mom-and-pop shops, their faded signs and rusted paint adding to the quaint charm of the rural town.

"Have you explored Silverwood much?" Trip glances at me, her grey eyes curious, "I heard you've been spending a lot of time here."

"A little bit. Skylar has taken me to a few places he thought I would like." I smile, remembering the bookstore, "But most of the time we're hanging out at his house."

"It's going well then? You and Skylar?"

"I was actually just talking to Karen about that."

Trip looks at me in shock, "You talk to your therapist about Skylar?"

"I talk to Karen about most things. She helps me sort out my thoughts and feelings in a way that doesn't make me feel judged. It can be tough, especially when we go into the deeper stuff, but today I got to share something positive with her."

I glance at her with a smile, "So, I guess the answer to your question is yes. Things are going well with Skylar."

"I am so happy to hear that." Trip clears her throat before looking down to play with the end of her baggy t-shirt.

"I know you only met me because I'm dating your brother, but I hope you know that I will always be there for you."

I smile, "Does that mean I get to be your bridesmaid even if Wesley isn't the groom?"

She laughs, "Absolutely."

My heart feels full when we come to a stop in front of an adorable plant shop .

A faded green sign screams Bella In Bloom while mason jars full of fairy lights sit along the steps leading up to the doorway. I've already fallen in love before we make it inside and find an entire folding table dedicated to succulents on sale.

"I didn't know there were so many plants in Silverwood." Trip wanders over and picks up a pot, "This is so cute. What are the chances I keep it alive for more than two weeks?"

I laugh, "Follow the instructions and you might make it to six months."

"Sold. I'm getting it."

Trip snatches up the cactus and wanders to a nearby display table full of colourful pots and accessories. I continue scanning the table, wishing I had enough money and dorm space to bring them all home with me.

Pulling out my phone, I snap a picture and send it to Skylar.

ME: I found a greenhouse bigger than mine.

"Oh my God! This one has a little guitar painted on it." Trip sighs happily and adds the pot to the stack in her arms, "You've officially converted me to planthood."

Another laugh slips out just as my phone buzzes with a new text message.

SKYLAR: I like yours more.

ME: That is an extremely biased answer, but I like it.

SKYLAR: You're welcome.

My cheeks are aching from the strength of my smile by the time I put my phone away .

I was worried Karen would have a problem with two of her patients seeing each other, but she seemed to think we had both showed significant improvement over the last few weeks.

At the thought of Skylar, a new mission comes to mind. Studying the row of succulents in front of me, I start looking for one that would fit his life. A compatible plant baby doesn't just look pretty, it needs to have a sunlight consumption and water schedule that matches your lifestyle.

By the time I find the perfect one, Trip has her arms full of plant accessories that have nothing to do with the cactus in her hand.

"I think I like the pots more than the plants. Is that weird?"

I laugh, "Not at all. They help brighten your room."

She sighs, "Stella is going to have a field day with this."

Trip catches sight of the succulent I picked out for Skylar and does a double take, "Are you getting that one? I think it might be dead."

I stroke the pale leaves gently, "Not all of them are green. You just have to know how to take care of it properly so it keeps its unique colour."

"Right." Trip blinks, looking completely lost, "Is there anything else you want to look at before we go?"

The bell rings above the door, announcing a new arrival.

"Actually, I wouldn't mind going upstairs to see…"

My words die off and Skylar's succulent drops to the floor. The plastic pot breaks on impact and soil splatters all over my leggings. Trip gasps, quickly abandoning her pile of painted pots to clean up the mess I just made.

"Oh no! Okay, let's sweep everything up and I'm sure the plant will be just fine… Lacey?"

She stands back up, holding the damaged plant, but I don't answer her. I can feel the blood draining from my face, the sudden surge of nausea making me think I might be sick right here in this adorable plant shop.

"Lacey Williams. What the hell are you doing in Silverwood?"

The familiar voice slices through me and my body starts to tremble.

"J-J-J…" I gasp, feeling the panic flood my body. Trip shoots me a concerned look before turning to address the newcomer.

"Sorry, I don't think we've met. Who are you?"

The guy grins, the same flashy grin he used back when we were dating, "Jerrell Thompson. Lacey and I go way back."

My whole body is shaking as I stare at his face, that stupid face that humiliated me time and time again until finally I graduated and moved schools.

I was never supposed to see him again.

I never wanted to see him again.

"W-What are you doing here?"

Jerrell shrugs, drawing my attention to the Silverwood mascot engraved on the strap of his backpack, "Got sick of living with the parents, so I transferred schools. You know how it is."

I don't know how it is.

The response dies in my throat as his eyes flick down my body. His boyish good looks are parallel to the fictional characters I read about: the brown hair, bright blue eyes and well-kept body of an athlete was enough to fool me into thinking he was a boy with good intentions.

Jerrell always had intentions, but they were never good.

"I didn't expect to see a familiar face so soon." He grins and it makes me want to throw up right on his polished shoes, "Although I would have thought you grew out of the leggings and sweater stage by now. Aren't you taking business in university?"

"Y-Yes."

He throws Trip a wink before turning back to me, "Hate to break it to you, Lacey doll, but you aren't going to be able to wear oversized clothes to work every day. Don't you think it's time to update the wardrobe a little?"

My shoulders hunch on instinct and I have to bite the apology off my tongue before it can slip out.

Trip frowns, glancing between us, "The last time I checked, business clothes weren't mandatory for classes."

"My mistake." Jerrell turns and gives her a charming smile, "You're brave bringing this girl to a plant shop. Give her a leaf and she'll put you to sleep with facts about water dosage and sunlight in no time."

Trip shuffles her feet awkwardly, "Actually, I love learning new things. Lacey's knowledge is quite remarkable."

"Well, whatever you do, don't take her to the bookstore. She'll have you there for fucking hours." He lets out a laugh, " Don't let the pretty exterior fool you. This girl is a bigger nerd than that guy on The Big Bang Theory ."

I try not to flinch, but it's no use.

The excruciating memories come flooding back, the casual taunts made to seem innocent and playful when they were always meant to hurt. I used to think that maybe I was too sensitive, maybe I didn't understand his sense of humour.

By the time I realized the malicious intent behind the jokes and comments, it was too late.

Jerrell had gotten what he wanted and he didn't bother sticking around to pick up the pieces.

"Anyways, I better get going. Things to do, important people to meet…" He trails off, catching my eye, "You remember how it was when I moved to your town. All work and no fun until someone of interest comes around."

I swallow the nausea in my throat, remembering exactly who that person of interest was the last time.

"But hey, worse comes to worst I can always hit you up to keep me entertained." He grins, those horrible eyes locked on mine, "Take care of yourself, Lacey. I'll see you around."

Jerrell doesn't acknowledge Trip before turning and walking back out the door. I listen to the echo of his footsteps fade away, the same sound I heard after he shattered me into pieces.

"He's kind of a dick." Trip pulls a face, "No offence but I hope we don't see him around. How did you know him?"

"I need to go. "

Trip's response gets lost behind me as I stumble out into the fresh air, desperately gulping down oxygen as I scan the street for Jerrell's build.

The street is completely empty, his presence gone except for the weight pressing down on me. I try to break into a run, but my fumbling movements send me face down on the ground.

The rough concrete scrapes my palms and knees, burning a hole through my leggings as the tears start to fall.

"Lacey? What's going on?"

Trip reaches out to touch me but I scream and jerk away.

The memories are too much, the pain is too much, and I crumble to pieces right there on the pavement. Sobbing into my knees, I curl up into the fetal position and let my tears stain the concrete beneath me.

"It's going to be okay. Lacey, just calm down-

"No." My voice breaks on a sob, "It's not okay. I'm not okay."

"Breathe Lacey. Come on, just breathe."

"STOP!" The scream rips from my throat as if I'm still trapped in the backseat of Jerrell's car, "Please stop. Just stop."

"Oh God. I don't know what to do."

Trip sounds like she's on the verge of tears herself, but I can't do anything to help. My mind is unravelling faster than the hole in my leggings.

"I'm going to call your brother, okay? He'll be here shortly and then we can figure everything out. "

"I don't need Wesley." I choke out the words, knowing there's only one person who understands what it's like to not be okay.

"I need Skylar."

Skylar

"Skylar to the front desk, please."

My name gets paged over the intercom and I make my way to the front of the store. Mila loves paging people to keep her company during slow hours, but I'm surprised she would do it on a day like today. There's been a steady stream of customers and the upcoming lunch hour is sure to be slammed.

She's talking to someone when I arrive and my surprise only grows when I see who it is.

"Skylar. Thank God." Trip exhales heavily and Mila shoots me a questioning look. I offer her a shrug and turn back to the Tiger who drove a long way to see me.

"Were you picking something up today?"

"Huh?"

"From Brock's Bolts and Beams. The store you are in right now."

Mila flicks her hair over her shoulder, "It's the biggest hardware store in Silverwood."

I roll my eyes, "It's the only hardware store in Silverwood."

"No, sorry. I'm not here for the store. I'm here for you." Trip fidgets with the thick material of her t-shirt, "It's Lacey. "

"Ooh, whose Lacey? Sky, you didn't tell me you have a new girl." Mila gives me a teasing smile but I ignore it.

"What happened."

Trip sighs, "I don't actually know. I took her to the plant shop after her therapy appointment and we bumped into this guy and then she freaked out. I managed to get her to the car, but she doesn't want to go home."

Every worst case scenario filters through my head, adrenalin and fear crashing through my system in the deadliest of combinations.

"Where is she?"

"I didn't know where to go, so I just-

"Where. Is. She."

Trip blinks at the unmistakable anger in my tone, the need to get to my flower overriding the need to be in control.

"In the parking lot. She's in really rough shape, so you might want to be careful…"

I'm already sprinting for the door before she can finish her sentence.

For how busy the store is today, there aren't many cars in the parking lot. The fact that most of our customers are local and within walking distance works in my favour as I go running past the parked vehicles, squinting through windshields to find Lacey.

Where is she where is she where is she.

The panicked loop keeps me going until I find the rusty red Honda sitting at the far end. I was expecting to find her in the passenger seat, but it's movement in the backseat that catches my eye. I slow to a stop in front of the door, peering through the window one more time to make sure somebody didn't just leave their dog in the car.

"Flower?"

There's another shift of movement and I use it as confirmation. Gently prying the door open, I slip inside and find Lacey curled up in a ball, pressed tight against the opposite door. Rage sweeps through my body as I take in the ripped leggings and cuts decorating her palms.

"Flower. It's me."

"I-I'm not okay, S-Skylar." She can barely get the words out, her breathing almost to the point of hyperventilation.

"You don't have to be okay. It's just me."

My hands are trembling when I reach out to touch her. She's shaking from head to toe, the grief wrecking her system almost as strong as the rage burning through mine.

"Come here."

Lacey lets me pull her into my arms, her sobs burning a hole right through my chest. Her skin is swollen and puffy, her vibrant green eyes painfully bloodshot.

Swallowing the ache rising inside me, I wrap my arms around her.

"You're allowed to break, Flower. I promise I will put you back together again."

She cries for a long time but I don't let go. I hold on to her, holding her together the way she has held me together these past few weeks. Every wrecked sob, every shudder has my rage creeping past the point of concern as I feel my flower fall apart in my arms.

"Name five things you can see."

It takes her a while to suck in enough oxygen to respond.

"B-Black jeans. S-Steering wheel. R-Radio."

Another sob breaks the list and I wait patiently for her to keep going.

"W-Window. Y-You."

"Now countdown from one hundred. Go by tens."

Lacey follows my instructions, and by the time she makes it to zero, her breathing is almost back to normal.

"That's it, Flower. Just breathe."

"H-How did you know that would work?"

Tucking her tight against my chest, I refuse to acknowledge the fury desperately trying to break through my skin.

"Because I've used that trick myself far too many times."

Lacey falls silent against me, her heavy breathing filling the empty space of the car. I press my lips against her hair, gently brushing my fingers through it to untangle the knots. She buries her face into my neck, her shaky fingers digging into my shirt.

"He hurt me, Skylar."

The rage surges to the surface and soon I'm digging a fingernail into my jeans to keep myself from exploding.

"Who hurt you?"

I swear to God, if Walsh or another lacrosse player cornered her again …

"Jerrell Thompson." Lacey trembles against me, "My ex-boyfriend is here in Silverwood."

I stop breathing.

"You saw him?"

"He bumped into us at the plant shop. Said he just transferred schools." She breaks down into tears again, her fingers clutching my shirt like it's a lifeline.

"H-He hurt me."

Caressing her face with shaky hands, I gently trace her tear-stained cheek with my thumb. Devastated eyes stare back at me and that's all it takes for me to finally understand what happened four years ago.

What pushed my brother to make the decisions he did.

"I made a vow, Flower." I swallow, feeling the last piece of my heart shatter, "I made a vow that I would never hurt another person. I would never turn my anger into a physical weapon that could be used to hurt someone else."

My voice breaks, "But if you want me to hurt him, I'll do it. I'll do it for you."

The wailing beat of my heart slams against the only person who means more to me than any moral ever could. Tears slip down my face as I stare at her, hoping she can see the hero I was never meant to be.

"No." Lacey whispers softly, her eyes never leaving mine, "That's not who you are."

"It doesn't matter. "

"Yes it does." She brushes the tears off my cheek with a sad smile, "I would never ask you to change who you are. Not now, not ever."

"He hurt you."

"He did. But that doesn't mean you need to hurt him back." She blows out an uneven breath, "I will never ask you to be my hero, Skylar. Only my friend."

"I should be able to be both."

She shakes her head vehemently, "I'm not some damsel in distress who needs to be saved. I just need someone who is willing to listen and hold my hand during the hard times. And that person is you."

There's a spark back in her eyes, a defiant glint that has my heart piecing itself back together. Brushing back a piece of her hair, I press my lips against hers, silently promising to do whatever it takes to keep that light alive.

"Promise me you won't hurt him." Lacey murmurs before kissing me back, "I would rather see him walk free than have you break a vow."

"I promise." Breathing the words into her mouth, I take my time kissing away the rest of her sorrow. Her quiet gasp fills the car when I pull her onto my lap, her long legs straddling mine as I help her forget the past for a little while.

By the time we break for air, the windows have fogged up and our heavy breathing is the only sound in the car. Lacey starts to laugh, her breathless giggles replenishing my lungs without the need for oxygen .

"This looks way worse than it is." She leans over me and writes five words on the window. Laughter bursts out of my chest when I read what she wrote.

We're not fucking, I promise.

"I think you got the message across."

"Just making sure Trip doesn't think we're contaminating her backseats."

"Uh huh."

There's a giant smile taking over Lacey's face and I trace it with my fingers, relishing in the fact I helped bring it back.

"Is there anything I can do?" Scanning her face, I'm looking for a solution not yet found, "In case you see him again."

She pulls a face, "I hate that he's relocated to Silverwood. It's extremely inconvenient."

I blow out a breath and her eyes flick back to mine.

"But there is something you could do to help."

The hesitation in her voice has my stomach dropping. She glances at the words scrawled along the window and suddenly I know exactly what she's about to say.

"Have sex with me."