Read Online Collateral Damage (From the Damage) by Jasmine Denton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jasmine Denton
Ads: Link
all of the questions.”
“Hey,” he said, barely able to choke out the words past the turmoil of emotions he was feeling. “There’s nothing wrong with being scared, or having doubts. You didn’t remember…so how could you know for sure? I’m sure he didn’t introduce himself as a psycho. He probably seemed pretty normal. Charming, even.”
She nodded, wiping away a tear that slipped down her cheek.
“And yes, I still think that you didn’t do anything wrong. I mean…what’s the right way to react to a situation like that? There isn’t one.”
***
Kelly
***
Kelly sat in her car, parked in Alex’s driveway. Hands drumming the steering wheel, she looked up at the Tudor home, with its perfectly manicured lawn and neatly trimmed shrubs. Through the small windows on the garage door, Kelly could see a glimpse of Alex’s sports car and his mom’s sedan. She wondered who would answer if she rang the doorbell.
“Don’t be such a chicken,” she said to herself, locking eye contact with her reflection in the rear-view mirror. “You’ve done this a thousand times. Just go ring the bell.”
Following her own orders, she got out of the car and went up to the door, ringing the bell. Then she waited awkwardly. After a minute, Mrs. Walker answered the door.
“Kelly,” she said, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw her. It took her longer than usual to finally add, “Hi, honey, how are you?”
It wasn’t the question that threw Kelly off, it was the gentle tone she used, the way Mrs. Walker studied her as she waited for the answer, like she was really listening, genuinely wanting to know and not just asking out of social etiquette.
“I’m doing well,” she said, trying not to squirm under that steady, penetrating gaze. “How’s Alex? Is he home?”
“Yes, of course. Come on in.” She stepped aside to let Kelly in the house, and then closed the door behind them. For a second, Mrs. Walker stood by the door, her hand on the knob, looking toward the staircase nervously, and turning an awkward glance to Kelly. “I…I’ll go get him.”
“Thanks,” she said, as Mrs. Walker hurried over to the steps, her six-inch heels clicking rapidly across the tiled floor. She started up the staircase, tossing a glance back down at Kelly about half-way up, before disappearing at the top.
Kelly wrapped her arms around herself, wondering why Mrs. Walker had acted so weird. She shrugged it off as a grown-up thing and looked around the foyer.
Straight ahead there was a tall, glass display case housing the Walker men’s football obsession. It was where Mr. Walker strategically placed every cherished trophy and nostalgic team photo from his glory days—and from Alex’s—so everybody who entered the house could see their achievement through sparkling, smudge free glass.
Remembering some of the pictures housed there, she found herself drawn to it. Unable to resist the quick trip down memory lane, she edged over to the display case and looked over the shelves.
Beside the team photo of Alex was the one of him solo. She could remember every detail of that picture without even looking—it’d hung in her locker for over a year. Decked out in his red and yellow football gear and knelt on one knee, his hand on his helmet. Showing two rows of perfect teeth, he smiled at the camera with stunning charm that, even now, made her feel lightheaded.
The next picture took her breath away. Taken on the same day, probably just minutes after the last, it showed Kelly and Alex, standing with their bodies so close there wasn’t any space between them, looking at each other with broad smiles and eyes that gleamed with the secrets and passion of young love. Kelly didn’t recognize that girl, with her perfect blond pony tail, the uniform and pom-poms and her undying devotion to Alex.
She heard Mrs. Walker’s heels clicking across the floor, followed by Alex ’s quick shuffle. They came down the stairs together.
As they
“Hey,” he said, barely able to choke out the words past the turmoil of emotions he was feeling. “There’s nothing wrong with being scared, or having doubts. You didn’t remember…so how could you know for sure? I’m sure he didn’t introduce himself as a psycho. He probably seemed pretty normal. Charming, even.”
She nodded, wiping away a tear that slipped down her cheek.
“And yes, I still think that you didn’t do anything wrong. I mean…what’s the right way to react to a situation like that? There isn’t one.”
***
Kelly
***
Kelly sat in her car, parked in Alex’s driveway. Hands drumming the steering wheel, she looked up at the Tudor home, with its perfectly manicured lawn and neatly trimmed shrubs. Through the small windows on the garage door, Kelly could see a glimpse of Alex’s sports car and his mom’s sedan. She wondered who would answer if she rang the doorbell.
“Don’t be such a chicken,” she said to herself, locking eye contact with her reflection in the rear-view mirror. “You’ve done this a thousand times. Just go ring the bell.”
Following her own orders, she got out of the car and went up to the door, ringing the bell. Then she waited awkwardly. After a minute, Mrs. Walker answered the door.
“Kelly,” she said, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw her. It took her longer than usual to finally add, “Hi, honey, how are you?”
It wasn’t the question that threw Kelly off, it was the gentle tone she used, the way Mrs. Walker studied her as she waited for the answer, like she was really listening, genuinely wanting to know and not just asking out of social etiquette.
“I’m doing well,” she said, trying not to squirm under that steady, penetrating gaze. “How’s Alex? Is he home?”
“Yes, of course. Come on in.” She stepped aside to let Kelly in the house, and then closed the door behind them. For a second, Mrs. Walker stood by the door, her hand on the knob, looking toward the staircase nervously, and turning an awkward glance to Kelly. “I…I’ll go get him.”
“Thanks,” she said, as Mrs. Walker hurried over to the steps, her six-inch heels clicking rapidly across the tiled floor. She started up the staircase, tossing a glance back down at Kelly about half-way up, before disappearing at the top.
Kelly wrapped her arms around herself, wondering why Mrs. Walker had acted so weird. She shrugged it off as a grown-up thing and looked around the foyer.
Straight ahead there was a tall, glass display case housing the Walker men’s football obsession. It was where Mr. Walker strategically placed every cherished trophy and nostalgic team photo from his glory days—and from Alex’s—so everybody who entered the house could see their achievement through sparkling, smudge free glass.
Remembering some of the pictures housed there, she found herself drawn to it. Unable to resist the quick trip down memory lane, she edged over to the display case and looked over the shelves.
Beside the team photo of Alex was the one of him solo. She could remember every detail of that picture without even looking—it’d hung in her locker for over a year. Decked out in his red and yellow football gear and knelt on one knee, his hand on his helmet. Showing two rows of perfect teeth, he smiled at the camera with stunning charm that, even now, made her feel lightheaded.
The next picture took her breath away. Taken on the same day, probably just minutes after the last, it showed Kelly and Alex, standing with their bodies so close there wasn’t any space between them, looking at each other with broad smiles and eyes that gleamed with the secrets and passion of young love. Kelly didn’t recognize that girl, with her perfect blond pony tail, the uniform and pom-poms and her undying devotion to Alex.
She heard Mrs. Walker’s heels clicking across the floor, followed by Alex ’s quick shuffle. They came down the stairs together.
As they
Similar Books
