Never say forever (Never series Book 1) (6 page)

I could see the tears that are starting to form. I know my dad has had a rough time. I couldn’t imagine losing someone you love that much. He had to endure it, as painful as that is, he will become stronger because of it. I lie down with my restless mind in hopes to fall asleep without painful thoughts or wild daydreams. But first I have to text Serena.

Aiden: Goodnight Serena. Sweet dreams! :)

A second later my phone dings.

Serena: Thanks Aiden! You made me smile. See you tomorrow!

Reading that just put the biggest smile on my face. If only I could be saying sweet dreams to her in person. That would be my dream. Someday it will come true. For now, I’ll settle for this. Due to my ecstatic state, I fell asleep rather quickly.

Chapter 3

Serena

Today is Friday, the day of the party that I have been dreading all week. The last thing I want is to hear more rumors about Cadence
that could possibly be true. I would rather that stay unknown. The truth may hurt because I don’t want to even think that all this time I never really knew my sister. I decide to go to this party for Larissa. She loves parties, she is a social butterfly. We are as opposite as you can get, but that’s what makes our friendship work. What I lack she makes up for and vice versa.

I head out to Larissa’s which is only a block down the road. As I am walking down the familiar path that I’m very used to, my mind drifts to Aiden. He is such a pleasant surprise. I have never met
another like him. He is very charming and if I didn’t swear off guys, he would be my first pick. I do catch myself daydreaming from time to time again about what it would be like to kiss him. My thoughts are interrupted as I approach Larissa’s astounding house. Her house almost looks like a castle. It is very beautiful with the Victorian look. I would love to have a house like this someday. I enjoy walking to her house because I get to view the surrounding houses, which are just as amazing as hers. One day, I promise myself, I will accomplish my dreams and have a beautiful house just like this one. I ring the doorbell and Larissa opens the door and I couldn’t stop the laugh that came out. She is standing there with huge rolls in her hair, looking like a ninety year old crazy cat lady.

She sneers at me, “What the fuck’s so funny?”

“
I’m sorry Larissa but you remind me of a crazy old cat lady.” I try to hold back the laugh but I’m unsuccessful.

“
You see this? This is going to make my hair look amazing with curls. Don’t give me that look. You’re going to look amazing just like me. That’s why I’m in charge,” she urged.

“
No I’m okay with what I have on,” I suggested.

“
Nope. Uh uh. I am finding you a sexy little outfit so you can knock Aiden’s heart right out onto that floor. I’m going to do your makeup and you’re going to have him eating out of the palm of your hand. You just watch.”

Here she goes again, trying to set me up when I want nothing to do with dating. I don’t feel like arguing with her so I submit to it.

“
Okay. Please don’t make me look like a street hooker,” I joked.

“
Don’t worry your pretty little head off. I got this. You should know you can always trust me with your beauty.”

She has a point there. She’s a fashion expert. I sit down as she’s rummaging through her closet. She seems to be getting very frustrated since she can’t find something in particular she’s looking for. After a few minutes, she finally makes it back from the closet. She hands me an outfit to change into. I enter the bathroom and look at the clothes. She has given me a black skirt and a lilac colored baby doll halter. I do admit that the shirt is really cute but I’m unsure about the skirt. I slide it on. It feels a bit too tight for comfort. I put the shirt on and exit the bathroom.

“
Now were talking! Girl, you are smoking hot! Aiden’s going to have a heart attack when he sees you.”

I guess I won’t mention the tight skirt since she’s so adamant on me wearing it. My phone dings at that moment. I grab my phone and see it’s a text from Aiden.

Aiden: Hey I didn’t forget about the party. I’m going to be late. I have something I have to do. I’ll meet you there :)

Me: Okay, see you there!

“
Lar, that was Aiden. He said that he has something he has to do and he will be late. He’s going to meet us there,” I stated.

“
That’s what he said earlier in the week. It’s fine. By the time he gets there, the party will just be getting started. Sit your ass down and let me do your makeup.”

She gets so excited about parties and mingling with people. I sit and she approaches me with a bagful of makeup. She applies some light purple eye shadow. Larissa tries to apply eyeliner and nearly stabs me in the eye.

“
Ouch. Are you trying to poke my eye out?”

“
Beauty hurts, deal with it,” she says with a smile.

I love how blunt she can be at times. She finishes my makeup and tosses me the hand mirror. I look in the mirror and I don’t even recognize the girl in the reflection. I am not used to this at all. I do feel as if I look like a hooker, but I know my friend would never do that to me. It’s probably due to the fact that I barely wear makeup. This is nothing that I’m used to. We leave the house and get into Larissa’s car. She drives a blue Ford Taurus. She got her license last year. I haven’t even attempted to get mine. I enjoy walking. I enter the car and she puts on her Three Doors Down CD. We jam out to music on the way to this beach house. It only takes a few minutes until we reach our destination.

I love beaches and sitting out in the sand. I just may end up wandering out to the beach rather than stand around a bunch of fakes. We enter the house and there are people
everywhere. It seems like the entire school is here. Once we make it inside, my gut wrenches. I don’t have a good feeling about tonight. We make it to the kitchen and there’s a bunch of people standing around making drinks. I hope Aiden makes it soon. I don’t want to hang around all these people. We round the corner to the kitchen counter and I stop in my tracks. There’s Jeremy making drinks. I was hoping I wouldn’t see him. Just my luck, I see him within the first five minutes.

“
Serena, wow you look sexy as fuck. What do you want to drink?” he asked as he was looking my body up and down like he was an animal ready to pounce.

“
No thanks. I’m good.”

I wouldn’t take a drink from him even if he wasn’t such a jackass.

“
Suit yourself,” he said and turned away from me.

I seriously can’t stand that guy. I hope this day goes by really fast. I’m ready to jet out of this place. I walk over to Larissa, who is talking to some guy.

“
Why don’t you have a drink?” she questioned.

“
Jeremy is there and I don’t want to be near him,” I told her.

“
Okay. I’ll go get you a drink.”

Before I can say anything she’s already on her way. I have a very uneasy feeling as if someone is watching me. I look around but I don’t see anything out of the ordinary. Everyone is having a good time, either chatting in the corner or dancing. But my gut is telling me that something is off. Larissa arrives back with a drink in hand. She hands it to me.

“
What is this?” I ask.

“
I don’t know. I asked him to surprise you. I know you like fruity drinks so I said anything fruity,” she answered as she’s weaving her way to the dance floor.

I take a sip and I’m very shocked. It tastes really good. I could
probably down this in two minutes. This isn’t the first time that I’ve had an alcoholic beverage. I remember the first time as clear as day. Cadence and I went to a bonfire at one of her friend’s houses. Her friend thought it would be clever to sneak some booze out of her parent’s fridge. We had a lot of fun. I have never been drunk but I will always remember that time to be special because it was one of my firsts in life and it was with my sister. I take a swig of the drink to help block out the tears that are starting to form. I start to drink quickly. Once I finish with the drink, I really start to feel the effects of the alcohol. I have never felt like this off one drink. Maybe I should lay off the drinks. Larissa comes up and pulls my hand onto the dance floor. I join her on the dance floor and I’m dancing so much and having so much fun. It’s been a long time since I really let loose. I’m starting to feel really good.

Larissa leans over to talk in my ear.

“
I’ll be right back, I need to use bathroom,” she walks towards the bathroom.

I turn back around and go to dance. I start moving around the dance floor and I can feel someone behind me. I can feel a hand wrap around my stomach as they grind into my backside. I know it’s a guy since I can feel something protruding to my backside. Something doesn’t feel right. Dizziness has taken effect on me and I’m frantically trying to focus on something long enough to clear my vision. I try to turn around to see who is behind me but I can’t focus long enough to see a face. The person behind me starts walking me away from the dance floor. He isn’t talking and I’m not sure why. I try to look but I can’t seem to see straight. My vision is clouded. I sense that I’ve entered a room of some sort. This unknown person sat me on a chair? A bed? I’m not sure. It’s dark in this room. I can’t see a thing. I hear a door close and I hope I’m not mistaken but it sounded like a lock engaged. I feel a person sit next to me. I want to know who this is but I can’t seem to speak. I’m trying so hard. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Is this what being drunk really is? If so, I don’t want to drink again. The person must feel my unease because a hand closes over my mouth and all I could hear is whispers through my ear.

“
Shhh. You’re okay now.”

That voice sounded vaguely familiar but I can’t seem to put a name to the voice. I’m okay now? What does that even mean? I am
locked in a dark room with someone and I can’t see or focus. I’m pretty sure I was okay before. I try to speak but the words won’t come. Why can’t I talk? Why do I seem as if I am immobile? I feel a hand push me to lie on the bed. Hands started moving up and down my body and I can’t stop it. I try to scream but one of the hands that was on my body clamps down on my mouth and I slowly start to lose consciousness. My hands and feet won’t move, everything is dark, I can’t see anything. I feel the zipper being tugged on my skirt and then everything went completely black.

***

Aiden

After school, I came home to meet Dad before heading out. I can drive but he needs me just as much as I need him. Today is the anniversary when my mother was taken from our lives. It was an extremely hard day, but I have to somehow cope with it. I know over time the hurt will subside and my days will become easier, but today it’s just painful. I see my dad finishing up so we can leave. I can see him start to fidget. I know he’s nervous, scared and a little depressed. I know this because I can feel it, too. This is not something I want to do today. But no matter what, I have to suck it up. I have to learn to deal with it. We enter the car and since I know that my dad is an emotional wreck, I offer to drive. As I’m heading on the freeway towards the cemetery she is buried at. I glance at my dad and see all the emotion displayed on his face. He doesn’t say a word, doesn’t mutter anything. He is completely silent. I want to say something to him to draw him out of his misery, but I don’t. I don’t want to force him out of some happy moments he may be thinking of in the past. I think staying silent is best at this time. We enter the cemetery and I park near her tombstone. I know it’s a struggle to get out the car but it has to be done.

“
You ready, Dad?”

He sits there silent for a moment as if he hadn’t heard me. I start to open the door and he finally snaps out of it. It takes him a minute to gather up the courage to leave the car. We both walk slowly up to the grave, flowers in hand. Her grave is a big silver-gray tombstone that reads:

Theresa Marie Clark

May 28, 1967 – September 27, 2013

Beloved wife of Tim Clark and beloved mother of Aiden Clark

May her soul Rest
In Peace