The Same Side (University Park #2) (27 page)

“I’m glad you like it.” Raven motioned for me to lean forward so he could help me put it on. “It’s a dove, you know.”

“Yes, I noticed that. I guess you have a thing for birds.”

He laughed. “Maybe, but do you know why I chose it?” He clasped the chain around my neck and I looked at it, touching the wings with the tips of my fingers.

“No, why?” I pulled down the visor and admired it through the vanity mirror.

“Because doves are pure and innocent. Just like you, Lexi.”

“Raven…” I closed the visor and fought the tears once again. “You’re going to make me cry.”

“Don’t cry, baby.” He cupped my face with his hands and tilted my head back as he pressed a soft kiss to my lips. Tears seeped from my eyes onto my temples and into my hair. “I’m so grateful to have you in my life.” His eyes drifted downward and he smirked. “I just don’t know why you want a guy like me. I’m a raven, tarnished and dark. You’re the exact opposite of me.”

“Look at me, babe.” I lifted his chin so our gazes aligned. “You’re not tarnished and dark. That’s just a name your mom gave you. A pretty cool name, if you ask me. In fact, did you know that ravens mate for life, just like doves, and defend their territory?”

“Really? I didn’t know that.” He wiped the tears from my face.

“Yes, so see,” I sniffed, “a dove and raven go perfectly together.”

“It’s hard to picture that. All I know is that I can’t be without you, Lexi. You’ve trapped me for good.”

I laughed. “It’s about time, because I got caught in The Raven’s trap a long time ago.” I wrapped my arms around his neck. “And there’s nowhere I’d rather be.”

He kissed me again and just as his hand eased to my breast, a knock startled me. Raven pulled back and we immediately stopped kissing. I turned to see my mom and dad standing outside. My heart thundered in my ears and I felt hot and sweaty.

I unlocked the door and opened it. “Hey, Mom… Dad, um this is Raven and—”

“Get out now.” My mom grabbed my arm and yanked me out of the car.

“Mom!” I fell to the ground and heard Raven call my name.

“Take her inside,” she demanded. Before I knew it, my dad was pulling me inside.

“Dad, no. Wait!” I tried to stop him, but didn’t want to physically start a fight.

“Get inside, Lexi.” His voice was deep and firm. I’d only experienced that side of him on a few occasions and I knew he meant business.

“But, Dad…” I resisted, trying to pry his hands off my arms. My feet stumbled as he dragged me across the sidewalk. Anger tainted my blood and I couldn’t believe my parents were treating me that way in front of Raven. “Stop! Please.”

As soon as we were inside, my dad released his firm grip. He slammed the door shut and stood with his arms crossed and his legs spread, barricading it. “Where the hell have you been? With that guy?” Dad pointed outside.

“Um…yeah, I’ve been with him the entire week.” I decide it was time I stand my ground. My decision had been made, I wanted to be with Raven and I wasn’t going to let them take that away from me.

“Do you know anything about him?” My dad huffed, clamping his hands around his waist. I’d never seen my dad so upset. It was usually Mom that did all the disciplining while Dad just stood by and agreed with whatever she did. I couldn’t even imagine what my mom was telling Raven at that moment. Thinking that my parents would have accepted Raven was a total disaster. I should’ve never went home.

“Yes,” I straightened, “I do.”

The whites of my dad’s eyes bulged. “And you want to associate yourself with that type of person?”

“And what’s wrong with that?” My blood boiled and my fingers tightened into tight fists. I seriously needed to punch something before I exploded. “No one’s perfect, Dad. Not you, not Mom, Luke, or Ashley.” I made sure to bring attention to my sister that they constantly reminded me did no wrong.

“No, we’re not perfect, but Lexi,” his voice lowered, and he neared me, “that guy has been involved with drugs and who knows what else.”

“How do you know that?” I took a step forward, pressing my position.

“Because it’s public information. And don’t question me. I’m telling you that guy is no good for you and you need to stay away from him.”

“What?” My breath hitched and I felt like I’d been jabbed in the stomach. “You can’t tell me not to see him.”

“I’m your father and I have every right to tell you who you can be with.” He pointed outside. “And you will not be with that guy ever again!”

Rage ripped through me and I had to take a deep breath before I completely lost it. I couldn’t believe my dad was acting that way with me. The best thing was for me to leave and never come back. “I knew it was bad idea for me to come home. I should have just stayed with Raven.”

With determined purpose, I shuffled past him. I had had enough of their shit. As I reached for the handle, the door flung open and hit me in the arm. I stumbled back, clutching my forearm. My mom pushed through the entrance with my bags and purse in tow.

“And where do you think you’re going?”

“I’m leaving.” I reached for my purse and bags, but she jerked them away before I could grab them.

“I don’t think so.” Mom had a stunned expression on her face, as though completely surprised that I would even challenge her orders. “You’re staying right here.”

“No, I’m not.” My breathing increased and I gritted my teeth together. I was a grown woman and it was time I made my own decisions. Good or bad. “I’m leaving and never coming back.” I latched on to the handles of my purse and tugged hard.

“You will do no such thing.” She dropped my bags, wrapped both hands around the handles of my purse, and pulled hard. I tightened my grip as I fought to keep hold.

“Let go, I’m leaving. And no one can stop me.” We continued struggling to claim the rights over my purse. The next thing I knew, the handle snapped and the contents of my purse spewed on the floor. “Great. See what you’ve done!”

I dropped to the floor and began shoving my stuff back into my purse.

“What are you doing with these?” She bent down and picked up a string of condoms. Her eyes widened with disbelief and her bottom lip trembled. I felt the color drain from my face and my mouth fall open. Could things get any worse?

“What the heck?” Dad took the plastic packages from her hand and stared at them for a moment.

“Oh my God.” Mom covered her mouth and her eyes filled with a look of devastation. “Did you have sex with that boy?” Her hand shook and her nostrils flared.

The words caught in my throat and I didn’t know what to say. Without much thought, I said, “It’s none of your damn business.” I yanked the condoms from my dad’s hand, tossed them into my one-handled purse, and flung it over my shoulder.

“You will not talk to me that way. You hear me, Lexi Ann Thompson,” my mom scolded, shaking a finger in my face.

“I can’t believe you did that.” Dad shook his head. “Did we not teach you anything?”

“I’m sorry, but I’m an adult and my choices are for me to make, not you.” I bent down to grab my bags and my mom kicked them out of my reach.

“You’re not going anywhere.” She snatched my purse from my arm, snapping the other strap. My hand flew to my shoulder, trying to ease the pain that shot straight to my bone. She grabbed my backpack and bags and went to the kitchen. I followed her, yelling along the way, “What are you doing? Give them back to me.”

Dad remained silent as he watched my mom toss my stuff on the kitchen counter. Nothing had changed. She was still the overbearing, overpowering, and controlling mother that I had grown to hate. She unzipped one of my bags and flipped it over, empting the contents onto the marble. All my personal items were in clear view. Clothes flew up in the air as she dug through my stuff as if in search of something.

“What are you doing?”

“Search her purse.” She shoved my bag in my dad’s hands. My dad let out a heavy sigh and set my bag on the counter. Unlike her, he slowly went through every pocket and compartment. I couldn’t tell if he was afraid that he might find something he didn’t want to or if he was frustrated that things had gotten to that point.

“What are you looking for?” My eyes darted between them.

“Drugs!” My mom’s voice shook and her eyes narrowed. The demon in her was coming out. “Are you doing drugs?”

“What? No! I’m not doing drugs. Why would—”

Suddenly, it was clear to me. They thought I was strung out on dope and had lost it. “You two need to chill.”

I reached for my clothes when my mom yelled, “Don’t touch anything.” I retrieved my hand, terrified that my mom was the one on drugs. I watched my parents investigate my personal items and I wanted to cry. I crossed and uncrossed my arms, unable to stop them from ripping through my things. I’d never felt so violated in my life.

“What the hell?” Mom exclaimed when she opened my second bag that had the Victoria Secret undergarments that Raven had bought me. With the tips of her fingers, she held up the black nightie that had the thong attached. “Did you buy this?”

“Mom!” I snatched it from her hands and stuffed it into the other bag. “Quit going through my stuff.” I reached for the sack and her eyes widened. Her hand flew back and I braced myself for what was to come.

“Olivia, don’t! Dad caught Mom’s hand a few inches from my face.

The last time she’d hit me was when I was little, but based on the way her body was trembling and the wrath circulating in her eyes, I didn’t trust her. I took a step back. Slowly, she lowered her hand and looked away. Fear pulsed through my blood and my throat tightened. The threat of tears hit my eyes and I blinked them away.

“Did he buy these for you?” She held up the bras and matching panties that Raven had picked out for me. “Answer me, Lexi. Did he buy these for you?”

“Yes. Yes, he bought them for me,” I admitted, not knowing what else to say. What the hell was her problem? Was it so wrong that I had spent a week with a guy that truly cared for me and wasn’t afraid to show it? Unlike Collin.

“That’s it.” Mom gathered all my lingerie in her hands and marched to the living room.

“Wh-what are you doing? Where are you going with my stuff?” I followed her, picking up the trail of panties and bras she dropped along the way.

She flung open the glass doors to the fireplace and I screamed, “No, Mom! Don’t!” I tried to stop her from tossing my brand new underclothes into the blazing fire, but she was like a mad woman on mission from hell. Tears streamed down my face as I watched her throw everything that Raven had bought me into the flames.

Pain and sadness pounded at my heart. I felt like I had lost a piece of Raven. Even though they could be replaced, it upset me because he had helped me pick them out. He had bought them for me. They were gifts from him. And now they were gone. I slumped to the floor as the flames consumed all of the fun memories I had shared with Raven earlier that day. Tears dripped from my eyes as the material turned to ash. They were gone.

Burned.

“Hand me her backpack.” I heard my mom tell my dad.

I turned around to see my mom remove my laptop. “Why are you taking my computer?” I cried out as I crawled across the living floor, trying to stand.

“And her tablet, too.” She extended her hand to my dad and he placed my Kindle in her palm.

I stumbled into the kitchen as my mom gathered all my electronics, including my phone. “You can’t do that.” I wiped the tears from my face and tried to think of a plan. I’d be damned if she was going to take away every method of contact I had with Raven.

“I’ve got her wallet,” Dad commented as he walked out of the kitchen.

“No! You can’t do that,” I called, but he ignored me, as if on a mission. “Mom, give me back my phone,” I demanded, following her as she left the kitchen. “Mom, don’t do this.” Cords dangled at her feet as she walked straight to her room. “Mom!” I yelled as she slammed her bedroom door in my face.

***

I spent the remainder of the night crying and regretting returning home. Even if I would’ve come home earlier, it wouldn’t have stopped my mom from going berserk. Talking to my parents about my relationship with Raven couldn’t be done in a rational manner like I’d hoped. Why couldn’t they act like grown-ups? Their reaction was beyond insane and the worst I had ever seen from them. No wonder Luke had warned me. I cursed him silently for not being there to help bail me out of the situation, as I had done for him on so many occasions. But like he said, he wasn’t getting involved. I guess I couldn’t blame him.

I couldn’t help but wonder what my mom had told Raven. I had to call him and find out, but most of all, I needed him to pick me up. I refused to stay there and I didn’t care if my parents disowned me. They were the most stubborn, irrational, controlling people I knew and I hated them. I searched through my drawers for my old cell phone and cussed when I realized it was at my dorm.

Covering my face, I fell onto my bed. Trying to clear the fog from my brain, I thought of several different ways to get of my house. I couldn’t believe that I was a twenty-year-old woman running away from home. It was ridiculous that my parents had treated me like a child and stripped everything from me.

I considered taking one of the cars and driving to the store to call Raven. That idea failed when I couldn’t find the spare keys. They probably had them locked in their room. Running to the store was another idea that popped in my head, but I snubbed it when I saw that it was raining outside. I’d freeze to death by the time I got there since the nearest store was at least a mile away. I told myself I’d leave as soon it stopped if no other options presented themselves.

Burying my head in my pillow, I raked my mind and raised it when I thought about Luke’s room. Surely, he had an old phone in there somewhere. He hadn’t returned home and I figured my parents had sent him to his apartment or to a friend’s house. I waited until the middle of the night when my parents were in a deep sleep and crossed the hall to Luke’s room. I shut the door and flipped on the light. I searched through his drawers and closet, praying that I’d find his stash of old phones, but I couldn’t find anything. I was out of luck.