Sleep Tight, page 33
“First off, I want to thank everyone who volunteered to be here today. I know you have all come from far places, away from your home and family. This won’t be an easy mission. It will be dangerous; we don’t know what to expect. This is something we have never seen or dealt with before as I’m sure all of you are aware. And if anyone decides they don’t want to go after all no one will judge you. But those of you who stay and fight with us, I hope to get you all back home safe.”
“We will be heading into the park by car first, we’ll go in as deep as we can, but we will have to hike the rest of the way. We’ll have to camp for the night, but we should get to their hideout by evening the next day. I hope you all have your gear ready, if you are missing anything please let me know.”
Cass stepped down and already had some men approaching him. I looked around the room at all the faces of these strangers who looked back at me with interest. I tried smiling but just couldn’t get it to reach my eyes. I was truly grateful that all of them volunteered but I would never get used to the stares and I was finding it harder to be polite about it.
Sky and Olivia did their best to block everyone’s view from me.
Olivia huffed out a breath. “There’s too many people in here, I’m starting to sweat.”
“How many people are in here?”
“I think about sixty. More or less.” Olivia glanced around the room while waving her hand in front of her face trying to cool off.
“Alright, let's head out everyone. We’re ready.” Cass announced.
Outside everyone was dividing into groups and climbing into trucks and jeeps. Riku was climbing into a truck with Kenji and Nikko. I thought Riku would have stayed behind, for some reason I didn’t see him as the fighting type. But maybe after what I said he felt he needed to step up.
Elijah was behind me now. I didn’t need to look to know he was.
“You’ll be with us. You and Jesse.”
“Okay.”
“Is that all you have to say?”
I turned around then. “What else do you want me to say to that?”
“I don’t mean to that.” He ran a hand through his hair. “We should talk about us. You can’t marry Kenji. Especially not after that kiss.”
I cleared my throat and looked around making sure no one was near enough to hear him.
“Elijah, I’m still going through with the marriage. We should have never kissed.”
His face hardened, the muscle near his jaw ticking. “Are you saying you regret it?”
No. I would never regret it. But that didn’t matter.
“What I feel right now does not matter. And we can talk about this another time. Right now, we need to focus on more important things.” I walked away before giving him a chance to speak.
A group of men was carrying Rosa on a stretcher and placing her in a truck bed. She was still unconscious, and Amka climbed in right after, she was the only one allowed near her and was making sure she stayed unconscious. It was decided that keeping Rosa here near her children was too dangerous and she needed to come along.
Mateo and Mason came out next with Arlo squished in between them. They lifted him into the same truck Kenji and Nikko were in. Riku wanted to keep an eye on him himself.
Sky ran up to me. “I’m going with Ethan.” She gestured behind her where Ethan was already in a truck waiting for her, Blake and Cass were getting into the same truck.
She grabbed my hand. “We’re going to get Priya back and your mom and brother. They will be okay.”
I nodded afraid to say anything. We pulled each other into a hug for a long minute. Then both of us pulled away and turned without another word.
I climbed into the jeep waiting for me. Wendy was already in the driver's seat with Elijah next to her. He didn’t turn around, his body rigid as he kept his eyes straight ahead.
Jesse and Olivia climbed in right after me.
Wendy turned around, her eyes skimming over us. “Is everyone ready?”
We nodded and the jeep began moving. We followed behind the truck Cass was driving. And behind us was a long line of cars. This drive was going to be a while, so I put in my headphones and closed my eyes.
Someone was shaking me.
My eyelids felt heavy, but I forced them open and was meet with Olivia’s blue eyes.
She smiled. “We’re here sleeping beauty.”
I lifted my arms up and stretched. Olivia was already outside.
I jumped down from the jeep, everyone was already unloading their bags and getting ready to start hiking. We would probably only get a few hours in before we would have to stop and make camp.
Cass called out and everyone gave him their attention. “Alright if everyone is ready, we can start. Please stay together, no wondering away from the group. If anyone needs to stop for any reason let me know. In about three hours we will stop and make camp for the night.”
An hour in and I was done.
I struggled to hold in my heavy breathing, embarrassed to have anyone hear me almost dying with just a hike. “I am so out of shape. I know I’ve said that a hundred times already.”
Olivia chuckled. “You’ll get used to it and with some more training you won’t be wheezing so much.”
I groaned. “I thought I was doing a good job at hiding that.”
“Nope.” Olivia smiled and turned away, her eyes glancing over at Caleb for the third time.
“Is there a story between you two?”
She glanced back at me confused.
“You and Caleb.”
“Oh,” she ran her eyes over to where he was walking ahead of us with his family. “No. No story.”
“Then why have you been watching him this whole time. Don’t think I haven’t noticed it.”
“It’s not like that.” She looked around us, but no one was paying attention or close enough to us. “He’s been gone for three years. But before he left, he was just as bad as Clarissa. Maybe even worse. He was cocky and rude and cared only about himself.”
“And now?”
Her eyes squinted. “Now I don’t know. He seems different but I don’t know if I trust him.”
“Maybe he is different. I know I don’t know him like you did but he seems like the lesser evil. Of that whole family. Plus, he’s easy on the eyes.” I waggled my eyebrows at her.
“That’s probably all part of his plan.” Her gaze cut to me. “Don’t let him fool you. His good looks are what helped him breeze by without any consequences no matter how bad he treated people.”
Yikes, I think I hit a nerve.
“He was that bad huh?”
“In my eyes he still is that bad.”
“Alright I trust your judgment. If you say we don’t like him then we don’t like him.”
Olivia turned to me, the corner of her lips twitching with amusement.
“Who don’t we like?” Sky appeared next to me, her raven hair in a low ponytail, and it was only now that I was noticing it was longer.
“Caleb Vega.” I answered. “He’s a bad boy but we absolutely don’t like bad boys. Olivia already declared it.”
Sky’s eyes filled with amusement. “Priya would love this conversation.”
We sobered at her words. She was right, Priya would have loved this. She would have teased Olivia and maybe even have asked Caleb if he really was a bad boy just to embarrass us. But she wasn’t here. We didn’t know what she was going through. What they were doing to her.
I shook those thoughts away. “We’ll get her back soon. And then we can have this conversation all over again with her.”
Olivia let out a groan but smiled. “Fine, for her, I am willing to go through this conversation again.”
We reached a mountain side and stopped while Cass and others around him grouped together. They spoke in low voices. It sounded like they were arguing.
Cass finally spoke up. “We have to climb up this mountain side. It’s steep but it's doable. If we chose to go around that will only delay us. This is the fastest way.” He glanced at the other men he was just speaking to, his eyes watched them, challenging them to say something.
My head went up as my eyes traced the steep incline. Ragged rocks, big and small poked out of the mountain at random spots. One wrong step and that could be it.
“I’ll go first. Arlo says this is a short cut and on top there is a trail that will lead us back down the mountain on the other side. If it is a trap, I won’t risk all our lives. Once I get up there and give the all clear everyone else can follow.”
He tightened up his backpack straps and headed towards the mountain when Wendy stopped him, she gripped his arm and turned him around.
“Why do you have to always volunteer when things are the most dangerous.”
He brushed away a strand of hair from her face and smiled down at her. “I can’t help it. You are the one who makes me believe I can take on anything. As long as I have you by my side.”
I smiled as Wendy hugged him. They had a love that never grew old, never tired and never quit.
Cass backed away from her and began his climb. One hand grabbed a large rock as another grabbed a smaller one near his right. He pushed himself forward and began to climb.
“You can use the rocks to help you up but be careful. Make sure its secure before you put all your weight on it and move forward.” He yelled out as he continued his climbing.
He was making great strides and was almost to the top when a rock he was using to help lift himself up fell away. His body began to slide down. Wendy gasped, Elijah and Blake rushed forward as if to catch him.
Cass quickly pulled out a blade from his pocket and slammed it down hard stopping his sliding.
I found Wendy’s hand and held on tight as she leaned into Olivia on her other side who was grasping her arm.
“He’s okay.” I whispered. Wendy nodded but her eyes stayed glued to Cass.
His back was tense, and he didn’t move. Finally, he moved his hand to the side and gave us all a thumbs up before moving forward.
Once he was over the side and safely on top Wendy let out a deep sigh.
He walked away and we all waited for him. After a minute Wendy started to pace.
“Mom he’s fine.” Elijah reassured her.
“We don’t really know that do we? What if it was a trap? He should have never gone alone. We can’t trust Arlo.”
Just then Cass came back and gave the all clear. One by one everyone started to climb. They had to use a rope to tie Rosa’s stretcher to and slowly pull her up. No one had slipped or fallen yet, the climb was going smoothly, everyone following Cass’s path.
Wendy turned to me. “Go ahead I’ll be right behind you.”
“No, you go first Wendy. I’m sure you are eager to get to Cass.”
She started to argue but I quickly shut her down. “You go first, and Elijah can go behind you. I won’t go up until everyone has made it safely to the top.”
“Go ahead mom I’ll be right behind you.” Elijah said. He still hadn’t looked at me this whole time.
She looked from Elijah to me and smiled. “You’re already making a great leader. Everyone will see that soon.”
She started to climb with Elijah right behind her. Caleb and his family were next and then I would climb up after Olivia. Everyone else was already up on the trail.
Olivia stepped in front of me and lifted herself up before stopping mid climb.
“What's wrong?” I asked.
She turned her head, her face serious. “Let me apologize in advance for subjecting you to stare at my ass.”
I snorted and shook my head at her. “I’m sure it's not the worst thing I could be staring at. Now move that ass.”
We were making good progress and were close to the top. Caleb was behind his family and had just reached the top with them. Olivia reached for the same rock he had just held. Her hand curled around it as she pushed herself up.
And before I knew what was happening Olivia gasped, her body suddenly sliding down into me. Her butt crashed into my head, the grip on the rocks I held fell away and we were both sliding quickly down.
I reached my hands out grabbing anything I could to stop our fall. They found a large rock; the momentum of our sliding came to a sharp stop.
“Ava are you okay?” Olivia frantically called out. I looked up and saw Caleb. He must have slid down to reach us. One hand was gripping a rock while the other was straining to hold onto Olivia’s arm.
“I’m okay. I’m okay. Just get me off this mountain side.” My arms were shaking with the effort to hold myself up. The rock biting into my hands. I could only hope that nothing was broken.
Elijah and Kenji started down at the same time while Blake helped Caleb pull Olivia up over the side.
Elijah grabbed my left arm at the same time Kenji grabbed my right arm. They pushed me towards them, and I yelped.
“One of you has to let go!” Olivia called out.
They stared at each other, each of them waiting for the other to let go first. Elijah’s brown eyes darkened. Kenji’s grip tightened.
“Please someone let go of my arm. I don’t need both of you to help, you’ll only hurt me.”
At that they both let go causing me to slide back down, my arms scraping against the mountain.
They both reached for me again at the same time, their grip holding my arms and stopping me from sliding away.
“I’m sorry.” They said at the same time.
“Oh, for the love of---” Olivia muttered. “Kenji let go!”
“Elijah you can let go I have her.” Kenji insisted.
“Kenji you can let her go; I have her.” Elijah replied.
They stared each other down, both of their eyes sending a clear message of what they meant exactly.
I groaned. “This is ridiculous! Both of you let me go right now. I can get myself up and I don’t need any of your help.”
“No, I’m not letting go. I'll help you.” Kenji insisted. “Tell Elijah to let go.”
I stared up at them, each of them eager to help me. Neither of them willing to let go. They needed me to make a choice and it wasn’t just about helping me up.
“I.....Elijah you can let go.”
I couldn’t look at him as his hand let me go a second later. He was already back on the trail as Kenji helped me up to my feet. I wanted more than anything to apologize to Elijah, to tell him something. But I knew I couldn't say or give him what he wanted.
Kenji was staring at me with his heart in his eyes and it broke me. I just gave him hope. For us.
“Please don’t look at me like that. That meant nothing. You helped me up and that’s it.”
I moved to walk away from him and follow the others when Clarissa stepped in front of me, blocking my path.
“Aren’t you just the luckiest princess in the world.” She sneered at me.
“What are you talking about Clarissa?” I sighed. “You know what I don’t care. Please move.”
“You don’t even care or appreciate what you have do you? It’s not fair. You don’t deserve what you have.”
Olivia and Sky came to be by my side but Clarissa paid them no attention.
“What are you talking about?”
“You are so stuck up. You have two great guys who want to be with you. Who would clearly do anything to save you and you just walk away from both of them.”
“Clarissa don’t start anything. Let’s just go.” Caleb reached for her arm, but she brushed him off.
“No. Little miss princess here needs to hear this. I don’t understand why Kenji wants to give you a second chance. He needs someone better than you.”
“That’s enough Clarissa.” Olivia hissed. “I am so sick of you bullying everyone. Maybe if you had a kinder heart my cousin would have never broken up with you.”
“Watch what you say about my sister. You don’t know her heart.” Caleb shot back.
“Oh, I know. It’s the same heart you have. You’re both bitter and cruel. I remember how you were before you left. How shallow you still are. You may be trying to fool everyone that you are different, but I don’t buy it for a second.”
Caleb’s golden-brown eyes pierced into Olivia’s. He gave her a slow smirk and bent down to be at eye level with her, his face inches from hers.
“I’m not trying to fool anyone. You don’t know me, Rubia.”
“I know you well enough.” Olivia’s eyebrows scrunched together. “What did you call me?”
“Why are you suddenly defending Kenji?” I directed my question to Clarissa.
Olivia and Caleb were still staring each other down, Caleb looking amused, and Olivia annoyed at his amusement.
She turned slightly red and quickly glanced at Kenji who was still behind me. “I’m not defending him. I don’t defend people. I’m just saying what I see.”
I smiled at her blushing. “It’s okay to want to defend him. Or anyone else for that matter. I think it's great that you want to defend him.”
She stammered for a second. “I don’t care what you think!” She stomped away with Caleb now close behind. “Who does she think she is.” She continued to ramble on as she walked away.
“What did Caleb call me?” Olivia demanded to no one in particular. “What does rubia mean?”
“It means blonde.” Sky said. “He called you blondie.”
Olivia’s eyes snapped to the back of Caleb’s head who was now too far to hear us. “Oh, aren’t you the clever one.”
We moved on and followed the rest of the group. Almost everyone was already on the other side of the mountain. I jogged up to Elijah.
I felt the need to at least thank him for trying to help me. He might not want to be around me right now, but he could at least listen to me give him a quick thank you.
“Thank you. For trying to save me back there.”
He kept on walking, his strides long. My legs were trying their best to keep up with his pace. He face was emotionless, he didn’t even try looking my way.
I cleared my throat. “Please don’t be mad at me.”
“I’m not mad.” He snapped.
I flinched. “Okay you’re not mad. You’re right.”
