"God, keep my head above water
Don't let me drown, it gets harder
I'll meet you there at the altar
As I fall down to my knees
Don't let me drown, drown, drown
Don't let me, don't let me, don't let me drown" I sing. A few people singing with me now. I swear I got chills with how connected we feel right now.
"So pull me up from down below
'Cause I'm underneath the undertow
Come dry me off and hold me close
I need you now, I need you most"
I look around. Kayla looks pissed. You know what I dont care. I have gone through alot. Bring it on bitch I think to my self.
"And I can't see in the stormy weather
I can't seem to keep it all together
And I, I can't swim the ocean like this forever And I can't breathe God, keep my head above water I lose my breath at the bottom Come rescue me, I'll be waiting I'm too young to fall asleep"
The song comes to a end. Everyone is clapping and cheering. "Oh my God you sounded so good" Emily says. I smile. "Thanks" I reply. "What a perfect song choice to" Katie says. I nod. Jake walks up behind me. "I didn't know you could sing" he says. I turn and look at him
"I am full of surprises" I say. He smiles. "I'm learning that" he says. I can feel my heart racing. God that smile. I look behind him. I see nick walking over to us. "Hey" he says. I can tell he feels awkward. "Hey" Derek replys back.
"I just wanted to say you did good up there" he says. I nod. "Thanks"i say. He nods and turns around."nick" Katie says. Stepping forward. He stops but doesn't turn around. "She doesn't care about you. She never will. She wants to hurt your sister.. please come home" she says. Tears in her eyes.
My heart hurts for her. He glances back. I can see the sadness in his eyes. He walks back to them. I walk towards them. "Storm what are you doing" Jake asks as they trail behind me. "What do you have over him"? I ask haylie. She laughs. "What ever do you mean"? She asks innocently.
I raise my eyebrow. "Nick"? I say in a demanding tone. He looks at me. I can see it in his eyes. "Nothing storm like I said" I inturp him "cut the bullshit. I know you better than anyone. This isn't you.. unless you are doing this for a reason" I say. Haylie looks pissed.
She steps towards me. I notice that puts nick on edge. I think the others do to. "She threatened to turn you and make you turn your humanity off" cassie says playing with her nails. Like she is bored of this. I glare at haylie. She whispers in my ear.
"Sleep with one eye open. Nick get out of my site before I RIP your heart out. You should also watch your back" she says. He glares at her and walks towards us. "Took you long enough" he says. I roll my eyes. We head home.
*****
We get back to Emily's home. I guess it is my home now too. "This is a nice place" Nick says. We smile and nod. "Thank god it has a lot of rooms with all the new people living here" Victoria says. We laugh"So..ugh how's dad" nick asks. I look at Derek feeling awkward. We fill him in on everything and I mean everything. "I..wow you both have gone through a lot in two years. Mom is dead.. " He stops shaking his head. "I am sorry.. I just had to do what I could to protect you" Nick says. I nod understanding.
"You guys have to stop protecting us by putting your self in danger or emotional distress" I say. "storm I haven't known you but for a few months and I know if the rolls were reversed you would of done the same. Let's let it go. We have another person on our side. " Jake says. I nod.
*****
The next day at school goes by fast. We avoid them and they avoid us. I make my way home. The guys had football practice. Emily was not replying to my text or phone calls. So victora picked katie and I up. We get home. I decied to get caught up on my home work. It was about six pm when I heard a knock at the door. I sigh. Making my way to it. I open the door. My mouth drops open in surprise. "Dad"? I ask. He looks at me. "Hey.. can we talk" He asks. I nod moving to the side for him to come inside.
"I.. I am sorry. I just too lose two kids and your mother despite where we were I did love her.. it is all so much to handle I do not know how you are handling it so well. " He says. Just than the front door opens and nick,jake and derek walk in. Eyes widening at seeing my dad. "n....nick" My dad says stuttering. "Hey" He says obviously unsure what to reply. "yal got him back" He asks. "kind of it is a long story" I say. Derek hasn't said a word. "Well.. ill get out of yalls hair I just wanted to say I was sorry.. this.. is hard to understand or wrape my mind around" He says before leaving.
"Well I wasn't expecting that" I say. My phone dings. I check it.
(jack and stormie)
J: Hey storm
s:Hey back
J:So..umm are you and the new kid dating?
s: Which one? LOL
I say that knowing who he means.
J: That jake kid
s:No why?
J:Well..um I was wondering if I could take you to dinner tonight
I stare at the phone in shock. ME? He wants to take me to dinner?
"Why are you looking at your phone like you won a million dollars.. wait did you"? Katie asks
"No.. jack asked me to dinner tonight.. on a date" I say looking up at them. "Yall.. I have never been on a date before" I say. "Storm I hate to burst your bubble but you have to say yes to be excited about it" Nick says laughing. Jake looks angry. I stare at him. Would it be wrong if I know I have feelings for someone eles but go out with him? I think to my self. Maybe it will help me get over him? He did say I shouldn't want to kiss him.. or be with him. I am human. Man where is em. I am starting to worry.
I sigh.
S:Sure. What time?
J: 7:30
I look at the clock it is six pm. "So I say yes he will be here in a little over a hour. Katie will you help me get ready"? I ask. She smiles and nods. The boys start playing games. "For the record I will help you get ready but I am team jakmie" She says I raise a eyebrow at her "Jakmie"? I ask. "yours and jakes ship name.. Apparently that is a thing now days.. I know lame but whatever you too are end game even if you are both to stubborn to admit it" she says. I look at her. He can hear her. I sigh. "Even if that is what I want.. it would never happen. He doesn't feel that way he made It perfectly clear" I say.
She looks down. "Ok enough of that lets get you ready" she says I smile. I wear a black and white top. Black jeans. A leather jacket. My hair in a side pony tall. I do light make up.
I hear the door bell ring and my stomach flips. It isn't in exactment. I am slowly regretting my choice to go. I sigh. I head down stairs to see the guys have let jack in. Jake is leaning against the wall glaring at him. My brothers are integrating him. I roll my eyes. "Guys leave him alone" Katie says. Push derek,jake and nick back to the living room. "Have her home by 10" Derek says. I roll my eyes.
We make are way to his car. He opens the door for me. A gentleman. I think to my self. We get to the restaurant. It is a little Italian place. I order pasta. The food taste good.
"So I see nick is back.. um.. I thought" He stops looking at me unsure how to continue. I nod. I see we are getting right into it ok. "Well.. it is complicated but yes he is alive.. " I say. He smiles "Good because I haven't seen you actually smile in a long time.. all though part of me knows it isn't because of nick" He says. I stare at him confused. How is it everyone has noticed how unhappy I have been but my dad.. hell Derek didn't even notice for along time but what does he mean. I decide to ask. "what do you mean" ? I ask
"You started smiling more when you met Emily and jake.. mostly jake" He says. I stare. I thought I wasn't being obvious. "You are very obvserent or maybe a tad stalkerish" I say laughing. He laughs to. "I keep a eye on you ever sense kyle. We might not be super close but you have always been kind to me.. it is why I wanted to ask you out.. I know you like jake.. I know your scared but he is into you" He says. I stare at him in shock. "You are beautiful stormie but you have and always will be more like a sister to me" He says, I smile. "Oh thank god. I am sorry I just have never thought of you that way" I say he smiles.
"So you asked me out to talk to me about jake"? I asked. "That and to catch up it has been awhile" He says with a smile. "Well well are we cheating on jake"? Haylie asks. I can feel my face turn white. She hasn't done anything in almost a month so we felt it was safe enough for us to go out. "Haylie what do you want"? I ask. Her gaze turns deadly. "Have you heard from Emily"? She asks. I feel my heart sink. I jump up in her face. Forgetting who I am dealing with. She smiles.
She pushes jacks head into the table hard knocking him out. "NO" I scream! I can't tell if he is alive or not. Crying I grab my phone and call 911. I don't feel a pulse.