Incandescent

“Ignore him, honey. He’s just upset you haven’t brought any of your famous apple pie,” my mom’s soft voice calls down the phone.

“Hey, Mom.” I smile when I hear her swatting my father away as he yells he wants pie.

“How are you?” she asks. I can detect the small amount of concern in her voice.

“I’m good, Mom. I met someone,” I admit straight away. No point in hiding anymore, and I would hate for them to worry. When I was going through all the shit with Zane, I pushed everyone out, including my parents. I hated what I put them through.

“I knew it,” she whispers. I can hear the happiness in her voice.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been out to see you.”

“Kadence, when I was your age, the last thing I wanted to be doing was coming home to see my parents when I had your father waiting for me.” She giggles and I smile at my mom. She’s not like your usual mom. Growing up an only child, she was like my best friend. We have a great relationship and there isn’t anything I wouldn’t tell her.

“His name is Nix. He’s a

“Sounds just like your father.” We both laugh.

“I’ll bring him out in a few weeks. Think you can hold off, Papa Bear?” I cringe, picturing their first meet. Do I have to be there for that one?

“I’ll keep him at bay, just maybe bring backup. Holly might do,” she laughs. My dad and Holly are the fu

“Sounds like a good idea. I gotta go, Mom. Speaking of Holly, we have a movie date. I’ll call you next week.”

Okay, baby girl. I love you.”

“Love you too. Tell Dad I love him,” I say before hanging up.

Well shit. I didn’t think I would be ready to admit that Nix was the one, especially to my parents. Apparently, shit just got real.

***

“Holly, let’s haul ass, or we’ll be late,” I call out, coming out of my room.

“Cool your jets,” she yells back with attitude. I don’t know what has been up with her lately. Maybe I’ve been so caught up in my own drama that I’ve missed a vital piece of evidence, but something is going on with her. I just have no idea what. She walks out wearing lounge pants and a baggy sweatshirt, her messy blonde hair piled on top of her head. For the amount of years I’ve known Holly, not once have I ever seen her leave the house looking the way she is.

“Are you feeling okay, Holly?” I hold back the laugh as I look down at her chosen outfit. “You don’t seem like yourself?” I push a little.

“I’m fine, Kadence,” she bites back. I cock my eyebrow and look her straight in the eye. Fine my ass.

“Right, okay, let’s go then,” I say, walking past her to grab my coat. If she doesn’t want to talk right now, I’m not going to push her.

“Kadence?” Holly’s voice softly calls after me.

“Yeah?” I say, turning back around to her. Looking at my best friend, I know she is hiding something that is tearing her up. I don’t know why she won’t share. We’ve been through everything together.

“I’m sorry. I just can’t, okay?” she softly explains. Her eyes are showing a sadness that I’ve never seen from her.

“It’s okay. I’ll be here if you need me. Just don’t push me out.”

I don’t know how to help her through this if she doesn't let me in, but I do know I sat in darkness for three years pushing people away, and she stood by me every step of the way. If that’s what I have to do, I’ll do it.

Her eyes shine with unshed tears. Her head nods slowly. I’m worried about her, but I understand pushing her will not get me anywhere.

“Okay let’s go on then.”

Grabbing the keys, we head out. The stress and the worry of what might be happening with her weigh heavy on my shoulders.

***

“Oh, God, can you believe that ending?” I say to Holly, walking out of the movie theater. Sometimes movies just don’t do it for me anymore. Give me a book with all the details.

“I know, right? Complete bullshit.” She smiles back at me, a little glimpse of her happy, crazy self.

“Where’s Brooks?” I ask, looking out to where he was sitting before we went in.

“I don’t know, but I need the bathroom,” she says, leaving me there. Something doesn’t feel right. Brooks and all the boys have been taking this ‘looking out for me’ seriously. Brooks not being there is putting me on edge. The people walk out around me as I try to call his cell.

“You ready to go?” Holly asks, coming back from the restroom.

“I tried to call Brooks but he didn’t pick up,” I tell her, starting to freak out.

“He might have had an emergency,” she says unconcerned. “Let’s go see if he’s outside,” she says, pulling us out the doors. Most people have left; the parking lot is almost empty. Turning the corner, I notice Brooks’ bike sitting unattended next to my car. What the hell?

“Hello, Kadence.” Zane’s voice startles me. I look up to see him resting against the building. I scan our surroundings looking for Brooks, but I come up empty.

“Holly.” He turns to her with a little smile on his face. Holly’s grip on my arm tightens as I see her grab her phone.

“What do you want, Zane?” I ask him, getting the attention off her.

Zane’s right hand comes out fast, and at first I think he’s about to strike me. My hands come up to protect my face, but his hand goes to my throat. The hold on me is so intense I can barely make out Holly’s screaming. For a brief second, I notice her struggling with another man.

“Shut the fuck up, Holly,” he yells over at her, “or I’ll kill her.” Her screams stop abruptly.

He smiles, looking back at me. His grip still tight around the soft flesh of my neck, black spots dance in front of my vision. My heart and lungs are working overtime from the lack of oxygen, desperately trying to gulp down air, but it eludes my grasp. My fingers claw at his hold. Trying to pry his death grip, my nails cut his skin. Kicking my legs out, I try to fight with everything I have.

“You need to stop fighting me, Kadence, or I’m going to put a bullet in Holly.” He laughs an evil laugh as he drags me around to the back of the building. The darkness that slowly starts to creep in fades as he loosens his grip. I don’t know if he will follow through with his threat, but something screams inside of me to keep fighting, and not give up. A wave of adrenaline washes over me, giving me strength to fight. Why is this asshole trying to kill me? What the hell did I ever do to him?

Clawing at his hand again, I use all my strength to try to pry his grip away from my throat. My knee comes back to build momentum, before I push forward, delivering a hard and fast blow between his legs. The co

He’s too fast, stepping forward and pulling hard on my hair. I feel the sting of the sharp tug all over, the sensation prickling my skin. My heel goes back into his groin, and my elbow co

I don’t think so, asshole.