Seeking Haven // s.m.

Nine

Wren

It was all a blur.

They're not kidding when they say it all comes back to you in flashes-- because ever since seven a.m. this morning, when I fluttered my eyelashes into a crevice and gazed up at Dace, who was sitting on the edge of the bed I was laying on-- I'm only remembering bits and pieces of everything that happened.

"Did everyone go home?" I had asked him, my voice groggy and hoarse.

He was wearing dark clothes, as per usual-- t-shirt bleak and jeans tight, ripped at the knees, his hair unfixed and falling over his eyes in small, shapeless waves. He took my hand in his, nodding his head slowly. "I sent them away after you passed out."

"I passed out?" I sat up immediately, which I realized all at once, by the drum beat in my temples attempting to pop open my veins, was a terrible decision.

"Shhh, lay down," Dace pressed his smooth fingers into the curves of my shoulders, all the way back down to the pillow. He scoots closer and strokes the hair directly above my forehead, which, weirdly, calmed me down.

"My mom accidentally gave you tylenol p.m.," he said slowly, and I could tell he was resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Which, if you're not above middle-age, is really strong and makes you, well.. exactly how you were."

"So that's what that was?" I asked.

That's when the first flash came. I had a small, brief memory of Dace catching me right before I smacked into the hard wood floor-- his voice, booming in my ear, "Mom, what the hell did you give her?"

I thought maybe that was all I was going to get for now. I mean, I knew I wasn't feeling well, but blacking out for hours on end takes it to a whole new level. This has never happened to me before. Maybe parties really just aren't my thing.

"Wren?" Dace said softly, his face only a few inches from mine.

I looked at him, felt his palm pressed against mine. "Hmm?"

"Do you want to go home?"

God. More than anything.

"Yes," I nodded, a smile spreading across my face. "In a few minutes?"

He raised his dark, bushy eyebrows and at a turtle's pace, closes the gap between us. His delicate, alluring lips stressed against the edge of my own, which soon migrated to cover every part of them. Even the way that his body covered mine, like a blanket-- everything about him made me feel jittery.

As much as I was sure I was desperately in love, something felt different. Something felt unconnected, off-- but then that could have easily just been the striking of my uneasy headache.

Still, even after he pulled away and his single finger traced the outline of my face, and I looked away from him, still feeling his body against mine-- I couldn't shake the apprehensive sense that lingered on.

***

Luckily, today's Sunday, and Louis' is closed. I'm so relieved I get the day off, I'm most likely going to go home and sleep until dinner. I never knew how exhausting it would be to keep up with a job.

Haven used to work at the mall, in some department store that sold pricey, trendy clothes. She spent a lot of time there, always picking up extra shifts and covering the ones of her coworkers. For some unknown reason I'm still trying to figure out, she liked being there.

Maybe it was just that it gave her something to do during the day, before her nightly adventures and rendezvous began to take place. Whatever it was, I couldn't understand why anyone would actually like working, besides the matter of payment.

Dace drops me off at the door, and I scale the sidewalk to the front porch, first unlocking all three dead bolts of the front door with my lost and found key.

Just as I was stepping inside, I hear Dace call behind me, "Wait, Wren!"

I spin around, to see that he was already climbing out of the driver's seat, holding my inky backpack over his forearm.

"Oh," I sigh in relief, thanking G that he saw it in the backseat before driving away. I didn't care in the least bit to elaborate on the contents inside if he were to discover them.

He runs up to me, and I take him from him, nodding my head slightly. "Thank you," I mumble.

"No problem," he smiles. I thought he would start back to his car then, but his figure remains towering over mine.

I avert my gaze to meet his, only to discover he was already staring at me, scrutinizing my every breath like I was a watched pot.

He reaches his hand out, taking mine in his, and says softly, "you're okay, aren't you, Wren?"

I try to resist widening my eyes. "Um, yeah," I say. "I'm feeling much better, my head stopped hurting. I just need to get some slee--"

"That's not what I meant."

I clear my throat, avoiding his stare. Strangely enough, I was close to tears.

"I know," I mutter.

I didn't exactly want to tell him about Shawn and the diary, but perhaps it wouldn't be completely ludicrous to casually mention that I've been missing my sister a lot lately. I mean, he knew her. He would understand.

I just didn't want to talk about it now, not here. I'm tired, I'm wiped, I just want to crash.

"Later," I say softly, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze before turning around and starting towards the open door.

He watches as I step inside, poking my head out and closing it slowly, giving him a small wave goodbye. And I crinkle my eyes, grinning ever so slightly when I see him wave back.

***

don't worry. shawn is important.