Unexpected

Chapter 7

About 20 minutes later, Cylie and Emmy came into the room with a cart full of food.
    I sat up as they wheeled the cart into the room and placed it in the center of the couch area.
        "So, me and chef Emmy made come chinese food,
    Since that is one of Shelby's favorites." Cylie said as she sat
    Down on the other couch with Emmy.
    Cody sat up and put his arm around me again as whispered something in my ear.
        "It's gonna be okay."
    Then Emmy started to pass out food so we could finally eat.
    As I sat there eating, I couldn't help but think about the man. Why did he want ME?
    Then a realization came to me. My father.
    He went missing when I was five, right after Dakota was born. And he was found dead. Someone wanted him dead.
    And I had a feeling that that someone, was the man who had followed me across the United States.
    I looked up at Cody, who was giving me a concerned look. I was almost sure that he was reading my mind.
"What is it, Shelbs?"
"Nothing... It's just-" I couldn't finish.
"Shelby, what are you thinking?" Cylie asked.
    So many things were running through my mind. I couldn't answer. I think I just figured out the forbidden puzzle, and I didn't want to see the full picture.
        "Shelby," Cody cupped my head in his hands "What
    Are you thinking? Is it about that guy?"
        "I-" I stumbled, so I tried again. "I think I know why he
    Wants me..."
    This made Cody's eyes widen, and I felt the stare of everyone in the room fall on my. I had to tell them, even if it made me cry. Even if I stumbled, they needed to know.
"When I was five..." I started. "Someone kidnapped my father... and killed him. It was around this time of year..."
"No." Cody said before I could say anymore. My hands were holding onto his while he still cupped my face.
"Shelby, that can't-... there is no way..." But he couldn't finish either, and I had a feeling he knew I was right.
    "My father was killed by a mysterious man that was never caught-" I tried to stop the tears, but they were already starting to drip down my face. "And that man knows who I am, and he knows a lot about me. What if he catches me? What if he goes after my mom and my sister too?"
    "Shelby, listen to me!" Cylie said, now kneeling beside me. "We aren't gonna let him get you. We will find a way to help Dakota and your mom. I promise!"
    "He is right here! He could be anywhere by now! We can't keep hidden from him forever! He wants me dead! And he threatened to kill you too if you don't-"
Then, before I could finish my sentence, Cody leaned in and kissed me again. And I didn't try to stop him because I knew why he did it. To comfort me. To help me stop thinking about my father. To help me stop thinking about the possibility that I too might not survive this mess.
When he finally pulled his head back, he reach his hand up to my face and tucked my hair behind my ears.
    "It's gonna be okay, Shelby." then he wiped a few of
My tears. "You trust me, right?"
I looked him in the eyes and nodded my head. I did trust him. And I knew that with Cody and Cylie and the other two girls, I was safe. At least for a while.

*    *    *
We were all staying the night in that room, so Cylie and I shared one of the beds, while Milly and Emma shared the other, and Cody slept on the couch.
I wasn't sleeping very well though. I was having nightmares, about the man. About him catching me. And about him killing my father. I was just in the middle of running from the man, while my father lay, dead, on the street, when I was shaken awake.
    "Shelby!" I heard someone whisper. "Shelby wake
Up!"
Then I jerked awake and found Cody by the side of my bed, his hand in mine.
    "You were having a nightmare, and you were saying
Things in your sleep."
    "I'm sorry I woke you." I said, not knowing what else
To say.
    "You didn't really wake me. I couldn't sleep. I was too
Worried. About you."
    "Cody, I'm fine." I tried to assure him.
    "No. don't try to lie to me. I know you aren't fine,
And I think you know that too."
I leaned closer to him and he hugged me. I clung to him, unable to unsee the dreams I had just had. Unable to stop thinking about the mess I was caught in, and in how much danger I was in.
    "Shelby, what can I do? I hate to see you like this.
There has to be something I can do."
    "Cody, just promise not to let me go again."
    "Never."
He didn't hesitate. So neither did I. I pulled back from the hug and I laid back down on my bed, and Cody kissed me on the forehead and pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat down.
    "Go to sleep, Shelbs." He told me. Then, I slowly drifted off to
sleep again.
Most girls would think it's weird having a guy watch you fall asleep, but, to me, it felt comforting. The dreams stopped after that. I wasn't shaking anymore. And I wasn't scared.