Safe and Sound

Safe and Sound - Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Everything was different after that night. Our routine became predictable, no more guessing or wondering when we would see each other. Rowan stayed over Friday nights and went home later on Saturdays, as he usually had to work on Sundays. He always came to Dallas once during the week, on his day off, for dinner with me and mom and Rich. My mom didn't tell us to keep the door open anymore. Everything was really different.

  Sonya and Kate expected him to be with me when we got to together on the weekends. He became their friend, not just my boyfriend. They liked him and how he treated me. Seriously, everything was so perfect over the next few weeks. I couldn't have imagined this would happen to me, before I got on that train.

  Waking up with Rowan's arms around me on Saturday mornings was my favourite part.

  I finished the three weeks of physical therapy on my arm and got the A-OK from the doctor to go back to normal activity, though I had already been doing that. I felt amazing. I felt normal. I felt like myself, but better.

  It was early March, two weeks until our first cheer competition. It was finally spring, and in Texas that meant warm days from morning til night. Starting this new season feeling like myself again, with Rowan by my side, felt like perfection. 

  We were on a date in Fort Worth, sitting at a restaurant sharing a piece of cheesecake, when Rowan's phone rang. We didn't usually end up there during the week but it was Tiffany's birthday, so we went by to bring her a birthday card and then we went on a date.

  Rowan looked at his phone, but put it back into his pocket.

  "What is it?" I asked, curious.

  "Oh, nothing," he began, but then knew he really should tell me. "I've been getting calls from unknown numbers over the past week. I answered one and it was Ashlyn. She was really drunk, and..."

  "What?" I asked, knowing it was something bad.

  "She was just saying stupid stuff, like I should watch my back," he said. I nodded, but I wanted him to tell me more. I had ignored a few calls lately from unknown numbers, too. I hadn't told Rowan about that. "I swear I haven't seen her since Chase's birthday," he went on.

  I bit a piece of the dessert, then nodded again. "Okay?"

  Rowan looked worried, suddenly. "I'm thinking about getting a restraining order."

  "Wait, really?"

  "Then she would have to leave me alone, right? I know she was drunk, but she threatened me," he told me.

  "Do you really think a restraining order is necessary?" I asked, completely unsure.

  He shrugged, glancing around. "I don't know."

  I didn't want to talk about it anymore, so I was glad that Rowan changed the subject and asked about the details about the upcoming competition.

  But I laid in bed that evening, wondering if Rowan really should take action against Ashlyn. All this time, she had just been sort of an annoyance, popping up sporadically to cause trouble for Rowan and I. I believed she was jealous and angry with him for breaking up with her. But now it had been over two months and she was still trying to cause problems. But, selfishly, I didn't want anyone to find out about any of this, so I let it go, once again.

  I woke up on the morning of the competition feeling great. I was so excited. I took a shower and packed my bag, then waited for Kate. She picked me up at 8 A.M. and we stopped to get Sonya, then smoothies, before driving to Arlington. My mom would be driving down later on, as the competition didn't start until noon.