Someone To Watch Over You

Chapter 30

I get out into the parking lot and pull on the car door handle. I curse when I discover it's locked. I pound on the window and I can see I startle Tina who jumps, pulls out her earbuds, and unlocks the door. I get into the car and slam it shut.

"Hey, careful! This is a lease!" Tina barks but there must have been something about my expression because she immediately relents. I don't think I've ever seen someone change gears that fast.

"Are you are okay?" She looks concerned to the point of being scared.

I have so many emotions swirling in my head I feel like I'm caught up in a whirlwind and it's sucking the air out of my lungs. I feel anger that Liam is there, jealous that he and Cat are getting along, happy that Cat is glad to see me, sad that I feel like I've disappointed her somehow, concerned that she may take what Liam said to heart even though it's not true, and I'm back to anger again.

"It's okay," Tina says, trying to reassure me. She puts her hand on my shoulder, "I don't even like this car. It's just all I can afford."

Her belief that I'd that upset because of her reaction to the car causes a maniacal fit of laughter to burst out from me ending with my head falling into my hands and me feeling like I want to pass out. I don't need to see Tina to know she is probably looking at me right now like she's watching her first mental breakdown. At least she can be grateful it's mine and not her own.

"Okay, now you have me concerned on several levels."

"Can we just get out of here?" I beg.

"Sure," she pulls back her hand and starts the car. "Where to?"

"My friend William's. The stuff I need for my assignments is there," I say and give her the directions.

"You got it, Boss."

I wanted to correct her about saying that she works for me, but I didn't have the strength. Tina takes us out of the parking lot and when we reach the road, I put my seat back a little and close my eyes for a moment. I'm just so damn tired.

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I'm walking down the alley. The alley where I found my brother dying, but this time the EMT's are already there. I see them about to zip up a body bag. I'm running but the alley just keeps getting longer and longer and I can't seem to reach him. I call out his name and suddenly I'm being pulled towards him, but it's like being warped through a fisheye lens.

I'm now standing next to the gurney and push the EMT out of the way. No, he can't be dead! It's just a nightmare! He's still alive. I unzip the bag and pull it aside, only it isn't Aiden's face I see but my father's. "Noooo!" I collapse on top of him and weep. I feel this powerful tug on my heart. It rips my body from him and slams me into a wall.

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It takes a moment for my brain to comprehend I'm in a car. Why am I in a car? It takes a second longer to remember it's Tina's car. Slowly the wheels of my brain turn and I come back online to see Tina gripping the steering wheel with a death grip, her knuckles are white and her breathing is labored. The light changes and people are honking and yelling obscenities at her as they drive around us.

"Tina?" I unlock my seatbelt and reach over to hit the hazard light button I find on her dash.

"Tina?" Her head is bowed, and she is staring at her legs.

She won't even glance at me but says, "What the hell was that?!" Her voice wavers and broke a little. Her eyes met mine, and I am hit with the realization of what must have happened.

"Oh, Tina! I'm so sorry!"

"Sorry?! He says he's sorry," she mocks with utter disbelief. "I nearly CRASHED my CAR when you screamed out like that. What the HELL, Alex?!"