Collide: A Riverbend Novel by Sara Daniell Page A

alright?"
     
    "What is it, dear?" Johanna
asked as she closed her menu.
     
    "Nothing." I gave them a
weak smile then looked back at my menu. I'm going insane.
     
    The waitress came back over
with a kid’s menu and handed it to Garrett. Havock burst out
laughing. Johanna and Rick laughed too.
     
    “He’d like crayons as
well,” Havock said through his laughter.
     
    The waitress looked
embarrassed. "He was joking wasn't he?"
     
    "Don't feel bad, he's an
ass to everyone."
    I said as I smiled. Garrett
laughed.
     
    Havock nodded. "It's
true."
     
    The waitress laughed. "Does
that mean you guys are ready?"
     
    I ordered a shrimp
concoction and tried to get comfortable. I tried not to scan for
the shadow. Tried not to be afraid, but it was hard. I'm so scared
and for some strange reason, I wanted to be held by Havock. Dammit, I'm an idiot.
     
    Havock got a text that made
him look at me. He then looked at his mom. "Mom, can I talk to you
alone for a second?"
     
    My stomach dropped.
Something bad happened. I felt it.
     
    "What's wrong?" she
asked.
     
    Havock looked at me then
down at his phone. "Mayor Johnson's plantation house burnt to the
ground a few hours ago."
     
    Garrett moved his hand from
my thigh to my hand. He held it tight.
     
    "Who told you?" she
asked.
     
    "Jude."
     
    I swallowed hard and closed
my eyes. The waitress brought us our food. No-one seemed to have an
appetite anymore.
     

     
    HAVOCK
     
    My heart didn't break when
things went wrong. So why the hell did it feel like it was? Seeing
her sitting in the cold outside as she thought about her shitty
life, my heart hurt for her. It was weird. No-one bothered her.
They all went to bed. Even Garrett.
     
    She wanted to be alone.
That was more than obvious. But I wasn't okay with it. I'd be
damned if I let her hurt alone.
     
    I laughed at myself. This
wasn't me at all. I wasn't sure exactly what I'd do once I was out
there, but I needed to be with her regardless. I grabbed an extra
hoodie and blanket then went out.
     
    I handed her the hoodie.
"Sitting in below freezing weather with that sexy as hell dress on
is crazy, Princess." She put on the hoodie but remained
silent.
     
    I sat down next to her and
wrapped us both in the blanket. I sat closer than I probably should
have, but considering I held her until she fell asleep the other
night, this was probably okay. Maybe.
     
    "I can't stay with your
family anymore," she whispered.
     
    “Why?”
     
    "It's not safe."
     
    "Mom won't let you leave."
I wouldn't let her leave.
     
    A tear fell down her cheek.
"Why are you so mean to your family?"
     
    "If you haven't noticed, I
don't fit in."
     
    "You try not to fit in,"
she stated. "No matter where you go or do, Havock, you'll only have
one family. Once they're gone you'll regret everything." She looked
at her hands. "Trust me."
     
    "You're probably right." I
pulled a cigarette from my pocket and lit it. "I just don't
care."
     
    She sighed and rubbed her
arms. She looked at the stars. "My dad’s dead. I've lost everyone.
I can't let anything happen to you or your family," she
whispered.
     
    I slipped my free hand
around her waist as I smoked. "What's going on with you and my
brother?"
     
    "He asked me to date him,"
she answered honestly. She put her head in her hands.
     
    "And?"
     
    "And I said I'd tell him
after the trip. I like your brother but..." She stopped and
shrugged. "Why are we even having this conversation?”
     
    "Because I saw where his
hand was at dinner. I didn't like it."
     
    She didn't comment. "I'm a
crazy broken princess." She scoffed. "Nobody deserves
that."
     
    I finished my cigarette and
threw it out in the snow. "My crazy broken princess." I looked at
her. "You're right. No-one deserves you. You're too good of a
person for the sad excuse we call people."
     
    "No I'm not," she denied as
tears fell. "And why are you talking like this? You don't even like
me half the time."
     
    "Is that what you