Just Say Yes

Chapter Four ~Just A Dream

Most could not understand the turmoil that was running through Mackenzie’s mind at that moment. How much the feelings she felt building up inside of her were terrifying and confusing her. She ran to the far side of the beach until she stopped and collapsed on the sand, trying to catch her breath. She knew it probably looked like a complete overreaction, but instinct had taken over. She had closed herself off from emotion for so long that something as potent as what she just felt had completely shaken her to her very core.

She gazed out over the water, they had arrived in the afternoon and the sun was slowly sinking over the horizon. She closed her eyes and listened to the steady crash of the waves against the sand. The private beach was not crowded and she had run far enough away from the resort that the sound of the ocean was all she could hear.

"Mackenzie!"

Charlie's voice in the distance broke the peaceful solitude and Mackenzie glanced over her shoulder. Charlie looked worried but the moment she saw her she took off at a full sprint through the sand to reach her.

"What happened back there? Why did you take off running?" Charlie asked while sitting down next to her in the sand.

Mackenzie opened her mouth to try and explain but no words came out. She could hardly understand what happened, let alone explain it. She shrugged and sighed "I'm sorry Charlie, I don't know what came over me..."

Charlie stared at her a long time, as if trying to read something in her face, but coming up blank. She stood up and took Mackenzie by the hand, pulling her to her feet. "Come on, let's head back before the girls wonder where we went."

When they made it back to the pool the mystery man was gone along with his friend. The girls ran up to them and Mackenzie could not help but notice the nasty look Sophia was giving her. She instantly let go of Charlie's hand and took a step back.

"Where have you been? The guys were talking about a new club that opened up in town and they want to take us dancing!" Marie said to Charlie, completely ignoring Mackenzie.

"Oh, Dancing! How about it Mackenzie?" Charlie said looking over at her.

Mackenzie forced a smile, she could feel the three other girls looking at her. The look in Sophia's eyes alone said that she would not be welcome. Back in college, they had never liked her, if not just completely ignored her existence. When Charlie and her hung out it was usually in front of the TV catching up on the latest episode of their favorite show or at the library studying hard for exams. This was probably the first time she had ever been out with Charlie and she assumed the other girls were not taking it well.

"I'm really tired from the flight, I think I am just going to take a bath and go to bed."

Charlie looked slightly disappointed, but Mackenzie just smiled "You know me, I'm not a big crowd person anyway, " She said reassuringly.

Charlie nodded and then smiled back. "Well, tomorrow we are going to have a spa day! So prepare for a day of complete relaxation."

"I can't wait."

They all headed up to their room and Mackenzie went straight to their bathroom to start running a bath. Charlie quickly jumped in the shower with her bathing suit on and rinsed off before running off to find an outfit for the club. Their bathtub was so huge it took forever to fill it up and Mackenzie took advantage of the free bath salts she had found. She was just about to take off her red bikini when Sophia came into the room.

"I just wanted to let you know that I know what you are up to..."

Mackenzie nearly fell into the tub at her sudden appearance and the malice that seeped out of her voice. She stared at her in complete confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I have suspected for a long time that you were more than just Charlie's charity case. I thought the reason she had taken you under her wing was that she felt sorry for you, but I see now she actually cares for you. Well, you can forget it. Charlie and I have been friends a lot longer and you are not going to get what you want from her." Sophia placed her hands on her hips and before Mackenzie could even ask what in the world she meant, Charlie joined them.

"Ready to go?" She said at Sophia whose demeanor changed so drastically it made Mackenzie's head spin.

One moment she had been looking like she was about to rip Mackenzie's hair out and the next she was back to her cheery, bubbly self and practically skipping out of the room. Charlie smiled at Mackenzie "Enjoy your quiet time! I'll make sure we are not too loud when we come back in later! Goodnight!"

Mackenzie gave a little wave, hearing the girls all head out the door and leaving Mackenzie alone with her thoughts.

Usually, Mackenzie did not mind being alone, but as she sunk into the warm water of the tub all she could think about was her mystery man and how he made her whole body come alive. How she wished she had never seen him, because now she ached deep down in her soul for something she could not begin to describe. She also began to think about how after this trip she would be starting her new life far away from the only friend she had in this world and for the first time, she let herself feel just how lonely she would be.

So, she cried…

She dragged herself out of the tub, unable to stop the tears while she dried herself off. She could not even remember the last time she had cried this much. It was as if something had split open deep inside of her and she could not get it closed again. It was a gut-wrenching but therapeutic kind of crying that by the time she quickly threw on some comfy pajamas and her head hit the pillow, she was out like a light.

Then she began to dream…

He was hitting her again, Mackenzie was too scared to open her eyes and she had her arms up protecting her face but she felt every strike as it hit her young body. She could hear her mother crying in the distance but her mother never came to save her. Never tried to stop him. It was probably for the best in the end, because he would only end up hitting her as well.

Suddenly, the beating stopped and her whole body was aching. Mackenzie slowly lowered down her arms and opened her eyes but there was only darkness.

"Mom?....Dad?...."

Her voice only echoed back at her. A dim light appeared in the distance and she pushed herself to her feet and headed towards it. Her body was still in pain, but it was one she was used to. She learned how to deal with pain at a very young age.

When she reached the light she saw she was suddenly back at her childhood home. She ran to her parent's room and opened the door and there they were. Her mother lying in a puddle of her own blood, her eyes looking toward her, lifeless. Her father slumped against the wall, a gigantic hole going right through his head while blood and pieces of his brain were splattered behind him. Mackenzie was about to scream, but she felt something grabbing her hand and pulling her away from the nightmare.

The horror before her disappeared and was replaced with the ocean and sandy beach. Mackenzie watched as the waves hit the rocks against the shore and the sun slowly rose higher in the sky. She felt someone squeeze her hand and looked beside her to see her mystery man standing there. His gray eyes looked intensely at her as if he was afraid she would try to run away at any moment, and she just might…

"You are safe now."

Mackenzie jumped up in bed, covered in sweat and breathing as if she had just run a five-k marathon. She quickly looked around the room and saw no one was there while taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. She got up out of bed and headed down the stairs to the kitchen to get a drink of water. The girls were obviously still out and when Mackenzie looked at the clock she realized it was only midnight. She gulped down her water quickly before wandering down the hallway towards the master suite which was farther away from everyone else.

If she had any more night terrors she did not want to scare the other girls, however, this time she did not wake up screaming as she usually did. This time, it was as if she had been saved from waking up with fear and instead had woken up feeling... Safe.