Hidden Edges

Chapter 3

"Dylan?" I call out, going into the room, looking around but no sign of him. Fear gradually creeping its way into me.

"Crystal?" I jumped, startled as I turn around swiftly to the direction of the voice contending with the sound of my heart beating rapidly in my chest. It's Dylan coming in with a glass of water, looking at me confused. Huh? How did he go get water so fast?

"What's wrong with you?" he asks, looking puzzled.

"How, I mean when, when did you leave this room?" I ask with fear and confusion filling my voice.

"Just after I gave you the soap. I also asked Betty for some aspirin. I'm sure you need them. Why?" He drops the glass on the dresser with a tablet of aspirin by the side.

"You weren't in the room while I was taking my bath?"

"No Crystal, I wasn't. Did anything happen?"

"No, nothing," I lied. "I was just asking."

"Are you sure?" He asks, unconvinced, but I nod my head anyway.

"I'm fine. Thanks for the medicine. I'll use it right away and take a nap."

"Okay then," he gives me a peck on my cheek. "I have to go do something downstairs now. I'll be right back."

"Alright babe," I say, faking a smile. I suddenly become weary of my environment as he leaves. Fear envelops me like ants on a cube of sugar, making my heart race faster than it did when Dylan proposed to me. Shaking my head, trying to rid myself of the fear, I quickly put on a polo and sweatpants afterward, taking the aspirin.

"I think I'm going crazy," I think out loud, lying on the bed with the intention of sleeping off this paranoia. Minutes, if not hours pass, and I can't even close my eyes for two seconds without a scary thought popping into my head.

Was I really hallucinating? Or was it just an imagination? 'No', I shake my head in disagreement. I can't imagine Dylan's voice telling me where the towels were, and they were really there. How he heard me chuckling so quietly or how he got exactly what I was thinking about is weird enough, not finding him in the room is strange and he denying ever being in the room is just insane. Just then, I remember what I saw in the woods.

Those sparkly white eyes that made me feel... vulnerable? Is that even the word?

"No, no, no," I say to myself, holding my head and shutting my eyes close, "It's all just in my head. Everything's fine," I try to reassure myself, "I'm just tired. I'd rest and it'll all be over. It's all in my -"

"Crystal?" Dylan cuts me off, and I jump in my skin out of reflex. "Are you talking to yourself?" Dylan asks as he comes in looking at me like I've grown a second head.

"No—no," I say, "I mean yes. Yes I was, but it's nothing. I was just bored."

Looking at me skeptically, he comes and sits on the edge of the bed looking at me, assessing my face. "Are you sure? You've been acting a little weird since we got here."

"Have I?" I asked, feigning confusion, but I bet he could see right through me. He could always read me like an open book. "I promise it's nothing, I'm just a little bit tired and hungry."

"Oh," his eyes suddenly widened like he had forgotten something. "I almost forgot. Betty asked us to come down for dinner, but I'll take my bath first".

"Okay then," I say, smiling, "I'll wait for you."

"Sure. Where are the towels, by the way? I don't think you packed any."

My eyes widen, and my heart starts beating fast again. He doesn't know where the towels are? He wasn't the one who told me where to get them? This is so creepy, f**k. Who was freaking talking to me, sounding exactly like Dylan. Or is he pulling a prank on me?

"Earth to Crystal", he snaps his fingers in my face, bringing me out of my daze.

"S-sorry" I say, not being able to control the stuttering. "Th-they are in the b-bathroom, in the drawer."

"Er," he looks at me questioningly, "are you sure you're okay?" He looks genuinely confused and Dylan isn't one to pull pranks. He'd laugh in the middle of everything. He can't keep up an act for so long.

"Yeah, sure. I'm waiting for you."

"Okay then. It won't take long". With that, he goes into the bathroom and I don't know if I should be more scared or not.

"This is really tasty, Betty," I say a few minutes into the food.

"This was the first food I learned to cook. Chicken sauce and pasta," she says, smiling proudly.

"And it's my favorite dish," Jake chips in, taking a bite of his chicken.

"Really? It's Dylan's favorite too."

"They both have more in common than they'd ever admit," Betty says and the three of us laugh, mine sounding more like a croak knowing it's a joke Dylan wouldn't find funny. I look to my right at Dylan, who is sitting opposite his father, and see he's not touched his food.

"Are you okay?" I whisper to him, and he nods, smiling a little and taking a spoonful into his mouth to prove his point. I just smile back, and we continue eating in silence.

Few minutes later, we're all done eating. Dylan goes back upstairs, Jake goes into the living room while Betty and I are doing the dishes in the kitchen. Small talking about our lives.

"Well, you can never tell when your past will catch up with you," she says, laughing after telling a story about how her college boyfriend came looking for her a day before her wedding and how she thought he'd ruin things for her, but luckily, he didn't. He just left with a broken heart and an invitation card.

"You're hilarious Betty," I say, laughing, truly enjoying her company.

"Been hearing that my whole life, kid," she says, drying her hands with a towel, "but I've never performed in a circus." We both laugh and sit at the table again.

"Well, people say I'm really great at fashion, but I've never found myself in a magazine. Not even a local one". Laughing again, we continue talking until I remember Dylan is by himself upstairs. I want to spend quality time with my husband before we go back, and he has to resume back to work.

"Er, Betty. Do you mind if I excuse myself?" I say, smiling with pleading eyes.

"Ah," she says with her usual loving smile, "A few minutes away from your husband, and you're missing him already."

"No," I say blushing a little,"it's just, he's alone by himself and-"

"It's fine dear. I'm sure my old man wouldn't mind my troubles either."

"Thanks," I say and smile, getting up to leave, but she holds my left hand gently.

"Don't thank me too soon", with that, she leaves my hand and goes into the living room while I head upstairs, her voice echoing in my head. What did she mean by that? She probably meant there's more fun ahead. I can't wait honestly. She actually made me forget about all that happened today. I'm sure it was all just in my head. Quickly, I go into the room and find Dylan lying down, going through his phone. He doesn't hear me coming in, so I walk as quietly as I possibly could, jumping on him and shouting. Startled, he pushes me off and falls to the ground, hitting his butt hard. Not being able to control it, I laugh as hard as I have not in weeks. I've

My eyes tearing up and my ribs aching. The shocked expression on his face playing in my head making me laugh even harder.

"Oh," he says, laughing too,"You want to play, right?" He gets up, and I scurry back into bed, holding my sides knowing exactly what he wants to do. Not disappointing me, he comes at me, removing my hands and tickling me, making me laugh, kicking my legs and begging him to stop. Finally, he gives in and lies on my chest, both of us trying to catch our breaths.

"You're really mean, you know," I say, hitting the back of his head a little.

"Am I?" he says, looking at me mischievously, coming up and stopping when he's eye level with me, "Or should I show you what mean is?" Before I can say anything, he puts his mouth in mine, my eyes closing automatically, pouring out all my fear, anxiety and worry into the kiss. Slowly, the gentle kiss gets really fast and demanding.

He starts to caress my body, my hand going into his hair, the other at his back. I can feel his hand going under my shirt, grabbing my left breast, not breaking the kiss. I tug harder on his hair, knowing how much he loves it. He pinches my n****e gently, and I moan, feeling a little wetness in my core. Slowly, he kisses my neck, going downwards, putting my right n****e in his mouth, sucking gently while nibbling the other with his finger. I grab his hair tightly, moaning and wrapping my legs around his waist as he keeps sucking.

Flipping him over, I unbutton his shirt, and he does the rest while I remove mine. Without wasting any more time, we both undress quickly and go back to kissing hard, pouring out our emotions into the kiss.

"You, taste, so, good baby," he says between kisses and I bite his lip, causing him to moan a little. He breaks the kiss again, sucking my n****e, his finger rubbing gently on my c**t, teasing me, making me a moaning mess.

"You're so wet baby," he says in a husky voice that only turns me on more.

"I want you in me, Dylan," I say, my voice not sounding like it belongs to me. As if that was his cue, he spreads my legs, rubbing the head of his c**k gently against my c******s, making me moan louder. Kissing my neck, he enters me slowly, being all gentle like it's my first time. He fills me up with his length and I suddenly feel safe, protected. I swear I can never get used to that feeling.

"Hmm," he moans into my ears, "You feel so good baby."

"Yeah," I say almost in a whisper, not even thinking as he thrusts into me, his thrusts getting faster and deeper with time. Feeling the utmost ecstasy, trying hard to hold back my moan a little, I grabbed the sheets tightly, biting onto his neck making him moan loudly, quickening his thrusts, making him go deeper. We make passionate love for minutes till we both reach our climax, and he lies on my heaving chest, trying to catch our breaths. We both lay naked in silence, with him still inside me.

"I love you so much more than words could describe Dylan," I say with so much emotion in my voice after a few seconds of silence.

"I love you more than you can ever imagine, Crystal".