Attacked

Chapter 10

The next morning when I woke up it dawned on me. I did know something useful about Steve. One of them must've put me on the couch last night because I shot up, threw the blanket off and ran into Tylers room shaking him awake, "Tyler! Tyler I know something! I know something important." He rolled over and looked at the clock, "Fia? What?" I sat on his bed and just started rambling, "One time when we were talking I mentioned Trent being a veteran and he got all fired up about being a veteran too. He said he never actually served overseas because someone made a false accusation because they were jealous of how much better he was than them and he was discharged and that it was bullshit. It seems too detailed to be made up and the way he talked about it seemed true. Is there a way to.." He sat up grabbing my arm, "Fia hold on I'm awake now start from the beginning please? You think that he's a vet?" I shook my head, "No I think he was dishonorably discharged." I started over and continued, "Is there a way to take my sketch the sketch artist drew and see if anyone who got dishonorably discharged from Fort Jackson, SC two years ago matches?" He processed that for a minute and nodded, "Its worth a shot." He made a couple phone calls and I waited for him in his room. When he came back in he told me they were going to run the picture through the list. I nodded and started to walk out but paused in the doorway, "I'm sorry by the way. I shouldn't have even talked to him." Tyler waved me back in, "Hold on come back here for a minute." I walked back in and hovered just inside the doorway. When he realized I wasn't coming any closer he started, "Can I ask why you started talking to him? Why you invited him over to your apartment?" I sighed, "You do realize that between the six of you guys always being around I've never really talked to a guy besides you all? I've never been on a date... never had a first kiss or a first boyfriend. I'm 26 I just wanted to experience something. I didn't know it would turn out like this. I should've known no one would ever truely be interested in me." He crossed the room in quick strides and pulled me in for a hug. I hadn't realized I started crying until it I noticed his shirt getting wet from my tears, "I'm sorry." He pushed me back so he could look at my face, "You are an amazing girl. Maybe we were a bit too protective but there's a lot of bad guys out there. We didn't want you to get hurt. I'm sorry too... we shouldn't have hovered as much as we did." Teagan popped up in the doorway, hair ruffled wearing just a pair of shorts and yawned, "What's up?" That made me giggle and Tyler smile.

Tyler and Teagan took turns taking me to work and picking me up. Life was a lot simpler without a phone since I never turned it back on after I got it back. I couldn't bring myself to turn it on. I just didn't want to get another message from him. I had Tyler check it for me a couple of times but other than that it stayed in my back switched off. Tj and Jenny finally went home Thursday but had an officer sit outside for a couple days. Pretty soon it was Friday and when Allison texted Teagan to make sure I was still coming tonight he picked me up from work all excited, "You're finally coming out with us?" I nodded. My ribs felt a little better and my face wasn't as black and blue anymore. I put on the outfit I bought with Allison and did my makeup like she told me but I just didnt feel confident. I didnt want to see Logan and I really hoped that girl wasn't there. Tegan came out of his room in a blue dress shirt rolled up to his elbows and tucked into skinny jeans. He added white suspenders and converse to complete the look. He was a nerd but gotta hand it to him he was kind of a hot nerd. For my brother that is. I walked out and he let out a low whistle, "See this is why we dont let you talk to boys you're going to have them crawling all over you." I sighed and plopped down on the couch, "Do I have to go?" He narrowed his eyes, "Spill it whats going on?" I avoided eye contact until he started tickling me and I caved, "I dont want to see Logan and that girl." His eyebrows shot way up, "What girl?" I stared at my feet, "The tall blonde. She came to get her swimsuit last saturday morning and she was there when Allison was going to drop me back off. That's why I went to my apartment instead and that's why I found it open. She drives a red slug bug." He stood up, "Chelsea? Oh hold on. Is this her?" He showed me a picture on his phone and I nodded. He frowned, "Man she switched fast. She was my date but as soon as we got to Logan's it was like I didn't exhist anymore. I dont think he was interested from what I saw. I wonder why she was there?" I shrugged. Suddenly it was like something clicked in his brain, "Wait you like Logan dont you?" I immediately denied it but he wouldn't believe me, "Fia its okay if you do. I support it. Logan is a good guy." I about screamed inside no one was listening to me, "I can't be with Logan!" He seemed shocked, "What why?" I sighed, "Do you realize how many girls want to be with Logan? He's way up here and I'm like down here. We just won't match." I motioned to above my head for him and then down by my knees for me. He was about to respond but his phone rang, "Hey yeah we're leaving now. Uh huh yeah okay we'll get you on the way." He turned back to me, "Come on we are picking up Carson on the way." I grabbed my wallet and trudged out the door. When we got to the car he paused before starting it, "Can we just agree on one thing?" I waited and held my hand out for him to continue. "You need a night out and you don't have to work tomorrow so can we agree that you need to just have a good time. No focusing on guys or what happened. Just focus on having a good time and let your brothers get you drunk!" I smiled and nodded, "Okay Tee I can agree to that." Pretty soon we pulled up to Carson's and he hopped in, "Wow Fia you look good tonight." I felt myself blushing even if it was Carson. Trent and Allison picked up Tyler so they already claimed a big booth the corner. Allison ran up squealing when she saw me, "Fia you look amazing come on lets get you a drink."