CHAPTER 12: FORGIVEN
1891 Words
HAZEL'S POV
I found myself wandering around in some kind of hospital room.
I sensed the need to find someone.
But who? I pondered to myself.
I felt a powerful pull towards the far end of the room. My feet immediately led me over like they had a mind of their own.
I felt another desire to touch the wall. So I did.
A slight feeling of dread and depression hit me.
I couldn't interpret it! This whole situation was weird.
I could feel it now.
The person I am supposed to find is here. Right behind this wall.
But how do I get to them?
I touched the wall again, but this time it felt like fabric, really thick fabric.
I used my nails, and I scratched at the fabric until there was a minuscule gap in it.
I adapted an eye, and I peeped through the crack that was now there.
I saw nothing - nothing but obscurity and desolation.
I was about to give up when suddenly I heard an animal howling. It resounded like it's in pain.
I used my hand, and I ripped the gap to make it bigger. My eyes were fighting to see if I could detect something - anything.
I painfully squinted my eyes and I saw a figure coming towards me.
This was the person I'm meant to find. I felt it in my soul.
I waited for the figure to get closer. I could see his face now. His chiselled jaws, his raven coloured hair and his mint green eyes. They seemed to glow in all that darkness.
Alpha!
My eyes fell to the hole that I could have affirmed was a lot bigger a few moments ago.
Alpha positioned his body to squeeze through, but the gap was closing in around him.
I set my fingers in the corners at each end of the crack in an endeavour to keep it open, just long enough for him to come through.
Alpha's head fell backwards and he howled!
His howl flung me to the ground, I hit my head hard and then the darkness came for me.
WHAT A CRAZY f*****g DREAM, I thought as I woke up soaked in sweat.
It was the middle of the afternoon.
I wondered what that dream meant.
That man sure did have some beautiful eyes.
My mind went back to Gerry and how he stood me up earlier today.
That ASSHOLE!
I was starving, so I grabbed my phone and headed downstairs for a bite to eat.
I made myself a sandwich and ate it at the kitchen island.
I turned my phone on.
Thirty-four missed calls from Gabz and nine from Gerry.
I called Gabz first.
The phone only rang once before she answered.
"Haze, are you ok?"
"Yes," I stated flatly.
"We have been calling you for hours."
"We?" I questioned.
"Yeah. Gerry and I."
"Tell that asshole to forget my number."
"Look Haze, I know he was supposed to stop by and talk, but he met in a minor accident on his way over," she explained.
I instantly felt sick.
Here I was imagining ways to kill him, and he could have been dying in a hospital.
"Is anybody hurt? - is Gerry hurt?" You could hear the panic in my voice.
"No, everyone involved is ok. A guy ran a stoplight and hit the side of Dad's van. It's a tough old thing, so it just got a small dent and a few scratches."
"Ok. That's good to hear."
"Gerry wanted to call you but his phone died, and he had to wait for the police and shit." She sounded frustrated.
"I understand. Tell Gerry I'm glad he's ok."
"You can tell him later."
"Are you guys coming over?"
"No, you remember Gerry's friend Chastity, who I told you about?"
"Yes, friends with benefit chick."
"Well her parents are hosting a charity fundraiser tomorrow night in Toronto, and she invited Gerry and me. You, my dear, are my plus one, so we're leaving sooner than we initially planned."
"Ok. I'll get the jet ready?"
"No need to do that. When I couldn't get to you earlier, I called your aunt, and she gassed up the jet. It's ready and waiting for us, so we'll meet you at the airport in an hour."
"Ok. See you guys there."
"Ok babe."
I packed my bags and got dressed in regular jeans and a t-shirt. I wanted to be comfortable because it's going to be a long flight.
"Hazel, could you come here?" Aunty Jules requested.
I found her sitting in her room.
She had an anguished expression on her face.
"Yes, Aunty," I answered as I squatted beside her.
"Hazel, you're going to see and discover a few things in Wolf's Pond that may seem out of this world. Take this chest with you and open it when the time is right."
She handed me a beautiful antique chest decorated with red stones.
"I don't understand. I don't understand any of this. How will I know when will be the right time?"
This all sounded too shady and confusing.
She straightened herself and stared straight into my eyes. "Hazel, you don't understand now, but you will soon, and at that moment you will know when to open this box."
She leaned over and kissed me on the forehead.
"Now Pablo is waiting to take you to the airport. Be good and remain safe. Call me when you land."
"Yes, aunty."
She accompanied me to the car and helped me in.
"Pablo make certain she arrives in one piece."
"Si señorita."
We drove to the airport in silence. Pablo didn't speak much English and I didn't talk Spanish.
I thought about Alpha the whole excursion to the airport. Something told me he might be in jeopardy.
I need to find him.
I wonder if he'll like me.
I wonder if he has a girlfriend or a wife.
I wonder if he's GAY.
JESUS CHRIST!
Why do I constantly come up with these crazy scenarios?
Finally, we boarded the jet.
Gerry was staring at me like he was seeing me for the first time. I felt awkward and weird. His dark brown eyes were raking my body. I watched as he bit his lips as I passed him and went to take my seat. It was clear he was checking out my ass.
The tension was eating at us. We didn't exchange many words other than your regular pleasantries.
Gabz was trying to break the ice by walking us down the path of memory lane.
Oh! Lord. Here we go.
She reminded us about the day Gerry put earthworms beneath my pillow and the time he put gum in my hair.
Yeah, that's Gerry for you. He was always a little gremlin.
She rambled about a few more 'Gerry being a d**k moments' but I tuned her out.
When did my life get so complicated?
What will I say to Alpha if I find him?
"Oh hey, I've been drawing portraits of you since I was nine, then when I turned eighteen I started having dreams about you, then my friend found out you might live in Toronto and I decided to come search for you."
Yeah, that did not sound crazy at all, I thought to myself sarcastically.
I didn't even realise that Gabz was now fast asleep.
I looked over to Gerry, and I gave him a brief smile. Gerry took that as his cue and made his way to the seat next to mine.
Oh! Lord. Here we go - again.
"Hey."
"Hey," I answered.
"Look, about this morning I'm sorry. I wanted to call you, but my phone died."
"It's ok. I understand. Gabz told me what happened and I'm just glad you're ok."
There was an uncomfortable silence between us.
He positioned himself and got closer to me. I froze in my seat. His eyes were still as beautiful as I remembered. They reminded me of Gabrielle's since they share the same eye colour.
What the hell is he doing?
I had my hand on the seat rest.
He took my palm and brought it to his lips. My mouth fell agape as he pressed a lingering kiss on the back of my hand. His messy, blonde hair shaped his high cheekbones beautifully.
"Haze, I'm sorry."
"It's ok. You don't need to apologise again."
"No, I mean, I'm sorry for what I did to you two years ago."
I quickly tugged my hand from his grasp like he had burnt me.
"Ok. But I don't want to talk about it."
"We have to if we're ever going to be friends again."
He was right, I'd like to be friends again.
I sighed. "Gabz already informed me what you told her when you both were in the closet."
"So you understand?"
"I understand that you were drunk and forgot that we had s*x but you said you remembered us kissing."
"Yes, I do. It's still the best kiss I've ever had."
I cleared my throat at his confession.
"Ok so if it was so great why did you sleep with those two girls?"
"Honestly I went over at Dane's after I found out Grandma died and I just got lost in my grief. Those girls meant nothing - it meant nothing."
I almost forgot that his Grandma had died that morning. I guess I was a bit too hard on him.
"I didn't mean for you to see me like that. When Gabby told me you saw me with those girls, I felt disgusted. I now know why you haven't talked to me in two years."
"Let's just forget about everything that happened that night. I want us to be friends again," I gave him a small smile.
His face expressed disappointment at my statement, or was I imagining it?
"Ok, I'd like that Haze." He smiled that beautiful smile of his. Even with his bruised face, he still looked handsome.
"And now that we are friends again, you can come live with me and Gabz in Wolf's Pond."
"Really? Does that mean you forgive me?"
I giggled a little. "Yes, you're forgiven."
He jumped from his seat and hugged me with enthusiasm.
He started to relax in my arms and I could feel his heart thudding against my chest.
He pulled away a little, but just enough so he was looking at my face.
He ran his thumb over my cheeks.
He started to lean in, his nose now touched my nose.
He gently kissed my lips then pulled away.
Oh! No, you don't.
I grabbed him by the back of his head and slammed my lips against his.
The kiss was sweet, but that's it. It was nothing more, nothing less.
We were interrupted by Gabz.
"Am I going to have to dive headfirst without a parachute from this mother-f*****g plane? I don't want to see that s**t, break it up."
We pulled away and laughed at what Gabz said.
Gerry's kiss was nothing special. There wasn't anything there.
That dream kiss from Alpha set the bar so high that I realised no one would be able to fulfil that desire, but him.
Alpha, I'm coming to find you.
You owe me a real kiss or two.
- Writer
