Midnight Rider

Chapter 19

“You’re not gonna take a couple days off?” Dru watched me suspiciously while I was getting ready for work. I stared at myself in the mirror while throwing my hair up in a bun. I look like crap. My face is pale except for my eyes, they are red and puffy. I had thought about calling in for a couple days but I didn’t want to just lay around the house feeling sorry for myself.

“I don’t think I can just sit around the house. I need something to do.” I answered.  I walked past her and down the stairs. She followed me to the kitchen while I searched the cabinets for something to eat.

“You’re sure?” she asked.

“Yes, I’m sure. If something changes I’ll just say I’m sick and leave.”

She seemed to agree to that idea. I grabbed a poptart and ate it on the way to work. Ciara waited for me in the parking lot.

“You look like s**t. Are you ok?” she asked.

“That’s because I feel like s**t,” I answered.

“What the hell happened last night?”

“I’ll tell you at lunch.” I left her at the time clock and walked into my scan room. I tried to keep myself busy before Ciara came to get me for lunch.

“I didn’t bring anything today, I can drive to pick up something?” she suggested.

“Yea that sounds good.”  As we walked through the building I saw Jay getting his infusion. He smiled really big and waved at me. I did wave back. What is going on between Gabriel and me isn’t his fault.

I had just slammed the door shut to the car when Ciara said, “alright, tell me what happened”.

“Well….Tanner came over and told me a lot of things…”

“Like what?”

“Long story short he told me how he knew Jason was cheating on me for a while and that he and Jason even shared some of the girls. He didn’t tell me about it because Jason kinda blackmailed him. Then it gets crazy…..”

“Seriously? What could possibly be crazier?”

“Tanner then tells me that Gabriel actually went to high school with us but that I didn’t know him and that he was stalking me………..watch out!!”

“Ahh! Sorry!” Ciara slammed on the brakes. She almost ran into the back of another car at a red light.

“Pay attention! Anyway I called Gabriel and that’s not really what happened. Jason was buying weed off of Gabriel’s older cousin and Gabriel overhead him bragging about all the girls he was cheating on me with. So he told Jason he was gonna tell me but Jason went and told Tanner that he was stalking me and they got him kicked out of school.”

“This is some Jerry Springer s**t Angel.” She said shaking her head.

“Yeah,” I huffed, “I know.” We grabbed our food from Chik fila and headed back to work.

“What are you gonna do?” she asked while eating fries.

“For now I told them I don’t want to talk to them. I wanted time to think.”

“Understandable. Are you going to forgive them?”

“I don’t know.” We finished our food in her car before walking back into work. As we came back into the building I could see that Jay was gone. Gabriel must of picked him up while we were at lunch. I tried to put a smile on for the rest of the work day.

I spent the next couple of days just keeping myself busy at work and watching movies at night with Christian and Dru. I hadn’t even texted the Rider. I felt very torn on what to do.

I woke up Friday morning and could smell bacon and pancakes coming from the kitchen. I met Dru at the top of the stairs and followed her down.

“Oh my gosh!” she squealed. Christian was making breakfast and there was a huge bouquet of flowers on the table.

“Happy Anniversary!” he said while setting some pancakes on the table. She ran over and kissed him.

“Oh babe these are beautiful!” There was a card attached with the flowers that my brother had wrote in.

“I have a surprise for you…I’m taking you away on anniversary vacation and we leave today! So after you eat you need to get packing!”

“Seriously????!!!!! Where are we going?” she asked.

“I’ve rented a house right on the beach for a few days.”

“Is this what you were sneaking around and planning?”

“Well yea I wanted it to be a surprise,” he smiled at her.

“Christian you’re the best I’m gonna pack now!” she kissed him again and ran upstairs.

After she was gone I whispered to him, “so did you get the ring?”

He turned and whispered back, “oh yea, the vacation won’t be her only surprise.”

“I’m so happy for you guys,” I smiled but looked down at the pancakes I took from him. I am happy for them, but that doesn’t make my situation hurt any less.

“You gonna be ok here for a few days?” he asked.

“Oh yea I’ll be fine. I’ll see if the girls want to come over or something.” I finished eating and got ready for work. I told Dru and Christian goodbye before leaving. At work I was in the infusion room when I saw Stella walk in.

She came over to me when her phone in her hand. “Oh Angel I have to show you! They had the baby!” she started scrolling through pictures on her phone of the newest grandbaby. In a lot of them he was wrapped up in the blanket she had made for him.

“He’s adorable! What did they name him?” I asked.

“Levi….I think they did good. Him and mom are doing great.”  I walked her over to get her ready for the infusion.

“Well I do have some good news,” I told her.

“What? Did you pick between Gabriel and Tanner?” she whispered to me.

I sighed everyone seems to know that something happened, “no there’s nothing new on that, but my brother is taking his girlfriend on a anniversary vacation and he plans on proposing  while they’re gone.”

“That’s great!” she patted my hand, “don’t worry honey, everything will turn out ok.” She smiled.

I stayed busy with patients but did notice that Jay never came in. When Ciara and I went to lunch I told her about Christian and Dru’s vacation/proposal.

“That’s so romantic!”

“I know right!? I was gonna see if you and Dominque want to come over for a girls movie night or something?”

“Sounds great I’ll be over at eight.”

I texted Dominque who agreed and said she’d also show up at eight. After work I went to the store to grab a bunch of snack foods and chocolate. As I was walking through the store I kept getting the feeling someone was staring at me. I looked around and saw Jason across the store from me. Our eyes met and we looked away. I’m glad we are in a public place because he’s the last person I want to see. Pretty sure  I’m the last person he wants to see too. I hurry to the register to and leave just in case he decides to try and talk to me.

I showered and put on some comfy pajamas when I got home. I was putting some cookies into the oven when the girls came in.

“Heyy!!” they both called walking to the kitchen.

“I just put some cookies in the oven………oh sweet you brought wine!” I turned around to see Dominque holding two bottles of wine.

“Yea I’ve got tropical sangria and blackberry..” she said sitting them on the counter.

“I ordered wings and pizza that should be here soon,” Ciara chimed in.

We each grabbed a blanket and sat on the couch. “What kind of movies do you guys wanna watch?” I asked.

“No scary movies,” Ciara said.

“How about some classics like ‘Bridesmaids’ or ‘Legally Blonde’?” Dominque suggested.

“Let’s go with ‘Legally Blonde’ first.” I rented the movie through our sss firestick. We were only a few minutes in before the pizza and wings arrived. I laid out all the food on the coffee table and poured the wine. Once it was finished we searched for another movie.

“What about Dirty Dancing?” Ciara asked.

“No……..” I answered.

“Why not? It’s your favorite?” Dominque asked.

I sighed, “I know but remember Gabriel took me to the drive in to see it on our first date. And then he took me dancing for another date.”

“Oh yea……” Ciara took a sip of her wine, “Have you talked to him?”

“No I haven’t talk to either of them.”

“He’s been pretty upset………” Dominque added.

“How do you know?” I asked.

“I’ve been talking to Roman and he mentioned how depressed Gabriel was.”

“Oh……”

“Yea Eric has mentioned that he hasn’t really seen Tanner around since all that happened.”

“Really? That’s kind of weird.” I said.

“That’s what I thought too….Eric didn’t seem to think it was though.”

We watched ‘Bridesmaids’ and then ‘A League of Their Own’ before we fell asleep on the couch. As I was drifting off to sleep I heard my phone buzz with a text message. It was the Rider.

Hey how are you doing?

I’m doing ok…just taking it one day at a time.

I hear ya. You up for a ride?

Well, I invited my friends over for movie night so I can’t tonight. Maybe tomorrow though?

That’s fine, just text me, you know I’m always here. Goodnight Angel.

We slept in late Saturday morning.

“You guys want some breakfast?” I asked.

Ciara yawned, “I probably can’t I told Eric we’d have lunch today.”

Dominque was still half asleep, “I need to get home and clean because Roman is coming over tonight to watch movies.”

“You gonna Netflix and chill tonight?” I laughed.

She laughed and threw a pillow at me. “Eric and I were gonna go out tonight do you wanna come?” Ciara asked.

“Yea sure just let me know when.” I watched them leave and started picking up the house. I spent the day cleaning house, doing laundry and watching crime shows on TV.

Ciara texted me- Hey me and Eric can pick you up at eight? That ok?

Yea I’ll see you then!- I answered.

I showered and decided to wear black jeans with a black crop top and heels.

I had just finished getting ready when I heard a honk from the driveway. “You look great!” Ciara exclaimed as I climbed into the back of Eric’s truck.

“Thanks! You guys clean up nice too,” I smiled at them.

Eric nodded toward Ciara, “That’s all her, I take no credit.” He was holding her hand and kissed it.

We grabbed a bite to eat before going to Club Dragon.

“Is it a good idea to come here? You know, after last time?” I asked.

“Oh yea it’s fine! Jason got banned, Tanner and I didn’t.” Eric answered.

“Have you seen him any?”

“Not really…only a couple times and when I did he didn’t talk just kind of waved and went on. He didn’t look his usual self.”

After we entered the bar we got drinks and headed to the dance floor. When we were standing at the bar waiting on our drinks I noticed the Vanessa girl and her boyfriend at the other end. We nodded to each other as I followed Ciara out to the dance floor. Awhile later I yelled to Ciara and Eric over the music, “I need a breather!” All of the tables and chairs were packed around the dance floor so we made our way upstairs.

“Wanna play pool?” Eric asked Ciara.

“Sure I’m ready to kick your ass in pool,” she winked.

I sat at one of the tables by the balcony and watched them. I looked at the bar downstairs and could still see Vanessa and her boyfriend sitting there. They looked deep in conversation. I was looking at the people on the dance floor when a girl in a silver shiny dress caught my eye. She looked like a disco ball. Then I recognized a guy that was with her.

“Ciara come look at this!” I called to her.

“What?” her and Eric both came over to look downstairs.

“See that girl in the disco ball dress?”

“Yea?”

“Who’s with her?” I asked.

“Oh wow…….is that Tanner?” she asked leaning over the railing.

“Sure looks like him to me.” I said. He was walking around the dance floor with his arm around her.

“Well I guess that explains why he hasn’t talked to me.” Eric said.

We watched them stop walking and she pulled him in close to say something while pointing up the stairs. When he turned to look up at the stairs he saw me. I smirked and waved at him. Ciara snorted and Eric laughed. Tanner’s face changed it’s happy expression to a pained one. Tanner said something to the girl and left her standing there to come up the stairs.

He walked straight over to me. “Hi” I said.

“Angel I’m sorry I know this looks weird….” He started.

“What looks weird?” I interrupted him. I knew exactly what he was talking about I just wanted to hear him say it.

“You know, cause I’m with another girl here,” he said.

“Yea it does seem odd coming from a guy who said he’s trying to prove to me he’s not a player and how much I mean to him.”

“We never really were together though….so that can’t count as being a player…..and I didn’t know when or if you were going to talk to me again and I was bored.” I was becoming more agitated the more he tried to make excuses.

“You know what? You’re right, we never really were together and right now I’m glad that we weren’t. Have a nice night.” I turned, grabbed my drink and headed back down the stairs. Ciara was right behind me.

“So much for proving himself to you,” Ciara snorted.

“Right!?”

“Seems at least one decision has been made for you know.”

“Which is?” I asked.

“Well I know you won’t forgive Tanner now since he went back on his word like that.” She answered.

We looked around and saw Eric coming towards us. “I’m really sorry Angel I would of said something if I knew he was doing that. I just thought he was really upset about what happened.”

“It’s ok Eric. You’re not his babysitter he’s a grown man.”

“I told him it was a pretty shitty thing for him to do. I doubt he cares though. Are you girls ready to leave? They close soon anyway.” He asked looking at his phone.

“Yea I’m definitely ready.” Eric and Ciara took me home. As soon as I walked into my house I called the Rider.

He picked up on the second ring. “Hey beautiful what are you doing?”

“Can you come over?  I’m at my house.” I heard his bike start.

“I’ll be right there,” he hung up. He was at the house within 20 minutes.  He pulled into the drive and shut off the bike.

“Hang on” I told him as I ran inside to grab a hoodie and put some sneakers on.

When I came out and started walking towards the bike he was shaking his head at me. “What?” I asked.

He just laughed at me, “Oh nothing. Why you always look so good?” he teased.

I smiled at him, “Why you always flirt with me and then tell me we can’t be together?”

“Cause I can’t help myself I guess.” He held out his arm to help me up onto the bike.

We drove through town and stopped at our usual spot. We both got off and stretched.

“You look like you feel better.” He commented.

“I do actually, something happened at Club Dragon earlier.”

“Oh god what?” he crossed his arms and looked at me.

“So I was there with my friend Ciara and her boyfriend. We were upstairs on the balcony when I look down and I see Tanner there with a girl.”

“And I’m guessing this girl wasn’t a cousin or something right?” he asked.

“Nope….he said that we never were actually together anyway so it shouldn’t matter AND that he was bored….”

“HA…what did you say to that?”

“I told him you’re right we weren’t actually together and now I’m really glad we weren’t. Ciara said basically one of my decisions was made for me.”

“In what way?”

“Tanner had said that he wanted to prove to me that he wasn’t a  player anymore and that I mean something to him, but obviously that’s not the case or he wouldn’t have been out with that girl. So now I know I won’t forgive him or talk to him.”

“So that’s why you feel better? Because one of your decisions has been made.”

“Yes. What do you think?”

“I agree, your decision was made for you. It’s for the better if that’s really how he is. So what about the other guy?”

“I don’t know….what about you?”

“I wouldn’t worry about me if I were you….”

“Uuuggghhhh….I’ve thought about having another talk with Gabriel before I make my decision about him.”

“Ok.” He came and wrapped me up in a hug.

I held onto him tight, “thanks for being there for me. Even when you really didn’t have too.”

“Anytime,” he let go, “come on I’ll take you back home.”

I held on tight to him again as we rode back to my house. He said, “I’ll see you around.” I waved and walked inside. I left the hoodie on and just changed into sweatpants. I laid on my bed and went straight to sleep.

Unfortunately, I didn’t know or see that there was a man hiding in my brother and Dru’s room.  I didn’t hear him come into my room because I was already sound asleep……