Because of Karson

Chapter 21

Karson and I never spoke a word the next day at school. During lunch, he sat across from me and never spared a glance. I was glad that he didn't try to talk to me, because I knew I wouldn't be able to contain my anger.

Nora ended up telling me about her and Braxton on the phone last night. She doesn't necessarily have feelings for him, but she could possibly see something happening between them in the future. She said it's just fun to flirt with each other, which I totally understand. Flirting is fun especially when you know the other person is joking around as well.

I was standing in the driveway in front my house, trying to get Liv unbuckled out of the backseat. Her seatbelt was pissing me off. "Motherfucker."

Her seatbelt was stuck so I had to keep tugging until it finally let me push down on the button. I watched as Liv furrowed her eyebrows, trying to focus on something. "Motherfu-"

"Don't you dare finish that word," I stared at her, pointing my finger at her petite body. She just giggled in return, finding it hilarious that she tried to copy what I said.

I let out a breath. I need to stop cussing in front of her.

I heard a click as the seatbelt finally came undone. She wiggled out of her seat and ran to Jace who was already patiently waiting by the front door, his attention drawn to his phone. Now they were both waiting for me to unlock the front door. I huffed, grabbing all my school shit and locking my car.

I trudged my way towards them and unlocked the door. The first thing Jace did when he got inside was grab a snack from the pantry. He threw himself on the couch, eating his snack as he turned on Shameless. Yes! I've taught him well.

Olivia grabbed some of her toys from upstairs and eventually brought them down to the living room. She played with her dolls on the carpet, occasionally glancing up at the TV above her. I huffed, walking over to the living room as I sat next to Jace. We watched Shameless as Liv played with her dolls below us.

I felt relaxed for the first time in a while, my aching muscles finally being able to rest. I felt drowsy as I stared at the TV screen. I was so exhausted from the constant arguments with Karson, my mother, and the sleepless nights I encountered every night.

I laid my head against the cushion, resting my eyes as I focused on my breathing. I knew I needed to sleep, so I eventually let the darkness take over me, awaiting the horrid dreams I had just recently gotten with Jason who often occurred in them. I now understood what that man was talking about the one time he visited the coffee shop.

Not being able to sleep was a blessing in disguise. I used to hate not being able to sleep, but recently I've been getting small nightmares of Jason touching me. They weren't always bad, but some would be worse than others, leaving me sweaty and feverish. I would randomly wake up, panting and violently shaking as I remembered the events in my dream. Jace doesn't know this, but there have been times where I was afraid that my nightmares had woken him up when I jolted awake.

The nightmares only started the day he tried forcing himself onto me. It was the first time he had done it in a while, so it triggered a lot of buried memories that I tried my best to keep submerged. The nightmares were the same one every time, the scene of him in my living room touching my lips, my face, and my body. I shivered as I thought about it. I was never able to control them, so I just let them take over my thoughts because I knew there was nothing else I could do.

~•~•~

"Dakota!" My mother's voice boomed as she slammed the front door. My body shot up, like a bucket of cold water was just poured over my body. I didn't know she was home. I glanced at the clock on the wall, 9:40pm.