This Summer (DMBB Spin-off)

Chapter 16: A Fight To The Death

"You are not alone
I've been here the whole time
Singing you a song,
I will carry you."

Song: Carry You ~ Ruelle

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16. A Fight To The Death

Jacob's words never left my brain. In fact, they were all I could think about. I mean, he told me he liked me.

Jacob likes me.

Me, Shayley Folton, the drug addict.

He acted normally around me though, like nothing had happened that other night. Like he hadn't confessed that he had feelings for me. Like I hadn't turned him down.

I didn't know how to feel about that.

I sat on the kitchen stool biting on my nail, my leg bobbing up and down. Now was that because I was nervous or because I had pumped myself with so many amphetamines that I couldn't sit still without feeling like I was going to explode?

Austin walked in and looked at me. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, good, perfect," I answered almost immediately.

I'm placing my bet on the amphetamines.

I'm sure he thought that I didn't want to talk to him as I've been quite a bitch lately, so he only nodded and picked up a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

"JacobtoldmehelikesmeandnowImfreakingout," I said all at once.

He turned and put the bottle on the island. "I'm sorry, what?"

I took in a breath and repeated my statement much slower this time. "Jacob told me he likes me and now I'm freaking out."

I stopped fidgeting with my hands when he chuckled and came to sit beside me. I curled them  into fists so that they wouldn't shake in front of him.

"Yeah we kind of all saw that one coming," he said. "What did you say?"

"I said that I didn't want a relationship," I answered.

"And do you?"

"No...yes," I sighed. "Maybe?"

Austin let out a laugh. "It's understandable that you're confused. You've got stuff to deal with."

I ran my fingers through my hair. "It's not just that it's-"

"It's what?" he asked when I suddenly stopped.

It's Cameron.

I shook my head. "Nothing, it's nothing. I just have stuff going on."

Truth is I hadn't spoken to Cameron during the past couple of days. I don't think I could take being around him and Jacob on a daily basis. When the others went to the diner I just stayed at the ranch and said I wasn't feeling well. Tess stayed with me because well, they all thought they'd leave and I'd probably turn the place into a meth lab.

Like I'd ever do that. My habit was still a bad one, but there were three drugs I stayed away from.

Meth, heroin and cocaine.

It's not like my decision made me any less of a devil or any more of a saint, but the damage those things did was enough to scare even me.

And then there was a fourth one I swore I'd never do again.

"Be patient with yourself," Austin said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"I'm trying to," I said.