Filed To Story: The Perfect Spiral Book PDF Free by Ashley Constantine
I glance back at the beach, the camera flashes illuminating the night. I see Lauren walking up to the deck of my house.
I retreat from the water, settling down on the sand as the waves lap at my feet. I hear a sigh from my brother, Kyle. He settles down next to me, and together we watch the sun dip lower in the sky.
I hear him sniffle a few times and turn to see tears streaming down his face. I wrap my arms around my older brother, hugging him tightly. “Why are you crying?” I ask him softly.
He doesn’t answer, his sobs only growing louder. I pull him closer, my heart aching at the sight of his tears.
I repeat my question, and he finally lifts his head to face me. His eyes are bloodshot from rubbing them so hard.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’ll do everything I can to protect you, Alex. I-I can’t bear the thought of you not being here with me, with us… What happened? You don’t smile anymore. You’re not happy. Where’s my sister gone? You’re a different person now…” His words are punctuated by sniffles.
I swallow the lump in my throat and lean my head against his shoulder, my tears soaking his shirt.
“It’s too hard, Kyle. I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me. You all have a girlfriend, a wife, a fianc? who loves you. You guys have someone to love you. I don’t want him to destroy any chance of ruining a current and future family for any of you-“
“I love you, Max, Cole, Sam, Mom, and Eric love you-
“It’s not the same, Kyle. I don’t have someone to look at me the way Andy looks at you, and you look at her… And I’ve accepted that. We can’t have everything in life. But I do love you guys, you’re my family. I will always love you guys. Whatever happens, happens. It’s out of my control. He’s out, and with people taking pictures of me all the time, he’ll know where I am. I’m just being realistic-“
“Stop thinking like that, please, Alex. One of us will always be with you-“
“What happens when I go back to college? Huh? You guys can’t follow me around everywhere I go.”
“I was thinking of moving out to Cali for a few years anyway, so I’ll be there to protect you. Plus, you’ve got Wes-“
“No, Kyle, I’m not bringing Wes into this. Please, I don’t need his life to be threatened either-“WE
“Alex, what did he do to you? You’re not the same… I miss my baby sis. You don’t smile Today was the first time you showed any emotion in a week…” anymore.
“Nothing…” He sighs once more, his tears finally subsiding. I hold him close, my arms wrapped tightly around him.
“Talk to me, sis,” he whispers, his breath warm against my face. He plants a light kiss on my cheek, and I feel the walls I’ve built up starting to crumble. I break down, my sobs muffled by my hands, my shoulders shaking with the force of my tears.
Kyle stands up, pulling me to my feet and lifting me into his arms. I wrap my legs around his waist, burying my face in his shoulder as I continue to cry. His hand supports me while the other cradles my head. He carries me back to the house, where everyone is still gathered in the kitchen.
The room is eerily quiet, my sobs the only sound breaking the silence.
“I’m going to take her upstairs,” Kyle’s voice breaks, choked with tears. I keep my face buried in his shoulder, not wanting to meet anyone’s gaze.
A shaky “Okay” from my mom is the only response. My body is trembling, as if it’s about to give up on me.
Kyle carries me up the stairs and into my room, laying me down on the bed. I continue to cry into my pillow, my tears soaking the fabric.
Kyle, taller and more muscular than me, lies down next to me. His tears are quieter, but no less painful. He cradles me in his arms, hushing me until my sobs subside.
Exhaustion finally claims me, and I fall into a deep sleep.
“Is she alright?” I hear his voice, but I don’t know how long I’ve been asleep.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
I sit up, panic coursing through me. I scramble back against the headboard, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. Kyle notices my distress and rushes over to the bed, cupping my face in his hands.
“Alex, it’s just the fireworks. You’re safe, look at me! It’s okay! It’s just me,” his gentle voice coaxes me back to reality, and I hear the fireworks outside my window. Suddenly, I remember it’s the Fourth of July.
I take deep, shuddering breaths to calm myself down until my heart rate is back to normal. I stare into his eyes, watching him breathe with me, helping me to regain my composure.
It works. He kisses my forehead and sits on the bed with me.
“Is this real?” I finally ask, unsure if I’m dreaming. It feels real, but all my nightmares felt real too. Everything is muddled up into one.
Kyle pinches me on my arm, “Ow! What was that for?” I smack him on the arm, making him laugh.
“Isn’t that the saying? Pinch me, is it real?” He asks seriously, and I give him a deadpan look. Is he actually kidding me? I slap him again on the arm.
“Ow! What was that for?” He mimics me, rubbing his arm and scrunching up his face at me.
“It’s pinch me I’m dreaming, dipshit,” I roll my eyes. Hearing his laugh over by the door, I jump a little, remembering he’s still here.
“Did I just get my sister back?” He grins, and I can’t hide my own smile. I purse my lips to stop a laugh from escaping at how ridiculous he looks.
So he pushes me back on the bed and dives on top of me, hugging me. More like squeezing the life out of me. I hear him laugh loudly in my ear as I slap his back to get him off me.
“Kyle, you’re such a fatty, get off me!” I push breathlessly, making him laugh even more. Eventually, he rolls off me onto my bed. I lay there, breathing in sweet oxygen.
“Food is ready downstairs, I’m hungry. Do you want to go down or should I bring you food?”
“I’ll go down in a minute, I just need to wake up a bit more. Save me some food,” he nods and stands up to leave, kissing my head. I hear him slap Knox’s body.
I stand up and look out my window at the colors exploding against the black sky. I walk around and see him standing at my door. I thought he left with Kyle.
I look down to the ground, not wanting to make any eye contact with him, and he asks me.
“Are you alright?” But I stay silent and ignore him. I walk towards my door and try to slip by him without an answer, but I feel him take my wrist in his hand. I feel the burn of his touch.
My heart is hammering against my chest and the tingles spreading through my entire body. My body is betraying me. Why am I feeling like this towards him? I can’t feel like this again.
“Please look at me,” he pleads, but I can’t look at him. I can’t look into those blue eyes. I’ll break down again. I can’t afford to show him how he affected me.
“Alex,” he steps closer to me, his voice so soft I almost did look up at him. I fought the urge to look up by shutting my eyes closed.
“Please, baby doll, look at me,” I say my first few words since seeing him that day.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.