Rebel Princess - Book 2 (The Hope Saga) (14 page)

“I know, but how are you doing?”

“They caught my stalker.”

“I know. I heard. Who woulda thought Jeremy was such a whacko? Did you figure out what he was gonna save you from?” Rachel asked.

“I have no idea, but he thinks the three of us are going to die. Funny that he only mentioned us three.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you think it’s because we broke the rules and went to the surface? Maybe since Brett covered for us, we’re all three in trouble.”

“If that’s the case, why haven’t they done anything? Dante never woulda kept quiet about it for so long.”

“Maybe because Brett’s dad is covering it up.”

“Well, if he is, then who wants to kill the three of us? And how was Jeremy going to save you? And when is this assassination supposed to take place anyway? Also, why kill me just because I took a peek outside?”

“None of it makes much sense.”

“Jeremy’s in lockup now. Maybe I can get him to talk.”

“Don’t mess with him, Rachel,” I cautioned. “He’s crazy. I never wanna see him again, not after what he tried to do to me.”

She gripped my hand. “I’m so sorry. Really. If you ever wanna talk about it, I’m here.”

“I just don’t feel like talking right now. I’m really tired, so if you don’t mind, I’d like to sleep for a while.”

“Okay. When are they releasing you?”

“They want me to stay overnight for observation. They think I might have a concussion, since I blacked out.”

“All right. I’ll check on you first thing in the morning,” she said.

“Have a good night.”

A few minutes after she left, Carla briskly walked in. She shot me a glare; if looks could have killed, she would have been more homicidal than her psychotic brother. “Jeremy would never do this!” she shouted in anger.

“They found pictures in his room.”

“
You
put them in there. You hate me, and you’re just trying to get back at me by getting him in trouble.”

“What!? I’d never do that!”

“The hell you wouldn’t,” she retorted.

“You’re more nuts than he is, if that’s what you think,” I said.

She pushed her black hair back. “You’re gonna pay for this,” she said, seething. “If I don’t get payback before I leave this city, I’ll be waiting for you up there. You’d better watch your back, you garden geek, because I’m gonna destroy you, one way or another.” And with that, she stormed off.

Chapter 21

A few weeks passed, and the cuts and bruises healed up. I tried to move on and put the ordeal behind me. I was just glad I’d come out of it alive, without only a few bumps and bruises for souvenirs; he easily could have raped or killed me. I’d never forget the terror, but I refused to let it consume my life.

My aunt and cousins left for the day, so I took some time to write in my journal. When someone knocked on the door, I hurried to answer it. “Who is it?” I asked.

“It’s me, Walter.”

I opened the door. “Hey. Come in.”

His lips pressed into a grim line. “I heard about your ordeal. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. The important thing is that I’m alive.”

“You’re definitely a survivor. I knew you had a stalker, but Mr. Tams assured everyone that he was harmless. I had no idea you were in this kind of danger. I feel bad that I wasn’t there for you, to protect you.”

“It’s okay.”

“I talked Dante into adding extra security, until this killer is caught.”

“And how’d you convince him to do that? Dante doesn’t take advice or orders from anybody.”

He shrugged. “I guess he doesn’t wanna see anybody else hurt down here.”

Right
, I thought, but I just said, “Thank you.”

“Not a problem.”

I closed my journal and met his gaze. “So…what brings you here? Any news about Brett and I going to the surface?”

“I do have news, but I’m afraid it’s not good.”

“Let me guess. Dante?”

“Yeah. He won’t sign off on it.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know. I’ve tried everything to convince him, but like you said, he likes to control the show.”

“Great. So I guess I’ll just have to be stuck down here till I turn eighteen,” I said softly.

“I’m afraid so.”

“Does Dante Marcellus control everything up there, like some kind of commanding officer?”

“It’s not so bad. He just wants order so we can have a functioning society.”

“Hmm. Well, what’s it like on the surface?”

“You’ll love it. It’s absolutely beautiful. I’ve walked barefoot on the beach, watched sunsets, and stared up at the twinkling sky at night.”

“I’ve seen pictures and movies of the night sky.”

“The stars stretch as far as the eye can see.”

“Do you have a house?” I asked.

“Yes, a ranch-style home. You should see the flowers I planted out front! I also have a huge garden, with tons of tomatoes and all kinds of vegetables.”

“Who did the house belong to before?”

“I don’t know. Dante had it cleared of all the personal belongings before I got there, but I made it my own, and now it’s my home sweet home. My brothers live on the same block, along with a bunch of the others.”

“Where does Dante live?” I asked.

“He has a huge house a few blocks away. We’ve restored about ten blocks. Vita has a city hall, a hospital, a store, and all kinds of other places. Everyone is working hard to create a new world, the perfect place to live. As long as you work hard and follow the laws, there’s a place for you.”

I blinked. “What kind of laws?”

“They aren’t so bad. It’s not like we have a curfew or something. Dante just put them in place to make sure everyone is doing his or her part. Like…well, nobody can get away with lounging on the couch all day. Laziness is not tolerated. It’s all about teamwork, and everyone pulls their weight.”

“Hmm. Well, maybe I’ve been wrong about him. I’ve always pictured him as some kind of dictator, with a horde of goons at his beck and call, doing his bidding.”

“He’s a great leader, and we all support him. He goes to amazing lengths to support us.”

“If he’s so amazing, why is he making us wait down here? Why can’t we all just come on up?”

“There isn’t room yet. He’s preparing another block now. Every month, we prepare more homes, but it’s a whole lot easier if only a few come up at a time. He wants to make sure there is a place for everyone. When you get there, there will be a beautiful home waiting for you. As a matter of fact, I’ve already seen yours.”

“Is it near my dad’s?”

“No, but you’ll love it. The landscaping is amazing. I can’t wait to see what you’ll do with it, with that green thumb of yours.”

“Is it near yours?”

“Yep. We’ll practically be neighbors! You’re gonna love our new world, all that freedom after being cooped up in Asha for so long. Up there, you can gaze at the sky whenever you want, and it isn’t made of water and fish!”

“I can only imagine,” I said, dreamily remembering when I’d had a sneak peek. 

“I promise that you won’t be disappointed.”

“I’m sure I won’t,” I said, and we both smiled.

Chapter 22

After a make-out session, Brett looked me deeply in my eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you,” I echoed back, but I could tell something was bothering him. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t stand this, all this secrecy. I don’t wanna spend another minute hiding our relationship. These lies end now.”

“But your dad—”

“I don’t care. I’ll take the gamble. Our love is worth fighting for. C’mon.” Gripping my hand, he pulled me down the hall.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“To do something I shoulda done a long time ago.”

“What?”

“Stand up to my parents.”

I abruptly stopped. “Stirring up trouble with your dad is a bad idea, Brett. He’ll blame me, since I’m usually the troublemaker. It will only prove his case that I’m not good for you, that I’m a bad influence.”

“
They’re
not good for me if they are keeping me away from the girl I love. I want to be with you, Sky, and they need to know that.”

“Are you sure you wanna do this? You have to be sure, because once you spill it to them, there’ll be no turning back.”

He gently kissed my lips. “The only thing I’ve ever been more sure of is how much I love you.”

“All right. Then let’s go confront them together,” I said, my heart melting at the risk he was willing to take for me.

We walked to his apartment and went inside. I swallowed hard as his parents rose to their feet. It was an awkward confrontation, and I could tell by the look on his dad’s face that he would have rather kicked me in the stomach than to let his son date me.

“I love Sky,” Brett blurted out. “I can’t live without her, and it really bothers me that you can’t accept the girl who makes me happy.”

“You can do nothing to split us up,” I bravely chimed in. “I love your son with all my heart, and I’ll spend the rest of my life making him happy. What do I have to do to make you believe that, to win your trust? I know we started off on the wrong foot, but I want to make amends.” I paused and met their hard gazes. “I know you just want what’s best for your son, because you love him dearly, but you’re forcing him to choose between the people he loves. If you make him give me up, he will resent you. If he stays with me, he will lose your approval and respect. Either way, Brett will suffer. Can’t we come up with a workable solution that will make everyone happy? We need your love and support. Also, I’ve changed. I really have, all because of Brett. Growing up without my parents and being stuck down here turned me into a depressed person, and I used to act out all the time, but I’m over it, thanks to your son. I’m ready to become a productive citizen, to make you proud of me.”

His mother looked at me coldly. “Are you pregnant? Is that why you’re asking us to let our son ruin his life?”

“Mom!” Brett said. “How dare you say something like that? That’s not what this is about. I’m just tired of you controlling my life, and it’s not gonna be like this anymore. I am going to be with Sky because I love her, and if you turn her in, Dad, I’ll never talk to either of you again. I won’t hide my feelings for her. This girl is my world, and I’d die for her. Do you understand? That’s how much she means to me.”

“And I’d do the same for Brett. I can’t live another minute without him by my side. We’re going to be together whether you approve or not.”

“In spite of what you think, what you’re always accusing her of, Sky is an asset to this community,” Brett said. “You’re always talking about how you admire hardworking citizens, and she’s one of them. She runs the greenhouse and knows everything there is to know about plants. She’ll be a huge helper in Vita, yet you shun her like she has the plague. It isn’t fair!”

His father threw his hand up. “Son, she’s stirred up a lot of trouble down here. She causes waves wherever she goes, and she sneaked up to the surface, directly disobeying the rules. She has a dangerous rebellious streak, and she’ll be trouble down the road. You’ll thank me for this later, when you’re with a nice, pretty, obedient girl, like Gina or Tanya or—”

“I don’t want those girls, Dad!” Brett yelled. “I want to go out with a girl, not a mindless sheep.”

“Fine. If you want this trouble maker you can have her, but you won’t have us too.

“Don’t talk to my girlfriend like that,” he said.

“Get out, both of you,” he said, glaring at Brett and then me. “As far as I’m concerned, I no longer have a son. Your sister was never this much trouble.”

“How dare you bring a girl like this into our home unannounced?” his mother said.

“If we walk outta here like this, I swear you’ll never see me again. I’m your only son, Mom. Is this what you really want? If she goes, so do I.”

His father laughed, but then his expression turned to one of rage. His breath became ragged, and his hands balled into white-knuckled fists. “And where are you going to go exactly? The lobby?”

“No! We’ll escape to the surface. We’ll just run away and never look back. You’ll never see us again.”

“Oh, Brett!” his mother wailed. 

“Don’t worry, darling. They don’t have keycards to get up there.”

“If Sky wants to run away, she’ll figure out how. She’ll take my baby away!” she said, sobbing. 

“Brett, look what you’re doing to your poor mother! Give the girl up,” his dad shouted. “She’s bad for you, and she’s tearing this family apart. Can’t you see that?”

“I can’t believe you’re ordering me to give up the woman I love, Dad. What if someone had told you that about Mom?” Brett argued. “I want to be with Sky. I need her in my life, to love her, laugh with her, hold her, and have children with her one day.”

“Children! No, Brett. That girl will not be the mother of my grandchildren,” he shouted.