The Hairdresser Diaries (25 page)

After I went home and changed, we met Tommy and Jessie at the restaurant. They sat at the bar until we arrived and then we all sat down at a table.

“So what did you guys need to talk to us about?” I asked. No sense in beating around the bush.

“Um, well…” Jessie began. “Tommy and I are going to move in together.”

“That’s great…” Cole and I both said. “I’m so happy for you guys.”

“Are you guys going to find a new place?” Cole asked.

“That’s the thing…” Tommy looked at Jessie for reassurance and she just smiled at him. “Jessie’s lease is up in a few weeks and we’ve got the place till the end of the year…so I was thinking she’d move into our place.”

I could tell Tommy had something else to say, but wasn’t sure how to come out and say it.

Cole just spoke up for him, knowing what Tommy was trying to get around to. “You want me to move out,” Cole said.

“No…and yes,” Tommy stuttered. “Well, we kind of figured since you and Tatum are together all the time…” Again he didn’t finish, but I knew what he was getting at.

I looked at Cole and wrinkled my brow at him. “Hmm…twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, with you…I don’t know. I don’t really like you that much.”

“Yeah, you snore,” he said and I kicked him. “Hey.”

We just laughed.

It would make sense. Cole and I were together all the time, so why not live together and let Jessie and Tommy have the apartment.

And that’s what we told them.

Once that was over Tommy relaxed a little and we enjoyed a nice meal. Afterwards we decided to go out for some drinks to celebrate. Jessie said the gang would be at the club and we should meet them there.

Everything was going great. We got to the club and met up with our friends. I went to the bar to get some drinks when the girl in front of me turned around and almost ran right into me because I wasn’t paying attention. I was about to say sorry until I looked up and saw who it was.

Kayla.

I just rolled my eyes and tried to step aside, but she wouldn’t let me. She stood there and stared me down.

“Seriously, you really want to test me? Do you not remember what happened last time?” I said glaring at her. She just huffed and walked away as I shook my head.

While I was ordering the drinks, Logan—of all people—came up and stood next to me at the bar. I didn’t know he was at the club until now. I knew I would eventually end up running into him, but I was kind of hoping by some luck that I wouldn’t. I ignored him the best I could.

“How are you?” he asked.

“Wow, really?” Was all I said and looked at him like he was kidding.

“You look beautiful tonight,” He said to me.

“Just stop. Apparently I hadn’t made it clear. I don’t want anything to do with you. So please for the last time, leave me alone,” I said to him hoping he might finally get it. He watched me for a moment and I was getting annoyed. I was ready to knee him when Kayla walked up.

“Logan, what are you doing?” she asked him but she was looking at me.

I looked at Logan, then Kayla, and back at Logan and started cracking up hysterically.

“Have fun with my sloppy seconds,” I told Kayla as I pushed them out of the way and headed back to my friends. I sat down next to Cole and tried to hide the sour look on my face.

“You okay?” he asked concerned.

I forced a smile and said, “Fine.”

He took my hand and squeezed it like he always did letting me know no matter what, everything would be okay. Just looking at Cole and knowing how much he loved me made everything else seem insignificant. I leaned over and kissed him, this time not having to force a smile.

As the night went on, Kayla and Logan became just a distant memory.

“Wanna dance?” I asked Cole. He looked at me unsure.

“I don’t think you want to see me dance,” he said. Tommy laughed in agreement. “Why don’t you and Jessie go?”

Jessie, Kelly, and I got up and went to the dance floor. Landon was already there making a fool of himself, but at least it was entertaining. We joined him and tried to teach him some moves, but he was hopeless. I was having a good time until I ran into Logan and Kayla again, literally. Logan bumped into me by accident and Kayla just grabbed him, gave me a dirty look, and moved away.

I know I shouldn’t care, but I couldn’t stop watching them. She was all over him. That didn’t bother me, it was that it was Kayla, and it was Logan she was over. I tried to ignore them, but couldn’t. So, I did what I do best and started taking shots…and then some more shots, followed by a few more.

I was getting hot from all the dancing, so I grabbed the girls and told Landon to tell the boys we would be outside getting some air. Once I felt the cool rush of the air I started to feel better.

Kelly and Jessie said they were going to run to the bathroom real quick and meet me back outside. I walked over to the far wall of the patio and looked out over the long stretch of gravel that led to the woods off in the distance. I felt someone come up behind me and assumed it was Cole. I turned around to surprise him with a kiss, but to my surprise it was Logan. I quickly jumped back.

“What are you doing?” I said disgusted.

“I know you still want me. I saw how you were staring at Kayla and me.”

“Please, get over yourself,” I said trying to step away, but he had me cornered with both arms on either side of me. I stared up at him. “Would you move?” My voice was a little shaky and I was feeling very uncomfortable with Logan being this close to me.

He pressed closer and I couldn’t move at all now. Then, he kissed me. I tried to pull away, but I had nowhere to go. I pushed him, but he was too strong and I was stuck. His lips on mine made me want to vomit and I wondered why I ever once wanted to be with someone like him. He finally pulled away and I could breathe. I tried to smack him, but he stopped me, catching my arm in mid-air.

“Don’t act like you didn’t like it,” he said with a cocky grin.

“You disgust me,” I said grimly.

From behind Logan I heard another voice. “God Tatum, one isn’t enough, you have to have them all,” Kayla said. “I’m sure Cole would love to know what you’ve been up to behind his back.”

“First off, it’s not what it looks like, not that I need to explain myself to you, and Cole would never believe anything you say,” I said still trying to move away from Logan.

“True, but a picture says a thousand words.” She smiled holding up her phone, turned away, and walked towards the door. I fought against Logan, begging him to let me go.

“This is for the best. You should be happy about this, now we can go back to the way things were,” Logan said.

“You’re delusional if you think I’d ever touch you again. I don’t want you Logan. I love Cole.”

“You don’t love anyone, it’s not possible. Your heart is as cold as ice.”

“Tatum!” I heard Jessie yell as her, Kelly, and Tommy came running up.

Logan turned and looked behind him. While he was distracted I kicked him in the shin. Only to have it backfire. Logan grabbed me in anger and threw me up against the wall almost knocking the wind out of me.

I gasped.

Tommy grabbed Logan by the back of the shirt and in one swift movement threw him to the ground.

Jessie and Kelly ran to my side to see if I was okay.

I couldn’t breathe.

Logan got up and was about to strike Tommy until Landon stepped in. Landon stood his ground, staring Logan in the face, waiting for him to do something. Logan wouldn’t, he knew not to mess with Landon. He knew it would end ugly. Logan backed down and went back into the club.

“Tay, you okay?” Landon asked.

“Where’s Cole?” I said still trying to catch my breath.

Nobody said anything. I looked at each of them and I already knew it was too late. Kayla had sent Cole the picture. I pushed them out of my way and tore through the crowd.

“Tatum wait!” Tommy yelled.

It was too crowded and it gave Tommy time to catch up with me. “Tatum, please.”

“You don’t understand I have to talk to Cole. It’s not what he thinks, Logan forced himself on me. I tried to get away, but I couldn’t.”

“Tatum…” Tommy said looking at me with sad eyes. “I know, but you have to let Cole calm down first or you’re just going to make it worse. I promise I will tell him what really happened tomorrow.”

“No, I have to talk to him now!” There were people pressing all around us, I could hardly breathe.

“He already left. Nate followed him out to try to get him to come back, but he refused.”

I didn’t care, no matter how many times they tried to stop me I didn’t listen. The only thing I thought about was I had to talk to Cole and I had to do it now.

I made my way back out of the suffocating club and found Nate out in the parking lot. “Where’s Cole?” I demanded. He didn’t answer me and I didn’t have time to argue. I walked passed Nate through the parking lot and right to Cole’s car where he was standing next to it.

“Cole?” I looked at him, trying to hold back the tears.

I reached for him, but he jerked away and I cringed. “You have to know Kayla is just doing this to get back at me.”

“If so, don’t you think she would be the one kissing Logan, not you?” he said, jaw clenched.

“He kissed me,’’ I said with an edge of hysteria in my voice. “I tried to push him away.” The tears were now spilling down my face.

“Save it Tatum.” Cole turned and got in his car. I wanted to stop him, find a way to make him believe me, but I couldn’t. When I opened my mouth nothing came out. I fell down on the ground, buried my head in my hands, and cried to the fading sound of Cole’s car.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked up to see Logan kneeling down in front of me. I smacked his hand off and stood up. “I think you’ve done enough for tonight,” I said through my falling tears.

Logan just looked at me, his eyes wild, savage almost. I stood to take a step back, I never saw Logan so angry. He grabbed my arm and started dragging me across the parking lot. I struggled as I kicked up dust and pieces of rock, but he had a strong hold on me and I was scared.

He threw me up against the chain link fence that lined the back of the parking lot where it was empty. I fell to the ground cutting my knee and leg on the sharp edges of the gravel. I tried to get up, but Logan held me down and started to force himself on me. I struggled and screamed, but he was too strong and we were too far away for anyone to hear us.

“Stop fighting it, you know you want this. This is who we are Tatum. We’re from the same breed, meant to be who we are.” I had no idea what he was talking about. I truly believed he had lost his mind.

“No we’re not, I’m different, I’m better, I’m nothing like you!” I spat in his face and kneed him in the groin. I managed to get up, but Logan recovered quickly and grabbed my ankle jerking me back down to the ground. I fell on my side and ripped my shirt.

Logan pulled me back over to him by my ankle. Rocks were scraping my back and my arms as I struggled again to get away.

He was on top of me and he pulled at my skirt.

I screamed as loud as I could.

I wasn’t giving up.

I kept fighting him with everything I had.

Suddenly I heard a car and saw lights in the distance. I sucked in a big breath and screamed with everything I had. Logan tried to cover my mouth, but I bit him and managed to get out another scream before Logan head butted me, knocking me semi-unconscious.

My eyes blurred and my head was spinning. I could barely move. I was blinded by the lights of the car. I had a blurred view of black boots walking towards me. Then I heard more people screaming and the rustle of the gravel as they came running up. I felt several different hands grab me and I panicked and pathetically tried to fight them all off until I heard Jessie’s voice.

“Tatum, stop! It’s me, you’re okay now, you’re safe,” Jessie pleaded with me until I stopped fighting her. She pulled me into her arms and cradled me. I looked over to see where Logan was, but there was a heavy cloud of dust being stirred up. I couldn’t see anything. I didn’t know what was happening. I tried to get up, but Jessie wouldn’t let me and I was too weak. I closed my eyes and passed out.

The next thing I remember I was being carried and put into the back of someone’s car. I heard Cole’s voice, he was panicked and upset. I wanted to comfort him, but I couldn’t open my eyes. I couldn’t seem to do anything, but lie there and listen.

“We should take her to the hospital,” I heard Cole plead.

“Don’t worry Kelly’s a nurse and trust me, Tatum will be pissed if you take her to the hospital,” Landon said. And he was right, he knew me all too well. I hated hospitals and avoided them at all costs.

“Cole, don’t worry, she’ll be fine.” I heard Kelly say before a door was shut. Someone was holding me and I knew it was Cole. I could smell and feel him.

“I’m so sorry Tatum, I’m so sorry,” Cole whispered over and over.

I heard Nate tell Tommy to follow them to his house.

I could hear Cole crying and I wanted so badly to comfort him and tell him not to worry and it’s not his fault and that I loved him.

Once we arrived at Nate and Kelly’s I managed to find a way to speak, but it came out a whisper. “Cole,” was all I said. That was enough. Whatever strength I had, I just used it up. I couldn’t hear anyone anymore. I couldn’t feel anything anymore. I think I was holding on for so long out of fear, but once I knew I was safe, I knew I could let go. Let the sleep and exhaustion sweep over me.

When I finally opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was Cole. He was kneeling next to the bed with his head down on top of his arms. The room was dim, but bright enough that I could see. I blinked a few times to adjust my eyes and familiarize myself with my surroundings. I was in Kelly and Nate’s bedroom.

My head was pounding and my throat was dry. I looked over at Cole and touched his arm. His head sprung up, his eyes all bloodshot and wet from crying, his face looked worn and tired.

I tried to sit up, but Cole gently pushed me back down telling me to rest. I looked at him and wiped a tear that had escaped from his eyes. He got up suddenly, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. “I’m going to go get Kelly,” he said and left the room.