Sasha: Girl I’m leaving ur ass
Sasha: Dani?
Sasha: R U with Ansel? He’s not answering either.
Sasha: R u still coming to my helicopter?
Sasha: Hose.
Sasha: Ducking autocorrect. HOUSE.
Sasha: Dani? Did the police get u? Ur brother is going to kiiiiill u.
Her texts slowly start making sense to my inebriated brain.
There wasn’t a shooting. There was no bad guy coming after us.
It was the cops coming to bust up a house party. Yeah, that’s scary enough, but it’s not what I thought it was. My panic and fear was over what is essentially something normal. All because I’m now hard-wired to expect the worst.
I thought, I really truly believed, it was happening again. That innocent people were being killed and I had to get away.
All the adrenaline in my body leaves all at once. I collapse on the dirty ground. Gravel digs into my knees from the rips in my jeans.
What is wrong with me? Why do I have to be like this? Why can’t I be normal? Why? Why did any of this happen?
My hands shake around my phone, my tears blurring the screen. I can’t get ahold of Ansel and I don’t want to call Sage. I know he’d come get me, but he’d be mad, rightfully so, and I don’t want him to blame himself in any way for this. As it is, Sage is probably losing his shit since I haven’t told him I’m at Sasha’s.
“Shit, shit, shit.” My fingers fumble with my phone and I shoot him a text.
Me: SO SORRY. I didn’t have service. I’m at Sasha’s. I’m safe. Love you.
Sage: It’s 3am Dani. I’ve been worried sick.
Me: I’m so sorry. Really.
Sage: We’ll talk tomorrow.
Me: Sage, I’m sorry!
Sage: Tomorrow, Dani.
I bury my face in my hands, knowing he’s livid. He has every right to be. He’d be even worse off if he saw where I was right now.
I should bite the bullet and tell him, have him come get me, but I’m too upset to deal with what I’m sure is bound to be a lecture.
Scrolling through my phone I stop on Lachlan’s contact. I shouldn’t be calling him, ever really, and definitely not at this time of night.
I do it anyway.
It rings quite a few times before a sleepy gruff voice answers.
“Hello?”
“Lachlan,” I exhale, my breath fogging the air. “I…”
“Dani?” I hear shuffling in the background like he’s pushing his sheets off his body. “It’s three in the morning. Are you okay?”
“N-No.” My voice shakes and I feel tears coming again.