Unconditional

I shut my locker and pull my bag up on my shoulder as Sasha and I begin walking towards our next class. She links her arm through mine. “So, you going to tell me who you’re texting that’s got you glowing?”

“No one.”

“Oh my God, Mads, seriously? What’s with all the secrets?” Ever since I moved to Margie’s, Sasha has been on my case trying to figure out why. According to her, the hypothesis of Cal and I being together immediately went out the window. Little does she know. She’s convinced that we had some a huge fight and I wanted out. “Oh my God, is it a secret boyfriend? And Cal found out? And that’s why you moved because he freaked?”

“No, Sash. I already told you, there was no fight. I just needed a change of scenery. Cal has to be out of the house a lot more right now with this new case, and he didn’t like me being all by myself.”

“And I already told you I think that’s bullshit.”

“What’s bullshit?” Sasha’s boyfriend, Mike, interrupts as he slides a hand over her shoulder. His hand tugs on her curly hair and pulls her in for a kiss. “What’s going on, Troublemaker?” He kisses her nose and she giggles.

“Nothing.” She rolls her eyes and turns back to me. “I’ll pick you up around eight tomorrow.”

I haven’t talked to Cal since our delicious sexting earlier, so I’m eager to get back to it as I make my way out of my dance studio that night. My ballet instructor even scolded me for not focusing halfway through barre method. But I couldn’t focus. All I could think about was Cal’s mouth.

Everywhere.

That sinful, sexy mouth that he has an obsession with keeping between my legs.

Even now, I’m breaking one of Cal’s cardinal rules, which is to always be aware of my surroundings, particularly at night by myself. Instead, my head is buried in my phone, rereading our messages for what felt like the tenth time. Besides, I’ve never felt unsafe in my dance studio parking lot.

Until now.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as a chill runs through me and a shiver skates down my spine. I look up from my phone and around the somewhat deserted parking lot searching for anything that feels out of place. My eyes dart across all the places someone might be able to hide but my search comes up empty. I immediately reach for the pepper spray Cal makes me carry and grip my necklace as the walk feels like an eternity to my car. I take each step quicker than the last and before I realize it, I’m full-on running towards my Volkswagen. By the time I get inside and lock my doors I let out the breath I didn’t realize I had been holding the entire way to my car. I immediately look in the backseat, recalling every scary movie I’ve ever watched and put a hand over my chest.

“Get a grip, Maddie.” I let my head lean back, and shoot Cal a text letting him know I’m leaving before I start my twenty-minute drive to Margie’s house which includes about fifteen minutes of a dark somewhat windy road.

I’m about five minutes

into my drive when I notice headlights in my rearview mirror. It’s nearing ten-thirty, so I’m not totally shocked to see another car on the road, but I’ve also been on this road hundreds of times without seeing one at this hour.

I turn my gaze back to the road when I realize the car is getting closer and the lights brighter, making me realize they have their high beams on. I wince at the harshness of the light and try to avoid looking in the rearview mirror. I understand driving with your high beams on while on this road, but I always switch them off when I come into contact with another car.

What the fuck?

For the next minute or so, I avoid looking up, when I realize they’re right on my tail. Oh my God. I press on the gas, trying to accelerate to put some space between us, but they keep up with me, not letting more than a few feet between us.

“Oh my God, just go the fuck around me, dick!” I put two hands on the steering wheel, trying to move faster, forcing me to about sixty miles an hour on this road that I really shouldn’t be going faster than forty when I decide I need backup. Or at least someone to know what’s going on in case this lunatic runs me off the road.

He’s going to panic.

I press the button and the sound of the ringing floods my car.

“Hey, I just saw your text. You got to Margie’s fast”

“CAL.” I don’t even try to hide the panic. “Some…someone’s tailing me. Really bad.”

I can hear him shuffling instantly. “Where?” he asks, even though I know he’s pulling up my tracker.

“On route fifty-eight.” I look up, and sure enough, the car is still riding my bumper. “Cal, he won’t stop. He’s so close and he has his high beams on.”

“Baby, I need you to stay calm. We’ve talked about this, you can handle this.”

“We haven’t talked about this on this windy road!” I shriek. “I’m scared, Cal.” Tears spring to my eyes and I find myself shifting in my seat and I’m starting to regret chugging that whole bottle of water after my last class.

“I’m coming to you. Drive towards my house, not Margie’s.”

“Margie’s is closer.”