Part 12 (1/2)

c.r.a.p!

”Oh... uhm... I haven't said anything to you about them?” I looked anywhere but at her.

I heard her drop her notepad onto her mahogany desk.

”Katy, I will never be able to fully help you if you keep things from me,” she leaned closer to me.

”They're just nightmares. Everybody has nightmares,” I replied.

Sharon took a deep breath. ”Maybe so... but your nightmares are tied to what happened to you. You need to be more open, Katy. You have to stop internalizing everything.”

”I just want them to go away and they don't. Every night, I close my eyes and relive that night. Over and over again,” I spat, tears threatened to burst from my eyes. ”Nothing I do, makes it go away.”

”Tell me about the dreams,” she prompted.

I took a deep breath. Sharon was really beginning to get on my nerves.

”Speaking them aloud, only gives them the power to hurt me more,” my voice shook.

”No,” Sharon raised a pale brow, ”it gives you the power to heal.”

A knock sounded at the door and she held up her finger for me to wait.

”Yes?” she prompted and the door swung open.

The receptionist stood there, awkwardly. She shook her head and said, ”Mr. Johnson is here. He says it's an emergency and he needs to see you, now.”

Sharon sighed.

”I'm sorry, Katy. We'll have to pick this up next Tuesday. I need to see him.”

”Not a problem,” I said, grabbing my purse and slinging it over my shoulder. I was so happy to get out of there and not have to talk about my nightmares. Halfway out the door, I called over my shoulder, ”I'll see you next week!”

I got in my car and checked my phone.

I had a missed call from Jared. I rang him back but he didn't answer. I left him a quick message and then called Rollo.

”Rollo.” He answered.

I rolled my eyes. ”Want to go get some pizza? I'm in major need of cheese and grease.”

”Sure,” he said, ”Can you pick me up?”

”Of course. I'll be there in ten minutes.”

”This is so delicious,” I moaned. ”Seriously, the best pizza I have ever had.”

Rollo laughed. ”Slow down, baby cakes. This isn't an eating contest.”

”I'm starving,” I replied, around a mouthful of cheese.

”Have you not eaten anything, today?” Rollo asked.

I shook my head. ”I woke up late and didn't have time to eat breakfast before cla.s.s, and then I had to go straight to Sharon's.”

”You really need to eat your breakfast, Katy, because the way you're attacking that pizza is frightening.”

”You're mean,” I growled, taking a sip of iced tea.

”Baby cakes, I'm honest, there's a major difference between honest and mean,” he sprinkled some Parmesan cheese onto his pizza.

”Yeah, one makes me want to bite you,” I snapped.

He chuckled. ”You're too busy devouring that pizza to bite me.”

I stuck my tongue out at him, just as my phone started ringing.

Rollo s.n.a.t.c.hed it off the table before I could even put my pizza down.

”Oooh! It's Jare-bear!” he exclaimed, causing a few people sitting around the pizza shop turned to look at us.

”Give me that!” I hissed.

”I don't think so,” he leaned away from me, stretching back in the chair. He hit the ANSWER b.u.t.ton and said, ”h.e.l.lo?”

I heard Jared's voice rumble on the other end.

Rollo snorted. ”No, this is Rollo. I'm gay, definitely not trying to get in your girl's panties so stop giving me the third degree for answering her phone.”

Jared chuckled.

”Give me the phone!” I tried to grab it from Rollo.

”Not yet,” Rollo told me and returned to the conversation with Jared. ”We're at Mario's, having pizza, you should join us... that is if Katyrina hasn't eaten it all by then.” A pause. ”Good, see you in a few.”

Rollo hung up and handed my phone back.

”I hate you so much right now,” I glared at Rollo. ”Like, seriously, hate you with a burning pa.s.sion.”

Rollo rolled his eyes. ”Puh-lease, baby cakes, once Jared and his perfect a.s.s gets here, you won't be hating me anymore.”

”No, I'm pretty sure I will,” I glared down at my slice of pizza, suddenly not hungry anymore.

”Well,” Rollo said, ”you better turn that frown right side around, real quick. Hot bod just pulled up.”

”s.h.i.+t,” I whispered under my breath.

I heard the door open from behind me and my body instantly jolted awake, like someone had struck me with a live wire. Every part of my body, even ones I'd long ago believed dormant, were aware of Jared's presence.