January Dreams by Carrigan Richards (best fiction books of all time txt) 📕

“You can still get sick being this close to me.” I raise my head. “If you get sick, you-you won’t be able to visit your mom.” I try to move away but he only holds me tighter.

He chuckles. “I’ll be fine.” He presses my head against his chest and kisses my forehead. “I bet being sick is boring. What have you been doing to pass the time?”

“Mostly sleeping. Writing. Talking to Cherry and Casp—” I stop. Crap. I feel his body go rigid.

“Casper?” He pushes me off his chest and his eyes are cold. “The same Casper who lied about you, hurt you all those times, and attacked me?” The anger in his voice reverberates in the car and it scares me because I know nothing I say now will fix this.

“I was bored. You never called or sent a message. He did.”

“I was with my mom, Megan,” he says, narrowing his eyes.

“I know. But you couldn’t send one message? Not even to ask how I was doing?”

“Why are you attacking me? I came to see you.”

“I don’t understand you. You’re always talking about me not forgetting you, yet for two weeks I’ve barely heard from you.”

He rakes his hand through his hair. “I’ve been visiting my dying mother,” he snaps. “I’m sorry I haven’t had time to talk to you constantly. I figured you were sick and needed sleep so I didn’t want to bother you.”

I bite back tears and look away. I don’t want to fight, but I’m frustrated, and I don’t understand him. Has he ever dated a girl before?

He releases a sigh. “You shouldn’t even be talking to him. He’s dangerous.”

“He was in a coma. I wanted to see if he was okay.”

“So, being close to death automatically makes him the good guy?”

“Why are you both at each other’s throats over me? You barely know each other. I’m nothing special.”

“You have no idea.” The intense look in his eyes forces me to look away.

“I wish you two could get along.”

“That’ll never happen. Why do you still talk to him? After everything he did to you.”

“He didn’t say those things.”

“He’s manipulating you. He attacked me. Have you already forgotten that part?”

I bite my tongue. “Vincent.”

He tilts his head. “You like him, don’t you?”

“What? No,” I say, but I feel the blood creeping into my cheeks. I hope he can’t tell.

Vincent shakes his head, frustrated, and drags his hands down his face. “I can never win with you, can I?”

“What are you talking about?” I don’t like the gut-wrenching feeling I’m suddenly experiencing.

“I’m always doing something wrong in your eyes. You always think I’m the bad guy. No matter what.”

“No, I don’t.” I reach for his cheek, but his hand snatches my wrist.

“Forget it. You should go back inside.” He peers out the window.

“Vincent, no.”

He opens the door, refusing to look at me. I want to hold onto him, and I don’t want him to let me go. He never says a word. I slide off his lap and out of the car. He keeps the door open for a moment.

“Please don’t go,” I tell him. My eyes water and my heart is tearing apart. His eyes meet mine and all I see is anger and pain.

“Go inside, Megan.” His voice is low, but not gentle. He closes the door and drives away.

As my heart beats against my chest, I feel it shatter into pieces. I’m not sure what just happened. Did he break up with me? Have I been foolish? Why did I have to mention Casper?

Dejected, I creep back inside the house and into my room. I sit on the edge of my bed, still dressed, holding back tears. My phone beeps and for a brief moment I get excited that maybe it’s Vincent and we can talk about the whole stupid ordeal and move on from it. If he asks me to never talk to Casper again, I’ll do it. But when I pick up my phone, I frown at Casper’s name.

Hey. How are you? I hope you’re coming back to school soon. I kinda miss you.

Part of me wants to chuck the phone across the room. Instead, I clear the message and place it on my nightstand. I want to be talking to Vincent and I don’t know when we’ll speak again. I have to end my friendship with Casper. It’s the only way all of this hatred and stress will end.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Peering through the window watching the heavy rain fall in sheets, I can barely see the mountains in the distance and the beautiful vast field. My mind tugs at a memory. Running in the rain. And feeling lips on mine sending a shock throughout me. The door opens and startles me. I turn around and Vincent appears with sad eyes.

He waits in the threshold for a moment. “Every morning, you’re so forlorn. Are you unhappy?”

I shake my head and let the curtain fall, blocking the window. “No. I fear the unknown.”

He hesitantly crosses the room and intertwines his fingers with mine. “It’s such an unpleasant day but I hope to cheer you up.” Vincent smiles and reaches in his pocket, pulling out a black cloth. He peels it back to reveal a beautiful yellow gold link necklace with a central scrolling foliate motif. It’s set with an oval garnet with three golden scrolling drops. It’s the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen.

“Vincent,” I say.

He lifts it from the cloth, and I turn around, raising my hair. He gently places it around my neck. My fingers brush against the satin-like texture and I feel his lips brush behind my ear. My skin tingles. “You make it look gorgeous,” he whispers and moves to my neck. Vincent tightens his arms around