Chapter 47


    SPRING


    Turning her phone off was the best thing for her sanity, but Spring still felt the urge to look at her call log


    to see who tried to contact her. She hoped that Dez realized that he made a huge mistake in dumping


    her and was calling to beg her to take him back.


    The reality hit hard...two calls from Taylor, a half dozen calls from her Grams, and a dozen or more


    from Troy.


    The calls from Taylor were of no importance. She wasn''t interested in modeling or dating. Her grams


    just wanted to cheer her up. No doubt Summer told her about Dez. Dez, whose existence she didn''t


    share with Grams because Grams was Pro-Troy. And Troy, who probably heard from Grams that she


    was nursing a broken heart that wasn''t because of him. She didn''t want to exin to Troy, for the


    hundredth time, that they were better off as friends. Troy was a great guy, but he wasn''t her great guy.


    What wasn''t logged in her calls was a message from Summer. Which was odd because they talked at


    least four times a day.


    As Spring climbed the apartment building stairs, she hit the home screen on her cell for the hundredth


    time. It was nine in the evening and no calls from Summer. Not even a text. She hiked her bag higher


    on her shoulder as she put her key in the main building door. The door swung open before she could


    turn the knob. The sudden jolt caused her key to fall out of the lock onto the doormat. She bent to get


    her keys as a figure rushed by, almost knocking her over.


    "Hey," she called as she focused on the ck boots that descended the steps in an obvious hurry. She


    lifted her gaze to see which of their neighbors was the jerk but she could only see the back of what she


    assumed was a man wearing a loose hoodie rushing down the sidewalk.


    "Jerk."


    Spring picked up her keys then caught the building door before it closed and locked. She moved over


    the threshold, forgetting that she was somewhat worried about Summer. Instead, as she checked the


    mailbox, she thought of how Dezmond''s number wasn''t on her call log. It hadn''t been for two weeks.


    You''d think that spending time over the past few months and then suddenly not spending time with her,


    would leave a gaping hole of loneliness in his life. Like the hole that kept growing in hers. But...nope.


    Apparently, he was good. That angered her but even with being angry, Spring was still eighty percent


    hurt and twenty percent angry. Hurt still trumped angry.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She carried herself and the mail up the flights of stairs with her head lowered. She didn''t want to talk so


    she kept her head down as not to make eye contact with anyone. When she came to her door, she


    noticed the wee mat was misaligned. Her eyes focused on the door. It was ajar.


    (Why...?)


    Spring used her foot to kick over the edge of the wee mat where Summer kept their spare key.


    The key was gone. She looked around the hallway. It was empty but not silent. The tenants across the


    hall were sting Pop music loud enough for her to make out the tone but not the words.


    Realizing her phone was still in her hands, Spring dialed Summer''s number. One ring and the voicemail


    picked up. She disconnected the call then eased the door open with her foot, looking inside from the


    hallway. It was pitch ck inside. Spring raised her arm and used her hand to feel around the wall for


    the light switch.


    The click of the switch and the illumination of the light were simultaneous. The glow in the room


    showed that everything was just like it usually was.


    She took one step, carrying herself over the threshold. Another step inside made it possible to close


    the door. But Spring didn''t.


    "You''re freaking yourself out, Two," Spring whispered. She nervously giggled at herself for whispering.


    She nced over her shoulder at the open doorway as she moved further inside, heading toward the


    back where the bedrooms were.


    (What are you afraid of?)


    As the thought solidified, something caught her eye.


    Spring stopped. She peered at a red smudge that wasn''t there before. The stain was stark against the


    white wall and when she looked closer, Spring ced her hand over her mouth and took a step back. It


    looked like a blood streaked handprint.


    "Summer!" Spring yelled. The mail fell from her hand and so did her cell. She took a shaky step forward


    when someone caged her arms from behind and pulled her back against an unyielding mass. "Let me


    go. Help," she screamed as she kicked and wiggled to get free. But it did nothing.


    Panic and fear took hold as her mind shut out everything around her but the feel of her being enclosed.


    Her ears filled with the sound of her drumming heart; her eyes saw nothing but red. This isn''t how she


    wanted to die so she fought harder. She twisted, kicked, and pushed against her capture until she fell


    to the floor. Without a backward nce, Spring crawled a few inches then pushed to her feet.


    (Get away. I have to get away.)