Burning Love., Emily Zimmerman. [best books for 7th graders txt] 📗

and shook my shoulders once more. I struggled to get out of his grasp, fear enclosing around my heart as John came closer, a knife gleaming in his left hand.
“Skylar!” I awoke with a start, staring into Dan’s eyes, it wasn’t Gram’s voice that called me, it was Dan’s.
“D-Dan?” I whispered, confused.
“It’s only me, Sky, it’s only me.” He whispered back, pulling me into his chest.
I broke down, sobbing as I buried my face deeper in his warm, bare chest. “Shh Skylar, I’m here.” He murmured tenderly.
“I was so afraid.” I sobbed.
“Shh, I know. I know, it’s alright now, I’m here.” He said again.
I cried without words for a while, letting him comfort me. He stroked my hair softly and whispered to me gently, I felt so grateful for his presence. Finally, I calmed down, only hitching a breath here and there. “Babe, these nightmares are going to make both of us keel over before our time.” He said, and I realized that his heart was racing.
I laughed wetly. “I’m sorry, Dan.” I said, lifting my head to look at his face.
He kissed my forehead, letting his lips linger for a few seconds too long. “No need to apologize, I understand.” He said.
I wiped my eyes and glanced at the clock, six, I wasn’t going to be able to fall back asleep. I sighed and pulled my braid over my shoulder. “I hate this. Why does John want me back? He can charm his way into anyone else’s life, why does he want me?” I asked Dan as I unbraided my hair and combed my fingers through it.
He stared at me in the limited light, eyes dark and molten chocolate. “I can think of a few reasons why he would want you. You’re gorgeous. You have hair like an angel.” He twisted a curl around his finger. “You’re sweet as hell, and you’re stubborn.”
I raised an eyebrow and frowned. “I wouldn’t say stubborn is a good trait. And I’m hardly gorgeous” I scoffed.
His eyes darkened with anger this time. “Don’t ever say that! You are more than gorgeous, you’re exquisite.” He growled, gripping my shoulders angrily.
I sucked in a breath and stared shocked at Dan. I watched as his breathing slowed and his eyes slowly calmed. He let me go, one hand at a time. “I’m sorry, Sky.” He whispered.
He then got up and left the room. I stared at the door for a few seconds, unable to say anything. I then got up and walked over to my door; I opened it and looked out. Dan was gone. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, I did something wrong again. I shouldn’t have said that, clearly, it made him angry.
I sighed and walked out to the kitchen and opened the fridge, grabbing an orange to peel. A few minutes later, Dan walked in a few minutes after I got coffee brewing. He wasn’t in his uniform, and I raised an eyebrow, but before I could ask, we both heard something fall and crash in the living room. We both froze what we were doing and looked at each other.
“Did you reset the alarm when you came in?” I whispered to Dan.
He shook his head slowly.
He swore under his breath and grabbed my arm, leading me behind him as we crept toward the living room. He looked in, and slowly crept in, keeping a hold of my arm. The vase that Linda had set out a few days ago that held fresh flowers was smashed on the ground. A note was tied to my old wedding ring where the vase used to be. I put my hand to my mouth and stopped in my tracks, unable to move anymore.
“Sky, what’s wrong?” he asked softly.
I shook my head slowly. “N-nothing, go check the foyer, I’ll stay here.” I whispered.
He studied me with careful eyes before shaking his head. “No. Come with me. It’s not safe.” He said.
I was actually glad he didn’t leave me in here alone, I would’ve run back to my room and started packing right then. It wasn’t safe, not only for me, but for Dan and Linda, too. He kept a firm grip on my arm, keeping me close to his side; the door to the house was wide open, with another present sitting on the front porch.
I walked forward and leaned down, picking up the small white box with a big red bow taped to it. With a shaking hand, I opened the box. It dropped out of my hands and I heard a shriek, which I’m guessing was me. In the box was a lock of my hair, tied up in one of my ribbons. I was furiously combing my hands through my hair, trying to find the lock that he cut. I found it at the nape of my neck; it must have been too short to fit in the braid.
Dan leaned down beside me and gripped my shoulders. “Sky.” He said softly.
I wasn’t listening, I was overwhelmed with the fact that he found me. This couldn’t be happening to me!
“Sky!” He said, more forcefully this time, he shook me gently, making me look at him.
“He found me…and now he’s playing with me!” I cried.
Dan pulled me into his arms, stroking my hair and kissing just under my ear. “He won’t hurt you. Not while I’m around.” He promised.
“He got in last night and cut my hair!” I said frantically.
“Then you’ll sleep in my room.” He shrugged.
I quickly shook my head. “No. He can’t see you with me, he’ll get jealous and he’ll kill you.” I was very sure of it; I once smiled politely at a cashier when I was grocery shopping and John was with me. He went into a jealous rage because he thought I was flirting.
“I don’t care what he’ll do, Babe. As long as your safe, it’ll be alright.” He said.
“You don’t understand.” I said, pushing away from him and standing. “He’ll do anything to get what he wants. He once threatened our contractor because he said he couldn’t put a downstairs bathroom.” I threw my hands up into the air.
“I do understand. What he needs to understand is that I’m never letting you go.” He said, getting up and pulling me into him.

I stared into his eyes, which had turned the molten chocolate I loved so much. “I’m not going to win this argument am I?” I asked.
He shook his head, a smile forming on his lips. “No.”
I sighed. “Fine. But no funny business. You sleep on your side, I’ll sleep on mine. Got that?” I poked a finger at his chest.
He shot me a salute and let me go to close the door, picking up the lock of hair before he did. “Got it.”
He left me in the kitchen to search the house, setting the alarm as well. I nibbled on a piece of orange and stared down at my coffee. I jumped when the doorbell rang. I got up and walked out to the foyer, pausing a few feet from it. I unset the alarm and peeked out the peep hole. It was a woman, she seemed vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t put a name to her.
I opened the door and stared out at the woman. “Yes?”
She threw up her hands and stared at me with an expression of disbelief. “Skylar Carolina Grey!” she admonished. “Don’t tell me you don’t recognize me!” she exclaimed.
I broke out into a smile, I only knew one person besides my family who knew my middle name. “Lily-bear!” I squealed.
Lillian and I were best friends in elementary school before I moved. We’d lost touch after a few years. We stood up for each other and were practically joined at the hip.
“Hey Sky! How the hell are yah?” she asked me, holding out her arms to hug me.
I ran into her arms, almost knocking us both over. “Oh my gosh I missed you!” I squealed.
She pulled back and crossed her arms, staring at me in playful anger. “Oh really? Then why did I have to find out from mom’s best friend’s coworker’s wife that you were back in town?”
I laughed, but guilt flowed through me, I hadn’t even thought to call her. “I’m sorry! I’ve had so much on my mind, my apartment building burned down, and I had no place to live…”
She laughed and waved her hand. “You are way too easy. I don’t care, Sky.” She suddenly turned silent and her eyes focused on something behind me.
“Hello Lillian. Nice to see you again.” Dan said politely from behind me, his hand settling on the small of my back.
“Daniel.” She greeted with a small smile.
“So Lillian, how have you been these days? Gosh, I can’t imagine, with how long it’s been, what’s going on with you?”
I ushered her into the living room and sat down beside her, Dan said that he’d forgotten something in his room and excused himself. “Well, in the past few years I’ve invested in the outlet mall out here, and gotten quite a bit of money. I’m actually dating a really nice man, his name is Gram.” And that is when my happiness crumbled.
“When did you meet him?” I asked hesitantly.
“I met him five days ago. We met in the grocery store. He’s new in town, and he says he’s a private investigator.” She said, leaning in and lowering her voice.
My stomach churned and I clutched it, feeling a wave of nausea roll over me. “Are you alright? You look a little…green.” She said.
I gripped Lillian’s shoulders tightly, staring her straight in the eyes. “I want you to stay away from Gram, okay?” I asked.
She looked at me in confusion. “But you haven’t even met-“
“Please, trust me, he’s not a good man!” I said, desperately trying to convey that.
Lillian pulled my hands from her shoulders and held them both tightly in hers, looking at me with careful eyes. “How do you know this? What happened to you, Sky?” she asked softly.
“N-nothing. I just know that he’s a terrible man.”
She cocked her head to the side and stared at me with the don’t-give-me-that-crap look. “He did something to you.” She said.
I sighed, I knew if I didn’t tell her, that she wouldn’t stay away from Gram, but I was afraid to bring her into this. “If I tell you this, you have to promise me that this will stay between us, no one can ever know this.” I said seriously.
“I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die, stick two needles in my eye.” She said.
I smiled, but it quickly faded. “Gram didn’t do anything to me…well, nothing physical. I married a man named John Parkinson. He was so charming when we first started dating. He never even raised his voice at me. We soon got married, and on our first anniversary is when he showed me his true colors. I accidentally broke a wine glass, and he went into a rage. He cut my knees with the broken glass and slapped me. That night he left the house, and came back drunk with Gram. John had gone to a strip club.
“I’ve divorced him now. But five days after the divorce settled, he followed me home with Gram one day.” I took a deep breath as I prepared to tell her this again. She stared at me with horror struck eyes.
“H-he and Gram dragged me into an alley…a-and Gram watched while John raped me repeatedly.”
Lillian sucked in a shocked breath and pulled me into a hug. “Oh God! I’m so sorry.