Page 65 of Stand: Part One

Darren then leaned down and wrapped his hand around the back of my head, planting a light kiss on my forehead.

“You did well, Jaden,” he said and then stepped away to head into the bathroom, the shower coming on a second later.

I sat there for a moment and considered what had just happened. I walked. And it fucking sucked. But Darren seemed determined to see me through it, his sudden change in attitude a slight beacon of hope that I was finally on my way back to my old self.

And I was going to make one hell of a comeback.

19

Dangerous Games

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.

Air left my lungs in slow gusts, the burn expanding in my chest as my leg muscles strained under my own weight. My thighs ached as they fought against the force of gravity with each step I took, but the anguish was worth it as I clenched the water balloon in my hand.

Raising my arm, I chucked it ahead of me and waited with high hopes to hear it splatter all over one of my intended targets.

“Missed me!”

An exaggerated snort followed.“That’s three for three, Jaden. You should be ashamed,” Clive commented.

Carla scoffed. “Don’t listen to them, Jaden. They don’t know what the hell they’re talking about.”

I ignored her as I took another three steps up the main stairway, exhaling slowly through the tightening tension in my calves. It didn’t help that I had just completed a hundred lunges about thirty minutes before this.

“Just a few more steps and they’ll be in sight, Mrs. Davis,” Theresa, my physical therapist, encouraged me.

“Right! Then you can really nail those bastards,” Carla added enthusiastically.

I nodded as she handed me another water balloon from the bucket she was carrying, my gaze returning to the top of the winding stairway where Clive and Owen continued to taunt me.

Almost halfway to the top, I threw the water balloon, holding my breath as I waited to hear it break against something.

“Ah, that one grazed my arm!” Owen shouted excitedly.

“Getting closer!”

Three more steps and a deep leg stretch later, I could finally see the top of Clive’s head. Taking the water balloon from Carla, I leaned over into the angle of the stairway and hurled it upward, the splash actually sounding promising this time.

“Well, now my shoes are wet,” Clive announced dispassionately.

Owen laughed obnoxiously like he was genuinely enjoying himself.

“Serves you right!” Carla shouted up the stairs, causing Theresa to giggle quietly to herself.

Another three steps and I was finally beyond the curve of the stairway, both of the blindfolded faces of my bodyguards now in view. Clive was stationed a few feet beyond the top of the stairs while Owen was slightly further back, the pair of them patiently waiting like they were standing in front of a firing squad.

“I’d take wet shoes over bunny slippers any day,” I retorted, ignoring the burn in my thighs as I chucked the next water balloon. It landed squarely in the middle of Clive’s forehead, the water drenching his face and soaking the top of his white dress shirt.“Bullseye,” I stated smugly.

“Nice throw, Mrs. Davis!” Theresa cheered beside me.

Clive groaned as he shook the water from his face, a red mark blooming on his skin from the impact.

“You do realize you didn’t have to wear the slippers, right? You could have just stayed barefoot.”

“I know that, Owen,” I replied lightly, flipping the next water balloon in my hand as I stopped at another third step. “But I’m a good sport, and now it's your turn to show the same enthusiasm.”

My next throw landed in the middle of Owen’s chest, his body jerking slightly as he absorbed the surprise impact.