Ronan: It's Always Her... (Continued)(Short Story #9)

It's been since October that I've written a short story (remember those?!). I missed writing short stories on my characters from the A Tragic Heart series. I believe this series will always be my favorite and the characters will always be the most real to me which is why I write little blurbs about them...so I never have to let them go.

As promised, this one is a continuation to the last one and it's from Ronan's point of view. Clearly it would belong with the second novel, RED and jumps eight years into the future (from where RED left off). You can check out the first part to the story here: Ronan: It's Always Her...

Listen to "Close To You" by Rihanna on repeat while reading to get the full experience:

Ronan: It’s Always Her (Continued)

                There she was. Sitting across from me in an expensive restaurant in Los Angeles just talking away. She had a smile painted across her face as she spoke and her red hair was now dyed blonde; a new look is what she called it. She looked beautiful…even more beautiful than I could remember. Adulthood looked good on her and it was clear that she was far from that high school girl who broke my heart way back when. 

                She went on about her idea for the photoshoot she wanted to collaborate with me on. For the most part it sounded like a good idea but I couldn’t really tell you because I wasn’t listening much. I just kept thinking about how she was the most beautiful girl in the room…in the world. Just a few days ago I was with a gorgeous model in my bedroom and now here I am with my high school lover and thinking about just how unattractive that model was compared to her. She has no idea. 

                “Enough about work,” I interrupted her as I reached across the table and grabbed her hands. Her nails were painted black and her skin was smooth. “How have you been, Peyton?”

                She gave me a smirk before answering, it was almost a blush. “I’ve been great, actually. I’m in a really good place and things just keep getting better. I never thought I’d say that but…here I am,” she replied.

                “That’s good. You seem really happy,” I responded with a little disappointment in my tone. I was happy that she was happy but there was a part of me that wanted her to confess that she missed me. I wanted her to say that she still needed me even though we’ve been apart for eight years. 

                “Before coming here I got to spend time with Mason and the rest of the family. The kids are getting so big…they’re not even kids anymore. Can you believe that?!” she asked. “Lila’s going to be starting college soon!”

                Lila’s her baby cousin. Mason is her dad’s first cousin who took her in after both her parents died while she was still a baby. For her, his kids are basically her little sister and brothers. 

                “That’s crazy. Time really does fly. Who would’ve thought we’d be here? A lot has happened,” I said taking on a slightly tighter grip onto her hands. 

                “It really has. I can’t even keep up anymore,” she basically mumbled. 

                Before I could say another word the waiter came and interrupted us asking if we were ready to order. She wasn’t sure what she wanted so I ordered for the both of us. I told her not to worry she’ll love it and she responded with a “you always knew me so well.” 

                We talked more over dinner, mostly about work and how I would make her vision come to life. She loved my input and told me this is why I’m her go to person for things like this. We make a great team. If only she knew what that truly means to me. It’s crazy how she was the one to hurt me so I let her go but I’m the one longing for her again. Most people will say I’m insane but they’re obviously the ones who never met Peyton Hayley Giordano. 

                She suggested we go back to my condo where I have an in house studio. She wanted to get a visual of how things will be set up. Of course I wouldn’t object to it. She’s always welcomed in my home. Aside from being my ex she’s also one of my oldest friends. Nothing will ever change that. 

                We walked inside together and I offered her a drink. She declined. All she wanted was for me to show her to the studio so I did. 

                “I have an idea,” she announced. 

                I lifted my head to look at her, letting her know she had my attention. “What is it?” I asked. 

                “Let’s do things a little differently. I want a photoshoot tonight. Just on a whim kind of thing. All natural,” she replied.

                “Okay. Let me get my camera set up,” I said about to walk out of the room before she stopped me.

                “Here’s the catch!” she said staring at me biting her bottom lip. 

                “Go on,” I urged curiously.

                “I want to be nude. Nothing covered. All natural, like I said. No retouches, nothing but my natural self.”

                I was speechless. “Peyton-“

                “I wanted a shoot like this for a while and I could’ve asked anyone but I wanted you to do it. I mean, who better than you? You’ve already seen the package.”

                “That was years ago,” I replied. “It’s different now.”

                “Are you seeing someone?” she asked.

                “No. Not really,” I responded quickly.

                “Then what’s the problem?”

                The problem was I was still in love with her and seeing her that naked will definitely send me over the edge. I couldn’t tell her that though.

                “I’ll go get my camera.”

                When I came back she started to undress slowly. I watched her take off every piece of clothing and I wanted to forget about the photoshoot. I just wanted her. 

                “Ready?” I asked not able to take my eyes off of her.

                “As ready as I can be,” she said pushing her newly blonde hair out of her face. 

                We took shots on the bed, the shower, my balcony…almost everywhere. Not once did she feel uncomfortable. The photos came out beautiful. She was just about to start putting her clothes back on when I said something to get her attention.

                “What if I didn’t want you to put those back on just yet?” I asked boldly.

                She stopped and stared for a bit so I walked closer to her. She didn’t make a move. She seemed shocked. 

                “Roe, what are you saying?” she asked as I ran my fingers up and down her arm. I always loved the softness of her skin. 

                “I’m saying that I still have feelings for you and I can’t let you leave me tonight…not like this.”

                “Roe-I don’t think-“

                I cut her off with a kiss. She pulled back but before she could interrupt I kissed her again. This time she let it happen. She let her panties drop out of her hands and wrapped her arms around my waist. I guess this was happening on my balcony in the middle of the night. Let’s just hope paparazzi didn’t follow us here…

Don't forget to pick up your copy of RED and the rest of the series here: A Tragic Heart Series

 

 

Character Profile from Turn It Off: Jessica Raye

New week, new character profile! This time it's for Jessica, the girl the first chapter is named after. She's the one who started it all and placed Peyton on his rocky road. In Turn It Off, he states, "
Jessica was the perfect distraction from all of the chaos in my life even if she did cause most of it." 

Jessica is the girl Peyton lost his virginity to at 14 years old while she was 16. She was older and wilder and that's what attracted Peyton to her. She was new to town and very experienced for her age. Before you get into Jessica's profile, check out the two previous ones: Sophia and Peyton.

Now, here's Jessica!  

 

Full Name: Jessica Lynn Raye

Birth Date: October 9, 1990

Gender: Female

Age During Turn It Off: 16 years old

Eye Color: Brown

Hair Color: Brown

Height: 5'2

Weight: 115 lbs

Relatives: Jennifer Raye (Mother), Jonathan Raye (Father), Delta Raye (Sister)

Relationship Status: In a relationship (Peyton-in the beginning)(Nate-later on)

Interests/Hobbies: Drinking on Friday and Saturday nights with friends, Socializing, Poetry, Music

Positive Character Traits: Jessica's a fun girl and she's pretty welcoming. She's not judgmental and she loves people. 

Negative Character Traits: She can get too caught up in having a good time and forget about morals. She can be a bit wild at times but it's all in the name of fun for Jessica.

Choice Quote from Turn It Off: "Hmmm, I guess there’s a lot you have to learn about me."

Check out the teaser to Turn It Off here: http://www.amazon.com/S.-Elle-Cameron/e/B00FNI34X4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1 
 

By the way, if Jessica was a song she'd be Shake It by Metro Station:

 

Character Profile for Turn It Off: Sophia Lawson

It's another week which means I got another character profile from Turn It Off. I decided to do one on Sophia because she's pretty important in Turn It Off even though she's only in it for a short amount of time. Back in July, I also wrote a short story based on her past life called Runaway. You can view that here: /sellecameron/2015/07/sophia-runaway-short-story.html .

In the book, Sophia is one of Peyton's many girls and she's the one who gets him deep into his troubled ways. In A Tragic Heart, Peyton ran off a list of girls he's been with before Taylor and she was one of the girls he mentioned. Specifically he said, "Sophia was the girl I liked a lot. The feeling was mutual, so it didn't take long for me and her to-you know." (Page 201 of A Tragic Heart).

Turn It Off is the back story of A Tragic Heart and how it came to be in the first place. I like to think of it as a prequel to the very first novel of the series. Introducing Sophia Lawson!

Full Name: Sophia Kae Lawson

Birth Date: August 5, 1992

Gender: Female

Age During Turn It Off: 15-16 years old

Eye Color: Brown

Hair Color: Brown

Height: 5'1

Weight: 110 lbs

Relatives: Bethany Holmes (Mother), Roger Lawson (Father), Paul Holmes (Step-father), Sean Lawson (Brother)

Relationship Status: It's complicated

Interests/Hobbies: Hanging with friends, partying, acting, listening to music

Positive Character Traits: Sophia is an extremely fun person and is always very upbeat. It's hard to keep her down because of her positive attitude and her bubbly personality. You can easily get lost in her world because she's so addicting to be around.

Negative Character Traits: Although she is a bubbly person, she also has a dark side. Sophia was molested and raped by her step father before she became a runaway. This caused her to lead a life of drug addiction and promiscuity (leading Peyton into a similar life). Some of the things she calls fun aren't the best things to do.

Choice Quote From Turn It Off: "...Everything was fine until that happened."

And that's Sophia! She's wild and fun but she also has a soft side (specifically for Peyton). Maybe someday in the future I'll get to write a book only on her. She has a lot to talk about and she went through a lot in her life at such an early age. You can check out the teaser to Turn It Off here: http://www.amazon.com/S.-Elle-Cameron/e/B00FNI34X4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1 

I'll be back with another character profile shortly...

By the way, if Sophia was a song she would be Runaway by Pink:

 

Character Profile From Turn It Off: Peyton Giordano

Today I will give you the first character profile for Turn It Off. Since it's the first of many from this book, it only makes sense to start with the main character. Now this character is someone you all came to know from the first book, A Tragic Heart, and he's mine and most others' favorite from the series. He has a daughter of the same name (later on in the series)...let's look at the character profile for the one and only Peyton Giordano!

Full Name: Peyton Hale Giordano

Birth Date: December 27, 1992

Gender: Male

Age During Turn It Off: 15-17 years old

Eye Color: Green

Hair Color: Red

Height: 6'2

Weight: 215 lbs

Relatives: Cathleen Taylor-Davis (once Cathleen Taylor-Giordano) (Mother-Deceased), Richard Giordano (Father), Brian Taylor (Uncle), Jean Taylor (Aunt), Mason Taylor (Cousin), Hayley Giordano (Half-Sister), Preston Giordano (Half-Brother), Kathryn Giordano (Step-mother), Karson Davis (Step-father)

Relationship Status: Always taken (even if for a night)...

Interests/Hobbies: Playing with his band, guitar, piano/keyboard, drums, singing, songwriting, partying, recreational drug use, girls, cooking, boxing

Positive Character Traits: Once getting to know him Peyton is a very caring person and he's loyal to the ones he love. When in a committed relationship he puts his partner first and no matter how angry he gets, he remains faithful. He's a great cook and is awesome at planning surprises.

Negative Character Traits: He doesn't know how to control his emotions causing him to be and do impulsive things. During Turn It Off, he's almost completely reliant on drugs to get him through the day and despite being an extremely smart boy, he makes less than desirable decisions. He also has a horrible temper.

Choice Quote From Turn It Off: "Life is funny. One minute you're trying to find something to live for, and the next, it comes walking through your door in the middle of the night."

Well, that's it for Peyton's character profile! You can find out more about Peyton by reading the first two books to the series, A Tragic Heart & RED. Turn It Off acts as a prequel to A Tragic Heart and is based solely on Peyton's life and struggles. You can find out more about the series and catch up by using this link: http://www.amazon.com/S.-Elle-Cameron/e/B00FNI34X4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Below is the official book cover for Turn It Off:

By the way, if Peyton was a song he would be two, Turn It Off by Paramore and Cherry by Moose Blood:

 
 

Turn It Off Coming This Fall!

Now that the book shower is over and RED has been released and met with great reviews it's time for Turn It Off to shine. I will say that this is probably my favorite book from the series as it focuses exclusively on Peyton and his trials while coming of age. He was a very different person before Taylor came into his life and his life was a bit tragic to say the least.

Turn It Off is told from Peyton's point of view only and is structured as the average novel. As of now the intro and first chapter of the book is available on Amazon for purchase. It's $2.99 for Kindle users and $4.65 for paperback. It's the first 42 pages of the book unedited just so you can have a taste of what's to come. There is also an important message from me in the beginning letting you all know where I gained the inspiration to write the novel (thank you Paramore!).

Turn It Off acts as a prequel to A Tragic Heart and you will see a lot of references and moments from the first book but most of it is what led up to A Tragic Heart. In my opinion, this book is just as important as A Tragic Heart because without Turn It Off, A Tragic Heart would've never happened.

I'll start a giveaway on Amazon for Turn It Off (Intro & 1st Chapter) and will embark on a blog tour to support the novel. I'm hoping for an October/November release for the novel. I will keep you all updated but for now check out the first 42 pages of Turn It Off here: http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Off-Intro-Chapter-Tragic/dp/1508591970/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Back to editing Turn It Off...next/last stop What Could've Been!

Adalyn: At Least We're Still Friends (Short Story)

Last week I posted a short story from Mason's POV and this week's story takes off from that one but it's from Adalyn's POV. You can read last week's here (Mason: The Brother's Club) to catch up. This scene is strictly between Adalyn and Peyton and if it belonged to a book it would be part of Turn It Off (Book 3). Hope you enjoy!

Listen to "At Least My Heart Was Open" by Foy Vance on repeat while reading:

https://soundcloud.com/foyvance/at-least-my-heart-was-openhttps://soundcloud.com/foyvance/at-least-my-heart-was-open

Adalyn: At Least we’re Still Friends

            There he stood right in front of me. All six foot two of him, his green eyes staring at me; those same eyes I fell in love with…those same eyes that convinced me to give it all to him. We were in the back of the barely lit bar our band plays in from time to time. We just finished a show and the rest of our crew already left to go home. It was just me, Peyton and the bar employees. 

            “Tonight went well,” he said taking a seat next to me. 

            I could barely look at him; not after what I did…not after what our breakup did to him. Mason told me he ended up in a hospital bed getting his stomach pumped from alcohol poisoning. He almost drank himself to death because he was so depressed. He wouldn’t take it well if he knew what happened between me and his cousin last week. 

            “Yeah, it did,” I replied looking down at my drink. I circled my finger around the rim of the glass. Anything not to look at him. 

            I still love him…I always will and part of me wants him back but I’m not sure how smoothly that would work out.

            “Mason told me you came by last week looking for me. I got a little caught up and never got the chance to stop by,” he said positioning himself to look directly at me. 

            I could tell he knew something was bothering me. I hoped he didn’t ask. 

            “Yeah, I did. I wanted to talk to you about us…I just wanted to make sure we didn’t lose our friendship,” I took a sip of my drink. “We’ve been best friends and bandmates for too long to let our relationship fuck all that up. I just wanted you to know that I will always love you Peyton and I don’t want us to not be us anymore.”

            “I feel the same way,” he said as he placed his hand over mine. “I’m glad we’re on the same page. Adalyn, I really wanted us to work. I’m madly in love with you and…I’m sorry. I was a jerk…an asshole.”

            At that very moment I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to forget all this talk about friendship and grab him right there. I gulped down my drink quickly to avoid the feeling. 

            All I wanted was to tell him I was sorry and explain to him that Mason was a mistake. I didn’t mean to sleep with his cousin that day. It just happened. After spending the day with him, I felt a short connection with him and Peyton just never showed up. I was vulnerable and Mason looked good with his wet hair slicked back and his shirt off. I never thought the second guy I would lay with would be my ex-boyfriend’s cousin. They’re like brothers and this would devastate Peyton. Mason and I vowed to keep it a secret. Besides, no one needs to know. It’s not like it would happen again anyway. 

            “How are we going to go back to being just friends if we’re still this much in love?” he asked grabbing hold of his beer bottle in front of him. 

            “We’ll just have to deal with it. We did the best we could as lovers and it didn’t work. We always worked as friends though. It’ll be hard but we’ll be okay,” I answered finally looking up at him. He really is a handsome boy…red hair and all; in fact it only makes him more attractive. 

            “Before we go back to being just friends can I kiss you one last time?” he asked moving in closer. 

            “But…we’re in a bar with people around,” I objected. 

            “No one’s paying any attention to us. I just want one last kiss and that’ll be it,” he continued to press the issue. 

            He had a point. The lights were dim and the bar crew was cleaning up. I leaned in and lightly grabbed him by his collar. He smirked a little before I pressed my lips against his. He pulled me closer and groaned a little. I wanted more…I wanted to take it back and say let’s try one more time but I thought about what happened with Mason last week and all of my thoughts were shattered. If I got back with Peyton I would have to tell him. I fucked up any chance of there being an “us” ever again. If he knew, he would never look at me the same. He would call me a name or two and stop speaking to his cousin. Peyton’s temper isn’t made for the truth. 

            I pull back and he tries to kiss me again but I turn my face away from him. I can’t do it another time. Once was enough. 

            “Come on Addy…let’s just go back to my place and work this out,” he softly pleads. “I love you and you love me. Let’s not make this harder than it needs to be. I’ll be better this time. I’ll put a cap on my rage and I’ll be more respectful of you.”

            “Peyton, no.” My eyes are teary and my face is turning red. “Trust me, you don’t want me. I’m not the same me anymore. We won’t be the same.”

            He caressed my arm and bit his bottom lip. He didn’t hear a word I just said. All he thought about was taking me back to his place and “making up”. 

            “Peyton!” I raised my voice a little and smacked his hand away. He jumped back into reality. “No! I’m just going to go home now. I’ll talk to you later.” I got up and walked toward the door at the back of the bar. I took one last look at him before walking out. He focused his eyes on mine and I saw the anger inside of him. I walked out knowing he found some other girl to take my place that night.

            Now I sit in my room looking at the picture we took together as a couple. I want so badly to call him and tell him I take it back but I’m sure he’s too busy with Claire or Lauren or whoever was willing…I let a tear fall and lay in my bed. At least I sort of did the right thing…at least we’re still friends…

Find out more about Adalyn and Peyton in the RED Tragedies series here. Adalyn appears in A Tragic Heart, RED, Turn It Off (Coming Soon) & What Could've Been (Coming Soon). Peyton appears in A Tragic Heart, Turn It Off, & What Could've Been. 

Peyton: The One (Short Story)

Earlier today I posted that I would start writing short stories based on the characters from my books. I didn't know I would start so soon but the writing bug bit me tonight. The first story is told from Peyton's (the one from A Tragic Heart) POV. I thought, "Why not start with a fan favorite?"

The short story is entitled, "The One" and takes off from the part in A Tragic Heart where he and Taylor comes back from their vacation with Mason in Australia. If "The One" belonged to a book it would fit right in with What Could've Been. It's an excerpt based on Peyton not going for a ride that night in A Tragic Heart. Enjoy!

Listen to the song "Cherry" by Moose Blood while reading:

https://soundcloud.com/nosleeprecords/moose-blood-cherry

Peyton: The One

           

           It’s hard to believe in just a few short days I’ll be leaving her just to follow my dreams. It feels a little selfish but I know she wouldn’t want it any other way. A few years ago I wouldn’t have dreamed of deciding to live my dream or staying home for a girl…I never thought I would be so tempted to choose the second choice. 

            I run my fingers through her black hair as her head is on my lap. She fell asleep on the couch while we cuddled watching TV. It’s nothing new. She does this all the time; suggests we should watch something but falls asleep not even thirty minutes in. The thought puts a smile on my face. 

            We just got in from our trip to Australia with Mason and we’re both a little jet lagged. I’m surprised she was able to fall asleep so easily. During most of the trip I was a little bothered thinking about how I would have to leave her almost as soon as we get back from our trip. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed myself with her and my cousin, it’s exactly what I needed but it was bittersweet knowing that everything finally fell into place when I have to leave. 

            I thought about going for drive to clear my head but decided to stay right here with her. Usually a drive out on the town would help but I thought why leave her when I have to be out of here in a few days anyway. Besides, it’s pouring out there and that may not be a wise decision. I want to savor every moment with her…even if it means watching her sleep. 

            Funny how two years ago I was a kid running wild and now here I am, engaged and ready to start a family with the most amazing girl I’ve ever met. I’m only seventeen and four months shy of my eighteenth birthday but I feel like I’ve aged at least a decade since then. 

            I leaned over to kiss her softly on the side of her face. She moves around a little before finally waking up. She sits up and yawns with a stretch. God, she’s so adorable! I admire every second of this moment. 

            “Hey, what happened? You were watching it without me!” she whines as she looks back and forth from the TV and me. 

            I smirk at her and shake my head a little. I knew this part was coming. She falls asleep and then blames me for still watching the show. 

            “Actually, I was watching you,” I correct her. 

            “Well, that’s not creepy at all,” she replies sarcastically. 

            “So you’d rather me watch the movie without you?” I raise one eye brow and stare at her.

            “Ugh! Shut up and kiss me.”

            I love when she demands me to do something. She can be so feisty at times and I must admit I love it. I submitted to her and did as I was told. She always demands me to kiss her when she knows she’s lost a debate. 

            “I can’t wait to marry you,” I whisper to her before she kisses me again. 

            “Neither can I,” she replies after biting her bottom lip. She knows what that does to me. 

            I start to caress her arm and she knows what’s coming next. I can’t keep my hands or eyes off of her. Every day is almost like I’m just seeing her for the first time. 

            “Aren’t you tired?” she asks with her head slightly tilted to the side.

            “Not tired enough,” I say staring into her beautiful green eyes. 

            I pull her into me and kiss her a little rougher this time. She doesn’t interrupt and goes along with it. I grab the sides of her face and lightly run my fingers through her hair. She does the same to me, letting me know we’re on the same page. 

            I lay her on the couch and she bites her bottom lip and lets out a small laugh. She excites me in the most non-sexual way possible. I genuinely love her and adore every little thing about her. I can’t imagine this any other way. 

            I slowly lean myself on top of her just to stare into her eyes. I have to reposition myself because my side is still sore from the stab wound Karson gave me. She notices it and lightly touches my side. 

            “It’s okay. We don’t have to,” she says with a serious look. 

            “No, no, I’m fine. I’m good,” I assure her. I kiss her once more and I feel her hand touch the back of my neck. It gives me chills in the best way. “I hate that I have to leave you so soon.” I stare at her waiting for a reply.

            “It’ll be okay. We’ll be okay. Go follow your dreams and have the time of your life with your band. I’ll be right here waiting for you when you get back.” She smiles at me and I can’t help but smirk back. 

            “This is why I love you so much,” I respond kissing her on the cheek.

            “I can’t even begin to mention the reasons why I love you,” she says.

            We kiss again but this time it lasts for much longer. She knows how to make me feel good about any situation. That’s when you know you’ve met the one. I can’t wait to leave so I can come back home to my baby. 

Find out more about Peyton and Taylor in the RED Tragedies series here! They appear in A Tragic Heart, Turn It Off (Coming Soon), and What Could've Been (Coming Soon)!

Character Profile for RED: Peyton Giordano

Remember last week when I said I was going to write up a character profile for each character for RED, until the release? Well, here is the first one and it's for the main character, Peyton Giordano. I'll release a new character profile every month up until the release of the novel. That's enough time to catch up on the action that led to RED by picking up or downloading A Tragic Heart. Here we go:

Full Name: Peyton Hayley Giordano

Birth Date: April 4, 2010

Gender: Female

Age During RED: 16-18 years old

Eye Color: Green

Hair Color: Red

Height: 5'6

Weight: 130 lbs

Relatives: Taylor Caldwell (Mother-Deceased). Peyton Giordano (Father-Deceased), Mason Taylor (Cousin), Adalyn Voyvodich-Taylor (Cousin-in-law), Jackson Caldwell (Uncle), Nick Taylor (cousin), Ryan Taylor (cousin), Lila Taylor (cousin)

Relationship Status: It's complicated....don't ask! 

Interests/Hobbies: Singing, Guitar, Piano, Songwriting

Positive Character Traits: She's compassionate although she rarely shows it. She has a strong attitude and stands up for herself. Peyton tends to lead her own life without caring what others think. She's extremely talented and smart.

Negative Character Traits: She self-sabotages frequently, she can be quick to anger, and she's a bit of a martyr at times. She's also impulsive.

Choice Quote from RED: "When we want something bad enough we tend to only look at the positive side of things. We ignore the negative because we don't want to go there."

That's all for now! If you want to learn more about Peyton, you can pick up your copy of RED when it is released in the Winter of 2015. For now, you can learn about some of the other characters in RED by reading part one to the novel, A Tragic Heart.

By the way, if Peyton were a song she would be The (After) Life of The Party by Fall Out Boy.

 

Turn It Off: Based off of the character Peyton from A Tragic Heart (Short Story)

Intro

Enough was enough. This was the last time I was going to allow him to treat me this way. My mom is gone and there’s no reason for me to remain here any longer. He’s the reason why she’s no longer breathing and I refuse to go out that way. It was time for me to leave.

I looked at my face in the bathroom mirror. I was too young to go through this madness. I was only thirteen and I felt like I was living the life of a man. My face was sore and bruised. I guess since my mother was no longer here to be his punching bag, I had to suffice.

Karson was my stepdad since I was nine years old but I never respected him. Night after night I would lie in my bed listening to the horror going on in the room next to mine. My mother’s screams from his beatings would enrage me, but what was I to do? I was only a kid. Still, I continued to blame myself. I should have been stronger.

It wasn’t until I got a little older that I started to fight back. Fighting back only made him start to hit me too and that’s when my mother decided it was time to go. She had the mother’s attitude of: you can do what you want to me but leave my son out of it. I begged her for years to leave but it wasn’t until he started to hurt me that she listened. I only wished she listened sooner.

I applied alcohol to my face to clean my cuts and placed a cold compress beneath my eye. It was swollen from the fight I just had to endure. His reason this time: my mother’s death is all my fault. It’s not even like he cared about her to begin with. The only thing he loved was the bottle that seemed to be glued to the palm of his hand.

There was never a real father figure in my life. My dad left when I was only seven and I haven’t seen or spoken to him since. My mom was the only person I had in my life. She was my best friend and I loved her to pieces. It kills me that my love for her wasn’t enough. If it was she wouldn’t have ended up the way she did. She was a beautiful and intelligent woman that only deserved the best, which is why I could never understand how she ended up with Karson. The guy was bad news from the start.

I knew if I didn’t make plans to leave soon that I would end up just like my mother. I don’t want to die running away. I made my way back to my bedroom and locked the door. I picked up the phone and dialed the only person I knew I could trust, my cousin Mason. It was time for me to go…

 Chapter 1: Rebellion/Jessica

“Come on, Peyton! We can’t waste time! He’ll be home any moment now!” my mother said frantically as she threw a bunch of our belongings in a bag.

“Why are we running this way? Just tell him that you’re leaving him! That you had enough!” I replied helping her put a few things away.

“Because you know he’ll kill us both before he allows me to leave him!”

“Mom, you can’t be afraid of him forever. You can’t just run because you’ll spend your whole life running,” I said calmly as I placed my hand on her shoulder.

I pulled her into a hug and tried to console her. She started to cry and I hated Karson more than I ever thought I could at that moment. She was scared but I wasn’t. I had to be strong for her. I wasn’t going to allow him to touch her again. I’d rather die fighting for my mother’s life than have her be afraid any longer. She held onto me tighter and I knew that even though I was her son, I was also her protection. I might have only been thirteen but I been through enough to pass as much older.

“I’ll help you pack, mom, but you can’t be afraid. I’ll protect you,” I told her as I kissed her forehead.

“I love you,” she said as she wiped her tears.

“I love you too, mom”.

It didn’t take us long to get everything together and walk out of the door. I could feel her sense of relief from the moment we stepped out of the house. She rushed to start the car as I placed the bags in the trunk. This was it. We were really leaving him forever. My mother was finally going to get her freedom…the freedom she absolutely deserved.

I got in the passenger seat and she sped off as fast as she could. She was still nervous; her hands were shaking as she grasped the steering wheel. She stared straight ahead at the road but her eyes seemed dead and filled with worry.

“It’s going to be okay, mom,” I said trying to comfort her.

“It will. I know it will,” she responded as if she is still trying to convince herself.

            She was in deep thought and never saw it coming. What should have been the happiest day of our lives turned sour in an instant. The sun was shining and the skies were clear which should have been a sign of happiness. Instead, it was just a sign that the calm comes before the storm.

The light was turning from yellow to red but her mind wasn’t on that. Her eyes saw what was ahead but her mind blinded her. She accidentally ran the red light and my life changed in a few seconds.

I remember hearing a bang. I felt the impact. I felt the pain of my head hitting the glass window beside me. Tires screeching. Screams. Chatter. Then darkness.

I slowly opened my eyes and blinked a few times. I must have passed out for a little while…but it wasn’t long enough. I quickly gained consciousness and realized I was still in the passenger seat of my mom’s car. I wasn’t prepared for what I was going to see next. My mom. Her head leaned lifelessly on the driver’s side window. Her arms dangled at her side…her eyes wide open. A truck slammed into her side causing just enough damage to knock me out and end my mother’s life.

I snatched off my seatbelt and did what any other son would have done. I tried to save my mom. I leaned over to her side and attempted CPR the best way I could. The damage done to the car prevented me from being able to lay her seat flat.

“Come on, mom! Mom, please don’t do this to me!” I yelled while trying to pump her chest. “Mom!”

I pushed the passenger door open and unbuckled my mother’s seatbelt. I pulled her out of the car to lay her flat on the concrete. The sound of police cars and the ambulance filled the atmosphere. I attempted CPR again but I wasn’t having any luck. I knew I was doing it right, my mother taught me a billion times.

She was a doctor; a surgeon to be exact. She taught me a lot about saving lives, I just never thought I would have to use her lessons to save her own life.

“Hey, hey! You need to get checked out! Move away from her! Let the paramedics handle this kid!” A police officer yelled at me.

I ignored his orders and continued to try and save my mother’s life. I knew it was over but something in me wouldn’t allow me to give up.

“Come on kid!” he yelled again, this time pulling me away. “What’s your name?”

I look back at my mother who was now being handled by the paramedics. They were repeating my failed attempt. I couldn’t pay attention to anything else but my mom. We all knew it was too late but I wasn’t trying to admit it.

“Hey, kid! What’s your name? I need to know that you’re okay!” the officer said once more.

I look away from my mother for a few to answer him.

“Uh-um, Peyton…my name is Peyton Giordano. That’s my mom.  Her name is Cathleen Taylor-Davis. I need her to be okay! Please, tell me that she’s going to be okay!”

“They’re going to do everything that they can for your mother. You need to stay calm and go with a paramedic so I can take your statement,” he told me.

“No, no, I need to be with my mom. She needs me, I can’t-“

“Kid, you gotta calm down, you need to get checked out, you may be in shock,” the officer said, leading me to the ambulance.

A paramedic came over and began attending to me. They all were asking so many questions I couldn’t comprehend it all. My mind was focused on my mother. I was so far away I couldn’t see past all of the men that surrounded her.

“Will she be okay? That’s my mom. She’s all I have,” I said to the paramedic who was flashing a light in my eyes.

“They’re doing the best they could,” was all she said to me. “You don’t seem to have a concussion so that’s good. But, you will need stitches for that gash in your forehead.”

I lightly touched the right side of my head and saw a bit of blood come off on my finger tips. I didn’t even realize that I was hurt. I guess I went numb to pain when I saw my mother.

“We’re going to take you in for some observations and tests. Stay here,” she said before hopping in the ambulance and picking out a few packaged bandages and other supplies.

The crowd of people started to slowly move away from my mother. My heart sank when I saw it. They were preparing to zip her up in a black body bag like she was packaged meat. I immediately ran over to her, pushing everyone out of my way.

“No, this can’t be happening! Mom! No, no, no, no, no! This isn’t real!” I said out loud without realizing.

The same officer from before pulled me away from the scene.

“Let me go! That’s my mom!” I shouted while trying to get away.

He grabbed me by both of my shoulders forcing me to face him.

“I’m sorry, I really am but they did everything. You can’t go over there right now. Do you have any other family to call?”

That question lingered in my mind before I made the call to Mason to let him know that I was leaving. He was my only family. I told him not to tell his mom and dad my real reason for wanting to leave Karson; he promised me he wouldn’t. We planned to give my face some time to heal so there wouldn’t be any questions asked. During that time I stayed far away from Karson, making sure I wouldn’t give him any reason at all to go off.

About two weeks later I was living a new life in a new home with the only family I had left. My aunt and uncle welcomed me with open arms. I was always like a second son to them. Mason and I grew up together and were more like brothers than cousins. That’s how I knew that I could trust him. We knew all of each others' secrets and never judged. In reality, Mason saved my life a number of times and no one ever found out about it. He kept every moment to himself. I owed him more than I could ever repay. 

To find out more about Peyton pick up your copy of A Tragic Heart now!