Colleen Hoover - Point of Retreat: A Novel

Point of Retreat

A novel by

Colleen Hoover

A note to the reader:

Point of Retreat is the second novel in a two-book series. For the first novel, Slammed , visit this link:

www.colleenhoover.com

Point of Retreat Copyright 2012 Colleen Hoover

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the author, except that brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews are permitted.

This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the authors imagination or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Front Cover Image: Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This book is dedicated to everyone who read Slammed and encouraged me to continue telling the story of Layken and Will.

Acknowledgements

During the process of publishing Slammed and the development of Point of Retreat, I have been blessed to meet and learn from so many experienced self-published authors online. I would like to take the time to thank all of them for their feedback, encouragement and overall selflessness. Its a rare thing to meet people who will give so much of themselves and expect nothing in return. I would also like to thank Edmund Davis-Quinn for such an inspiring poem about writing, and for giving me the permission to use write poorly in this book. With that said, I wish all of my new friends much success. And to those who choose to use the internet as a means to compensate for their own insecurities through online bullying, butterfly you.

Prologue

January 1 st , 2012

"Resolutions"

Im confident 2012 will be our year. Mine and Lakes year.

The last few years have definitely not been in our favor. At the end of 2008, my parent's both passed away unexpectedly, leaving me to raise my little brother all on my own. It didnt help that Vaughn decided to end our two-year relationship on the heels of their death. To top it off, I ended up having to drop my scholarship. Leaving the University and moving back to Ypsilanti to become Caulders guardian was one of the hardest decisions Ive ever madebut also one of the best decisions.

I spent every single day of the next year learning how to adjust. How to adjust to heartbreak, how to adjust to having no parents, how to adjust to essentially becoming a parent myself and the sole provider of a family. Looking back on it, I don't think I could have made it through 2009 without Caulder. Hes the only thing that kept me going

I dont even remember the entire first half of 2010. That year didn't start for me until September 22 nd , the day I first laid eyes on Lake. Of course, 2010 turned out to be just as difficult as the previous years, but in a completely different way. I'd never felt more alive than when I was with herbut considering our circumstances, I couldnt be with her. So, I guess I didnt spend a lot of time feeling alive.

2011 was better in its own way. There was a lot of falling in love, a lot of grief, a lot of healing and even more adjusting. Julia passed away in September of that year. I didn't expect her death to be as hard on me as it was. It was almost like losing my mother all over again.

I miss my mother. And I miss Julia. Thank god I have Lake.

Like me, my father loved to write. He always used to tell me that writing his daily thoughts down was therapeutic for his soul. Maybe one of the reasons Ive had such a difficult time adjusting during the past three years is because I didn't take his advice. I assumed slamming a few times a year was enough therapy for me. Maybe I was wrong. I want 2012 to be everything I have planned for it to beperfect. With all that said (or written, rather) writing is my resolution for 2012. Even if it's just one word a day, I'm going to write it down.get it out of me.

Part One

Thursday, January 5 th , 2012.

I registered for classes today. I didnt get the days I wanted, but I only have two semesters left so its getting harder to be picky about my schedule. Im thinking about applying to local schools for another teaching job after next semester. Hopefully by this time next year Ill be teaching again. For right now, thoughIm still living off student loans. Luckily my grandparents have been supportive while I work on my Masters degree. I wouldnt be able to do it without them, thats for sure.

Were having dinner with Gavin and Eddie tonight. I think Ill make cheeseburgers. Cheeseburgers sound good. Thats all I really have to say right now

Chapter One

Is Layken over here or over there? Eddie asks, peering her head in the front door.

Over there, I say from the kitchen.

Is there a sign on my house instructing people not to knock? Of course Lake never knocks anymore, but her comfort here has apparently extended to Eddie as well. Eddie heads across the street to Lakes house and Gavin walks inside, tapping his knuckles against the front door. Its not an official knock, but at least he makes an attempt.

What are we eating? he asks. He slips his shoes off at the door and makes his way into the kitchen.

Burgers. I hand him a spatula and point to the stove, instructing him to flip the burgers while I pull the fries out of the oven.

Will, do you ever notice how we somehow always get stuck cooking?

Its probably not a bad thing, I say as I loosen the fries from the pan. Remember Eddies alfredo?

He grimaces when he remembers the alfredo. Good point, he says.

I call Kel and Caulder into the kitchen to have them set the table. For the past year, since Lake and I have been together, Gavin and Eddie have been eating with us at least twice a week. I finally had to invest in a dining room table because the bar was getting a little too crowded.

Hey, Gavin, Kel says. He walks into the kitchen and grabs a stack of cups out of the cabinet.

Hey, Gavin responds. You decide where were having your party next week?

Kel shrugs. I dont know. Maybe bowling. Or we could just do something here."

Caulder walks into the kitchen and starts setting places at the table. I glance behind me and notice them setting an extra place.

We expecting company? I ask.

Kel invited Kiersten, Caulder says, teasingly.

Kiersten moved into a house on our street about a month ago, and Kel seems to have developed a slight crush on her. He wont admit it, of course. Hes just now about to turn eleven, so Lake and I expected this to happen. Kierstens a few months older than him, and a lot taller. Girls hit puberty faster than boys, so maybe hell eventually catch up.

Next time you guys invite someone else, let me know. Now I need to make another burger. I walk to the refrigerator and take out one of the extra patties.

She doesnt eat meat, Kel says. Shes a vegetarian.

Figures . I put the meat back inside the fridge. I dont have any fake meat. Whats she gonna do? Eat bread?

Breads fine, Kiersten says as she walks through the front doorwithout knocking. I like bread. French fries, too. I just dont eat things that are a result of unjustified animal homicides.

Kiersten walks to the table and grabs the roll of paper towels and starts tearing them off, laying one beside each plate. Her self-assurance reminds me a little of Eddie.

Whos she? Gavin asks, watching Kiersten make herself at home. Shes never eaten with us before, but you wouldnt know that by how shes taking command.

Shes the eleven-year-old neighbor I was telling you about. The one I think is an imposter based on the things that come out of her mouth. Im beginning to suspect shes really a tiny adult, posing as a little red headed child.

Oh, the one Kel's crushing on? Gavin smiles and I can see his wheels turning. Hes already thinking of ways to embarrass Kel at dinner. Tonight should be interesting.