Fated to be his

29. I don't understand

It's been a week since I saw Aiden last and I can't seem to bring myself to go to his place, let alone talk to him; so I guess it is a good thing he texted me the other day and told me he would be busy with work for a while and he would do his best to message me when he got the chance.

Making it easy for me to just say the bare minimum to what he texts me when he does get a break. If only I could get a break from being inside my head.

But there is one thing I have been avoiding.....

Gregory.

He has been texting me everyday and has even come over to the house a few times trying to talk to me about something important, But honestly, what could he have to say to me after the things he said and did at that party?

Though I guess I can't stay in the shadows that long, even though I want to.

"Riley... Earth to Riley?" Tiffany raises her voice and I blink a few times a little lost on where I am.

I look up from my milkshake and see Tiffany looking at me with a concerned look, her shake and fries gone.

"Sorry, I don't know where I went." I smile a little and laugh.

"You where pretty into that shake it seems." She teases and then laughs. "What are you going to do about Gregory?"

I let out a loud sigh, "I really don't know. I'm sorry that he is dragging you into this."

She shrugs, "He is a crazy ex who isn't over you."

"Yeah, but that's not cool of him to be calling and texting you, trying to get me to answer him."

"True, but I haven't given you away." She smiles.

"Thanks bestie." I smile back at her, "How are things with you?"

Tiffany's eyes dim a little and she fiddles with her straw in the empty glass, "He won't talk to me most days, but his parents think that he will come around."

Her eyes brim with tears and I reach out and hold her hand.

"Fate put you two together for a reason, I don't think that your story is over yet." I squeeze her hand trying to reassure her and she nods.

On our way out of the restaurant, I'm yanked back by my wrist and I gasp.

"I need to talk to you now." Gregory is looking at me with a firm gaze, his voice cold and stern.

"I don't need to do anything," I rip my hand out of his hold.

"I'm sorry, but this time you really need to hear me out." He doesn't let up and grabs my arm this time even tighter making me wince.

"Gregory, let her go." Tiffany says coming to stand by my side. Give him a pissed off look.

"Tiffany stay out of this." Gregory snaps back and for a minute me and Tiffany don't know what to say back. He has never snapped at her like that before.

In the moment of silence, Gregory drags me away and shoves me into the passenger seat of his car. Speeding off from a panicked Tiffany.

"What in the world Gregory!? Who do you think you are?!" I yell at him, putting my hands on the door. He presses the lock button on his side and doesn't say anything.

My body gets a strange sense of danger and I sit there in the dead silence as he cruises down the road.

I've never been afraid of him or felt threatened.

But right now, I do. I'm scared.

I stare out the widow and try to blink back the tears forming in my eyes. My mind going to a million things on what his intentions are.

The car pulls off onto a small dirt road and he drives for a minute or two before putting the car in park.

When he gets out and slams his door closed, my body jumps; he comes to my side of the car and opens my door, yanking me out of the car again.

He is furious. His fingers grip my bicep so hard I know there will be a bruise.

We walk up to a little clearing where someone has made a bench out of the trees, it looking out over the valley.

He lets go of my arm and I sit down, watching him pace back and forth in front of me. My body shaking slightly from the cold.

"Riley, I know I love you." Gregory says, looking at me now.

I just look at him, I don't know this boy anymore. How can he say he loves me when he only knew so much of me?

"Gregory...." I stutter, unsure of what to say.

"I know you don't believe me, ok?!" He yells, "but look!" He walks up to me and I flinch away, but he grabs my hands and lifts my shirt making me panic and struggle against him.

He puts his hand over my mark and runs his fingers down it.

My body prickling with goosebumps in terroir of what he is going to do to me. Tears bursting from my eyes when I can't struggle enough to get out of his grasp.

He then lifts his shirt and through my tears I  see a mark on his chest; the one that matches mine.

But....

I sit there looking at it trying to think of a reason it would be there, but I can't think straight right now.

I finally get my voice to get out of my throat, "Get off me!" I scream and in shock Gregory stumbles back.

I stand on my shaking legs and before he can do anything, I bolt down the hill back to the car. Running passed it, I get my phone out of my pocket to see a few texts from Tiffany and missed calls. Then the most recent is from Aiden, asking me where I am. Three missed calls from him.

I quickly dial his number and hide in the tree line when I hear Gregory calling for me.

He answers, "Riley, are you ok?! Where are you?!"

I try not to let my voice crack, but that doesn't work, I end up just sobbing over the phone and mumbling the last road sign I remember to him.

"Stay there baby, I'm coming to get you."