Bend and Break(poly)(bxb)

Fifteen

"The weather is so nice." Seven speaks as he moves his hand onto mine. "I forgot how much I loved just existing outside. Relaxing. Just breathing...It feels s-so good."

"Yeah? S-s-so good?" Romero copies him. He's looking down at us with a predatory smile. A wolf. A bully. "How good again?"

"Stop it." It's cold outside so Seven is stuttering and what's worse, I'm lisping. I kinda want Romero to mock me too.

"L said you don't have to hold back around me anymore, not that you ever started." Seven mumbles.

Romero beams before practically running over to us. He laces his fingers in Seven's hair, pulling so that the back of his head softly thumps against the bench. Seven let's out a small sound before wrapping his hand around Romero's wrist.

"Now I can do it in front of him though." The older winks. "By the way, it's someone else's turn to watch over Rosemary." He finally announces.

None of the guys move. It was L's turn before it was Romero's but after no volunteers, he starts to get up. I beat him to it, hoping to my feet and strutting past them as they all watch me in disbelief.

"Try not to kill her," Romero calls as he pulls Seven closer.

I ignore him as I step inside of the warm home. I shed the sweater I'm wearing before heading towards the room I know Rosemary is in. I hear nothing but the beep and hiss of her machines.

She's asleep, not like there's anything else she could be doing. Her skin is paler and sickly and her hair is tangled.

My feet press into the soft carpet on their own accord and before I know it I'm right beside her. She looks so frail, so fragile, so weak. Everything I try not to be is staring right back at me.

Even the cords that support her, the fluids, the electricity, they look so easy to cut.

Her life is hanging by a thread. An easy to cut thread.

I touch the soft white sheets of her bed and stare down at her. I like to think I never would have ended up like this, so hollow and obedient. So without flame or fight. But maybe I could have. Maybe we aren't so different. We were both forced into this.

It's not her fault. It's Von's fault. He shouldn't have fallen in love with her, he should've been a better shot with me. Now here I am hating her, wanting her gone.

I have to help her get out.

My eyes scan over the clear tube that keeps her hydrated and alive, the machine that alerts when she starts to slip. I have to help her out.

•••

I've always been selfish. It's my most dominant personality trait. So I need an award for having been so selfless these past couple of days. It was painful.

"Her address." My father slides a small piece of paper towards me. "Just in case you want to get in contact with her again, though it could be dangerous."

I look up from my honey toast for two seconds to give him a small smile.

Von gave me the idea. Witness protection. I've never used my father's power. I've never had a reason to. But my father met Rosemary, heard her real name. He saw her records and knew what she was involved with. He's happy because he thinks now I'm not involved with it and I'm happy because now she's free from all of this.

Whether she lives or dies, she'll be free. Finally.

"I'll give her some time to settle down before I try to contact her." I slide the slip of paper into my pocket for Von, not for myself.