Say My Name

Chapter Seven

She thought back to the conversation she had with Fangs. He was the one who referred to him as Jughead but seeing how furious Jughead got at hearing the name; she reconsidered telling him the truth.

"I... I heard it from a few people," she lied. "It was a few guys..."

He kept his stare on her, and she knew he wouldn't accept those vague answers.

"I didn't know who they were. I just overheard them talking about you and a few other Serpents."

He looked mad, really mad, and Betty knew at that moment that It was only a matter of time before he'd jab that switchblade right into her lower abdomen.

"I don't know why you're lying to me, Elizabeth." His voice was raspy, and hearing her full name come from his mouth, made her heart jump.

"I only let a handful of people call me that name." He took another step towards her and made the switchblade waddle between his thumb and pointer finger. "People I care about." He towered over her, practically dominating her, and she suddenly felt tiny.

"Everyone else calls me Forsythe. You..." saying with a wry smile, "...call me Forsythe."

Forsythe.

It seems even weirder than Jughead.

She broke his gaze, looked down at her feet, and swallowed the only dignity she had left. Every bone in her body wanted to give in to his commands if it meant saving her own life. She didn't care how weak she felt; she was scared, scared of him, and she knew he saw that fear in her eyes.

"Now..." He tapped the smooth part of his switchblade against her bare arm. "...I don't think I ever remember giving a goddamn care about you."

"So--" His index finger dragged gently along the outline of her jaw, "--you wanna be a good girl for me?"

She nodded without hesitation.

"Yeah?" He smiled mischievously while pulling his bottom lip between his teeth, and her eyes followed there.

"Say my name."

He dragged the smooth part of the blade up and down her arm, sending chills down her spine.

"Forsythe," she said, the name caught in her throat.

He swiped his tongue over his bottom lip as he brought the weapon up to her face and dragged it delicately across her cheek.

The metal was cold against her skin. Her eyes closed at the gentle brush along her cheekbone, and she swore she had never felt so many goosebumps in her life.

"And that's the only name you will refer to me as from now on." He leaned his face closer to hers and parted his lips like he was going to say something else, then moved them to her ear. "Do I make myself clear?" She could feel the delicate puff of hot breath against her ear, and it tickled. His words were meant as a question but came out as a warning.

She waited until he moved away from her ear, meeting her eyes again until she slightly nodded her head in agreement.

He looked up at Sweet Pea, giving him the okay nod, and Sweet Pea tugged on her arm, telling her to turn around and keep walking. She did without thinking twice about it, feeling like she had been undermined and was now completely helpless. They were walking away when she turned her head back to see if he was following them, but he wasn't. He was walking the other direction, and Betty caught a last-second glimpse of him before he cut the corner.

The night was growing darker by the second, and as her kidnappers were bruising her arm with their secure grip, the only thought that kept her from elbowing all three of them in the groin played a cycle in her mind: