Chapter Ten
The Great Escape
I felt like utter crap and just laid there wondering when this long week would be over. The weekend I dreaded was finally over. Ted hasn't come back since yesterday. He's probably trying to starve me or something. School was the last thing on my mind. I didn't plan on wheeling myself twenty miles to school so I stayed home and listened to my iPod. The same song played on replay for the past twenty four hours. Sorrow by Flyleaf. It applied quite well to how I was feeling.
My cell phone rang but I really didn't feel like hearing another voice for as long as I lived. I glanced at the caller I.D. It was my mother.
"Screw you," I said to my ringing phone. "If you just believed me and Vicky this would have never happened."
I longed to say it to her face but she wouldn't be back until this Friday. Until then I would just lie around and consider committing suicide.
***********************************************************************************
Yuki's Point-of-View
What the hell happened? That's what I thought when I woke up the next day laid out on the sidewalk. I had no money, no I.D., nothing. What's worse? It seems like no one on the whole block even bothered to try and help me.
I got up and dusted myself off. My head was throbbing and my vision kept going in and out of focus. I couldn't remember where I was going or why I was outside in the first place. Luckily, I was only a few steps away from my house. I turned back the way I came and headed up the steps to my house. I reached into my pocket and realized my keys were gone too.
"Crap," I said. I looked towards the driveway. Low and behold; my car was gone. "My life sucks," I groaned.
I had no car. I could've filed a police report IF I had a phone to call the police with. Even if I did, I have no proof I'm who I say I am. This totally blows, I said to myself. I sat down on the porch and contemplated what to do next.
"Hey you," called a girl from across the street.
I've never seen her before but the way she spoke to me made me think she knew me.
"Can you help me out with something?" she asked.
"Depends what it is," I replied cautiously.
"I'm looking for someone." She held up a picture and asked me if I've seen the girl in the picture.
"What if I have?" I asked.
"I'll give you something," she said cryptically.
"I know the girl but I won't tell you where she lives or who she is unless you tell me who you are."
"Fine. My name is Ava."
"I need more information than that," I scoffed.
"I'm 17, I like dogs, and if you don't tell me where this girl is--" she paused and removed a gun from her belt. "I'll blow your brains out."
"Whoa put that thing away!" I shouted as I threw my hands up in surrender.
"Tell me where she is," insisted Ava.
I spilled everything even though I had a bad feeling about it.
"Thank you," Ava said after I was done spilling my guts. "Here," she said as she tossed something my way. "Don't follow me," she said while she began walking down the street.
Damn red heads are feisty, I thought to myself. I looked at what she gave me and noticed they were my car keys. How did she get my keys? I had no idea but was glad to have them back. If only I knew where my car was, then I'd be ecstatic.
My good mood vanished as soon as I realized, I just gave Jazmaine's address to a complete stranger.
**************************************************************************
Ava's Point-of-View
That was way too easy. He should've at least put up some kind of fight like I expected. And he supposedly has feelings for this girl. Ha! What a joke.
I strolled down the street, occasionally looking over my shoulder to make sure I wasn't being followed. The night air was refreshing against my skin. It was the end of fall and the sky was a depressing gray. I hurried into Jazmaine's backyard and found a great spot to hide until he showed up.
It didn't take long actually. It was barely half an hour before he showed up at the house. The one thing I have trouble understanding is: how can he keep coming back to torture this girl without any sign of being sorry?
"He's never sorry," I mumbled to myself.
Once he was inside the house I quickly and quietly pursued him. I waited until he was all the way up the stairs to begin going after him. I hid behind the door of what I presumed to be Jazmaine's room.
"Why can't you just leave me alone?" she cried.
"I already told you," said Ted calmly.
That's what I hated the most about him. He acts so calm, as if he isn't doing anything wrong, like he's the victim when he's not. I hate him. With all of my heart I hate him. He makes me sick.
"No you didn't," insisted Jazmaine.
"I will repeat it then. You are my slave, my property, my new play thing and you will be for as long as I want you to be," he said sickeningly.
**************************************************************************
Jazmaine's Point-of-View
"I will repeat it then. You are my slave, my property, my new play thing and you will be for as long as I want you to be," he said with a sick smile on his face.
"I'm nobody's property. I don't know who you think you are but your most definitely not—"
I looked over to my door and partially hiding in the hallway and signing for me to shut up was some girl I've never seen before. Even if I didn't know her, I still took her advice and stopped just as quickly as I had started.
"Never mind," I said solemnly.
"Good. Now I feel like playing. Let's play a game," Ted said gleefully.
"I don't want to play," I replied sourly.
"You have no choice," he retorted. "I brought you a little outfit to wear this time. Emphasis on the little," he finished.
He pulled out the tiniest cheerleading outfit I've ever seen from a bag I just noticed he was carrying. God this guy needs help. He even had pom-poms to go with it.
"I'm not wearing that."
"You have to."
"Like hell I do!" I shouted.
Surprising how I can yell at a time like this. Anyone else probably would've given up or burst into tears and let him do what he wanted. Not me. I'm just a dummy like that.
"Don't raise your voice at me!" he yelled back.
Who the hell does he think he is? He really needed to get over himself. A movement out the door caught my attention. She looked like she was getting ready to come in and attack him.
"Now—" he said once regaining his composure. "Let's get you dressed."
He began tugging at my shirt and that's when the girl hiding behind the door had had enough. She swiftly yet quietly entered the room and planted a kick right on the side of Ted's head. He toppled to the ground instantly.
"Come on," she said and stretched out her hand to help me up.
"But I can't walk," I whimpered.
"Here's some motivation then: We have about twenty seconds before he gets up so either try and run or I'll make you," she said in a rush.
She didn't look like she was trying to be mean; she was just trying to get us out of there as quickly as possible.
By the time I thought about what she had just said Ted was beginning to come out of his stunned state. The red-headed girl kicked him twice in the ribs and stuck out her hand to me once again. This time I didn't hesitate to take it.
She helped me up but all I could do was stand rooted to the same spot hanging on to the bed post.
"Please try," she pleaded.
"I'm scared." I was close to tears.
"So am I but I can't leave you here."
Her comment seemed sincere. Even though she held herself as if nothing could scare her, the look in her blue-green eyes said otherwise. The look in them was haunted, like after you see something that you feel like you can never un-see.
I gathered up all the strength I had left and took that one step of faith.
"Great, now if you can do that about ten times faster it'd be amazing," said the girl with the haunted eyes.
"What's your name anyways?" I asked.
"Ava," she replied.
Ava threw a few uneasy glances in Ted's direction where he lay crumpled on the floor.
"Could you move a little faster please?"
"I'm trying," I said snippily. This was the first time I was on feet in over a month and Ava wasn't making this easy.
I took a few more steps towards the door while Ava hastily gathered up things she thought I would need. By the time I made it to the door Ava had packed a small duffel bag with clothes and other necessities.
I smiled as I remembered that was the duffel bag my dad bought me for cheerleading when I was seven years old.
"Back to reality princess!" snapped Ava. I was apparently still staring where she once stood with my duffel bag.
"Oh sorry," I replied.
Ava then noticed I was barefoot and grabbed a pair of shoes lying on the floor and handed them to me.
"You can put them on once we get downstairs."
Ava was out the door before I could say anything. I guess she wanted to get down the stairs first.
With extreme care, I made my way down the stairs where Ava was waiting by the front door.
"Finally!" she exclaimed. "Now put your shoes on and let's go."
I sat at the bottom of the staircase and took my time putting the shoes on my feet, afraid that any sudden movements would convert me back to a cripple. (No offense to the wheelchair bound people out there but wheelchairs are so not my thing.)
Ava constantly glanced around the room and at the top of the stairs as if Ted would appear out of anywhere.
"I don't think he'll be getting up anytime soon. You probably broke his face with those kicks. Chill out," I commented.
"Spoke too soon," Ava said with a tinge of fear in her voice.
I turned in the direction she was looking and there was Ted at the top of the stairs grinning like a psycho with blood staining the side of his face. He was hunched over, clutching his ribs but he still managed to look like a threat.
Ava pulled a pistol out of seemingly thin air and pointed it towards him.
"Ava," said Ted dryly. "I thought I told you never to play with guns. They're dangerous." His voice had a fatherly tone in it that made me sick.
"How does he know your name?" I asked frantically.
"Get out of the way," she told me fiercely. "He's going to be falling down the stairs in about three seconds."
I didn't have to be told twice. I moved as quickly as I could with my stiff legs and stood near the front door. She fired twice and hit the target both times. My jaw practically dropped to the floor when Ted came tumbling down the stairs just as predicted.
"Let's move," Ava said. "I forgot to put the silencer on. The cops will be here any minute."
"Cops? Oh God," I mumbled.
Before I knew it, I was being shoved out the door and into the Mini Cooper Vicky and I share. Ava threw it into drive and peeled out of the driveway.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"It's better if you don't know yet," she responded.
Déjà vu. I could've sworn I've been here before. It's most likely a movie I saw and that happened to be a line from it. All I know is this is getting freaky.
"Is there anyone you need to take with you like a sister or something?" Ava asked casually.
"Yeah but she's at that ski trip for another two days. How did you know I have a sister?"
"It was just a lucky guess. What about a close friend?"
"I don't want to involve my friends in this mess," I said sadly.
"You're a good friend," she said simply.
We speeded down the highway oblivious of the cops hiding in the foliage alongside the road. Sirens began wailing and we simultaneously looked back to see a police car speeding after us with lights flashing.
"Shit," Ava muttered under her breath.
She pulled over and waited for the policeman to walk up beside the car. Once he was close enough she rolled down the window and smiled cheerfully at him. Thank God it was a guy.
"Is there a problem officer?"
"Do you know how fast you were going just now?"
"No officer I have no idea. I'm new to this area and have absolutely no clue what the speed limits are." To me she sounded like a bit of a smart ass but I guess to him she sounded sincere.
"Alright well I'm going to let you off with a warning...if you give me your number," he said slyly.
"Oh officer I don't think that's a good idea. Wouldn't your buddy back in the car be a little suspicious?" Ava asked.
I hadn't even noticed there had been another person in that car. I didn't even see Ava glance behind her to see if there was more than one cop.
"He'll be fine," said the young, and quite handsome cop. He leaned against the car (trying to look cool I suppose) and awaited Ava's answer.
"Ok." She quickly scribbled down a number and handed it to him.
He took out his phone and punched in the number. A phone in the car began to ring and once he hung up it stopped.
"Just making sure it works," he said. I bet he feels really smart right now. In case you didn't notice, that was sarcasm.
"Well I'll be on my way now officer," said Ava.
"Please, call me Kyle."
"Ok well goodbye Kyle."
"Have a nice day," said Kyle as he walked back towards the patrol car.
Ava pulled back onto the highway and drove as fast as she could without being stopped by another cop car. Turns out you can only go ten miles faster than the posted speed limit in Connecticut. Apparently that wasn't enough to satisfy her need for speed because she'd occasionally go thirty miles over and slow down after a few minutes. This was going to be a long drive.
THREE HOURS LATER
The road stretched out in front of us, seemingly going on forever. I wondered if we were ever going to stop driving.
"Are you okay?" Ava asked.
"Yeah, why?" I replied.
"You seem...distant."
"I'm sorry I haven't spilled my life story to someone I barely know," I said sarcastically.
"I just saved your life you know? Be a little more grateful 'kay?" Ava said, clearly irritated.
"So what if you saved me? I don't know you. Yeah I'm safe now but what about tomorrow? Are you going to try and kill me in my sleep? I don't know your intentions so I'm not just going to automatically love you or even remotely respect you. I am grateful but I just don't trust anyone right now."
"I understand."
I wasn't trying to be disrespectful but I had a good reason. I'm scared. Ava was nice (sometimes) but I still didn't know how she even knew where to find me. As a matter of fact, I didn't know how she even knew me.
"Are we there yet?" I asked impatiently.
"Where?" she asked innocently.
"Wherever you've been driving for the past three hours and wasting my gas."
"We'll be in Manchester in about fifteen more minutes."
"Manchester? As in New Hampshire?" I asked.
"Uh huh," Ava replied nonchalantly.
"I can't go to New Hampshire! What about my mom and sister?" What about Yuki? I asked mentally.
"You can call them when we get to the hotel. Just sit tight okay?"
I felt like a wanted criminal. I was escaping to New Hampshire with some girl I barely know and there's a possibly dead guy in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the stairs in my house. What have I gotten myself into?
"Welcome to Manchester," said Ava quietly.
So far, Manchester seemed like a pretty nice town to lay low in. The time on the dashboard was 5:04 p.m. It was early and yet I was exhausted. All that time in the car must've taken a toll on me. Car rides always make me sleepy. Ava drove into the fanciest hotel and parked the car. She pulled out her cell phone and punched in a number too fast for me to catch.
"We've arrived. Red car in the north corner of the lot," was all she said.
She snapped the phone shut just as a man carrying a compact duffel bag appeared from the shadows behind the hotel. He dropped the bag beside the driver's side door as he walked past. He didn't look up or even slow his pace.
"Who was that and what's in that bag?" I asked when she brought the bag into the car.
"My source. He just brought us everything we need to disguise you for the time being," she said mischievously. "Now let's go inside," she finished.
The hotel lobby was extravagant. I wondered aloud how Ava could afford even one night in this place. Crystal chandeliers hung on every visible inch of the ceiling. The clientele of this hotel appeared to be snooty rich people that live in hotels just because they can afford to. The intricate patterns woven into the gold trimmed rugs matched the upholstery. The woman at the front desk wore a blazer with matching pencil skirt and spoke to us as if we were dirty street people. Her square glasses sat on the bridge of her nose and she was constantly pushing them up.
Her name tag read Louise and her brown hair was in a tight bun. Louise's bright red lips were set in a seemingly permanent sneer.
"Reservation for Cara Blaire," Ava said firmly.
Louise checked a list quickly then glared at us before handing over a room key. She smiled and told us to enjoy our stay.
Once we were out of earshot I said, "Why did you use a fake name?"
"It's not a fake name. It's my mother's name," she replied.
"Your mom lets you stay in random hotels?" I asked suspiciously.
"My mother is dead," Ava said softly.
"Oh," was all I could say. I wasn't prepared for that. "I'm sorry," I said.
We got into the elevator and ascended to the eleventh floor. Silence rang through my ears as we treaded to the room. It was way too awkward after I found out her mom is dead. Instead of talking I looked the paintings lining the walls of the eleventh floor. Ava opened the door to our room and walked in ahead of me. She still had the duffel bag clutched in her hand.
"Have you never stayed in a hotel before?" Ava asked sarcastically when she noticed me looking around.
"Actually I have. Thanks for asking." I scowled.
"Whatever. Let's start making you unrecognizable," she said. "Which color?" she asked holding up two bottles of hair dye.
"Oh, hell no! I'm not dyeing my hair," I stated stubbornly.
"You have to. So you wanna be a brunette or a red head like me?"
"My hair is already brown," I said, stating the obvious.
"Guess that means your choose red. Great choice," she beamed.
For the next half hour we spent the time in the bathroom changing my precious hair from brown to red.
"Don't make it too bright," I remarked. "I don't want to look like Rihanna."
"You're gonna look fine," Ava assured me.
I won't look good as a red head, I kept telling myself.
"Take a look," said Ava.
She turned me towards the over-sized mirror and forced me to look. I looked surprisingly cute.
"It's alright," I said coolly.
What I was really saying was "OMG I look great."
"I told you."
I scoffed and tried to cover up the smile creeping onto my face.
"Now the next step is to get you some clothes to wear." Ava thought for a second then her face brightened. She went over to the bag sitting on the fancy nightstand and rifled around. "I knew it!" she squeaked happily.
She turned around and in her hand was the largest stack of money I've ever seen.
"How much is that?" I asked.
She flipped through it casually and finally said, "Two thousand five hundred dollars."
"How do you know that? You didn't even count it!" I said disbelievingly.
"It says the amount on the band holding it together," she laughed.
Now she got jokes. I don't understand this girl but I'm beginning to like her more and more. She reminds me of a scarier version of Aisha. Speaking of Aisha, I miss her terribly.
"Hey is there a phone in that bag too?" I was joking at first but when she produced a small cell phone from the bag my eyes widened in surprise.
"I wasn't joking when I said he brought us everything we need," she remarked.
I said my thanks and took the phone from her hand. I dialed Aisha's number and it rang twice and she answered just before the third ring.
"Hello?"
I think that was the first time I ever heard Aisha say "hello" when she answered the phone. Her usual greeting was "what's up girl/dude?" That meant she didn't recognize the number.
"Hey girl it's Jazmaine."
"Jazmaine? Where the hell have you been the past few days? We were supposed to chill and you totally blew me off. I know you're in a wheelchair and everything but that doesn't mean you have permission to be a bitch cuz there's only room for one bitch in our friendship and that's Vicky," Aisha ranted.
It was so good to hear her voice and wise cracks again.
"Girl, you have no idea what I've been through. I miss you so much," I replied.
Up until then, I hadn't noticed Ava listening in on the conversation.
"That doesn't answer my question of where have you been," Aisha sang.
"I'm—." Ava cut me off by clearing her throat loudly.
"Don't tell her where you are," she whispered.
"I'm home," I lied. I've never told such a big lie to Aisha before. She's supposed to be my best friend and I can't even tell her where I really am. It felt wrong lying to her like that.
"Well can I come over cuz I miss you too," she asked.
Ava shook her head fiercely beside me and mouthed "Make something up."
"Um, no sorry. I can't have any visitors cuz I'm grounded."
"What you grounded for?"
"Uh, I... told my mom that Ted doesn't really like her and is only using her."
"Damn. How long you gonna be grounded for?"
"A month?" I said it as a question and looked at Ava for guidance. She nodded and I said, "Yeah a whole month. Sucks right?"
"Definitely. Well I'll see you at school tomorrow at least," Aisha said.
"Yeah about that..." I trailed off.
"Don't tell me you're not going to school either!" whined Aisha.
"Sorry but... I have the flu. It'll be a while before I get better." I added a fake cough at the end of that for emphasis.
"You suck."
"That's what he said," I giggled.
"Okay just for that you know I can't stay mad at you." I could practically see the smile on her face through the phone. "Just let me know when you feel better 'kay? I gotta go."
"Alright bye."
We hung up but I still had one more phone call to make. For this one I stepped out into the hall and dialed the number.
"Hello?"
"It's Jazmaine. Look I know I'm probably the last person you want to hear from right now but we really need to talk."
"About what?" she said harshly.
"Derwin. Remember when you said he isn't normal and that your parents were home so you couldn't elaborate. Well I need to know what you meant."
"You're not my friend anymore remember? Why should I tell you anything?" asked Ya-ya.
"Fine, I apologize. Please just tell me."
"Okay well its kind-of a long story."
"I have time," I said.
"Okay well I assume by now that you know he's bipolar?"
"Yeah."
"Alright well besides that, he's like a chronic liar and remember that whole sob story he told you about his dad being a pedophile or whatever?"
"Where exactly are you going with this?"
"It's a lie. You can't believe anything he says. Derwin's dad isn't a rapist. The real rapist is Derwin. He raped me Jazmaine. We didn't have sex because he was a virgin. We had sex because he forced me. Whatever he has told you, do not believe it. I don't want you to go through what I did."
I dropped the phone. It laid on the floor for about thirty seconds before I realized Ya-ya was screaming my name on the other line. I quickly scooped it up.
"Sorry I dropped the phone," I said.
"Jazmaine, I'm so sorry but I had to tell you. It was killing me. Just stay away from him! Please?"
"I don't know what to say," I mumbled.
"Just tell me you'll stay away from him," she pleaded.
"Okay, I'll stay away from him."
"Thanks. Now I gotta go. Maybe we'll talk tomorrow."
"Yeah maybe," I replied.
"Bye."
"Bye."
I snapped the phone shut and sat down on the ground. I'm in a fancy hotel that I'm not paying for and yet I feel like complete shit. How did I fall for his lies? I just then realized I forgot to ask Ya-ya something. If Derwin is the rapist then why did Ted rape me? It couldn't have been just to sell the act, right? No one would do something like that, right? And if so, why me? Why is everyone taking it out on me? What did I ever do to deserve this?
I put my head in my lap and sat there. I don't know how long I was on the floor but eventually Ava came out to see if everything was alright. I didn't say a word. There was nothing to say.