It must've been trash day in my mind, because apparently all the words I've learned were tossed into a garbage bag and hauled off, away and out of my sight. Wait, how do you form a word and create it into a sentence?
Apparently that piece of information was riding a horse off to the sunset, laughing at me and my inability to remember. Right now, I was just a girl with her mouth falling and opening in an endless loop, being intensely scrutinized by the frosty eyes attached to Ricky's hostile face.
"This resistance really was my idea, not hers. I just wrapped Annalise into it," Brendon explained through the trembles of his voice, intentionally grabbing the blame and responsibility.
But I couldn't let him try to protect me, too many people were doing that already and not helping at all.
This case wouldn't be different.
"Do you really believe it's wise to lie when there's clear evidence contradicting you? Playing the hero doesn't suit you, kid, nor will it help you or anyone else," Ricky warns in a tone that could slice clean through someone.
The sound of a loaded gun echoed in the room filled of speechless teens, which was immediately followed by a whimper of protest. I instinctively stared up to find the source, spotting a disturbing sight in the process.
Ricky's weapon was lowered to Brendon's quivering mouth, the tip of the gun dangerously brushing against his lips, which would provide a clear shot in the direction of his mouth if fired. Suddenly, words came tumbling from my lips, the more I talked, the more I dug my grave.
"Please don't," I blurted in a desperate plea, the words rushing out to be heard. "The truth is, we both are equally to blame for creating this mess! You're right, it- it's not all on Brendon. It's on me as well, I spread the word of it and brung most of the people here," I avowed, my voice scratchy and dry, all the saliva that coated my mouth seemed to disappear.
My heart was banging against my ribcage as it pumped aggressively, my anxiety was doing what it did best. Soon after, my hearing was consumed by the erratic beating in my chest.
Ricky's solid blue eyes found my own again, chaining me to the spot as I involuntarily started to shake underneath his stony gaze.
My straight posture grew into me having a hunch back, I kept slouching down at every fleeting seconds morphing into long minutes. A thought in the back of my mind whispered that making myself smaller would deter predators from pouncing on me. Maybe it'll work with Ricky?
His observant eyes didn't falter as it gazed only at me and my pale face, intently inspecting my soft features. His chest rose up before settling down again, letting out a long exhale through his nose.
"Alright, this is how it's gonna go down," he broke through the deafening silence, still gazing at me. "¡Ven ahora!," his indifferent, deep voice ascended into an authoritative order, dropping low as his Spanish accent ran though his command.
Multiple shoes rubbing against the school's floor caused high-pitched squeaks to ring into the classroom, making everyone aware that Ricky wasn't a lone wolf, he had company.
In came robotic Jose, whose dull green eyes lacked emotions. The only light igniting in them were the reflection of the actual lights from above. Then came Timothy trailing stiffly behind him, inches shorter than his friend with a much more lively expression. Fierce, passionate, heavy hatred glowed brightly in his milky brown eyes, leering at the sight of the teens riled up against his gang.
I gulped, watching as more people poured in, and I immediately spotted two more familiar faces. The girl with the diva curls that I met at the day of the dead party strolled in, a bone chilling stare icing all she stared at or just briefly glanced at. Although, none of Ricky's gang members had the same stare he had, nor did they have the exact same effect.
The second familiar face was one I've seen not too long ago, and one I didn't want to look at so soon after the incident. But here was Tate's face popping out from all the others, having the same usual narrowed eyes and– wait... only his right eye was like that.
That's when I really paid attention to the details of his face, noticing that his right eye was swelled up like he got stung by a wasp and then high five.... in the face... with a chair, which caused the area to become an irritated red all around. At this point, it was hard to differentiate between the possibility that his eye was shut all the way it could due to the swelling, or if he was just regularly staring the best he could because his other eye wasn't narrowed.
I wonder what happened in the span of 3 hours that made him start developing a black eye.
Was Ricky so mad at me for what happened earlier that he hit Tate? That would explain why he grabbed him by the throat as I was leaving the gym, right?
I glanced away at Tate and landed my eyes upon Alice, her own green orbs connected with his, and I could tell she wasn't too happy to see him. The same could be said about Tate, because the second he spotted her, his face scrunched up in pure exasperation.
Ricky's stern voice snatched my attention, "Every Imperishable here will choose one or more resistance member to personally keep an eye on. You'll be responsible to make sure they don't attempt to form another group like this, and if they do, both of you will know what it feels like to be buried alive."
He lowered the gun kissing the lips of Brendon, an instant sigh of relief flowing out from him. My heart finally was able to slow down, once again able to beat at its normal rate. That was short-lived.
"Take a picture of whoever you so choose to keep a close eye on and get out. I have two people to personally deal with," he informs his people, making everyone else squirm.
"I guess I'll watch after you two, it'll make my job a whole lot easier since your always together," the girl with the diva curls stated, running her eyes along the serious couple before her.
She grabbed Zachary and shoved him towards the direction of the door, which made Michael glower at the girl who stood a foot shorter than him. Zachary's jaw flexed at the unnecessary push, however, he didn't utter his displeasure, only did he grab Michael gently by the hand, leading him to the exit.
Zach's eyes met mine, and it was evident that he wanted to root himself to the spot and protest against what was happening, but we all knew that would sink us further into the hole.
They reluctantly walked out with their heads held up, the only form of protest they could give without serious consequences. Soon after, multiple people followed their steps until it was just me, Brendon, Alice, Tate, and Ricky with his two other friends.
"Let's go," Tate's low voice muttered over to Alice, who stood stiffly with her arms crossed, glancing worriedly at me.
Jose and Timothy, who were now currently seated in the front desks, casually looked over at the scene unraveling.
"Do you need assistance, Tate? We don't have all day," A monotone voice said, which came from Jose.
Tate shot his sight over at him, "Not needed."
He started to bend down, sliding his arm under Alice's legs and one by her back, lifting her up bridal style. She yelped, staring incredulously at Tate's face as he whisked her away. She didn't even have time to object because he rushed out quickly.
Leaving me with not one, but three intimidating males.
"Now, which one of you wants to accept the consequences of forming this resistance that seems more like a support group?" Ricky asked, glancing between me and Brendon.
Brendon wobbles up to his feet, rising from his knees as he placed his hands up, stating to the rest that he had no bad intentions.
"It's all my fault. I came up with the idea, it should be me paying the price," he licks his lips. "Annalise barely had anything to do with this, honestly."
His words didn't register well with Ricky, instead the effect worsened our situation. The gun he had lowered to the ground was lifting up, now pressing under Brendon's jaw in an eye blinking second.
"No! What are you doing?! Stop! It's not his fault, it's mine! Hurt me!" I blurted protectively to stop the abuse on innocent Brendon, unable to silently watch any further.
Ricky's entire body went rigid at what I shouted, clearly taken off guard. His eyes practically dived head first into my own, as if he had an important quest to find some knowledge that would open his eyes.
He looked as if he was asking himself something, asking himself if I really meant what I said. I really do think this is the first he's seeing a different side of me than the one that cries, wishing to be saved instead of doing the saving.
I pushed myself away from the lecture stand I stood at, briskly going forward to where everything was occurring. However, my movements ceased as a human wall slid in front of me.
"Sorry, but we wouldn't want you getting injured more, would we?" Timothy's chocolate eyes abruptly meets my own, his tone neutral.
"Honestly? Honestly?" Ricky reiterated the word he used, snapping back to reality. "You lied when I first asked who started this by saying it was just you, no one else. I proved you wrong and then you said she had a little to do with it, now it's barely anything to do with it? If you're going to lie, at least memorize your fucking story. Liars aren't people I'm particularly fond of," he warns dangerously, making Brendon shake visibly all over.
And with that, the barrel of Ricky's gun collided with his temple. I stopped breathing.
Brendon's head whipped to the side as his body got thrown off balance, in slow motion did his eyes roll to the back of his head. A loud thump echoed in the class as his limp body hit the hard floor, and if he were a tree, someone would've definitely yelled timber at the way he went down.
I gasped loudly in shock, taking a step away from Timothy in the process.
Oh, my god.
Oh, MY GOD!
"Well, I guess that only leaves you," Ricky says, probably staring at me, but I was too busy gaping at the sight of Brendon's unconscious body.
I shook my head vigorously, feeling sick to my stomach. "You didn't need to do that," I whined.
He ignored my comment.
"Take him away," he told Timothy and Jose, who obeyed the order, picking him up and leading him god-knows-where.
That left me with just Ricky.
He pushed away his leather jacket, placing his gun to the back of his waistband. I wasn't positive on how I should act after witnessing what I did, I figured taking subtle steps towards the door was the right way to go.
"Do you really think you could make it to the door before I catch you?" Ricky's voice meets my ears, freezing me to the spot.
I let out a shaky breath, hesitantly raising my eyes up to his. He didn't attempt to say anything else, only did he raise his left eyebrow for me to respond. I shook my head but apparently that wasn't enough.
"You have a working mouth, use it," he scolded me.
"No," I said, letting my fingers fiddle with the fabric of my skirt.
"Speak up," he demanded, intently staring at my face, making me feel the strong urge to look down, and I did.
"No," I stated with more volume, feeling like a child under his scrutiny.
He approached me with slow steps, ultimately making me shuffle back until I bumped into the lecture stand behind me. He put his large hands on either side of me, trapping me as he gripped the stand and hovered over me. My average height and frame didn't mean anything at the moment, he still felt like a giant compared to me.
I cranked my neck up to stare at his face, observing everything about his features like he did to me. Ricky's eyelashes were thin but longer than most, and his eyebrows were a darkish black with a nice arch, only a couple of stray hairs were out of place.
His bottom lip was plumped and a lively red, reminding me of a freshly grown rose, his top lip was of course thinner, but not by that much. His dark hair grew even more, now being able to make a wave full of volume as it was flipped to the side. A strand fell out of place because of his lowered head, it dropped to his forehead.
Although he was cornering me, the distance between us still provided me with some comfort. He wasn't as close as he could be, and he and I both knew it.
"No what?" He pushed it, his dark eyes testing my limits.
"N-no I don't think I can make it to the door before you can catch me," I announced with a minor stammer, blinking rapidly in an anxious way.
"If you act like a child, people will treat you like a child," he claims, like there was some hidden message in his statement.
I swallowed, not risking it to say something else and getting myself in trouble like Brendon. What was he going to do me now? Is Hannah even right about him not being a rapist?
It's just me and him, and a man like him could do anything to a vulnerable girl like me. That made me shiver visibly, and Ricky's observant eyes did not miss the uncontrollable movement.
His brows knitted together at my involuntarily shaking, making him drop his arms that imprisoned me. He didn't move from where he was, but I felt more calm with the chance at possibly running from him, of course without his arms blocking me.
"There's so many ways I could make you suffer because of this resistance," he began indifferently. "I could torture you in ways your mind couldn't fathom. I could make you disappear without a trace. But if I really want to do some damage to you, I could break off the deal with your brother because of the shit you pulled, however, he's a damn good fighter who knows how to keep things running and profits high."
I frowned deeply, confused to what he meant.
Profits? Good fighter? Knows how to keep things running?
His eyes descended to my wrapped hand, staring at my injury longer than I expected.
"But perhaps we can call this being even."
Really? We were even? If I thought my mind was in a confused frenzy before, it definitely was now. The wheels in my head were spinning beyond recommended, trying to understand how we were even.
"You were already hurt by one of my own today, no need in getting you back now I suppose," he says, his eyes glistening with curiosity of his own.
"Ok," I drawled out, awkwardly looking away as I try to pass him.
Just as I thought I was free, he blocked me with his arm. His eyes flickered across my face before he opened his mouth.
"Why did you start this resistance? And was it just the Imperishables you were going after?" He asked, patiently awaiting my answer.
For once, there was no coldness stitched into his tone or even his face. There was no anger simmering beneath his skin, he was just human... if that made any sense. He was displaying an emotion shown by the everyday person, curiosity. It was a fresh reminder that their was more to him than what met the eye.
My body relaxed for the first time in his presence, a calmness spreading throughout me, relieving the tension in my muscles and the rapid beating of my heart. I could talk to this Ricky, we both had shared something in common, both of us were curious.
"I wanted people to feel safe, especially before Thanksgiving so they could relax with their families. Also, the resistance extended to the Mortes as well, I just never got the chance to mention them because you came," I answered truthfully, hoping my answer was satisfying enough.
It was all I thought, not just part of it.
"Hmm," he hummed in recognition, but I was unable to tell if he believed me.
However, Ricky did look like he was truly processing the information, pulling some strings together. I just hope he knows that I mean well, and I really have no intention of doing harm.
He subconsciously bit his bottom lip in thought, causing them to become a deeper shade of red, and the saliva that rolled its way off his teeth made his lips look almost glossy. He repeated the process continuously, distractingly pulling his bottom lip between his teeth, as if his actions were on a constant replay.
I didn't quite realize I was imitating him until we met eyes, that's when I noticed he's been watching me all this time. I instantly felt my cheeks become hot all over, like someone was blow drying my face, but I was just blushing.
Embarrassed, I glanced down.
"If you don't mind me asking, what did you mean when you said Asher was a good fighter who knows how to keep things running and profits high?" I query, running the tip of my index finger and thumb on my golden heart necklace, which I had to dig out of my turtleneck.
Ricky's cold persona was switched on faster than the speed of light, the calmness of before swirled down the toilet bowl. His blue eyes frosted over with its usual aloofness, gone was the glint of curiosity. Reality crashed down, bursting into fierce flames like an explosion erupted.
"Everything I said is in regard to the deal. If Saint hasn't discussed it with you yet, then you should simply use that mouth to form words, you know, to eventually produce a question, and obtain some answers," Ricky patronized me, and suddenly I felt my mood plummet into the red zone.
What was I thinking? Of course Ricky was going to revert back to his regular self, he may be more than what he leads on, but he's still a gang leader who was just waving his gun around.
Stupid me. What was I even expecting?
"He told me about t-the deal, but none of what he said sounds like what you just described. I guess he lied..." I trailed off, staring at him with my round eyes.
"Wonder why," he sarcastically replied, his brows dipped down as he scanned me up to bottom.
What was that suppose to mean? Wonder why? Asher lied because he's a liar, simple. There's no other excuse.
"Ok," I said back, now tugging at my necklace. "You don't have to tell me. I'll just go on now," I mumbled, the throbbing that consumed my injured hand slowly finding its way back.
Before I could move, he spoke up, half sighing.
"Why tell you when I can just show you? I'll do you this one favor, only in exchange for you owing me one later," he bargains, narrowing his waiting eyes in anticipation.
I had no clue if I was making a deal with the devil, but my attention was grabbed and I was intrigued. For some reason, I felt like I could trust him. He was the only one offering me the uncensored, entire truth.
Without hesitating, I answered, "Ok."
I took a mental notice that Ricky didn't think I was lying about not knowing the deal this time. Maybe his image of me was changing.
He increased the distance between us with his backward steps, I was able to lean off the lecture stand as he did so.
"There's still a few hours before the fights begin, you'll be with me until it's time," his deep voice finalizes the decision.
I take a steady breath in, letting the air fill my lungs as I shake my head, agreeing as if I had a choice.
With his eyes connecting with mine, he turned around, sauntering out of the room in no particular hurry. I guess that was cue to follow him.
Every step he took, I did as well, and eventually after trailing him down the hallway, we took a turn to the right. He continued to walk down the long hall filled with empty classes, at least that's what I thought until I heard familiar voices.
I abruptly stopped, reversing my steps as I peeped into the class, making sure to subtly move away the paper that was blocking the door's window. I instantly spotted several desks forming into a circle, each one occupied by a girl.
At the center of the desks, stood a very short, dark skinned girl. Her plumped lips and slim nose already had me recognizing her as Sadie, one of my classmates in social issues class.
She was the one who warned me to be careful of the company I keep, and I still had no idea what she meant.
"We all know why we're here today, and it's to put a stop to the person who destroyed a piece of us all. The person we won't mention by name, who ruined our lives because he just wanted a fucking quick piece of ass," she grits out through her teeth. "We all have a story, but that's not why we're here today. It's to make sure we don't have to hear another painful, heart-ripping story from another victim," she solemnly stated, her shaky fingers curling to form steely fists.
A sudden pang of worry strikes at my chest, and I find myself clenching my own fists, despite the pain protesting my actions.
Another girl with brunette hair stood up as well, followed by a smaller girl beside her who looked almost like her. I suppose they were twins. However, the first girl was more muscular and had a broad chest. Oddly enough, she had an Adam's apple which just made me confuse.
"That misogynist asshole raped me with a ruler after finding out I was transgender, and then raped my sister in front of me to show me how real girls have sex with men! Sadie, the cops did shit about it cause he owns them! He committed double rape and I'm sure a hate crime, and he still didn't even get brought in for questioning!" The girl yelled in outrage, slamming her palms against the desk.
"Emily, please, calm down," her sister pleaded.
"Are you trying to mock us? Give us false hope that maybe someday in the near future we don't have to tremble in fear every time we walk outside in the hall? Do you think if you can make us feel safer by the illusion that we'll get justice, you can feel safe too?" She questions fiercely.
Sadie's jaw clenched, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "At least I'm still trying to do something, unlike you. You just given up. The least we could do is warn other girls about him!" Her voice raised high, matching the girl's.
"Oh, yeah, that'll definitely keep girls from getting raped by him. What an amazing fucking plan!" The girl sarcastically replied.
"It's better than not doing anything all. At least I have a plan!" She shot back.
The girl scoffed. "I had a plan, but none of you want to do the dirty work!" The girl argued.
"We're not murderers!" Sadie countered, throwing her hands up in frustration.
"You're right. We're just cowards who refuse to do what would benefit the entire female population. I'm out of here, this was a waste," the girl snapped, grabbing her sister's arm and marching to the door.
My heart rate spiked up, quickly did I scurry away down the hall. I felt like the thoughts in my mind got wrapped up by a spiderweb, accidentally getting tangled unbearably tight, because it just so happened that I unintentionally tangled myself in something that wasn't my own business, and now my thoughts gone haywire.
I was digging myself into a deeper grave by just breathing nowadays.
They were obviously talking about a serial rapist, one that had authority over the police.
And what person could have authority over the police? Well, the one I was currently walking to. Oh no.
But did Ricky even have power over the Bellton's police officers? Wouldn't Noah have the control?
Gosh, why was everything so complicated?
That's when my head smashed against a hard chest, which then made a loud growl of annoyance rumble from the person's throat.
"Míralo," Ricky's dark voice warned in Spanish.
I looked up at him, utterly confused because my Spanish knowledge was close to zilch. I'm going to take an educated guess and assume he told me to be careful. I realized my body was still pressed to his warm one, which he wasn't so fond of because he grabbed my shoulders and pushed me back.
I widened my eyes the second his rough hands met my shoulders, completely turning rigid. My hands started to shake against my wishes, making me hide them behind my back as I blinked innocently up at him.
"Sorry, R-Ricky," I muttered, his name sounding foreign, probably because this was my first time addressing him to his face.
Maybe he was the rapist everyone was talking about... and maybe I was gonna be his next victim.
Or maybe you're reading too much into everything, my inside suggested.
I have one job as of right now, find out what the deal really was and how it affects my brother. I'll go with Ricky and be careful.
"Follow me this time, don't wander off," he coldly says, turning around and pushing the door to the parking lot.
The light was absorbed from the sky, leaving behind a darkness that made a million stars shine. I guess it was about 4 or 5 o'clock already, which is why it's so dark and much colder than earlier. Fall was definitely ending soon, I could see my breath come out as smoke.
I don't know what to expect tonight, but the truth will set me free, right?
We began walking pass my car when I stopped, hesitating. "I brought my car...."
He didn't bother to turn around, only did he turn his head, giving me the sight of half his face that was barely noticeable in the shadow of the night.
"Yes, you can ride in your own car," he answered like he could read my mind. "Trail me."
***
I've been behind the wheel for 30 consecutive minutes, taking multiple backroads though Bellton. Eventually we turned down a long road where trees covered the side for miles, I spotted Bellton's run-down bridge up ahead, which lead to many abandoned factories. Maybe we were going there?
I was proved wrong when Ricky's dark grey car took a sharp turn to a hidden pathway, making me turn my wheel quickly to avoid missing the turn. We drove down the dirt pathway in the woods for minutes, that was until he gradually slowed down and stopped completely.
I leaned my foot off the gas pedal, halting my car behind his and waiting for what came next. I scanned the remote area, noticing this place lacked the presence of other people and was eerily pitch-black, if it weren't for my headlights, I would see absolutely nothing.
After moments of complete silence, I decided maybe I should get out of my car and check what's happening, but before I could reach my door handle, another vehicle pulled up behind me. That's when I held my breath, glancing at Ricky's car to see him getting out and shutting his door.
He never stared my way when passing, he went straight by, going to the car that trapped me to this spot. I adjusted my rear mirror to keep an eye on him, watching as he leaned towards the driver's window, his forearm resting on the frame.
"¿Qué estamos haciendo aquí?" A calm voiced asked from within the car, loud enough for me to hear.
"Yeah, we usually don't come to these kind of fights or even this place anymore," A toneless voice says, and I immediately knew it was Jose's.
"Estoy haciendo esto como un favor," Ricky's cold voice replied.
"A favor to who?" Timothy's voice floated over to me.
Ricky cocked his head towards my parked car, "Saint's sister."
"Saint's sister? That's... unexpected," Timothy commented, trailing off for a moment before finishing his sentence.
"¿Problema?" Ricky questioned, having a clipped tone.
"No. I don't question your decisions. Want a smoke?" I heard Timothy ask, seeing a cloud of white smoke leave the car and blow to Ricky.
"No voy en alto, and neither should you," he disapproves, changing from Spanish to the English language, Spanglish I suppose.
I see him reach inside the car, snatching whatever Timothy held in his hand, throwing it to the ground before he steps on it.
"Fight should be starting soon," was the last thing he said, walking away and coming over to my car.
I panicked, fixing my rear mirror so he wouldn't notice that I was staring at him through it. I let out a deep sigh and stiffly looked ahead, as if I were doing that the entire time and not freaking out about him being alone with me. I mean, the possibility of him being a rapist wasn't that high...
The car behind me pulled out to the side, continuing their journey to the place I still had no idea about. Now, it really was just me and him in a close space. What could possibly go wrong?!
I guess this was the moment of truth. Was he or was he not?
My passenger door shut, making me jolt upward in a not so subtle way. I attempted to cover it up by acting like I was shifting in my seat to face him, and I think he bought it or just didn't care to give it a second thought.
I placed my hands nervously on my lap, trying my best to appear nonchalant, and not that I could fall apart like a stack of cards getting hit by a gust of wind.
His caramel skin was visibly darker now that their was no light to brighten it up, and his icy blue eyes were now a stormy ocean blue, dull and dark, but still carrying the same coldness that can induce goosebumps to the person they settle upon.
"Here are some simple rules to follow, don't wander off from me, don't talk to anyone, and do not attempt to interrupt a fight," he warns me, and I shake my head the moment he's done talking.
"That's either a yes or a no," he prompted for an answer.
"Yes," I softly responded back, not trusting my voice to reply with the exact volume he used.
Shortly after, his eyes lowered to my lap, making me intake more air heavily. I glanced swiftly down as well, frowning because of how much my skirt hiked at my sitting position, it exposed much more skin on my thighs than what was appropriate.
Now looking for any distractions to pry his sight off my lap, I answered again. "I understand the rules."
His eyes didn't waver from me, and that's when I made a fist with both my hands, squeezing tightly. The pain of before welcomed me viciously with strong aches that radiated throughout my palm.
Why can't he just bring his eyes back to my face?
He must've read my mind, because the second I thought it was the second he listened, meeting his blue orbs with my own.
"You should-" he began to form his sentence, dropping his eyes again.
However, this time he started to move his hand onto my lap, making me freak out. My breaths grew irregular as tears instantly watered my eyes, stinging them. I felt my eyebrows slant down and my lips pout like a child about to burst into a crying fit.
No. No. No. Please no. I will not be able to get pass something like this.
Asher, Alice, Noah, and Tamara were right. Hannah was wrong, and now I was going to experience just how much Tamara said he did to her.
"Please don't," I whimpered desperately, on the verge of balling my eyes out at my naiveness.
I unbuckled my seatbelt, pressing my back against my door in a pathetic move to increase the distance between us. His hand paused in midair before retracting unusually fast, and he shifted his face towards the windshield, gazing at his headlights with slit eyes.
My ragged breaths, caused by my anxiety, was the only thing to be heard in this excruciatingly, silent car. When I glanced at Ricky, his nostrils were flaring as his jaw flexed repeatedly, I could tell he was biting roughly down against his teeth. His dark eyebrows crunched together before his face magically melted into an eerie calmness.
A sinister chuckle fled from his reddish lips.
"Please don't what?" He interrogated me in a dangerously low voice. "Hmm? Don't what?" He seethed, his voice laced with venom, and his skin simmering with flammable anger.
My breathing grew more uneven as I shook my head, daring to deny him of an answer. I then broke eye contact with his flaming eyes, which looked as if the color red was truly devouring his vision. I gazed below at my car seat.
"Words!" He spats suddenly, erupting like a volcano ready to cause destruction. "Use your fucking words like an adult, Anna!" He barked in front of my face, making me glue my eyes shut and whimper pathetically more.
He paused.
"Please don't what?" He asked once more, his breath fanning my face. "I can sit here all night if I have to," his stubbornness declares. "All fucking night."
I could hear my passenger seat squeak as Ricky leaned back, returning to his own personal space.
"P-please don't.... h-hurt me was what I was going to say," I trembled, praying he couldn't detect this lie.
But who was I kidding?
My wrist was grabbed unexpectedly, making my body lean his way, and to avoid falling onto his lap, I placed a hand on his leg to steady myself. My eyes were now wide open.
"I think we already established that I despise liars. Care to try again?" He brings his lips to my ear, close enough that I could feel the movement of them opening and closing as he talked to me.
I knew he hated it when I didn't verbally respond, but I shook my head vigorously to signify no.
"Please don't hurt me," he mocked my words in a disturbingly soft voice. "Please don't," he imitates me from before, scoffing right after. "Like that would really suffice in getting someone to leave you alone," he cruelly says.
At this point, I couldn't contain the tears that rushed to brim my eyes at his imitation of me, and I couldn't help but feel belittle and shamed. I sniffled uncontrollably, hating how salty, hot tears broke from me, flowing down my face like I had no self-control.
"You didn't mean to say please don't hurt me, you meant to say please don't rape me," he read my mind, pulling his head back to stare at me. "Perfect example of the effect that one lie can have."
"And by the way, I was reaching for your hand to tell you that you should get stitches if your wound won't stop bleeding," he explained furiously, sliding his fingers from my wrist onto my injured hand, raising it up.
A circle of fresh blood stained the white wrap.
Guilt. Guilt infested my entire body as I slumped back into my seat, feeling utterly ashamed of my assumption.
I wanted to apologize but it felt like my throat constricted, preventing me from doing so. I lowered my head, letting my hair block my face as I swiped away tears.
"And in case you haven't noticed, Saint and your friends hide secrets from you because they feel you need to be sheltered. Everyone views you as a naive child who can't fend for herself. They think you need protecting and can't handle the truth, let's see if they're right," he brutally confessed, slamming my car door and leaving me in the driver's seat, crying all alone.
I gripped onto my driving wheel, grasping it until my knuckles turned white, carelessly ignoring the piercing pressure attacking my injured hand. I wish I could act like I was surprised, but I wasn't, deep down I always knew everyone who I care about saw me as a helpless little thing. However, just because someone ripped the bandaid off quicker than foreseen, it didn't always mean it cushion the blow.
Do they see a baby when they look at me? Or a pitiful teenager in desperate need to be taken care of?
Whatever I was feeling in this span of five minutes, was swept underneath the carpet to be analyzed later. Time wasn't waiting for me to recollect myself, or more specifically, Ricky wasn't as he sped off into the darkness. I let out a shaky breath, wiped my tear-stained face, and rolled my car forward.
Can things really get more worse?
~6485 words~
Goddddd damnnnn! Ima need a wholeee break from writing. I legit spent a day dedicated to finishing this chapter.
I really enjoyed writing the part of Ricky where he was displaying a more relatable, human side of himself. It made Annalise and him have a first real conversation.. hopefully out of many more.... we'll see. 🤔
Anyway, how do you like this Ricky filled chapter⁉️
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