Warning: This chapter contained depictions of sexual assault, murder, and violent acts. If any of these topics trigger you, please skip the chapter or read at your own risk
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Andre and I have been going on a year strong! Production has been going great! Everything is amazing, he's amazing! For our one year anniversary, he took me to a fancy restaurant that the others have been to before and gifted me this beautiful necklace with two charms. An A for Andre, and a microphone for our shared love of music.
For him, I bought him a new keyboard, plus some skins just in case he wanted to switch up the look. They were reusable and biodegradable.
Anyway, currently we were at a party at Keenan Thompson's house. That's right, I met Keenan! Andre took me with him when his uncle was giving Keenan a tour of his new house. After what happened last time with a panda (Andre said it was a long story), Keenan bought a new house and kept all the documents off his phone and off social media.
So, this party was much smaller than what it was before, but we were having a great time. I stuck by Andre the whole time, though. Currently, Andre and I were with Tori and Flynn.
"So, Skyla," Flynn spoke up, "Tori told me you're working on an album?"
"Oh! Yeah! Andre's helping me produce it, it's more of a team project than me doing it all alone!" I answered, beaming up at my guy.
"What's it about?" Flynn asked.
"Ah...the topic's a bit personal." I stepped closer to Andre's side.
"Come on," Flynn leaned closer with a smile, causing Tori's smile to falter, "you can tell me."
"Flynn." Tori warned.
Before I could answer, Andre spoke up for me, "The topic is personal, but we hope to spread awareness on mental health, creating a safe place for listeners struggling with whatever it is they're struggling with."
"Yeah!" I interlocked my fingers with Andre's, "I want people to relate so they don't feel like they're alone with their struggles."
Flynn scoffed, "Yeah, sure. Like that'll even sell."
I furrowed my brows, immediately angered, "Excuse you?"
He smirked, "Mental health doesn't mean shit to people. All you are is sad and nervous, everyone gets like that."
He leaned closer, staring me dead in the eyes, "If anything..."
"Flynn, don't." Tori warned again.
He shot her a look, "You should make your music like everyone else's. Make it about sex, wealth, and drugs."
I wanted to slap that smirk off his face, but before I could, Andre stood between me and Flynn.
"I know you're dating my best friend," Andre growled, "but watch your tone with my girl."
Flynn gulped and turned back to Tori, I squeezed Andre's arm and pulled him back.
"Calm it." I mouthed.
Andre glanced at Flynn then back at me, the look on his face reading, "Are you serious?"
I leaned up and kissed his cheek, reassuring him that I'll be fine. But I suddenly got a bad feeling in my stomach. I grabbed Tori's hand and started dragging her away.
"Skyla! What the hell?!" she yelled as I found an empty bedroom.
"Look, you're gonna think I'm crazy." I tried to explain.
"Like you aren't for suddenly dragging me away?"
"Could you let me explain?"
Tori sighed, "Fine."
"Don't you think anything's off with Flynn?"
"What? Why?"
I pulled out my phone, opening my notes app and showing her every off behavior Flynn has presented in the past.
"That doesn't prove anything."
"Have you googled him?" I asked.
"Why would I?"
"IN CASE HE'S SOME STALKER RAPIST!"
"He's far from that."
I groaned, and started typing his name into my phone, "Fine, if you won't search him then I wi-....fuck."
"What?"
Staring at the results in front of me, my stomach started to turn. Bile tried to force its way up my throat, but failed.
The search results were all of the same news article. Flynn Williams was on trial for the rape and murder of Stacy Grace. According to all these sources, Stacy tried to break it off with Flynn, which caused him to snap and assault her, he then stalked and killed her a week later to prevent her from reporting the assault. He was sentenced to forty years, but escaped somehow. There was an active manhunt for him. I guess the look on my face was enough to convince Tori to look at these results, cause I could immediately hear her gasp.
"Shit..."
"Fuck, Tori, what do we do?!"
She thought for a moment, then snapped her fingers, "My dad's a cop!"
"But we're at a party!"
"Doesn't matter."
So, we discussed a plan. I would go back to Andre and Flynn, letting them know that Tori was in the bathroom. Tori would call her dad to get Flynn arrested. And if Flynn were to get suspicious and try to find Tori, she would hide in the bathroom in the master bedroom.
Before I could head back to find Andre, Tori and I heard a crash followed by a scream.
"Hide and call your dad, now!" I instructed before following where the scream came from.
The window overlooking the pool area had been shattered, someone groaning on the ground.
"SINJIN!" I recognized the curly haired, teeth collector from school.
I rushed over to him, "What happened?"
"Flynn threw me out the window. All I did was congratulate him and Tori for their relationship."
He groaned loudly, there was a huge cut on his arm. I tore part of his shirt to apply pressure to the wound.
"I'm right here, buddy, I'm gonna get you help."
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The police had been called along with some medics for Sinjin. They started working on getting the glass removed from his skin while also assisting the major wound.
"Assault charge on top of the rape and murder of an innocent girl, and escaping prison." I thought to myself, "This dude is gonna be locked up for a while."
I immediately got a text from Tori. Flynn was trying to find her and was in the master bedroom. Filled with intense adrenaline, I rushed up to the room and stayed pressed against the wall outside the door, peeking around the corner to find Flynn banging on the closet door, creepily calling out Tori's name.
Smart move, Vega
I heard the front door open, the sound of rushing footsteps and voices echoed up the stairs.
"POLICE!" I heard someone yell.
"UP HERE!" I stupidly yelled, resulting in two hands being forced around my throat.
"Shut your fucking mouth!" Flynn growled.
Quickly, I pulled my knee back and sharply swung, hitting him square in his groin. He cried out and let go of me, I collapsed to the ground, coughing my lungs out.
"Don't you EVER lay a hand on me again!" I yelled between coughs.
"Skyla!" Andre's voice filled my ears before I felt his familiar embrace.
I wrapped my arms around him as Flynn was cuffed by Tori's father.
"Flynn Williams, you're under arrest for the assault of Sinjin Van Cleef, for the rape and murder of not only Stacy Grace, but also Lena Smith, Michelle Wilson, and Grace Newberry. And you're under arrest for escaping your forty year sentence."
Mr. Vega smirked, "Oh I'm so happy to be booking your sorry ass. I never liked you dating my baby to begin with."
As we watched Flynn get perp walked, I turned to Andre, whose eyes were on my neck.
"He hurt you." Andre mumbled.
"I'm fine, Andre."
His eyebrows furrowed, "I should've pulverized him when I had the chance. He disrespected you and laid his hands on you. Nobody disrespects my baby!"
Frowning, I pulled him in for a kiss, his demeanor relaxing.
"Calm it." I firmly said, cupping his face with my hands, "I'm not risking you getting into trouble for me."
"But he-"
"Ap bap bap! Zip it."
"But-"
"ZIP!"
Andre chuckled.
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Tori found us, she relayed the story to us about what happened, but I stopped her.
"It's better if you go outside, and tell your dad what happened. They'll take your statement."
"Right. I'm just...freaked out." Tori shivered.
"Hey, you're okay." I hugged her.
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Andre and I walked Tori down to her dad, who she immediately embraced as she cried.
Keenan approached us, obviously confused.
"Dang, Andre. If you told me it was gonna be this kind of party, I would've stayed." he joked.
Then his demeanor changed, "Do I have to sue somebody?"
I shook my head, "No, someone was thrown out your window. That's all I can really say since..." I pointed to Tori and her dad.
Keenan nodded, "I understand completely. Don't worry about the window, I'll pay for it. Just as long as nothing of mine was stolen, we'll be fine."
"Nothing was, I can assure you." Andre wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
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During the drive back to my place, Andre was silent. I started to worry, so I asked what was wrong.
"I'm just upset that he laid his hands on you." Andre growled out.
"Hey, I'm okay. The second he laid his hands on me, I kicked him where it hurts." I placed my hand on his shoulder.
"I know, I just....what if you couldn't do that? What if he killed you like he killed those other girls?"
Hearing him get worried, I sighed, "Well, I don't know what would've happened, but I know that if I didn't yell for the police when I camped outside that room, Tori would've been killed."
He sighed, "I guess you're right."
"I'm not right, I'm just being logical." I squeezed his bicep.
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Upon arrival to my place, Andre asked if he could stay the night, which I obviously accepted.
Nothing like that happened, we just watched reruns of his favorite show and fell asleep in each other's arms.