There was always something off about the way he gave those long glances at her. Always watching from the other side of the room, speculating. Icy blue pools slowly shifting, calculating her next move, what she would say next, up to the last detail. His next move is preordained, and she's caught in the crossfire.
She guessed that he wanted to just fuck with her life more, and had decided that marriage would be eternal damnation.
She watched him drive and has done nothing but watch him drive for the last 3 hours. They were somewhere in Kentucky and they hadn't gone to the restroom yet. Gwen slouched in her chair, turning her body towards the window as she crouched in the chair.
"You had a boyfriend," he said, out of the blue. "Tell me about him."
"Why should I?"
"Because I could very well dump your body in the middle of the woods and no one would give a single flying fuck." he harshly bit back. "Now be a good girl, and tell me about him."
Gwen sucked her teeth and turned her head at him. He had already seemed peeved by her disrespect and knowing Aaron, he could easily have snapped at that alone. She straightened her shoulders and looked at him. He sharply released a breath, as if he was barely managing to tolerate her.
"He's nice." she bit.
"Not a very flattering description of 'Mr. Perfect' ." he observed. "You guys fought or something?"
"None of your business, you just asked for a description."
"When I ask a question, I expect you to answer me with respect woman. Now try it again," he growled. "What went down between you and your boyfriend?"
"He broke up with me!" she screeched. "I know that's all you wanted to hear! You don't need to worry about him and me."
He nodded, before glaring at her. "Either, you lose the attitude right now or else I'll reconsider marriage."
Gwen snorted and rolled her eyes. Small brown hands clutched their leather jacket, turning away again. He drove for a little more until he stopped at an empty gas station. Gwen moved to open the door but noted it was locked.
She sat up in the chair and groaned as he unbuckled his seatbelt. Gwen watched him take out his wallet. He reached for 3 stuffy 20$ bills.
"You're going to go to the register and tell them to put 60$ on number 5," he said.
She nodded, maybe this would be her chance to ask someone for help.
"Don't do anything dumb, Gwen," he warned. Dead blue eyes looked at her, analyzing her before he lifted the lock. Gwen stepped out of the car and speed walked into the station, meeting a brown-haired lanky guy with the trucker hat that said 'Dine n' Dash'.
"Hello, my name is Xavier, how may I help you?" he asked, bright brown eyes looked at her own depressed brown orbs. She gives an awkward smile.
"60$ on number 5, please," she asked. Gwen put the money in his hand as he punched in the gas on the meter.
"Is there anything else you would like?"
Gwen nodded, putting a small box of birth control pills on the counter. She also reached for a large pack of Mentos gum to take back to Roanoke. They didn't sell that in Roanoke.
She took about 4 dollars and change from her wallet as she quickly pried off the casing of the pills and stuffed it in her pocket as she discarded the box. She quickly picked up the gum and yelled a 'thanks', as she raced out of the store.
She saw him standing at the meter as he began filling it up with gas. He glared at her out of the corner of his eye as she walked around the car and to her side, watching him as she opened the seat.
Slamming the door behind her, she prayed he hadn't known she bought the pills. Marrying the jack off was one thing, but having his kids was another. She looked at the pristine headboard of the car and bumped her head against it. She had desperately wanted to use a payphone in the store to call someone, but who could she call? Her mom? Her ex? Her friend who lived in Montana? Chances were, none of them could be very much help.
Gwen remembered her phone, but with traceable calls on it, she didn't want to take the chance that Aaron might be unaware of tracing calls.
Calling her dad had been an option she thought about too, but there was little he could do without leaving Roanoke, and she didn't need her parents getting in trouble over her. She heard the driver's door open, slamming against the car in succession as he sat in the driver's seat. He quickly buckled in and started the car.
They sat in relative silence, as she tapped her fingers against the dashboard, and he kept his eyes on the road.
"I need to eat, can I go buy something?" she asked.
"No." he calmly said. A frown spread across her face.
"Why not?"
"I'm not stopping again. We're already behind schedule."
"For what?" she muttered. "Hell?"
He gave her a funny look out of the corner of his eyes. A playful glint danced around in his darkened orbs. She glared at him, not really understanding his cryptic gaze.
(2.0)
They arrived in four hours after he sped down the highway and past the interstate onto the bumpy country roads. She saw the sign
'Welcome to Roanoke.'
She gulped as she clutched her arms, too afraid to look out the window and have someone recognize her.
"Welcome home." he chirped.
She rolled her eyes at him with a sneer. Roanoke was not her home, it could very well be her hometown, but she would gladly die before marrying him and having his kids.
They drove along the roads, past her house, past the town hall and to finally the richer end of Roanoke. She saw Randall and... Jessabell? She wasn't sure if it was Jessabell, but if it was, then she was Uber lucky. Jessabell also wanted to leave Roanoke, but she got a pregnant junior year and dropped out.
When Aaron parked the car and forced her to exit, she stood idle as he walked up to Randall and gave him a huge hug. She saw Randall give a disgusted glance over her before returning to the woman.
"Gwen? It's me. It's Lil' old Jess!" she acclaimed.
Gwen hugged the other female. She saw something in her grey eyes gleam in excitement.
"Wow," she said. "How's the baby?"
"Great. Kevin's at home. Randy and I just wanted to welcome you back home. You know before the council does."
"Yeah." she laughed.
"Before yea knows it, you'll have your own little munchkins! They'll be so cute."
Gwen stifled a chuckle. She and Aaron were definitely not touching each other anytime soon.
"I didn't know that he was the one who got you pregnant."
"It was a confusing time of my life Gwen, I didn't really want to tell anyone."
Gwen nodded, understanding. She looked at Aaron and Randall standing and talking about God knows what
After they went inside and ate dinner and sent his friends away, Gwen was ready to sleep.
"Well, I'll just go to my house."
"This is our home. Now clean up and meet me upstairs. We need to establish ground rules."
"I'm not a slave Aaron. I'm not washing the plates."
Gwen felt his palm harshly meet her skin. She stood in shock, tears in her eyes.
"We're not in Chicago anymore, I can hit you." he scowled.
"Now you're going to do those plates are we clear?"
Gwen quickly nodded and began to clear the table and wash the plates as she heard him walk up the stairs.
She took a while washing plates, sniffling into the sink as she cried silently. Aaron took no time in beating her, and she knew he would definitely do it again.
She slowly walked up the stairs and into the open room, where he sat on the large bed. She could see his feet from the door. She crept into the room and looked at him slightly afraid.
"Now, you're going to change into your new clothes," he said. He put a set of clothes out on the bed.
A set of white lace lingerie and a long drab khaki colored nightgown. It reminded her of her aunt's pajamas.
"Can I wear my own from home?"
"I don't think I stuttered. Now change," he said, his jaw locked.
"Why the lingerie?" she asked.
"I need something nice to look at in bed. You're not very pretty Gwendolyn." he taunted.
"Then don't marry me," she mumbled.
"I hate you too sweet cheeks." he gushed, sarcasm dripping from his voice. The response ignited a pregnant silence, which held her eyes at his chest. His eyes shifted downward.
"Why did you not come back after you graduated?" he asked. "Everyone else did."
She kept her mouth shut, trying to come up with the appropriate response. If she told him of her actual reason, he would be more suspicious about her running away.
A lot of things would have to be hidden in this 'marriage'. And her internal thoughts would definitely have to be among those things. She couldn't afford to keep a diary. Blank brown eyes fluttered, a faux calm expression on her face as she sat at the edge of the bed.
"I was trying to get a job," she said. "I was just so caught up in work, I thought nothing about coming back."
"So, you have no connections there. No friends, no lovers, nothing?"
"Yeah. Nothing."
He gave a quizzical look. "I think you're lying to me. I won't tolerate lying Gwen."
She gulped nervously but kept her face calm.
"I'm not." she insisted. "My family is here anyways."
That was true, her family was in Roanoke and at best her only friend was all the way in Michigan. There would be no way for her to contact him without calling him. Gwen remembered that the poor reception in Roanoke probably wouldn't allow for it.
"Change. We have a long day tomorrow."