I clench my tray tighter and walk slower once the lunch table is in sight. Leon, of course, isn't there. Too busy in the lunch line while Kahlil and Adriano are facing away from me. So if I really wanted to I could just leave, right now. Yeah, they won't notice at all. And when they ask where I was later I'll just say studying in the library. Yup, perfect. So with slow and steady steps, I turn and head towards the exit. Luckily, the librarian lets me eat in there because there's no way I can skip lunch.
"Nevaeh!" I freeze, closing my eyes. Shit. I hold my breath when I hear feet stepping to me.
"Nev, we need to-" thwack
"Don't you ever fucking call me that!" I glare as my nostrils flare, clenching the tray tightly in my hands.
'Nev,' I shut my eyes. No.
'Be a good girl.' I am.
'Come here.' Stop. touches bruise then burns a permanent imprint as they meet my skin. The touches move everywhere, all at once, corrupting even the virtuous parts of my mind. The tight feeling in my chest almost squeezing my heart to a shuddering stop. I wish it did.
"Nevy?" I blink back to reality my eyes focusing on what's in front of me. My eyes widen when I notice others on me, all widen and... fearful. My gaze darts around then down when I realize the my shakey hands holding onto the tray for dear life. Wait.. blood.. My breath leaves me when I look ahead. Oh no. I drop the tray, moving backwards before rushing out of the cafeteria. I try to ignore the voices that scream for me but they drum into my ear so I run faster.
Everything blurs pass me until I hear a sudden beep.
I try to quickly swerve, realizing I'm driving but the lights blind my eyes.
⚀ ⚀ ⚀ ⚀
"What? You have to work night shifts?" Nevaeh pouts. Sammy mocks her actions then furrows his eyebrows. "What's night shifts, Momma?" Their mom sigh. "I work when you guys go to bed and get home when y'all wake up for school." Nevaeh looks to her dad. "Daddy, what are we gonna do when you work?" He smiles sweetly. "I work from home now." Nevaeh smiles then the smile disappears. "Mommy, when are we gonna see you?" She sighs, rocking Nico. "I don't know, baby." Sammy goes over to his mother, hugging her legs and pouting. "Don't worry guys, Mommy isn't going to be gone forever. Plus, you still have Daddy." He nods when their mom points to him. "That's right, so no poopy faces." The little children crack a smile at the usage of the silly word. Nevaeh runs up to her father, slapping his arms. "I didn't make a poopy face!" The parents begin laughing as Sammy joins his sister in the assault. Nico opens his eyes, looking startled. "Oh, baby's up."
I gasp awake then groan when my forehead begins to throb. Trying to blink away the pain, I finally focus on my surroundings.
My headlights cut through the grass, burning my sensitive corneas. My car is slightly tilted to my side, the engine humming softly. The road beside me is barely seen and empty.
With a frown, I turn everything off. The darkness bathes me as the sun starts to set.
Geez, what time is it?
I look around for my phone, panicking when I pat myself down and don't feel it.
Feeling around through the darkness I come across my glasses, which are badly broken. I groan, throwing them behind me to continue my search.
"Oh, shit." I pull back, gasping when I cut my finger. After a sigh, I use my foot to push the object towards me.
Once it's in sight I faintly see little pieces of glass. I groan, carefully picking up the thing.
Stupid Smartphone.
Not caring enough to see if it still works, I throw it in the passengers seat before starting my car. When I know for sure that nothing is damaged or broken I drive back onto the deserted road.
⚀ ⚀ ⚀ ⚀
"Ah, shit!" I slam my hand down on my steering wheel when the car comes to a complete halt. I glance at my meter to see it's dead set on E.
I groan, leaning back on my headrest. Then I look around to see if there are any gas stations in sight. I sigh when I find none.
Well, I'm screwed.
I frown, closing my eyes before loosening my grip on the wheel.
Ugh, what am I gonna do. Everyone at home is probably worried sick about me.
I groan again, hitting the wheel in frustration. I immediately open my eyes and jump up, with a small yelp when I hear the car horn.
This catches the attention of a passing by car, it slowing as its lights hit me.
I scrunch my face up, holding my arm up to shield my eyes. I then blink a couple times when the light stays shining in my face.
Shit, did they stop?
I begin to get nervous as I faintly see someone get out of the car, the another. Both tall and big, both of which can easily snatch me up.
I'm really screwed. No scratch that, ima gonna end up dead. I can already see it, breaking new teen found bloodied and bruised with torn clothes on the side of the road. May be a possibility of rape before death.
"Nevaeh?" Oh shit!
I duck down on instinct though they already clearing see me.
What's wrong with me? I'm about to get raped and murdered and I fucking duck! And I'm supposed to be a fighter.
I scoff.
Some instincts I have.
"Nevaeh!" I squeal, jumping up and out of my car and start running as fast as I can.
Ah, finally! I should've done that in the first place.
The men scream at me to stop before chasing after me. I don't dare look back as I try to pick up speed. I begin panicking some more when I heard them getting closer.
Oh, shit, shit, fuck! I'm gonna die!
I squeal again when my body's lifted off the ground and arms wrap around my waist.
Fuck!
"Please, you don't wanna do this! I have all the diseases, every single one! AIDS, HIV, syphilis!" I catch my breath as they squeeze me tighter.
"And my pussy and asshole is so loose you won't even feel anything, please, you really don't wanna do this!" I begin hyperventilating, trying to calm myself and catch my breath.
I fail as my nerves freak out from the silence.
Oh my god, they're going to kill me. I close my eyes, biting my lip to stop the tears.
"Nevaeh." And they know my name, I'm going to be-
I open my eyes.
Wait.
"Leon?" I furrow my eyebrows, glancing up at the person holding me captive. He nods slowly before I look over at the other kidnapper.
"Kahlil?" He coughs into his fist awkwardly before nodding stiffly.
I glance at both of them before sighing in relief, going limp in Leon's arms.
"Oh holy shit, I thought I was gonna die." Leon stands me up, turning me towards them before letting go.
"And you thought talking about the unavailability of your body would be your best last words." I frown, averting my eyes.
"I thought if I told them how not worth it I was they would let me go." I hear footsteps and look up to find Khalil staring at me with furrowed brows.
"Nevaeh, it's a rapist, they don't care." He frowns at me.
"Regardless of the situation you shouldn't talk so shamefully about yourself." I blush, staring down at the road. 'Sorry.'
"Yeah," I shrink into myself when Leon agrees while Khalil finds victory in this. I glance at him through my eyelashes. 'Sor—'
"Especially," I furrow my eyebrows when his lips curl into a knowing smirk.
"When it's completely inaccurate." Khalil's face drops before it turns into a scowl. He growls, elbowing Leon in the side.
"Dude!" I cover my mouth to mask my amusement.
"What!"
"What do you mean, 'what'! You don't say that!"
"You're just mad that you haven't found out for yourself."
"Oh, and you have!" I cover my whole face as it heats to 360 degrees.
Man, now I really do wish they were murderers.
⚀ ⚀ ⚀ ⚀
Kahlil Collins
Leon smirks, shrugging. Khalil's eyes burn with rage.
Ima kill him!
"Um, guys," They stop to glance at the small girl standing not far from them.
"As much as I love hot guys fighting over my lady parts, we're in the middle of a dark, empty street and I'd really like to go home. My family's probably worried about me." They both sigh before nodding. If they did catch the compliment they didn't comment on it.
"Yeah, it's getting late."
It's probably better to talk to her when we get to her house anyway.
The two boys begin walking but stop when they notice Nevaeh hasn't moved. Leon raises an eyebrow.
"What?" She smiles faintly, holding her hands out. They glance at them, completely confused. She sighs, rolling her eyes.
"Take 'em."
"Like we're first graders?"
"I was about to get raped!"
"Are you calling me a rapist?"
"Oh my gosh, Leon, just—" she yelps as Kahlil roughly grabs her hand then tugs her along.
"Guys stop, we're never get anything done if we keep this up." Leon watches them a little before caving, catching up with them and grabbing her other hand.
Khalil's lips form a thin line as he tries to ignore the tingles of her small palm when it grazes against his.
They all stay silent on the way back to the car, deciding to leave Nevaeh's car to pick up in the morning.
They let go of each other before taking their seats. Leon the driver, Nevaeh in shotgun and Khalil in the back.
He, again, ignores the dramatic depression that looms once they do disconnect.
The car ride to her house is calm and quiet as they all reflect over all the chaos in their lives since they've been connected to the others.
Khalil occasionally glancing at the side of Nevaeh's face through the space between the headrest and window.
The ride seems to be too short for their wandering thoughts as Leon pulls up to her house.
Silence coils around them, licking supposedly healed wounds and warming skin which is too deep to reach with blankets alone.
Each pained thought and warped emotion different yet coexisting with the others, intertwined perfectly together.
This makes the vulnerability thick as it drifts through the air. Waiting for someone to brake under the pressure.
Nevaeh's the first to lose.
"Well," her clears her throat.
"Thanks for the ride." Her words don't match her actions as she body stays still, knowing this isn't it.
She's waiting.
They all know it. Yet no one gets it over with, wanting the other to do the deed.
Kahlil hates the uncertainty in his chest when minutes ago he was so confident in finding answers to questions he's had since the day he heard his teammate talk about her skills in gym.
He so desperately wants, no needs to know, feeling like he's known her a lifetime though it's only been mere months. Then again he feels though he's a stranger in her eyes.
How can I feel like I know her so well yet not at all?
Having enough of this internal battle which was meant for others to begin with, he, for once in his life, speaks his mind.
"Nevaeh, this has gone on long enough, we all have questions and I have a feeling you know every single one of those answers."