I’ve known him for a month.I met him.
He… He, he, he…
No.
I start shaking my head.I can’t stop.
It’s too much.
I back up.Because I sure as fuck didn’t sit down whenDaddytold me to.Not this time.Not tonight.
“Briana,” he barks in his deeper, demanding voice.
I keep shaking my head.
Silver steps close to me, and I shift my attention to him.“You…” He’s part of this.All of these guys.My brother grabs women, freshmen, and scares the fuck out of them for what?Fun?
Silver.He’s been so kind to me since I met him, but how much do I really know about him?Not a lot.I know he was raised in foster care like me.I know he spent the last few years of his childhood in a boys’ home.That’s where he met his roommates.
It seems like everyone is talking at once.Shouting.Silver is screaming at Rook.Rook isn’t paying attention to him because he’s yelling at me.The other three are in shock and arguing about who knew what and breaking rules.
Rules?Fuck their rules.
A burst of adrenaline consumes me, and I spin around and run for the front of the house.
From outside the room, I can hear Rook over the others.He’s focused on me, yelling my name.But he doesn’t follow me.I’m pretty sure I know why, because the sound of furniture breaking joins the noise of the argument.
I suspect my brother has picked up his chair and used it to break my stalker’s face.Good.
I’m surprised when I’m able to make it to the front door and yank it open, but I manage to get out.
And then I’m running.
I’m not even sure which direction I’m going.It doesn’t matter.All that matters is putting distance between me and…crazy.
I run until I can’t breathe any longer.I’m in a dress, but I’m wearing sneakers.And that fucking butterfly is still attached to me.It’s no longer buzzing, so at some point, either Rook turned it off or maybe I got too far away from the remote.Is that a thing?
I slow down and look around.I have no idea where I am.I don’t even care.There’s no one around me.It’s getting dark, but it’s not really late.It’s probably seven-thirty.I really don’t care.
I’m in a neighborhood.There are homes around me.It’s easy to slow to a reasonable pace and pretend I’m just out for a walk.I don’t want anyone to talk to me.I don’t want to arouse any suspicion.
When I come across a park, I enter it.It has swings and slides and other equipment for children, but the part that catches my attention is the elaborate piece for climbing.At the top is a fort.
That’s where I head.Awkwardly, I climb up the faux rock wall meant for a five-year-old and crawl into the covered structure.
Exhausted, I drop onto my bottom, pull my legs up, hug them, and lower my forehead to my knees.
I wish my mind would stop racing.I don’t want to think.Peace is what I need.
When did I last feel any peace?
Twenty-Five
Rook
Silver is shouting at me, and I don’t blame him.How can I?He has broken one of the chairs.Luckily, he missed my head and slammed it into the wall instead of my skull.It’s in four pieces on the floor, and the drywall has several holes in it.
My face hasn’t fared well against his fist, but I won’t hit him back.He’s in the right.