SIX

| chapter song: black magic - little mix |

| dedication: anne, my love |

SIX

"Let go."

Link tightened his hands around my waist. "No."

I swallowed down the large lump in my throat. "Let go." I repeated, more forcefully this time.

I looked around, hoping Brandon could at least save me from this devil. When my eyes didn't catch any mop of dirty blonde hair, I took it upon myself to get away. I dropped my hands from around his neck and grabbed his hands that were still glued around me. I stabbed my nails inside the small exposed skin of his wrist and pulled his hands off me.

Link didn't look fazed with the infliction of the pain but rather looked amused. He let go slowly and I didn't wait a second before picking up my dress and hightailing it out of there

I couldn't give two flying damns about my Father's party, or the awaiting scowling from my Mother. She could really make you feel downgraded from just a simple scowl and I always avoided it. Yet, this time, to hell with it.

I barged past the whole crowd, the past irking behind my brain and I nearly convulsed at the sour taste it left on my mouth. After all I did change, learn how to keep up a pretty face... but I still didn't forget. It was always lurking around my life and with Link back in town, I knew I was right back in the red zone. And his agenda was clear as crystal.

He was going to make me pay for his sister's death. A death that was on my hands.

A hand flew to cover my mouth as a sickening taste started to rise from the pits of my stomach. It churned. My body started to quiver like an upcoming earthquake and once again, I was alone.

No one knew about the horrific accident that happened nearly two years ago and it was silently eating at me from the inside. I could never tell anyone mainly because I knew how it was going to end for me. But everyone deserved justice and peace. And I suffered a great deal with trying to get my head around the fact that I didn't give Link's sister the peace and justice she deserved.

My hand flew to the top of my head, my own voice screaming at me. Stop!

"Ori- wait!"

Link is back to get that justice and peace for his sister.

"Orianna!"

I heard my name being called out and my eyes frantically scanned the surroundings. But I didn't register anything until I felt a hand grip my upper arm.

I looked up, slightly surprised to see Thomas, and quickly gathered my composure. "What's up?" I asked, titling my head to the right.

Thomas looked back at me incredulously, his brows knitted together. "You seriously going to act like I didn't see you suffer from a panic attack?"

My eyes narrowed down onto his face, "panic attack?"

Thomas moved so he was standing right before me and he crossed his arms. I couldn't help but notice how tight the tuxedo went around his arms and I could almost see what Versa saw in him. Thomas was nothing like his brother. Thomas had a tough, careless exterior but I had always noted the little concern for the small things he often let through.

"Yes, Ori, a panic attack," he knifed his eyes sharply down on me and I felt like I was being suffocated.  He wasn't going to let it go. Not anytime soon.

I let out a deep sigh and tried to avoid his eye by looking over to his side. I noticed that I managed to drag myself outside. It didn't look as fancy as it did earlier this evening and everyone was shuffled inside. There were a few cars parked at the side and a valet was standing to the side, smoking a cigarette.

"I wasn't having a panic attack." I whispered at Thomas, looking up at him. I steadied myself once again.

"You can't lie for shit Ori." Thomas scoffed at me.

"Well I've been lying for two years now and so far, no complaints." I regretted what came out my mouth the instant it did. I pulled both my lips back into my mouth and mentally cursed at myself. Not wanting to spend another second with Thomas, I picked up my dress and shoved past him.

"Excuse me!" I yelled at the valet who was picking up the cigarette for another drag. He carefully lifted up his head and caught my eye.

"Hey you!" I said once I was closer to him and dropped my dress. The valet eyed me up and down before he scrunched his forehead at me.

"Anything I can do for you ma'am?"

I nodded at him. "Yes, yes. Can you call me a cab please?" I asked him.

The valet looked over my shoulder and I just knew who was standing there. "Ignore him, he wants to be annoying."

"Nah, I don't want to be annoying. She's being annoying." I heard Thomas's scoff again and I couldn't stop the roll of my eyes.

The valet looked between us; down at my face, then back up over my shoulder.

"Do you still want a cab?" The valet asked.

"Yes!"

"Nah she doesn't."

"Thomas, go away."

"That ain't gonna happen either."

I turned around to him. "What the hell?"

Thomas was looking at me with a new expression and I didn't like it. He still had his arms crossed, his hair a darker shade than his brother's covering his forehead. He always had it styled differently, sometimes he'd grow it out longer into curls, sometimes pushed away from his face with a shorter cut and sometimes even have something completely differently working out for him.

"You're not going anywhere Ori."

"Thomas you don't have a say in what I do or don't do."

Thomas's upper lip twitched. "Not saying that."

"Then quit ordering me around." I snapped at him, turning back around to the valet. He was looking between us with a confused frown.

"Ori," Thomas' voice dropped to a softer tone and that itself should have been a warning that whatever he was going to say next was going to sting. "I know what Brandon did."

Every cell in my body froze, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on edge. The thought of someone else knowing what was going on sickened me. I felt humiliated, stomped on, an utter train wreck and I just couldn't handle it.

"Shut up Thomas," I said back in a low voice.

"I know what he did and I should have-"

I flicked myself back around to him, my eyes narrowing down to hard slits. "I said shut up Thomas." I sneered at him.

Thomas looked unfazed as he stared right back at me with hard eyes. "You're probably not thinking straight right now and you really don't want to leave your Father's-"

"I said shut up." I screamed at him, my voice ringing loudly in my own eyes. Thomas flinched slightly but he quickly recovered and leaned down and grabbed both my arms.

"Chill girl,"

"Fuck you," I snarled in his face. He was not going to pick up what his brother broke. I wasn't going to let that happen.

I snatched my arms out of his grip and turned back around to the valet. He was now looking at me with a soft, sorry expression. And I hated it.

"Call me a cab. That's a final."

_

_

_

I dragged myself out of bed the following morning, the dreading presence of Monday worsening my already dreaded mood. I couldn't seem to lift my head up but I could give myself a pat on the back for managing to avoid both my parents this early morning.

I quickly threw something over my head before speeding out the house, leaving My Mother to send her annoying dog to my empty bed. I sent Versa a text, telling her to meet me at the gates before we went inside.

And just as I expected, she was already there before me, half her face plunged inside her massive scarf. It was the cold bite of autumn that breezed over our heads and everyone was suited and booted for this weather.

"Morning," Versa greeted me without lifting her mouth out of her scarf, so her voice sounded stuffed.

I smiled at her cuteness and gave her quick side hug. "Morning." I replied back softly.

Versa started jumping on the spot, the heels of her boots hitting the ground. "Can we go inside quick? It's so cold," she said over the chattering of her teeth.

I shoved both my hands inside my front pockets and started to walk inside through the gates, with Versa walking besides me.

Brandon won't be in this morning, he always had Monday's off and would usually come and meet me at lunch. I had to avoid him today though since my head still wasn't in the right place.

And there's Link.

"How was the anniversary?" Versa asked just when we reached the front and pulling me out of my thoughts.

I looked at her, biting the insides of my cheek. "It was okay." I told her, lying to my own best friend. I still couldn't confront it all myself so how could I just lay it all down to Versa? Plus, she adored Brandon and I just couldn't let her know how much he used me.

_

_

_

I got a text from my mum just before lunch and I rolled my eyes before opening the message. I could just image the lengthy message she composed and then she'd get my Father to send a following - although short yet still sharp - message.

Come to the Hard's. I need to speak to you with Mrs Hard.

I frowned at the message, completely dumbfounded since I wasn't expecting that. I couldn't go to Brandon's house and meet up with my Mother and his Mother. That would be a death wish cooked up and ready to serve.

I sank my top teeth in my lower lip and packed my bag as soon as class was dismissed. We were let out a few minutes earlier and it gave me the best opportunity to walk slowly out the gates, giving myself longer to talk myself out of meeting my Mother. By the time I was out the gates, my phone beeped notifying me with another text.

Where you going?

The text was from my Thomas and I quickly replied to him. I looked around to see if he was nearby but there was only one guy, standing at the smoking area and apart from that, there was no one else outside. He must have seen me walking out the gates from his classroom window or something.

To your house. My mum wants me to meet her and your mum there for something

I hit send and before I put my phone back in my pocket, it beeped again. I didn't fish it out to see the text and just carried on walking. When I spotted the Hard's household, I pulled out my phone to text my Mother back. But Thomas's text was on my screen.

DON'T GO.

I frowned down at my phone.

Why not? I'm here anyways.

My Mother didn't reply back and since I was so used to being at this house, I knocked on the door and waited for someone to open it. I half expected Brandon to open the door but since it was already fifteen minutes in lunch, he was probably at College wondering where I was.

When no one came to the door after my repetitive knocking, I realised the door was actually unlocked. My forehead creased as confusion swam through me.

Why was this door unlocked?

I stepped inside regardless and the first thing I spotted was Brandon's shoes. So he was still here. I hightailed it up the stairs, hoping to avoid Mrs Hard and my Mother and ask Brandon what was up before I had to face them. That was of course, if I could still face him. Maybe I could ask him who that girl was and hope he had an explanation.

I walked along the corridor to Brandon's closed bedroom door and nearly stopped dead in my tracks at the sounds I was hearing.

Groans. And moans.

I put my hand on the door handle and slowly opened the door, fearing what I would find inside.

Only nothing could have prepared me for what my eyes saw.

Brandon was naked in bed with a woman under him. And not just any woman.

"Mum?" I breathed out over a choke and they both snapped their heads at the door, their eyes wide and half glazed.

I could have stood there a few moments longer, to allow the image to fully develop in my head but my feet moved on their own accord and I bolted back down the stairs, right back out the house. But I couldn't keep it in.

I dropped down to my knees at the curb and everything came up. I retched at the side walk, my hair falling down each side of my face. Once nothing more could come out, I stayed stoic in position and closed my eyes.

Damn it.

How messed up can my life get?

I picked myself up from off the floor, not wanting to confront Brandon or my Mother. Not now and not ever. I pulled out a new tissue from my pocket and wiped my mouth clean.

How can this really happen to me?

An image of my Mother sprawled under Brandon popped up in my head and I felt sick again. Only this time, I pressed it back down and turned on my heel.

"Two out of three."

I snapped my head around to see Link standing there with his hands folded across his chest, a mask painted over his face. He had his eyes locked on my face and I nearly quivered at the coldness he emitted.

I didn't say anything to him until he slowly pulled his right hand out and dangled my Mother's phone in my face.

"Thought you should see it with your own eyes," he informed me. "After all, once a cheater, always a cheater."

He dropped my Mother's phone down to the ground and walked away.

I didn't have one second to process anything before my own phone started to ring. I quickly retrieved it from my pocket and answered the call from Thomas.

"I saw them." I whispered over the phone, turning to walk back to school. I didn't know where else to go and the way I was acting right now was freaking me out.

"Shit." Thomas cursed from the other end.

"Did you know?" I asked him softly. Because why else would he tell me to not go to his house.

Thomas completely ignored my question and instead asked one of his own "Where are you now?"

"I'm on my way to college." I told him.

"We'll speak then." He ended the call.

_

_

_

I walked back inside of the college, instantly spotting Versa and Ryan standing at the wall. They looked concerned and I could see tears in Versa's eyes. I quickly rushed to her side, wondering who the hell could hurt my best friend.

I could handle people hurting me. I was good at pushing everything to the side and pretend nothing could hack at me. But seeing my best friend crying always cut me deep. Because Versa was too precious to be hurt.

Before I could reach them, my phone started ringing again. I saw Thomas' name on the screen and I quickly picked it up.

"What's up now?"

"Please tell me you're not in college right now?"

"I am." I said carefully and stopped to stand next to Versa.

"Shit." Thomas cursed again and something heavy dropped down my stomach.

Slowly, almost as if my head could sense the horrific images, I titled my head upwards to the screen that would usually give the notifications.

But this time, images of Brandon in numerous compromising positions were playing in a slow slide show on the screen and everyone was watching it.

I stared at them in horror, letting each and every single image slap me in the face. And each and every single image hurt like bitch.

"I'm so sorry Ori, if I knew-" Versa started to say to me and that's when I knew why she was crying. Because of me.

"It's okay." I told her in a small voice even though it really wasn't. I felt trampled over and completely humiliated.

"I'm going to kill him Ori." Ryan said and it surprised me slightly to see him take my side. I looked up at him and gave him a grateful smile that didn't reach my heart.

"It's okay." I repeated.

"I think I should go outside. For some air." I said softly to no one in particular. I turned around and slowly walked back outside.

Only to bump into Link again.

No. No. No. No.

"Please don't say it." I whispered in a small, cracked voice.

Link just stared at me silently for a few seconds before he opened his mouth. "Three out of three."

No.

And then just like I did with everything else, I got the hell away.