Chapter 37: Red Thorns: Chapter 36

I couldn’t sleep that night.

All I could think about was, what the hell happened and how did I let it?

I still can’t forgive Sebastian for what he’s done. I still don’t want him back.

So why the fuck did my body react in that shameful way?

Maybe it’s because the physical and emotional are separated after all.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been sexually frustrated for weeks and I took it out on Akira in the toxic letters we’ve been exchanging.

At any rate, none of what happened last night should’ve happened.

If my mom hadn’t come in, just how far would I have let him go?

I need to detox from his influence one way or another.

Either that or the bubbling frustration will get the better of me. That and Mom’s cancer are too much to handle.

Maybe that’s why I cracked and accepted Lucy back, on probation, as I told her. We’re both outcasts anyway, and she basically committed social suicide by going against Brianna. Even Prescott doesn’t look in her direction anymore. Reina and I have somehow grown close, too.

I know. Crazy.

So now, the three of us are kind of friends, or colleagues or whatever, but we’re not close enough that I’d tell them the whole thing about Mom.

She’s keeping it a secret from the board until the last minute and asked me not to say anything in exchange for going on a trip together.

Besides, I don’t fully trust Reina and Lucy. It’ll take time with those two.

I never would’ve thought that Reina and I could become close, but here we are. I guess it’s all because of her memory loss. It’s like the cruel, vindictive Reina has gone and a completely different, honest girl, came in on her behalf.

One who cares and tells Brianna off. One who hates her past actions whenever she’s reminded of them.

The fact that her fiancée, Asher, is back, might have something to do with it.

The same Asher who’s one of Sebastian’s closest friends.

My monster has been bugging me any chance he gets, cornering me and blocking my exits. He sends me texts and talks about himself and me. He still believes there’s an us even though I repeated for the thousandth time that we’re over.

Stop thinking about him, Naomi.

I repeat that in my head over and over again, and yet, I find myself in the forest at dusk.

At the rock, to be more specific.

My arms lie limp at my sides as I stare at the dirt covering it while the late afternoon sun casts orange hues on the trees.

He must’ve completely forgotten about this place.

What was I expecting? That he’d make an altar where he used to shove me down and fuck me?

This isn’t over, baby.

The sound of his sinister voice in my head sends a chill crawling down my arms.

I internally shake my head as a mocking sound leaves me.

What am I doing here anyway? I should go and bug Mom about leaving work and resting.

It really feels as if she’s bringing her death date sooner at the pace she’s going.

I’m respecting her every wish, so the least she can do is give me her time.

Or what’s left of it.

My chest aches at the reminder and I briefly close my eyes to chase it away.

For the past couple of weeks, all I’ve done is try to make her comfortable. I even gave up on searching for my father indefinitely.

And I meant it. If he hurt her, betrayed her, I have no interest in making his acquaintance. Like Mom, I know exactly what it means to give someone my all, to be naively genuine, just to be stabbed in the back by the one person I thought was closest to me.

Mom said I met my dad and I don’t remember, but she refused to divulge anything else. I only let it go because the subject matter seemed to have bothered her.

I’m about to turn around and leave when something rustles across from me.

It couldn’t be…

My pulse thumps in my throat as I squint. There’s nothing visible in the bushes, but I know there’s someone there.

Waiting…

Lurking…

Did Sebastian follow me from campus? It’s possible with the way his aqua eyes promised mayhem when we were practicing across from each other.

My legs itch for a run, and I know, I just know that if I do run, I won’t stop.

And neither will he.

If he chases me, we’ll just fall back into that black hole that I’ve been desperately trying to escape, to no avail.

Even with all the bitter emotions, the snap decision in my brain is a lot easier than I thought.

I want to run.

I want to be chased.

Even if it’s for one final time.

Just when I’m sucking air into my lungs, a figure appears from behind a tree.

I freeze.

He’s wearing black army fatigues and a baseball cap that falls low on his face. He’s a bit taller than me and definitely not Sebastian.

Then another taller black figure appears. There are two of them.

I don’t think as I turn around and run.

For real this time.

For my life.

Thudding footsteps come from behind me, sounding almost too steady as I sprint the fastest I can.

The hardest I can.

Oh, God.

Who are those men and why are they chasing me? I want to ask that, but I don’t trust my voice, not with the amount of panting I’m doing or how hard my chest is rising and falling.

Besides, who cares? They could be one of the freaks who are always in this forest waiting for their next prey.

Someone like me.

I deviate through the narrow paths I used to take when running from Sebastian. I slide down shortcuts that I know will get me to my car faster.

A shadow appears from the side and I shriek as it closes in on me.

I’m about to hit and kick when the familiar bergamot scent fills my nostrils.

My movements come to a halt as I stare up at him. “Sebastian…?”

“What is it?” He removes his white hoodie and grabs my shoulders. “Are you okay? What are you doing here and why were you running?”

“There are…there were two men…they…were wearing black…and they were chasing me…and…maybe they’re from the black van that followed me or maybe…they don’t even…know me…”

“Hey.” He strokes my shoulder. “Deep breaths, baby.”

I nearly sob at the sound of that endearment coming from his mouth. I didn’t know I missed it so much until now.

“Now, repeat what you said. Slowly. Who was chasing you?”

“Me. Told you we’d meet again, Hitori-san.”

I shriek as one of the dark figures closes in on Sebastian from behind. He doesn’t even have time to turn around as the man’s gun glints and he aims it at him.

Bang!

To be continued…

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