Squidward Is a F*ucking Mindreader

23. I think I'm in LOOOVVVEEE

*Becca's POV*

I looked down at the hand interlaced in mine. It suddenly felt foreign and strange. Daniel?

I looked up at his face. He was grave and stoic, staring straight ahead over the rolling hills. His grip loosened on my hand so I gave him a little squeeze. Nothing happened and I felt hached. I dropped his hand and looked out the window. The winds of our friendship were changing and for once I had no control.

I had no control.

Things were beginning to spiral and I just had to sit back and watch it all cascade around me like rain.

I began to question. If I love Daniel, where does that put us? Where do we sit then? If I fall in love with the one person who was able to change me, will I continue to evolve into a person I no longer recognise to fit into the standards of his world? And if I don't change will I become an imperfect blip in his otherwise flawless world? Will he expel me from his life without another word about it?

And then I flew so far out of control my questions became:

Who even is Daniel?

Yeah I wasn't doing ok.

But just as I was about to go further into those thoughts an arm wrapped around my shoulders and my head was pulled down onto something soft and yet hard. I looked around to find I was resting quite comfortably in the crook of Daniel's neck and his arm was wrapped protectively around my waist.

I tentatively reached for his hand before grabbing it and holding it gently. His warm hand wrapped around my small one and I realised just how large his hands were in comparison to mine. I wasn't short per say but everyone around me was tall and intimidating.

We rode the rest of the trip like that and at some point I must've fallen asleep because when my eyes next opened the car had stopped and Josh was outside my window stretching his arms. I felt a weight on my head and realised Daniel must've fallen asleep as well. I gently shook him awake and  his arms tightened around my waist. I shuffled in his grasp before poking him lightly in the face. When he was still unresponsive, I gently kissed his cheek. 

His whole face instantly turned beet red and an undeniable heat spread throughout his being. His face went hot and his hands grew clammy. This dumbass had been awake the whole time.

"Squidward, I know you're awake. You're bright red." I whispered lightly. His hands flew to cover his face and he turned away from me. I laughed and clambered out of the car. Yes clambered was the right word, I'm not exactly elegant.

"I think you climb out the car in a very cute way, Rebecca." 

I froze.

HIS VOICE! Morning voice sounded amazing from him. His deep husky tone strung out like a G string on a violin. I swear it echoed through every single bone in my body. That voice that seemed to pierce me like a dagger.

So low and dreamy. It was smooth and thick like cream and oh la la I am in love.

Dammit.

I promised myself I wouldn't act like this. But I'm acting like a 9 year old.

"Daniel." I had called out before I knew what on earth I was doing.

"Yes?" He said, turning around.

"Can I talk to you?"

"Of course."

Ms Fletcher and Josh went on in to the shop and I saw them grabbing drinks and sitting down.

I turned back to Daniel, hos face expecting and patient.

"Daniel, I love-"

"Rebecca?" Came a very, very familiar voice.

"No... No. I came all this way to get away from you and you followed me here. No.No. NO! LEAVE ME ALONE! WAS THE FIRST TIME NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU?" I screamed into the darkness that had clouded my vision. I refuse to do this again.

Robert grabbed my arm and I shook him off. I heard Daniel's voice ring through the silence of the afternoon.

"Can we help you?"

Then that ghastly voice again.

"You can't punk, but she can. Rebby, come on. It wasn't so bad was it?" He said, and I could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

"YOU STABBED ME OVER AND OVER WHILST I SLEPT!" I screamed. Why did nothing end right? Why does everything I do end in blood and pain? I'm falling apart here!

If there's any one out there, don't you think this has been enough?

STOP PUNISHING ME!

I've had enough. I'm sick of this. Can't you just let me be happy? When will you give up and let me be? I'm begging you. Let me have Daniel. LET ME GO.

Daniel grabbed my arm and pulled me into his embrace.

"Becca, let's go."#

"OH! Becca, Huh?" Exclaimed Robert. I shook my head.

"No. Not for you." And then Ms Fletcher stepped outside, and, seeing the three of us engaged in a conversation, she yelled for us stop stop chatting and hurry inside.

Daniel dragged me inside as I stared at my brother who had turned around was now walking away from me in a most deliberate fashion. I knew he would be back. He had failed to kill me once, but I doubted it would happen again. Next time he'll get me. I know it.

Robert only ever failed once.

I wrapped myself in Daniel's arms as we crossed the car park. I wanted to feel safe again. I was not going to go through the same turmoil I went through when I lived with his family. They knocked me down so hard I could barely walk and then left me to bleed out by the roadside near their countryside home. I was not going to lie there again.

I had my darkest thoughts at their place. I even dreamt of a death so quick and easy I could be gone, painlessly, in a matter of seconds.

That was when the idea first formed for me to run away and attend Red Post. I had dreamt of living in a place where I could be free to be alone, finally, after years of running from the people who chased me, Red Post was like a safe haven for my broken soul. My final years as a child were to be spent in solitude, without running the risk of being hurt or covered in blood.

My walls were going back up. I don't care how I feel about Daniel, this blood bath has to end at me.

*********************

*A/N*

I am so sorry I've been on hiatus for a few weeks. I recently had exam week so I had to study and before that I just felt really demotivated but I'm back, hopefully nice and consistently from now looking forwards but we'll see. Thank you so much for reading SIAFM it means so much to me. This story kind of took an unexpected turn. I mean I didn't really have a plan, I was just writing where the wind took me but I suddenly felt like I couldn't have Becca just admit her feelings to him, because A) It felt out of character. She needed to be much more cautious around her feelings, and B) once she tells him, the story will be almost over and I'll have nothing to do anymore. So unfortunately, Becca is going to take a page out of Adrien Agreste's book, and act blindly towards Daniel's feelings for a bit. So don't get too angry. I'll hopefully make up for it in jokes but I'm actually not that funny so we'll see.