"Something about this feels better than any other time," he whispers in a rush.
"We're being wild," I gasp, feeling his hand grip the button of my jeans.
"Wild feels good. Really Good," Oliver says under his breath. I'm too distracted by his love...
"A person can lend a hand. They could lend money, things, etc. What you can't lend is a friendship that never stops."-Anonymous
Sarah Hill
I make it just in time. I have to stop Darcy before she does something she regrets. Fredrick does not deserve to die. He's an innocent person. Why must Juliet ruin my life? She doesn't want me anymore. She just likes the idea of hurting me. Darcy made a deal with her thinking she'll follow through. But, Juliet never does.
"Don't do it!" I scream at Darcy.
The light in the basement is flickering off and on. I can see trails of blood from where I'm at. I got myself down here by bypassing her father in the office and finding a spare key before heading down. Fredrick moves behind me. He's trembling and, he's scared. Fredrick has a stubble and he looks in pain. Whatever he has to tell me, can wait.
God, how can someone be so cruel? I hold my arm out to Guard Fredrick. Darcy laughs. "So, you think you can stop me?" She twirls the gun in hand.
"Yes, yes I do!" I say. Darcy stops twirling the gun in her hand. She aims it at me.
"Go ahead," I challenge her.
"What the hell are you doing?" Fredrick whispers angrily behind me.
"Saving you. I am tired of this," I whisper back. She doesn't have the safety. One pull and a bullet will go right through me. All these years I think about my life. Oliver made me happy and, my family left their mark on me. I had fun times with Betty and got to see myself grow and change.
"Sarah, listen to me. What are you doing?" He asks again much louder than the last time. I'm not even sure myself. I could have turned back and called the police but she can easily pull the trigger. Fredrick doesn't talk like that unless he has something to tell me. It's what I should have considered before saving him. What Summer said.
"We can talk later," I say.
People who hurt me are locked away. Doing this can end Darcy's rampage. Maybe, it's fate that I am the one to end this and nobody else. I said that the line is drawn at Oliver and I still stand by it. He would think I'm crazy if he watched this unfold. My parents seem to have no care for me. I'm not asking for it from them anymore. I'm simply going to go to college and be the person they want me to be without their help. Nobody else is going to get hurt. Not on my watch.
Darcy pulls the trigger. I wait for the searing pain that knocked Oliver to his knees and leave him unconscious. Nothing happens. I open my eyes that I haven't realized I closed. She's also watching me in confusion. Fredrick has gone rigid. There are no bullets in the gun.
Holy shit, there are no bullets in the gun. I run to the ladder and push Fred to go first. He doesn't hesitate. Darcy is hot on my trail. I hoist my leg up two steps. I feel her nails scratch my pants and pull me.
"Let go, bitch," I kick at her foot. She snarls and keeps pulling.
"I won't stop until Juliet get what she deserves!" She screams. Darcy is insane. Fredrick has reached the top and holds his hand out for me. I take it and he pulls with the remaining strength he has. I manage to make it up and close the door shut. It stays closed for long. I can hear her shout for her Father.
The scary thing is, he responds, "Darcy! Is that you? Did you get stuck down there?" Her Father yells in question.
Fredrick freezes and we stay quiet. Darcy keeps yelling and pounding so we move out. I close the study door and Fredrick moves behind me. We head through the hallway just as I hear Darcy tear through the opening.
"Daddy! Help me! Sarah's trying to take Fredrick away!" She bawls.
Two guards stand at the front door. I watch them speak."We should go help her before the boss does," the guard says to the other one.
"Okay." They start walking to the study and we duck into a kitchen and move around it. We sneak across to the front door. They open the study door.
"Fuck, boss!" They both yell and I hear her Father's heavy steps.
"Go!" I pull open the door and rush Fred out. He runs out and doesn't look back. I let go of the door. It slams closed. We both start running. I feel the tear in my pants move in the air. We stop two blocks down.
"I'm alive because of you. Thank you, Sarah," Fredrick pulls me in for a hug. I pat his back and pull away.
"Tell me now," I look him in the eye. Fredrick stops in his tracks. He watches me with guilt. His eyes look away.
"Fuck, it was me. I was the one that day on Christmas Eve. I held the gun to your head," he tells me. My heart feels shattered. I don't know Fredrick. I thought we were decent friends. I was so wrong. He was going to rob us for money regardless of me being his friend. He didn't care.
"How could you?" I move away from him. Fredrick looks down.
"I can't believe all this time people have been looking for you and you were right here. You were no good," I whisper.
"You're on your own." I turn my back on him. I hear him call me back saying he's sorry for the worst thing he could have done.
"No point in that. You're lucky I won't tell Betty but for her safety, think twice about seeing her. Don't come to see me either. Turn yourself in," I say out loud. I know he's probably heard me. I'm walking down the street I came from as I pass a lady who pulls up to Fredrick. She opens her car for him and I don't look back.
"Oh my!"
"We need to get you to the hospital," she says, concerned.
"Yes, please, can you take me?" The old lady looks him in and they pull off from the curb.
I hold my arms around myself and walk home. This night is dark and scary. It's so dark I can't see what part of my pants tore. There are pole lights far from each block. I don't know if that was the best idea that I did.
Darcy could still come after me but I hope Fredrick could be the bigger person and tell the sheriff what happened. I get a message from Oliver. He's cleaning his truck. I sent a message back to not worry him. I look up to cross and see the heavy gusts of humid air festering behind me.
I reach home and go through the living room window. The window shuts as I walk up to my room. I take off my pants. The tear was in my right leg. I put the pants in my garbage can. My hair is tied into a ponytail. I breathe out and open the app I downloaded for my anxiety. I try some of the options like clearing my head and watching videos to distract me. I find Fredrick's contact number and blocked it before deleting it. It's like he was never here.
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