Razor Sharp | ✓

Twenty-Seven

♡♡♡

I peak out the window of the car, sitting as far away from Ridge as possible. The sky is beginning to turn black, the night is rolling in. I notice the twinkling stars and I'm overcome with emotion.

Rolling around on the grass out the back of my house, laughing hysterically at each other. Noah and I were crazy for astronomy when we were kids. We used to camp outside every Friday night, even in the winter. Mum would go nuts at us when she realised we'd snuck out of bed again.

That was such a simple time. Never in a million years did I think I'd end up here.

Andy's the first person I see when Hunter cuts the engine. We're parked right next to the house, on the side closest to the stables.

He's clearly beaten us back to the house. When I'd walked back to the car and he'd shoved me back in, he'd taken the car Hunter was in previously, zooming past us before we'd even pulled away.

The door to my side swings open and I lose my balance, my arm dropping from resting against the window. I would have fallen out of the car if not for my seatbelt holding me firmly in place. Times passes quickly but not quick enough for my liking.

I'm being unbuckled, shoved out of the car, pinned against the passenger side door and a hand wraps tightly around my throat.

Breathe. Calm down.

It's hard to stay calm when you can't find enough air to breathe in the first place.

"Your daddy thinks he is so much smarter than me. He thinks he could get his daughter back without obeying me!"

I cough, barely getting any air in. Black dots are starting to swarm my vision.

Don't give in to this man, Ellie.

He gets right up in my face, his breath hot on my cheek. "You really thought you could trick me? You really thought you'd be able to deceive me?"

He knocks me against the car again and this time, all the air is knocked out of me. He shoves me harder and I stagger back, falling against the car door and hitting my head on the side mirror. I fall to the ground, grabbing at my throat as I breathe, sucking in as much as a possible, taking big gulps.

I watch as Andy draws his foot back, ready to aim a kick to my stomach when he's suddenly stopped by someone.

"That's enough!" Hunter booms. He's looming over his father as I look up at him from the ground.

I quickly stagger to my feet, leaning against the car. Ridge reaches out for me, but I push him away.

"I don't need your help," I snap. "I don't need any of your help. The shit you've all put me through it enough!"

I'm angry, I'm terrified. I don't want to take it out on the boys, but I'm raging. Whoever is in my path will feel my wrath.

I'm done. I'm over being treated like this.

Ridge grabs me again and this time I let him. "I'm just going to take you to your room for the night. I promise I'll leave after that."

"Whatever," I mumble, wanting to punch Andy in the face as I pass him.

Ridge tentatively holds my arm, probably too scared to grip me tightly. His uneasiness makes me sad. I don't want him to fear my reactions, I want him to understand them.

Ridge leads me around the house, guiding me with a hand on my back. I could close my eyes and know the exact layout of the place by now. I know the exact placement of the television in the lounge room, the way one photograph of a motorbike hangs slightly crooked.

I lay down on the mattress, hugging my knees to my chest and breathing in the scent of the musty, mouldy room I've come to know so well.

Ridge backs away, heading towards the door.

I scrunch my eyes shut, picturing myself at home in my own bedroom, just like I would have been if today had gone to plan.

♡♡♡

It's weird that I'm actually able to get any sleep. But in saying that, I'm wide awake now.

The night drags on without a sound. No one comes to give me any dinner, even though my stomach protests horribly. It feels like it's eating itself.

Ridge comes tumbling into my room, trying to be quiet, but failing miserably.

"What are you doing in here?" I whisper, sitting up and rubbing my tired eyes.

"I thought you might need a friend right now."

"What about—"

"Don't worry about him. He sleeps like a log."

He pads over to me, shutting the door on his way. He drops a pillow and a blanket to the floor and lays down next to my mattress.

It's quiet for a while and I decide to lay back down. I watch the ceiling, breathing in slowly. Even though we aren't talking, Ridge's presence alone calms me down slightly. I close my eyes, listening to the stillness of the night.

"I'm still in love with Stacey," he suddenly blurts, and my eyes spring open.

"You know why I broke up with her already, but you probably didn't realise that I'm still not over it. It might not seem like I still love her, but I've actually loved her this whole damn time. Even though I've been telling myself otherwise."

His confession knocks the breath from my lungs momentarily. The only thing I can think to do to comfort him is to outstretch my own hand, grasping for his.

We find each other in the dark and I squeeze his hand tightly, wanting him to know that I understand how he is feeling.

I've known for a while that he's still in love with her. I've always been better at reading people than they think. Ridge is practically an open book when it comes to the way he shows his love for Stace. I've seen the way he looks at her, even now when he's thinking about her he looks so happy.

"Why don't you just try and talk to her when we go back to school?"

He laughs quietly, but I hear the hint of anguish that he's trying to hold in. "Do you really think she will ever forgive me for playing a part in your kidnapping?"

I don't say anything. I don't say anything because I can't. He's right and he knows it. I can't reassure him when there is no reassurance to be given.

I feel bad for Ridge, I really do. He deserves a better life. He deserves a better father.

"Is there anything you'd like to confess now?" He whispers.

"Hmm?"

"I know you kissed Hunter, Ellie. I know how you feel about each other too. It's pretty damn obvious."

I sigh, turning to lay on my back and look at the ceiling once again. "It's because...I can't look at him without..."

"Without?"

"Without my god-damned heartbreaking, Ridge. I wish more than anything that we had met under better circumstances. I wish that things could be different between us, but unfortunately, they can't. I can't change a thing about that either, so we have to move forward. Besides, I don't know if he'll get over the fact that I was using you both for information in the beginning. Even if I didn't want to."

He doesn't say anything and I know that his answer is written in his silence. He knows I'm right. He knows that any possible relationship with Hunter is doomed.

My eyes are starting to get droopy now, and I can feel the wave of tiredness I had before roll over me again.

I'm almost asleep when I hear Ridge whisper. "He loves you. Nothing will ever change that."

I don't know whether I'm supposed to hear him say this or not, so I pretend to be asleep. I pretend that his words don't make my heart race, my lungs contract.

I pretend until I'm finally pulled into the darkness of my slumber and I don't have to pretend about anything anymore.