~*Bella*~
I ran through the hotel, attempting to navigate the maze of long corridors, my heart thumping in my chest and my breathing erratic as I tried to remember the location of the exit. I flew round a corner and, luckily, straight into a sign that was pointing me in the right direction. I sprinted through the lobby with my joke of a dress hauled up around my knees, fully aware of the curious glances being thrown in my direction. A runaway bride - I bet that made their fucking day.
In my haste to leave, I caught the heel of my shoe in a randomly placed rug, tripping and stumbling my way through the door like a complete idiot. I thankfully managed to stay on my clumsy feet, narrowly avoiding a face full of polished marble floor tile. I glanced around the parking lot, looking for my Volvo out of habit before remembering that I'd been driven here by Jake's sister Rebecca. Fuck it! Fuck fuck fuck! The lump in my throat tightened as I panicked. I had two options: I could wait for a cab or walk. The cab would take too long and the apartment was at least five miles away. Shit!
I jumped when I felt a warm hand touch my shoulder. I spun round to see Seth's sweet face staring back at me. I breathed a sigh of relief. He looked worried but surprisingly calm.
"Seth I'm sor..."
"Shut up! Come on, let's go!"
He grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the shiny blue truck he'd bought just a few months ago. He popped open the door and gave me a leg up into the cab before striding round to the driver's side. He was behind the wheel and backing out when I looked over my shoulder and noticed the commotion. Jake was yelling at the top of his lungs, writhing and struggling to free himself from Paul's vice-like grip. He had no chance. Paul was like the Incredible Hulk, except he didn't turn green when he was pissed, he just saw red. Whilst Seth had the truck idling, I could see Billy trying to talk some sense in to his son. He of all people should know that Jake never listened to anyone; he was wasting his breath.
"Seth, I'd really like to leave now please."
"Sure."
He slipped the truck into drive and slammed his foot down on the gas. I didn't look back. Instead, I stared down at my hands, which were balled into little fists in my lap. I was squeezing so hard my knuckles were turning white...almost as white as the hideous fucking dress I was currently wearing.
Seth sighed quietly. "Whatever you decide, I'll help you Bells."
"Are you sure?"
"Pretty stupid question." He flashed me his boyish grin, and I couldn't help but smile. We weren't related. We shared no blood whatsoever, but he was my little brother and I loved him, now more than ever.
"I know, but I don't want you dragged in to all this shit. I love you."
"I love you, too. That's why I'm your getaway driver!" We sniggered at his juvenile joke.
"So which bank are we robbing?"
"Bells, I've stolen something more valuable than all the money in the world."
I squeezed my eyes shut, trapping the tears I refused to shed over him. I felt his hand grip mine as he gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"I'd be lost without you, you're my Pititchu."
He leaned over and placed a welcome kiss on my forehead. "So what's the plan?"
"Can you take me to the apartment? I need the Volvo, I'll drive to Alice in Seattle."
He nodded. "You got enough gas?"
"Full tank, I filled it yesterday."
"Spare tire?"
"Check."
"GPS?"
"Check."
"What about..."
"Check, check and check! I adore you for worrying but I'll be fine."
"Well, alright then, but mind your speed limit and make sure you pull over if..."
"SETH!"
"Shutting up."
There was a comfortable silence in the truck for the remainder of the ride. When we finally reached the apartment, he parked the truck and shut off the engine, reaching for the door.
I grabbed his arm. "Seth?"
"Yeah?" He'd stopped and turned to look at me, apprehension creeping onto his face.
I swallowed hard. "I know..."
His expression was now solemn. "He swore me to secrecy, Bells, but it didn't matter. You're a smart girl. I knew you'd figure it out."
I took a deep breath. "Just in time right?"
"You can say that again! How long have you known?"
"I bumped into her at the store last week. Jake was picking up beer, but it was really warm so I decided to wait out by the car. I thought maybe I was just over reacting, but then Jake appeared. When he saw me with her, the look on his face was just...guilty, shocked, and horrified all rolled into one. I realised then that I was right."
He was frowning. "Did you tell him?"
I shook my head. "No...I have no idea if he's even aware that I know."
Not that it mattered now anyway. I opened the door and turned to face Seth.
"You don't need to come up. I'll be okay from here."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, but would you mind just...keeping everyone away? For as long as you can? I have some things to do before I leave."
"Consider it done."
"And if anyone asks, you have no idea where I am."
"Of course."
I kissed him softly on the cheek and got out of the truck.
He waited for me to get to the door before pulling away, and I turned to watch him leave. I buzzed myself in to the complex and made the short elevator ride to the apartment. I wasn't going to chance the stairs in this damn dress. I pulled the spare key out from under the ceramic gnome. It had been a house warming gift from Alice and Jasper. Despite everything I smiled to myself. I missed her and her ugly-ass gnomes. I'd see her soon enough, but I had something important to take care of first.
I let myself in and threw the key onto the counter. I headed straight for kitchen and took a beer from the fridge, popping the can open on my way to the bedroom. He always liked the cheap, shitty Natty Light beer. I grabbed Jake's baseball bat from behind the door and stalked out in to the living room, coming face to face with the flat screen monster I hated so much. I walked over and tipped the can, pouring beer in to the holes on the back of the TV, hearing the electrics inside hiss and crackle in protest. I kept going until the entire can was empty and turned my attention to the bat in my hand.
"Mother fucking lying, cheating, greedy, spineless, lazy, worthless bastard..."
Pure unbridled anger coursed through my veins, the rage seeping through my hands and into the bat. Adrenaline kicked in as I aimed for the middle of the screen and took a swing. I'd hit my target with surprising strength, causing the TV to fall backwards off the stand. Something in me snapped, and suddenly I had no control. All the things I'd never said, all the shit I'd put up with, all the fucking times I'd never called him out on his crap, all the giving I'd done, everything he'd taken, and the endless excuses I'd swallowed which were only now making sense. I'd taken it all.
The bat crunched against the plastic as I watched it splinter in to tiny pieces, the screen shattered and cracked beyond all recognition. There were wires hanging out of the back from the huge gaping holes I'd made. I'd been brutal and smashed every inch of it before finally stopping to catch my breath. My arms ached, and I felt drained. But I felt satisfied beyond belief.
I grabbed a few trash bags from the kitchen drawer and went into the bedroom. I found his huge gym bag at the bottom of the closet, threw it on top of the bed, and proceeded to fill it with every item of clothing I owned. Purses, shoes, everything, but I wasn't finished. I repeated the same process, only this time I was throwing everything he owned into the trash bags. I dragged them to the kitchen and opened the window, poking my head out to make sure no one was outside. The coast was clear. I managed to haul the bags up onto the counter before dropping them out of the window one by one.
I took the beer from the fridge and poured every single can down the kitchen sink before swiftly working my way through his DVD collection, snapping each disc in half. I grabbed my car keys and purse off the counter, leaving my phone and walking out, slamming the door behind me without so much as a second glance. I reached down, picked up my gnome, and headed for the elevator with him tucked safely under my arm. I had the perfect home for him.
I located the bags outside and dragged the gym bag over to the Volvo. I crammed it successfully on to the backseat and slammed the door. I plucked my lighter from my purse and dragged the remaining bags in to the middle of Jake's parking spot. I retrieved the bottle of cheap, nasty perfume he'd brought me for my birthday. I'd taken it from the bathroom especially for this. I unscrewed the cap and poured the contents over the plastic bags. I threw the bottle on top and took my lighter to the first bag, watching the flame as it flickered and caught, spreading rapidly over the small pile of belongings. I stood back, leaning against the hood of the car, watching everything he possessed slowly burn beyond recognition.
My anger faded with the flames only to be replaced by intense humiliation, stupidity, and hurt. I grabbed the day-old bottle of water from my car and used what was left to put out what remained of the fire. I unzipped the gym bag and slipped out a single photograph. It was taken just before we'd moved into the apartment. Jake and I had gone back to Forks to visit Billy and Charlie, his Dad and mine. We were goofing around on the beach at La Push, and someone, I think Charlie, had managed to catch it. I felt mocked by the two wide, happy smiles staring back at me, like they were a farce, a lie. I used a stray stone to weight the photo down in to the pile of ashes.
I spoke, my words loud and unashamed.
"Fuck you Jacob Black. Fuck you."
I got into the car and started the engine, slamming it into gear and pulling out of the parking lot. I made one stop to leave the gym bag outside the local homeless shelter. One of the volunteers would find it soon enough.
With my gnome stowed safely in the passenger seat, I was now bound for Seattle. And at that moment in time, that was the only thing I could be certain of.
0 comments:
Post a Comment