Part Four

As if replaying a distant memory, Emma had passed the curb and coincidentally bumped into the tall framed Jiro. He had worn a two shades of grey sweater, the sharp lines of his collarbone as always bulging he regarded her with little interest not bothering to help in aiding her to pick her items up. And just as he was about to leave, she had a firm grip on his arm, his wrist fitting exactly inside the ring of her palms,

"Wait," Emma wheezed suddenly breathless, "can I talk to you for a moment?" And he shrugged, following her short figure as she led him somewhere private, she leaned against the wall, hands buried flat behind her, she urged him to do the same and he did, sighing, gaze drifting up above them,

"About last night,"

"I promised I won't tell anybody."

"I'm thankful."

"Is that all?"

"I owe you anything... even my life."

"Emily," the pores on the back of her neck prickled in alert, hearing her name from others was one thing, hearing it from him was another.

"I really like you."

"Uhm," the bell rang, rather hastily putting her in an abrupt halt, saved by the bell she didn't bother to answer the impending question. It wasn't a question really, but something in his pleading eyes pressured her for an answer. What was there to say? She didn't know what to say, was she happy to hear those words? Yes, maybe, it wasn't the first time she had heard it, but which part of it was true, could he have thought of her the same way Nate did? She shuddered, and without even knowing, she fled leaving him standing there all alone. She looked back he stood as still and stiff as a statue, the breeze suddenly swept past him, churning like her emotions toying with his hair and the light material of his sweater letting them dance side to side with the wind. His dark irises glistening in hurt, like a marble cracked leaving a permanent indent, the edges glassy with tears.

Emma occupying first large stall in the far left corner of the bathroom wall slid its bolt home the lock resounding with a click. She stepped back, her hands outstretched in front of her and stared at them, the former soft flesh of her palms gruesome and rough from her daily rash scrubbing. Her back hit the flat surface of the tiled stall wall, and she winced, blinking the incoming tears away as she slid down and buried her head on her palms. Her wet temples soaking them and drooping like an invasive waterfall, drenching her shirt and jeans as she hugged them closely against her, rocking on her heels as she wept silently.

There was a light knock on the door and she immediately wiped the tears away on the back of her sleeves, blinking a few times and suppressing a nosy sniffle, her eyes and nose though, still red and would have probably hinted her earlier actions. She undid the lock, straightening her wrinkled shirt and passing one last hand across her face to hide any more hints of her upcoming tears.

Standing by the door of her stall stood a girl, beautiful about her age or older. She hasn't seen her around and wondered if maybe she was a newcomer; it was shameful she thought, for a total stranger to see her like this. The girl looked utterly familiar though the way her dark brown hair almost similar to her auburn one was pulled down running like a waterfall on both her sides, complexion so white as chalk with the hint of a rosy blush evening out her freckles. She had a shorter frame but if it was the matter of determining the size of each other’s clothes, they would have probably had fitted one another's, her eyes was even far more convincing that she was like looking into her reflection, those dark eyes that told much as all the horrid experiences she had been through. Those soft edges over time rough and as sharp as a blade with hatred, the girl's voice as she spoke trembled, reminding her much of her when she had to speak in front of class.

"Emily I need to talk to you," the girl mused, it was nearly a soft and edgy whisper and the dead seriousness of her tone that lingered said as much. She wondered how this girl knew her name, and what business she had with her... Well it wasn't important now, she had followed the shorter girl somewhere else, it was behind one of the buildings away from the rest of the classrooms, and somehow she couldn't help but feel the anxiety build within her. What would she find when this girl stopped… what was her real intention? Was she a half-sister looking for her all this time? What if Nate sent her to dispatch her or worst by her biological father wanting to get close to her coping mother. What if wherever she was leading her was going to be the last place anyone would see her.

Questions without given answers swarmed within her trail of thoughts, too much question she wished she had not thought about for it had built a larger tension within her, and the worst-case scenario, one of them could possibly closest to the truth.

Emma shivered at the thought and before she could realize where she was, she had bumped into the flat outline of the girl’s back, she stopped abruptly by a shallow tree, standing alone with its evergreen blooms perfect to have secluded what hid under them. She casted a sidelong glance at the girl who stood stiff, whimpering, her eyes softening with tears.

"This was where he left me," she began, sniffling as she pointed at the foot of the tree, the late morning rays casting it with a large shadow, "He told me he loved me. I thought he was so kind and gentle but the truth is he was an animal… a monster!" The girl hissed wretched betrayal set on her features, she had clenched both her fists at her sides hard to the point that her trembling was utterly noticeable, knuckles whitening. She turned to face her, Emma shocked as to how things had escalated furthermore exactly who she was referencing nodded with a keen eye resting on the girl as she continued. "I can't stand what he is doing to you any longer, it was bad enough before you came he had always done that to me... I lost my life... And now seeing you suffer too, I just can't stand it!"

It was Nate, she knew. Emma felt weak at the revelation, there was another girl too who understood her, another victim, she would have been happy but why was she so sad? She pulled the girl close, aware that this girl was far smaller than her and stroked down her dark hair, "when?" She said her expression grim as she pulled the girl back, the tight grip she had on both the girl's shoulder slightly trembling with rage, "since when was this all happening?"

"For a year, it had all stopped by the end of sophomore year, when you were just a freshman. He stopped, but I can still remember it every night, haunting me in my sleep, not wanting to spare me a shuteye. He told me if I told anyone else he'd kill me, kill my grandmother. I kept quiet thanking The Lord that he had spared me from his wrath yet I knew I wasn't safe until he was behind bars. I heard there were others, at least two of them who are still here, I looked for them, one of them was you the other had fled somewhere else about a year ago in fear of him doing it again. I got in touch with her but she said she didn't want to have anything to do with him, I pleaded her mercy, persuading her to be a witness to attest to our accusation on him but she said she'd think about it and I never heard from her ever again."

"Why did you tell me this now? You could have prevented it I could have helped you before he had did this much to me."

The girl shifted her gaze from side to side, cautious, alert and well on guard before continuing, "I was scared. Do you know what " what he did, does to a woman? It makes you feel weak, makes you feel stupid and dirty, defenseless. I can't even step out of my house without something inside me telling me he's coming after me. I kept quiet, watching his current target, you. It seems that he is very fond of you for some reason, but I guess that's the way it is, you are pretty after all, smart and an easy target he could take advantage of. I stayed in the shadows, hoping you'd notice me but wherever you were he was there, I couldn't just approach you without endangering my life." It was true for some reason it all appeared crystal clear. She recalled someone like it was a blurred memory, the girl who supposedly seemed to always appear somewhere near the group’s selfies. The girl who had always been somewhere far behind the direction Nate came from, even as weird as it seemed behind Jiro, now that she thought of it, it wasn't why he always looked at her that was weird, it was what always seemed to linger behind him, it was the girl all along.

"Exactly who are you?"

The girl swallowed hard, "Ruby, Ruby Tate."

"You're Jiro's sister?"

"Half cousin, we're not that close, but on occasion he lives with us."

"What do you mean he doesn't live with his parents?"

"His parents died so young and he became an orphan passed from each relative who didn't want to take responsibility. He began to live by himself but since he was underage, and the orphanage were always on his a*s, grandma had let him live with us. Although he didn't like to since he always felt left out, and so under grandma's name he's under her custody and as long as there are 'days' he lives with us, they won't be hounding him any time soon, crazy loophole right?"

"So does that mean he knows?"

"No he doesn't. Like I said, we aren't that close. I guess it's by chance that I saw you two together, and I just had to warn you. You know how Nate gets jealous, if he finds out about you two... I don't know what I'll do considering his current state."

"Hold on there Ruby," Emma finally mustered the courage to speak, "There is nothing going on between me and your cousin, so rest assured, and what do you mean about his current state?"

Ruby had begun to act funny then, her eyes as wide as two gulf balls as she shoved Emma aside ducking and pressing a finger on her lip apparently meaning to hush her. The quiet air that surrounded them was only short lived, the sound of incoming footsteps scratching the paved walkway proved someone's presence nearing. Both girl's bodies tensed, beads of sweat Emma could see formed on the other girls worried features, "when I give you the signal run." She whispered, it was a quick ramble, and the dark haired girl had bolted upright the moment a silhouette formed by the curb of the building they stood behind. Ruby met the silhouette's side, blockading him from coming anymore closer. Emma swallowed hard as she heard the familiar alto voice belonging to the silhouette; it was Nate's, his shadow moving edging smaller and she could tell he took a step closer, his outstretched hand stroking her cheek with the back of his hand. Ruby's expression as he did so was a mixture of fear and fondness within his touched, eyes closed and cheeks streaked with tears. Nate leaned forward jerking her head up to meet his as he pressed her mouth with his, one hand with a firm grip of her chin and the other cradling her head back as a support. Ruby had her hands on her sides, but Emma almost immediately spotted her actions, her fingers balled into a fist with her thumb up - the go signal. Emma nodded, but before she could have made a run for it, something glinted on the corner of Nate's half closed eyes, as if he had sensed her presence and backhanded Ruby, the girl fell with an ugly thud with the left side of her face first, her figure crumpling like a crushed plastic on the ground. Emma bolted then, eyes wide in horror, she didn't know if he had seen her or was on to her, she had fled with the wind, running by the far end of the next building. She panted and just when she thought she was safe, she heard Nate call her name, there was a sinister edge to it, like a predator approaching a prey, his footsteps clanking loudly as it made contact with the walkway, it was getting louder to the point she knew he was really close.

"Emmaaaa" he called out, stressing his diction long on the last vowel of her name, she would have thought he was being playful with that tone but he wasn't. "I know you're here," he cooed, "come out, I know you're hiding." and his voice cracked with irritation. "Get out before I kill your mother." Her heart was leaping wildly out her chest then, cheeks feverish and she wished he hadn't heard her heavy panting. She heard his voice draw nearer and nearer until the very tip of his shoes manifested by the curb of the building wall she hid by. She stepped back and before Nate could fully take form to see her, something had grabbed hold of her from behind, abruptly pulling her hard against him, she knew it was a guy based on his surprisingly firm built, his palms sweaty yet surprisingly cold covering her mouth and the other wrapping her tightly against him. "Shhh" he whispered warningly in her ears, their were crushed against each other and she had just realized then that they were in some sort of an impromptu escape den, an underground hole perhaps or a makeshift rat hole by the wall she didn't know possible, it was hard to tell with the sudden dimness of their surroundings. She felt his breathing warm against the skin of her neck muffling Nate's approaching soles and there she confirmed they were indeed underground the weight above growing heavy within his step but surprisingly enough hadn't sunk to their exposure. She gasped, it sounded though more of a squeak and she could feel the vibration of the other person's suppressed chuckle, she tilted her head aside without warning him and their lips met, both eyes wide and gazing intensely at one another his even a darker shade of ashes and hers a shade of dark chocolate. He was more of shocked that she was, and surprisingly enough she was merely surprised by his presence, he was none other than Jiro, soft ebony tresses askew, his usually white pallor greyed with grim.

"Jiro," she mused once the coast was clear, her lips still muffled against his, their crushed bodies awkwardly twisted inside the den. "What are you -" he kissed her again, or so she thought. She thought he did it intentionally but in fact, he was shifting himself stretching to push the top barrier out and immediately got out, kneeling down to offer her a hand and pulled her up. She was baffled, cheeks flushed but hard to tell whether it was because of the brief touch of his lips on hers or they were and would have been naturally feverish after all the running. He shook his head, as if to shake off the dust that had crumbled from above when he had opened the upper trap door, and Emma did the same, still breathless. She casted him a glance, he hasn't been running as she was but he had feverish cheeks too as well as panting. His semi sat down with a knee, his chest rising and falling rashly.

"Are you alright," Emma mused kneeling down by his side, fingers tensely gripping one of his shoulders. He held up one hand, blinking at the same time taking in some deep inhales and then exhales the white of his eyes, for the first time ever she saw, was red and glassy with slight tears. After a few moments, he was breathing calmly again.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" He chuckled as if to mean it playfully but his expression was grim as he clenched what seemed to be his seemingly tightening chest. Emma's gaze softened as she looked at him, wondering if he was claustrophobic or perhaps asthmatic, and unknowingly reached out to stroke the side of his cheek.

"You shouldn't have helped me," she said, her eyes as they shifted from side to side searching his features, twinkling.

"What does he want from you Emily, why was he chasing you?" Jiro retorted his tone was serious almost scolding like a father who had caught her red handed into sneaking home in the middle of the night.

"It's nothing, forget that this all happened." She diverted her gaze but with his soft delicate fingers with enough gingerness in them, he tilted her head back to face him, his dark eyes slit and soft with deep concern,

"I know you're not telling me something Emily," he said his accent despite his Asiatic looks lingered between fluent British. "You’re not telling anyone. Not even your mum."

Emily had brushed him off, focusing her gaze at the cramp rectangular den mostly in her advantage so he would see her upcoming tears it was big enough to fit two bodies but not big enough to move as much. It would have been then for one person to move around but not as much and it appeared to be with a metal pallet plastered against the side as the schools entire underground electrical config, it was a wonder they both hadn't died from the electrical currents flowing through, she thought, they must have been just as lucky. "It doesn't concern you, what is my problem should be dealt with by me alone."

"It does concern me," Jiro fessed shifting uncomfortably on his weight, he was sitting flat now, both legs dangling on the hole below them, and so did Emma. "I promised, you said it yourself, and I will keep that promise, but how could I when you aren't being honest, honest to yourself?"

Emma had begun to hug her legs close again, like the other night, eyes glassy and overpowered by fear once more, distant as if recalling a horrid memory, she shuddered and hesitated unsure if it was right to tell him.

"Seventeen years ago, bad things happened to my mother. She was so young and filled with life, vibrant and loved by everyone." Her eyes glistened in the memory of her mother, a wry grin passing her lips as she described all her beautiful features as if she were describing a supermodel, as if she were just standing right in front of her. "She was only 13, and he did all of that to her, treated her like an animal, and tossed her aside like a mere useless rag doll. There was never a night when I'd wake up from her screams, running to her room and finding her digging her nails through the walls. I'd hug her close, stroke down her long auburn hair a light shade similar to mine but despite this I knew she would never calm down, not with him still out there, not until he died in hell, burning to the eternal core with the devil's wrath. Sometimes I'd wonder if my mother really did love me, I always felt filthy being the reason of her distress. I would never know either way anyway; she was already in the brink of insanity. Hard to tell and I wouldn't force her. "

Emma didn’t dare to look at him, she felt embarrassed just saying those littlest of words at all she wished he hadn’t thought of her as a coward but was surprised when he without any warning pulled her close, lifting her weight as if she hadn’t weighed any and propped her ever so closely against him. A stinging tinge came from her chest as he did so, bittersweet feelings of recalling bitter memories and sweet soothing ones from his touch, “You’re brave you have to understand that, if you’re scared of him getting you, you and your mother I can protect you.” There was determination in his voice, that determination she knew reassured her, made her feel safe, even if she was still a little unsure if he could fully save her from Nate… from her father. She looked up at him meeting his gaze, those dark ash like irises as she looked at him, were not quite black but dark brown, darker than hers, “you shouldn’t say things you don’t mean.” She said breaking away from his hold and was now on her feet dusting herself she passed him a wry grin he saw through, knew that it was fake. “I can take care of myself.” And with that she left, only when she was a few feet away she slightly turned back, the breeze like the other time blowing both their tresses, her next words were soft as a whisper, she didn’t know if he had heard it, but regardless said it anyway, “I like you too.”

***

Tonight Emma wore the mini skirt and button down polo Nate had given her for her birthday, he had especially requested her to wear the outfit and unlike the many nights, he had touched her in his car he had brought her to a brothel. Nate was just seventeen nearing his becoming of age, but in the meantime, they both knew they didn’t belong there. However, to her surprise, he had managed to sneak them up in one of the suites prepared for his disposal, and with little or less care in the world, the desk clerk had let them go.

Emma found herself pacing ahead, their room was one of the smallest located in the far end of the building’s interior, it’s hallways as they slowly walked there flickering with humming bees. He had snaked an arm around her waist pulling her close convincing many that they were a romantic couple, which was quite funny considering w****s who clung into drunk married men who all did if not cheated on their wives pose as unmarried men looking for a one-night stand surrounded them. They finally stopped at the door with a paper hanged on its knob as ‘do not disturb’ and she swallowed hard as he slid the key on the bolt and unwounded its lock.

She wondered if that were the last time she would see herself breathe and took the opportunity to take in a large inhale of breath, hesitantly following behind him as he stepped inside. Nate effortlessly flinging his stripped shirt aside fell on the formerly made bed, his weight making the sheets cluttered out from tidiness at his sides. He patted the unoccupied space besides him and she followed stopping short by the edge of the bed and slowly undid the buttons of her shirt, gaze averted and then closed as she worked her way down the last button.

She was making her way from the waistband of her skirt when he cleared his throat. Her eyes flew wide blinking and she nodded sliding under the covers with him, legs straddled on his sides as she sat on his chest. His fingers fondled teasingly up her thighs and under her skirt tugging on the waistband of her underwear, a squeak passed her lips and a devious grin passed his, toppling her over so that she laid flat under him, his weight crushing her from below.

“Emma,” he cooed, his breath hot against her skin, his fingers fondling on the locks of her hair as she pressed a kiss on them, “My sweet Emma, you think I didn’t see you? You think you could get away from me that easily,” his eyes sharpened the hold he had on her hair tightened gaining a choked squeak from her and he grinned. “I might let you go for what you did, but if do that again” Nate bared his teeth, and pressed his lips hard against hers, working his way down to the nape of her neck tracing her collarbone, he pulled back and slapped her. Emma hadn’t seen that coming.

Instinctively Emma had flung her hands on the side of her cheeks, tears streaming down her small eyes, hurt shown in her expression, Nate’s sharp gaze softened and he leaned forward cupping her chin with his rough palms,

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, for the first time since they’ve met he apologized, was he sincere, she didn’t know. “I’m sorry.” He said again, and this time he pressed a kiss on her forehead, she shuddered retreating back from the bed, it was pointless though, but this showed him she was much scared, “You know I won’t hurt you.” Lies, she said in the corner of her mind, she couldn’t even say it aloud she feared he might hit her again. “Does it hurt?” his fingers stretched out in front of him, aiming to stroke her cheek, she winced as it made contact and he pulled back. “Emma, I love you, you know that right?” No, she said, he didn’t love her, not with what he was doing to her, it was lust and there was a huge difference between the two.

He hovered over her, his rough fingers stroking the flesh of her thighs and she held her breath, eyes as always retreating to close. “Nate,” she began mustering her courage to stand for herself for the first time ever, “I’m not feeling well.”

He was still over her, the thought of him wanting so badly to kill her with his kisses crossed her mind, she wished he didn’t and as if the heavens above had heard her wishes he pulled back, reaching out to clear the strands covering her eyes, “What’s the matter is the medicine I’m giving you not effective?” Drug, she mentally corrected, abortion pills that’s in no way possible a medicine, at least one that was not good for her.

“No I mean I’m really not feeling well since this morning, I guess I’m catching a flu I don’t know.”

“Then rest.”

“A-are,” Emma stuttered gripping the thin sheets below her, “you not going to sleep with me?”

“Of course not, I might catch it as well.” Nate had just got up then disappointment clouding his features, jabbing himself in his stripped jeans which at some point or another had come off, and slid on his shirt as well. “Take good care of yourself, I’ll call you tomorrow.” He said and with that, he had shut the door behind him, a grin as he left permanently pressed on his lips.

Emma feeling weak sunk on her knees gathering her little stripped clothing and slid on them as well. She would have stayed for a while to bathe, scrub herself clean from his touch but figured it wouldn’t be a great idea considering they had sneaked themselves in illegally and in no time, someone would have figured his ID was fake and that she was just a minor. She decided to flee and continue the thought of cleansing herself once she got home.

 

Sneaking out undetected from the brothel entrance they had come by was the trickiest part, Emma had bumped into one of the janitress moping as she did her business in scrubbing someone’s supposed bile clean while she evaded a couple " a man with a large jaded wedding ring and a supposed s**t making out by the hallway. Surprisingly enough she managed to evade the desk clerk, a woman whose eyes by then probably buzzed out as she skimmed boringly through a battered magazine for the hundredth time that night. Nate’s car had just left and with a sigh, she had started off the direction they had come from. The narrow road with large oak trees standing tall side by side, the breeze sweeping the little summer crackled leaves. She looked up at the dark sky, there were no stars tonight with only the kindled twinkling of the moonlight as her source of light she skimmed her surroundings, it was just a five mile worth of a walk to her home and paced herself.