Chapter 5: Chapter 5

River

I parked my car beside the store and got out. My hand slid against the cool metal as I shut my car door. I brushed a hand through my hair before sighing.

I heard another door close and I glanced over to see a young man looking around. I watched and recognition hit me as fear crept through me.

Did fate hate me or something? What are the odds that Daimen Princeston would go to the same store tonight as me?

He suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled out a lighter. I watched as he brought up a cigarette or something to his mouth. He began fumbling with the lighter and I turned away.

I avoided looking at him as I slunk around my car and started to go towards the store.

I felt him see me. My blood chilled and I picked up my pace.

"Well if it isn't River Sparrow, wait up." He said in a stomach turning voice and I looked back at him.

"Daimen really, just let it go. It was an accident." I said and saw him marching over. I gulped as he came to stand in front of me. His eyes blazed down at mine and my muscles tensed.

"Oh really?" He said and leaned closer. My heart started drumming and I switched into panic mode.

"Back up please." I gasped and he gave a scoff.

"Or what?" He growled and I could practically feel the anger radiating off of him. This guy has such issues.

"Or I'll have to do something unorthodox." I said shakingly. He disobeyed my warning and jumped at me. My knee came up and crashed between his legs.

The boy crumpled to the ground with a flurry of curses and I stepped over him.

"I warned you." I breathed and hurried into the store. Once inside it hit me like a brick: Now Daimen was really going to be out to get me.

I looked out at my car and back to where Daimen was now starting to get up and he was huffing in anger. Oh shit. My feet danced in place with the urge to run and soon I was throwing myself behind a shelf.

The man behind the counter a bit away looked at me with a confused expression.

"I'm hiding from someone. Just pretend I'm not here." I said trying to sound casual, but even I could hear the undeniable fear in my voice.

I jumped as Daimen stalked into the store and the door which he'd swung open slammed shut behind him.

"River. Where the fuck are you?" He spat and I peaked through some bags to see him. I felt my blood chill. He looked pissed. Beyond pissed. I don't even know if there's a word to describe it.

I bit my lip softly and tried to breathe quietly afraid he'd hear me. Daimen looked around and huffed before glaring at the man at the counter.

I looked at the man and silently pleaded with him to be quiet.

Daimen marched over and slammed his hands down on the counter. The man jumped and looked at him with wide eyes.

"You see a girl come in here? Grayish eyes, brown wavy hair, looks like she knows everything?" Daimen growled.

The man looked startled and began fumbling over his words.

"Wha--?" The man began and Daimen gripped his shirt.

"You heard me." The boy spat and I crouched lower beside the aisle.

"I-I..." the man started and Daimen tightened his grip.

The man glanced to me and I put my finger to my lips. He nodded subtly and relief flooded through my body. I was safe, he wouldn't tell him. I let out a soft sigh.

"She's right there." The guy said pointing a finger at me and Daimen snapped his head to catch sight of me.

"What the heck man?" I said in indignation. I jumped up quickly and started to back away.

"Hey, if he wants you he's gonna get you. I'm tryna save my ass. Now let me go man." The cashier said and Daimen promptly released him and turned to me.

For a moment, I was frozen like a deer caught in headlights. My heart pounded and all I could focus was on Daimen. The lion to my fawn. The wolf to my kitten. The hurricane to my flower. I was done for. He'd kill me if I didn't move, if I didn't escape.

Thankfully I snapped out of it and with a yelp I took off. My legs moved like lightning as I dodged past aisles and shelves and soon I was racing toward a door. The red flashing 'EXIT' above it was like an angelic song to me. My gaze locked on that four letter word with immense hope and need. I was so close to it.

"RIVER!" If words could kill I'd've been dead at Daimen's horrific outburst. The promise of fatality laced the way he bellowed my name. It chilled me to my bones and suddenly made me feel nauseated.

I bit my lip in nervously and my hands came in contact with the door. I pushed and my blood chilled when it wouldn't open. I tried again and it pushed back with an unmoving force.

"Fuck." I said with a nervous chuckle. I grabbed the door and pulled and it opened fast as if it were angry I'd pushed it.

I gave a soft chuckle at my idiocy and let out another curse as I slipped outside and started running again. Forget the groceries, they could wait another day.

I rushed toward the street. Which was dumb considering my car was closer.

I gasped as a honk of a truck startled me and I glanced over to see a large jacked up, red pickup. The lights momentarily blinded me and I put up my hand to shield my eyes. I slowed my run to a fast walk.

"Where you running off to sweetie?" A voice drawled and I put my hand down as my eyes focused and I noticed a man along with others in the truck. It looked like they were drunk and eyeing me a little too much. The hair on the back of my neck stood and I began to walk away.

"Hey wait up." The driver said and I yelped as he drove the truck to block my way. I took a step back and glanced back to the store. It was too quiet.

"I've got to go." I said and one man chuckled.

"You can come with us darling. We'll get ya home." He said and my nose scrunched up as I shook my head. I looked over to my car and started going that way.

"I'm good." I said and began trying to walk away, but the doors opened and out hopped some guys. My eyes widened and I backed away.

"It'll only be a little ride, right boys?" One guy said and the others whooped and muttered in agreement. My stomach flipped and I shook my head. My heart started hammering as the men started to close in. Tonight was not my night.

"Babe, are these guys messing with you?" A heavy arm laid across my shoulders and I flinched. Now who the hell was this? I glanced up and my jaw dropped as I saw Daimen looking down at me. My mouth slowly closed as I saw his smile. The grin was fake, but his eyes held a seriousness that made me even more scared.

"I'm okay." I said softly and my voice cracked a little. May as well play along, hopefully this wasn't some cruel joke and he was actually trying to help me. Daimen nodded and pulled me closer. My body pressed against him and my muscles tensed up.

"Daimen? This your girl?" One of the man sputtered and I felt the boy's grip on my shoulder tighten.

"That's none of your business." The boy holding me quipped and the men all looked at each other.

"We just wanted to see how she was doing, she ran out like someone was going to kill her." One man said giving Daimen a look that scared me.

"How's your friend, Charles?" Daimen shot back with a venom in his mouth and the man instantly looked down. Then he looked up again and a fire danced in his eyes.

"He was a good man." The man shot out and frowned. My heart sped up as he took a step toward us. Daimen's grip on me tightened once more.

"Don't make that mistake Charles. Your friend was a bitch and had it coming to him." Daimen spat, but I noticed that he'd almost in a way put me behind him. The man abruptly halted. He seemed to be thinking about something.

"You did it, didn't you? You killed him." The man said and an eerie clarity was in his voice. My eyes widened and Daimen scoffed.

"Ha, you're wrong Charles. I had nothing to do with it. He crashed his truck. But it's a safer place without Trace on the streets." Daimen said and the man looked furious as he sighed. The other men exchanged some glances and muttered to one another.

"He was with your meth head bitch last anyone saw of him alive." One of the men said and Daimen let me go and marched forward.

"Keep my mother out of your mouth." Daimen spat and jumped on the man. My heart raced as he punched him in the jaw and Daimen watched as the man spat out blood. No one moved, none of the other men stepped in. Daimen stared the man down and spat in his face, "Call my mom a bitch again, and you'll be joining Trace." The man backed off and raised his hands in surrender. The young man scoffed and turned to me. His eyes were dark and his breaths were ragged.

My thoughts flew together. I felt like I'd heard too much. Like I was invading on Daimen's private life.

He reached me and gripped my wrist. I couldn't help noticing that his hand shook softly.

"Come on. Let's get out of here." Daimen said and tugged me away. I looked over to my car, but he still led me toward his.

"Hey, my car's right there." I said and he didn't say anything as he marched up to his car. He pulled open the passenger door and huffed.

"Get in the damn car." He spat. I looked back to my car, my baby.

"Get in. Now." Daimen ordered and I gulped and hopped in the seat. He was about to shut the door when he paused.

"Get in the driver's seat." He said and I looked at him confused. He motioned for me to scoot over and I bit my lip before maneuvering into the driver's. I looked over at him and he shut the door before walking over to the driver's door. He opened the door and just looked at me for a while.

"I'll drive your car. They won't think about touching mine. You're gonna be in my car, you'll be safe. You drive my car. I'll follow in yours." He handed me his keys and I frowned. What was happening, was he really helping me or was this some trick?

"Don't scratch it." He added as he dropped the keys in my hand. I nodded and started up his car. He cleared his throat and I looked over at him.

"Your keys?" He said and I hurriedly gave him mine. I'd tell him not to scratch mine either, but I was admittedly too scared to.

He clenched them in his hand and strolled over to my car while I watched as he climbed in dumbfounded. I shut his door before starting the trip back to my home. I looked in the rear view mirror and saw Daimen following close behind.

It was a nerve wrecking ride to my house, but soon I was putting his car in park in front of my home.

He pulled my car into the driveway and turned it off. With a huff he climbed out of my car and shut the door. A cigar hung from his mouth and he took a deep breath of it before blowing out a cloud of smoke. I grimaced at the sight. I exited his car and we exchanged keys. He frowned down at me and I shuffled my feet uncomfortably.

"Were you smoking in my car?" I asked even though I knew he had been.

The boy took another puff and as the scent washed over me I realized it wasn't a cigar. "You were smoking marijuana in my car. Where'd you even get that?" I asked exasperated. Now my car was going to stink.

"Yes, I smoked. Where I got it's none of your business. Why? You want some?" He said and I wrinkled my nose.

"No, I don't want any." I quipped. The boy nodded and blew a smoke fog into my face. I coughed and backed up.

"'Kay then." Daimen said and took another hit. He sighed and the smoke came out if his nostrils. I stood there awkwardly, not sure what to do, just studying the boy in front of me.

"You're lucky I didn't let them have you." Daimen deadpanned and I glanced up at to his face, but didn't say anything for some time.

"Why?" I asked softly after the while of silence.

"I'm not gonna let a girl get raped." He said staring at nothing. I frowned.

"But you tried to kill me-how's that any different? I mean, I would've been dead." I said and he huffed.

"I didn't try to rape you. Choking and raping are two different things. Yes, I may've choked you, but I wouldn't let someone rape you." Daimen said and I tilted my head. Someone?

"Someone includes you, right?" I said taking a step back. Daimen's amber eyes snapped to mine. He blew out some more smoke and glanced at his dwindling blunt.

"Yes. The fuck?" He said looking at me with a heavy scowl.

"Well you said someone so I had to make sure." I said shrugging.

"Oh God," Daimen scrubbed a hand down his face. "That reminds me." He finished before grabbing my shoulders and pinning me roughly against his car. I let out a small whimper of pain. My heart instantly sped up.

"Don't ever kick me down there again, got it?" He said in my ear and I nodded.

"You shouldn't've jumped at me though, plus I warned you." I pointed out and he smirked. The smile wasn't a humorous one.

"Oh, well that makes it all better?" Daimen questioned getting closer.

I gulped as his hand cupped my jaw, "Tell me River. Are you scared of me?" He asked and I looked up at his eyes.

I didn't have to ponder over the matter long.

"I don't know." I said softly.

Daimen frowned and studied me for a while.

"Just wondering, because you seem to love pissing me off. And most people don't. So I guess you need some figuring out to do." Daimen said.

"You wanna know something else?" He added grazing a finger under my chin in a move that was strangely almost intimate, "I wouldn't have to rape you, if I wanted you, by the time I'd finish kissing and touching you, you'd be jumping on me." Daimen said in a matter-of-fact tone and pulled me away from his car before letting me go and slipping into the driver's seat. He put the blunt back to his lips.

I stood there in shock for a few moments before retorting, "I would not."

"Sure." Daimen said sounding deeply unconvinced.

"I wouldn't." I huffed.

"You wanna test that little theory out?" Daimen asked with a knowing look and I faltered.

"No." I grumbled. Kiss Daimen? Hell no.

"Come on. You don't believe me, but I can show you." He said getting out of his car and waltzing over. My heart started pounding and I gasped as he grabbed my hips abruptly and pulled me against him.

He started to lean down and I pressed a hand against his mouth.

"D-don't you dare." I said shakingly and he pulled away with a smirk. I wiped my hand on my pants.

"Thought so." He said with a chuckle and a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. I let out a long sigh.

"I hate you, but thanks for helping me out back there." I said trying to ignore the fact that I wanted to now kill the boy in front of me. He nodded and got back in his car.

"No problem Princess." Daimen smirked. I nodded slowly. Then a thought hit me.

"Your mother..?" I breathed softly and he stared out at me. A shadow passed over his face. He took one last puff before tossing the little bit left out onto the ground.

"If you ever say anything I'll really kill you. Don't ever mention it again. Ever." He spat and slammed the door shut before speeding off.

"I won't." I sighed though I knew he now couldn't hear me as I watched him careen around the corner and disappear from my sight.

I sighed and walked inside with a soft shut of the door and made my way to my room.