Monday morning was quite as the three teenagers drove to school. The day before had been spent with parents and police at the station. Gabriella was able to identify and testify against the men along with Mel and Kelsi, Taylor was scared and she could only confirm the cars and the actual driving chase. Gabriella's parents were nowhere in sight which wasn't surprising. Her father had to go on a trip to a military base and her mom wasn't off from the hospital.
The school day was longer than most as everyone whispered about the incident and Gabriella kept her headset over her ears. She didn't care to hear about it anymore. She didn't like what had happened that night. She thought about everything that was going to happen now to the girls. Taylor would be scared to drive and she wouldn't be driving at night anytime soon. Kelsi and Mel would be jumpy whenever they saw a car pass them at night. Events like this always took a toll on people. Walking down the hall she held her bag over her arm as she made her way through the people.
Troy saw Gabriella walk by her trip pants were purple and black her midriff showing as she wore a black short shirt. Chains hung from her pants as she made her way to gym. Instantly he found himself following her they hadn't talked since they were at the police department.
Gabriella turned her iPod up as she picked up a paint brush. She hated feeling guilty. If only she had said something when she saw the man at the gas station and trusted her instincts. She had to trust her instincts. Giving into the song she began to sing as she painted. Whispering the words as she moved her hand. Blue October was in her opinion the worst band except for one song she thought was a masterpiece. The End.
Here alone,
standing barefoot in our lawn, Then
through the glass I see your dress fall to the floor How
far will I go
Worms squeezing their way through
my toes
Tonight that's how it goes.
I'm at your window
kneeling quiet,
I thought at least I'd maybe try to get your
head right
Get your heart right
"Let him go!"
As he
embraces every inch of you
The woman I adore.
I can't believe
the way you're bending
Can't believe this neverending moaning
asking him for more
I heard you begging him for more
To make it feel right? "Come home"
I have to
fix this on my own
Troy pushed through the door looking at Gabriella as she stood on a chair whispering. Her whispers were harsh and he listened to the words of what she was singing as he came closer to her as she continued to paint the wall. She had the blank expression on her face.
I turn the
doorknob with two fingers to be slow "So now I planned the last thing you can both
do as a pair
Enough to sneak into the room
among the corner darkness gloom
I had to see this happening.
He
pushed himself so deep inside her clapping rang and bounced off every
wooden walled room
And that's when all went silent blank except
the color red
As I walked calmly numbing paralyzed beside the
bed
I said "I know I'm not allowed to be here. I just had to
see
How good this new man really fucks you. Cause you both been
fucking me."
I tie both blindfolds tight around your fucking eyes
to blind your stare
I don't want to alarm you, but I figured we
could end this in what seems easy quick and painless
So I'll get
down to business
I choose you first, there's a gun, its at your
head
So laugh at me just one more time but keep your face inside
the bed
You sit and watch me while I do this shit and learn from
what I've said."
I cocked the pistol pulled the trigger, and
all I saw was red
Troy watched her brushstrokes as she moved without hesitation.
Then
the screaming oh the screaming
It's nice to see you scared
Of
such a weak and stupid husband
Who knows you never really
cared
I'll leave you with a question that I need to hear from
your head
Was all this worth it knowing u have just seconds left
to live?
Now think about your answer, laying face down on the bed
I cocked the pistol pulled the trigger and all I saw was red
I gently stroke her arm as she lies lifeless on her back
Then placed the barrel in my mouth
All I saw was black.
Pulling away Gabriella took a deep breath and looked at her work. She was painting the wall in a shade of brown it looked like she was painting a brick wall of sand stone.
"It looks like a brick wall." He said looking up at the work.
"Well it is genius." She said climbing down from the chair and dipping her brush into a glass cup.
"You're just a ray of delight." He said tucking both hands in his pocket.
"Yeah well what do want?" she said dipping a bigger paint brush into a white paint can.
"I'm confused did I do something to you?' he said "because from where I'm standing I did nothing wrong?"
"From where your standing I bet you have a good view of my ass." She said reaching up on the chair and painting a circle into the wall.
"Seriously, Can you drop the attitude what's wrong?" he said looking up at her and watching her paint.
"What did you want to talk about?" she said looking down at him. "Because I can't read minds." Getting down from the chair she put the brush down and crossed her arms. "I have nothing to say if I did I'd be talking to you but you seem hell bent on talking so what do want to talk about?" she said looking at him.
"Your distant."
"Troy I never came up to you before, we hardly talked in school before." She said looking at him annoyed. "Now you want to walk me everywhere, be with me all the time and you expect me to just flip a switch and change everything about me that I told you about from the beginning."
"True and I'm sorry but that was all before this week." He said with a smile. "Before what happened this weekend."
"I'm fine I've been through worst." She said looking at him with a smile.
"Well Mel said you were on top of things so I believe you." He said looking at her. "but if you don't mind I would like to know what happened to make it not a big deal to you."
"I lived in some crappy places." She said looking at him and turning back to the wall. Picking up the brush she walked towards the wall and continued to work on the circle.
"What's the worst thing to ever happen to you?" he asked taking a step closer to her.
"Think about that question, would you really like what you find out." She said looking up and grabbing another paint brush dipping it into the brown sand stone color and she walked over to the wall and began to paint a small rectangle.
"I care about you and I would like to get closer to you." He said.
"I was rapped the second time I had sex." She said painting the wall. "By a man who lived above us at the time."
Looking at her he wasn't sure if he believed she was almost to causal. "Something tells me that even if that were true that's not the worst to ever happen to you."
Turning around Gabriella picked up a rag from the floor and dapped at her work. "Your right." Placing the rag on the chair she turned to him and picked up a paint brush. "When I lived in Chicago I hung out with the wrong crowd beat up some kids watch a few gun fights." Gabriella said as fingered the tip of the brush. "Her name was April Harrison. She was the first person I ever saw someone kill."
"Are you lying to me?"
"Do you want it to be a lie." Gabriella's eyes were dark as she looked up at him.
"When was the first time you smoked a cigarette." He said watching as her lips twitched from the word.
"I was 13 years old."
"Who gave it to you?"
"This chick in high school, I went out for ice cream with a few friends and was upset about moving." Gabriella shook her head. "she said it would relax my nerves."
"Did it."
"It did."
"Does sex give you the same release?"
"I don't know Troy you tell me how does sex make you feel?" she said placing both hands on the table and looking at him as if she were bored.
"right." He said placing his hand in his pocket. "Were you really raped by the man who lived above you?"
"No one comes near me unless I let them." She said looking at the different brushes. "if a man ever thought he could place an unwanted hand on me I guarantee you he'd regret it." She said with a smile.
Something about the look in her was creepy and Troy wasn't sure if it were a warning or just information. "You did a brave thing this weekend. You helped keep the girls safe."
"Safe?" Gabriella said turning around. "They are never going to be safe." She said placing the brush down. "I could have stopped that guy when I saw him at the gas station but I didn't because I didn't trust my instincts."
"It's not your fault." Troy said holding up his hand and took another step closer to her.
"I didn't feel safe. My instincts told me something wasn't right and I still just ignored them." She said. "Now every time they get in a car there going to remember what happened their going to hear the sound of that bumper hitting the car their going to see that boy hanging out the window and howling as they screamed in terror." Gabriella let the pain flash in her eyes as she continued to talk. "There never going to be safe or okay. This will scare them until the day they die."
"Gabriella."
"But it isn't my fault your right." She whispered. "God said without suffering there would be no compassion."
"This is true." Troy said rocking back on his heal.
"Yeah, well tell that to those who suffer." She said with faint smile as she moved another can of paint closer to her.
Troy didn't know what to say all he could do was watch as she opened the can and began to mix the red paint. "You're the strongest woman I ever met."
"Only because I don't care." She said not looking up at him. "Now if you're done with me I have mural paint." She said crossing her arms. "I'll see you at lunch and I don't need you to walk me anywhere I can get there on my own."
Troy against his better judgment surrendered and left the room.