Tory looked blankly at the sign with the bus times. She'd be gone in five minutes. Five minutes and Point Place would be only a pleasant dream in her memory.
She looked down at her ticket to New York City. She didn't know where else to go. It would be nice to have some place familiar around her, as if none of it ever happened. And with Evan gone she should be safe.
There was a loud crash and a shout. Tory tensed as she spotted a couple fighting only a few feet away from her. They were screaming at each other. The woman reached out and slapped the man across the face. Tory flinched, panic welling up inside her from the sound. She felt the memory of a slap sting her own cheeks from when Evan hit her for the first time and fear had flooded through her.
Suddenly a strong hand gripped her arm. "Did you really think I would let you leave?" Someone growled at her.
She pulled away, terror coursing through her and she held her arms up to shield her face.
"I'm not going to hit you, idiot!" Hyde shouted. He grabbed her arms and pulled them down to her sides. "I can't believe you did this!"
Tory set her jaw. This was going to be a lot harder if she had to push him away in person. "Don't touch me!" she shouted, pushing him away. "And you had better leave. All I need to do is scream and I can get you arrested for assault."
"Good," he snapped. "Do it. That way you'll have to stick around long enough for the court case which is plenty of time for everyone to convince the Formans to take you back. Especially when I tell the Formans I manipulated and browbeat you into taking the beer."
She paled. He had to be bluffing. Why would he go to jail for her? He could have everything he wanted if he just let her go right now. Why would he want her to stay? It doesn't matter because there's no way in hell you'll get him arrested.
Hyde reached for her hand but she flinched away, images of Evan still swirling through her head. Anguish crossed his face, but he didn't try to grab her again. "Let's go. Now."
"I'm not going with you."
He clenched his jaw, emotions warring on his face. He didn't want to scare her anymore, but he didn't want to let her go. "Yeah," he finally said. "You are." He grabbed her hand, despite her flinching, and pulled her to where the Formans were with their car.
Tory pulled away from him finally when they were in front of Red and Kitty. "Stop it! I'm a bad influence, remember? I steal and I talk back."
"You only did that because you didn't want me to live in a homeless shelter! Before that, you were skipping meals and cashing your paychecks in quarters to hide in the couch to make sure they could pay the bills on time!" Hyde shouted. "Because of me, you got attacked by four men in that shelter and almost died!"
"Because of me, you were beaten so badly you almost had to go to the hospital!" Tory turned to the Formans. "Edna's old boyfriend, Evan, beat the shit out of Hyde. And the only reason why he was here was because he was looking for me."
"Oh please," he scoffed. "Mr. and Mrs. Forman, she had been trapped and tormented by Evan for over a year before she escaped to Point Place. That happened because she was living on the street. And she was about to go back there because of me. If anyone's the bad influence, it's me."
"He was about to go to jail for me," Tory retorted. "He's the one who found me at the shelter and almost passed out donating blood to save my life. I'd be dead right now if it weren't for him."
"Damn it, Tory-" Hyde took a step toward her and Tory reflexively flinched away, fear flooding her. He froze, pain and grief on his face."
Kitty's face filled with horror when she saw the girl flinch. She turned to Hyde. "Steven, you're not…" she trailed off, not even able to finish the thought.
Hyde's anguished look was replaced by determination and Tory's stomach churned. She had fucked everything up and Hyde now had what he needed to convince the Formans he was the monster. "I've been beating her," he said. Hyde fidgeted and cleared his throat. "For months, now I've been hitting her and controlling her. I've been forcing her to do… stuff. Everything she said and did today is because of some sort of Stockholm Syndrome reaction. Or because she's terrified of me. She's not a bad influence. I am."
Silence descended on the four of them and Tory's eyes filled with tears. Don't do this, Steven. You deserve a real home, not to be locked up for a crime you didn't commit.
Finally, Red broke the silence. "You're both dumbasses," he said. "And you," he pointed at Hyde, "are a lying dumbass. Both of you get in the car. We're going home. There's not going to be any more talk about who's bad, and if either of you say that we can't take both of you, then my foot will go so far up your ass, it will make your childhood seem like paradise." He grinned. "Finally. A threat that will work on you idiots."
The ride to the Formans' was awkward. Kitty had recovered from the drama and was discussing sleeping arrangements with Red. But while the two of them talked up front, Tory and Hyde stayed silent in the back. They looked out the windows and stayed as far away from each other as possible.
Tory felt incredibly miserable. Having Hyde so mad at her made her feel cold inside. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. Something big and heavy hit her. She looked to see Hyde's jacket on her lap. He must have seen her shiver and given it to her. But he still wouldn't look at her, instead looking out the window as if nothing had happened.
Tory wanted to put the jacket on surround herself with his scent. But it wouldn't help enough. Not when he couldn't even stand the sight of her. She tossed the jacket back at him, not even looking to see his reaction.
She didn't know which was more painful: going to New York and never seeing Hyde again, or living in the same house as him while they were broken up.
A/N: The end! Just kidding :) But there are only a few more chapters left, so if you have read this far, thank you so much! I really hope you're still enjoying this story and please let me know in the reviews. Have a good day!
