Oooh, a second chapter? Hmm... Am I going to make this a series? Hmm... Also, shoutout to the guest review that said I should continue this story. Otherwise I definitely wouldn't have.

Veronica is as pale white as a ghost. "What do you mean he knows? Who?

"My dad." I start the car quickly.

"Oh…" She bites her lip, her eyes watering. "What are we supposed to do?!"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out." I take her hand. "No matter what, I won't let anyone hurt you."

She sighs. "That's what I'm afraid of. You'll do something careless and get yourself killed or something."

"Ronnie, we'll be fine. I don't think my dad would try and tip me off if he didn't want to help us."

"Why the fuck would he want to help us?"

"I don't know!"

"How do you even know that he knows?! What if we just show up at his doorstep and he calls the cops because we're supposed to be blown halfway across the fucking state!"

"That won't happen. I know he knows." I turn her face towards mine and hold it there sternly. "Would I ever put you in danger?"

She looks away from me and doesn't answer for a moment. "I suppose not."

"Good. Everything is going to be okay, I promise."

She nods slowly and I squeeze her hand. I hope she knows that she can trust me with anything. I would never, ever do anything without her best interest as my top priority. I know that this is the best choice for us, for her.

He brushed his nose twice, that was a secret signal he made up when I was a kid. It was equivalent to a wink. Whenever he wanted to tell me something in front of my mom that she wouldn't agree with, like when she would go to her book club and say "don't stay up too late" and dad would agree to her terms but brush his nose twice. He hasn't done it once since she died.

I know that this is our best bet. And I explain his little signal to Veronica and I convince her we should swing back into Sherwood. Since it is morning and someone could easily recognize Veronica's car, we parking lot hop until nightfall. Boring though it may have been, we did set up a plan.

If things go wrong, we'll book it out of there. Hopefully, it won't come to a violent end. He's still my dad, after all.

We take every possible back road through Sherwood. Veronica is biting her lip so hard she might just draw blood. At a stop sign, I brush my thumb across her lip.

"Stop it," I hiss. "You're going to hurt yourself."

She smirks a little. "Somewhat the point, Babe."

I frown. "Please. I've turned you into some masochist or something. It isn't good. I don't like it at all." I take her left hand in my right and continue driving to my dad's house. She's staring out the window, scared.

"We're going to be just fine, Ronnie."

She takes a deep breath. "Doesn't mean I'm not a little perturbed. Your dad is… offputting."

I chuckle under my breath. "Really? I haven't noticed."

She playfully hits my arm. "Shut up, would you?"

I kiss her hand. "My neighborhood's coming up. I'll pull into the garage. You stay behind me at all times, do you understand me?"

She nods slowly. "Are you sure we should do this?"

"It's worth a shot."

She bites her lip again. "Alright. I trust you."

I grin slightly. "I love you, Veronica. And please stop doing that." I touch her lips again. She blushes.

"I love you too." She squeezes my hand half-heartedly.

As I pull into my driveway, I turn off the headlights. I slip out of the car, careful that no one will see me, and open the garage door. I crawl back in and pull into the garage before immediately shutting the big clanky door again.

After fumbling with my keys, I open the door that leads into the house.

My dad is sitting in a large armchair chair in the living room, a cigar in one hand and a Bud Light in the other. "Well, look what the cat dragged in!" he says.

I squeeze Veronica's hand and shift in front of her. "Yeah, surprise, Tiger."

"So I take it even Satan didn't want you two?" He flicks ashes on the carpet.

I smirk. "Very funny."

"Mh, I knew you had something to do with that fucking school. Glad you picked up on my," -he taps his nose twice- "little hint."

"How did you know?"

He shrugs. "A magician never tells his secrets." He stands up and walks towards us. "Who's your little friend?"

"Stay away from her." I narrow my eyes. I am so protective of Veronica. I've never cared about a living soul in ten years. But if I failed to keep her safe... Game over.

"Don't trust me, do ya? Well, I know some things about you."

I try to ignore my fear. Discovery. Prison. Losing Veronica. "What do you know, hm?"

"Well, I know for a fact that it was a couple of thermals and a Norwegian that did that place."

"That much is obvious, I learn from the best."

"Don't try flatter with me. I also know that there is no way those football players could've gotten hold of those pistols. And Chandler, ha! Staged. The others, not bad. How did you do that little yellow one?"

Veronica's breath catches in her throat. "Veronica found her body. I had nothing to do with it."

"So you admit to the others, then?"

I flinch. "What are you gonna do then, turn us in?"

"Now why would I do that? I'm offering you escape. Bring the pretty bimbo too."

My jaw tightens. "How dare you," I spit.

He grunts. "You could always just live in the back of her car for six weeks before you're caught."

I stare at him, and he stares back. "If you hurt or even talk to Veronica in any way I swear to god…"

"Why so protective? Does my son actually have a heart?"

I glare at him and take a step towards him. "Why are you offering this to us?"

He shrugs. "You're my son. Your mother would want it this way."

"Don't bring Mom into this."

"Why shouldn't I?"

"We both know she'd hate what we've both become."

I can see anger flash in his eyes as he grabs my shirt collar. "Don't be so sure about that," he spits. I hear a pistol click behind me.

"Touch him and you die!" Veronica shrieks.

Dad lets me go and fixes his gaze on Veronica. "Well if it isn't the little bluebird..."Veronica tightens her grip on the gun I gave her for just in case, many days ago. She kept it in the glove compartment, next to her lighter, cigarettes, and pepper spray. The shit she has to deal with makes me angry. I had no idea she brought it in with her.

"I'll kill you, I'll fucking kill you," she says.

He laughs. "Fuck you," he hisses, flipping her off.

She pulls the trigger back out of reflex and blows his middle finger off. "Shit!" he exclaims.

Veronica's face is astonished and I wrap my arms around her quickly, taking the gun from her and shielding her body from my bleeding father.

"Don't fuck with us, Son," I sneer. I firmly kiss Veronica's forehead. "Get back in the car, Darling," I whisper.

She's frozen, appalled by what she just did. I hold her tighter and slip the gun in my pocket.

"Looks like you to just earned yourself…" Dad struggles with his words as he cradles his injured hand close to his chest, "a roof over your heads as long as you want. That girl of yours's got power."

"She has a name." I hold her closer.

"Veronica. We've met before," she mutters.

"Yes, pleasure. You're the kid with the bitch friends, eh?"

"You could say that." We exchange a look.

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