Deliver Me

By Zyris De'Lat

Chapter Two:

Jerrica's stomach was in knots. Rio Pacheco never really specified the reason for the meeting. Somehow Jerrica knew it wasn't going to be good, especially after she tells him her secret, the secret that she has been keeping from Rio for three years. Jerrica has known Rio since she was ten. He was the typical boy next door who would come over and work on cars and other manly things with Jerrica's father, Emmett. As Jerrica grew up, Rio became more to her than just the boy next door. Rio was the boy who stole Jerrica's heart and turned the childhood crush into a romance where love is at stake.

Jerrica closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Oh, how she loved the smell of the ocean, it made her feel so relaxed at times…but not tonight. Jerrica glanced at her watch. 'Where is he? He said to meet at 8:00. It is already ten minutes after,' Jerrica thought with worry.

Jerrica stood on the low profiled cliff that over looked the beach. She surveyed the beach looking for Rio. For some odd reason she thought he might have stood her up. As quickly as the idea appeared, Jerrica wiped it from her mind cursing herself that she even thought of such an idea.

Jerrica glanced at her watch again, eight-thirty. Jerrica gave a sigh. She started to climb into her roadster when she heard a motorcycle. She looked in her rearview mirror and saw a single headlight approaching her. As the motorcycle pulled up, Jerrica stood up and shut the car door. The rider turned off the engine and removed the helmet. The moonlight caught the sharp, clean-shaven features of Rio Pacheco's face.

Rio turned towards Jerrica. He looked into her deep purple eyes with his intense blue eyes. The moonlight played with the body waves of his short, dark brown hair, catching the purple highlights and making them stand out. The soft moonlight danced with the shadows of his tanned, Hispanic features, making Rio appear all the more mysterious and irresistible.

Jerrica couldn't help but stare in awe. Jerrica also couldn't help but wonder how Rio would take the information she had prepared to tell him. Rio is the type of man who has a kind heart and cares for others, but he has a problem with controlling his anger and listening to others when he is in one of his states of anger and rage. Sometimes Rio's anger extended to the verbal and physical limits where it scares Jerrica. Rio never attempted to hit Jerrica before, and Jerrica is grateful for that. Jerrica feared though, that one day Rio's anger will get in the way of seeing the truth in certain matters and she would lose him because of that. And tonight might be that moment where it could happen.

Jerrica then froze in place while staring up into Rio's face. 'Oh God, he is so gorgeous! How come I never noticed that before? He looks different for some reason. I just can't place my finger on what.' Jerrica approached Rio while shaking the thought out of her head.

"I see you finally managed to get your motorcycle running. How long has it been?" Jerrica asked, trying to start a small conversation.

"Too long," Rio replied while giving Jerrica a weak smile. Rio climbed off his bike and placed his helmet on the back of the bike. "Jerrica, can we take a walk? I…need to tell you something."

"Sure…I need to tell you something too. It might help clear up some questions that have been plaguing your mind for some time," Jerrica said with a great uncertainty. She tried to look Rio in the eyes, but she just couldn't bring herself to it. Instead, she took his warm hand and led him down toward the shore for a moonlit walk.

Jerrica started to lose herself in thought. She remembered the first time Rio took her for a walk along this beach. It was the night of her sixteenth birthday. It was the first time he ever openly told her that he cared for her. He also gave her a gold heart shaped locket, which she still wears till this day. She absently reached up to feel it. 'How I long to hear those three words. Why won't he ever tell me he loves me? Rio, you have changed so much this past year. Why?'

"Jerrica," Rio said softly, his words barely breaking the wind. Jerrica looked up at him, looking for some reassurance for what she was bracing herself for. She looked into Rio's eyes and noticed how sad they were. "I have been giving us a lot of thought lately," Rio continued, "and I decided that it would be best if I left for a while."

Jerrica just stood there. She couldn't find the right words to say. Somehow deep within herself she knew this was going to happen. "What? Wait, what are you saying Rio? We have come so far to turn back… haven't we?" Jerrica managed to say while tears filled the brims of her purple eyes.

Rio grasped Jerrica by the shoulders and turned her to face him. He hated to see Jerrica hurt, but he knew he couldn't lead her on any longer if he didn't know what was true to his heart anymore. "Jerrica, I don't want to hurt you any longer. I feel that I have been betraying you, with my feelings and affections towards Jem. Jerrica, I don't deserve you!"

Jerrica could see the tears welling up in Rio's eyes. "I…I have to go," Rio stammered, his voice cracking a bit. Rio looked away. He couldn't bear to bring himself to look Jerrica in the eyes. While turning to leave, Jerrica grabbed Rio's hand.

"Please, wait!" Jerrica cried out. Jerrica ran in front of Rio, facing him squarely in the face. 'This is it. I have to tell him, after trying for three years. Oh God, I will definitely lose him for sure. But he deserves to know after what I put him through.'

"Rio, you never betrayed me. I am the one who betrayed you. Oh God, Rio…" tears were streaking Jerrica's make-up. She pulled him close and held him tight, never wanting to let him go. She started to sing a song softly in Rio's ear while swaying to the beat of her own rhythm with him.

Deliver me…out of my sadness

Deliver me…from all of the madness

Deliver me…courage to guide me

Deliver me…strength from inside me

All of my life, I've been in hiding, wishing there was someone just like you

Now that you're here, now that I've found you, I know that you're the one to bring me through…

Rio pushed Jerrica back, a look of extortion displayed across his face. "Jerrica, how… J…Jem? That voice…" Rio stammered.

"Yes Rio, I am J…" Jerrica started to say, but didn't have a chance to finish.

"No, don't say it! I can't bear to hear it. Stay away from me, Jerrica! Don't come near me," Rio cried out, treating Jerrica like a disease. All of a sudden something snapped, revealing a look of revelation on Rio's face.

"All this time… All along, you played me as a pawn in your little game of love and deception?" Rio said while starting to back away from Jerrica, his legs gave away and he collapsed into the sand.

"WHY!?" he belted out in a howl of rage. Anger tore across his face. Rio struck the sand with his fist. He sat there for the longest moment, just glaring at Jerrica.

Jerrica stood there petrified. She had never seen Rio like this before. A cold shiver ran down her spine. She was deathly afraid of what Rio was capable of doing.

"Rio, please understand. I tried to tell you before… many times. But we were always interrupted. Rio, please say something," Jerrica begged while trying to reason with him and to bring him to his senses.

Rio stood up while still glaring at her, never breaking the eye contact. "I hope you enjoyed it, Jerrica Morgan Benton," Rio stated through clenched teeth. Jerrica felt like her heart was ripped into two. 'It doesn't have to end like this…does it?'

"Rio, didn't you ever wonder when we kissed, how similar it felt to Jem's? Didn't you ever notice how both are eyes are purple? Rio, I did have good reasons from not letting you k…" Jerrica reasoned.

"I had enough of your excuses Jerrica. That is enough of letting you play me for a fool. For three years I have been feeling guilty, thinking that I was hurting you with Jem. And it turns out I wasn't, because you two are the same person! Why did you torture me Jerrica? Why? God, I can't believe you could do something like that! Out of my way," Rio said while shoving Jerrica to the side as he ran to his motorcycle.

Rio reached into his pocket for his keys and pulled them out. He turned the ignition and throttled his motorcycle, giving it a masculine roar.

Jerrica ran up to Rio and grabbed his hand, "Please Rio, don't end it like this. I am begging you!" Rio just turned and gave her a cold glare. All that remained behind was a trail of burnt rubber and exhaust.

"Rio," Jerrica yelled after him. "I did have good reasons… for a while. Until I let my fears take over," Jerrica whispered, letting the wind carry it away.

Jerrica was walking back to the roadster with tears blurring her vision, when she tripped on something bulky. "What the…" Jerrica muttered, stopping in mid-sentence when she realized what she was looking at.

Rio's helmet…

Here is chapter two.
The song "Deliver Me" was sung by Sarah Brightmon.
Please read and review, no flames though.
More is on the way.
Jem, and everyone within it, is owned by Hasbro.