FIVE
"I didn't want to be the one to forget / I thought of everything I'd never regret / A little time with you is all that I get / That's all we need because it's all we can take." -Daft Punk
-x-
"If only there could be another way to do this / 'Cause it feels like murder / To put your heart through this / I know I always said that I could never hurt you / Well this is the very very last time I'm ever going to." -Tame Impala
Korinna didn't feel right.
Not only was she out pass her new curfew but she just didn't feel entirely right about this situation. She honestly thought this was a set-up, how could she trust him? Someone she once knew was a completely different person but...so was she. She didn't feel scared, she didn't know what she felt - Confused maybe? What was the purpose of this? Korinna stood in the middle of the lobby, staring at the structure of the casino around her. The circular center making the girl feel smaller than what she truly were. Awkwardly she stood beside Jovanna who had her dopey eyes watching everyone that crossed their paths.
The noise was almost too loud making Korinna blink a few times trying to get adjusted to this new atmosphere. She hadn't been used to this scene with all sorts of busy people, and Korinna wasn't supposed to be here. She was underage she hadn't reached twenty-one yet but she's been to places where she wasn't supposed to be, to get high in Greece with the party-life to make herself feel a little something. Korinna was sure that James and Viola would be at her throat if they could actually see where she were on this night.
A hand gripped her forearm causing Korinna to take a sharp inhale as she stared up into Nicky's dark suspicious eyes, "Come on kid. We're good to go."
Korinna glanced over at Jovanna who gave her an encouraging smile which she didn't need but took. Nicky wrapped a protective arm across Korinna's shoulders leading her through the casino where people of all ages sat bidding their money. Although the large room was dim it was full lights from the machines. Korinna kept up with Nicky's long strides while Jovanna followed casually behind them, keeping her eyes around them as well and one hand hanging in her pocket.
Jogging down some steps, Nicky steered Korinna to the left down a set of steps which made the loudness of the atmosphere calm just a bit. Nicky stepped down the narrow steps remaining at Korinna's side as they were eloped into complete darkness. Soon the three came to a stop with Nicky holding his hand out to feel for a wall until he felt a latch. Tugging it towards himself the wall cracked open leading to another passage way that looked as if it were cave like. Korinna swallowed at that, remembering herself in a cave not too long ago. Nicky noticed Korinna tensing and gave the space in between her shoulder and neck a comforting squeeze before deciding to lead the way.
Korinna felt herself shrinking further as she followed Nicky towards the meeting spot. The tightening in her chest explained a lot of things, was it worry for seeing someone who had betrayed her? Was it anger? There was definitely anxiety swarming around in her chest as she got closer to the destination and she almost turned around to ask Jovanna if she had a spare cigarette just to take a drag or two to collect herself. 'I will not lose control, I will not lose control,' She thought - hoped. Stopping at an iron door Nicky knocked his knuckles all over the door as if it were a secret code to gain excess. Shortly after, the sounds of locks unlatching could be heard before Vito came into view from behind the door.
Blowing out a silent breath Korinna followed Nicky into the cold room. Standing, Korinna searched the room around her, there was nothing much to note about it. A simple dark room with a few lights bolted into the walls, a worn in couch in the corner, and a table and chair with a laptop waiting in the center. Korinna noticed Nadia quickly tapping away on her own to the left of the room much focused on that rather than Korinna's entrance.
"Why the hell is she here?" Korinna snapped, cutting her eyes at Vito.
Vito licked his lips as he glanced over at Nadia who lifted her head at the exchange, "She's here to help. We're not tech-savy here but Nadia is so we need her, that's all. Trust me I'm not thrilled about it either, sweetheart." He answered fiddling with his fedora.
Korinna rolled her eyes as she walked over to main table and pulled out the chair plopping down, "Let's get this over with already."
Nicky and Vito shared looks while Jovanna moved to stand behind Korinna, leaning against the edge of the chair to peer down at the blank laptop screen. Nadia placed her laptop to the left of her, smoothed down her shirt and stood passing a look at the two Gimello brothers who just grilled her with their eyes. Nadia cleared her throat, turning her attention to the other two women in the room. Nadia stood beside Korinna waiting for the dark haired teen to look up at her.
"I assume you already know why you're here." Nadia started.
Korinna crossed her arms and slouched down in the chair as her response.
Jovanna watched the interaction between the two as she popped a raspberry blow-pop into her mouth, "She's here because her brother wants to chat with her right?"
Nadia nodded her head, "That's correct. Dacey doesn't know much about hacking but I suspect that he's going to know that I'm trying to track him while you're chatting with him over this video-chat. In fact he might have one of his own hackers watching over this chat as well."
"What's the point in finding him? He made his choice, he left. You sure you don't know where he is and aren't just lying again to buy yourself time?" Korinna demanded finally meeting Nadia's hazel eyes.
Nadia frowned, "I don't know where he is. I lost track of him the moment you landed in Greece."
"So you knew that he signed my guardianship back to Dimitri?" Korinna stated.
"Yes but the moment I figured it out, it was already too late. The police we're on the way to the Gimello's making sure that you left the country with your father and step-mother." Nadia answered.
Korinna snorted, "And you call yourself a hacker. This is your job? Well you're doing a pretty shitty job at it."
"You know what? I can take you hating me but don't disrespect what I do. I don't have to do any of this for you, understand? Your brother came to me to keep you safe, yes I was dishonest from the beginning but yet I'm still here and I don't have to be." Nadia admitted.
Nicky spoke up from around his cigarette nonchalantly, "Nah mami you do have to be here remember? You're a rat and are forever in debt to us until this entire shit is over, I thought we made that clear. The moment you decide to leave I'll be right behind you ready to end ya life. You work for us until we say so."
Nadia took a deep breath, "Actually I worked for Hadid's now Dacey not you."
"Right because rats stick together," Nicky puffed.
Nadia glared at Nicky, "I think all of you are so one-sided about this."
"Not really." Jovanna answered.
Nadia turned to the bright eyed woman.
Jovanna stretched with the lollipop sticking out of her mouth, "I get both sides of the situations. It's all fucked up, but the moment you screw over your family everything changes."
"Thank you." Korinna said.
"You think this is the way Dacey wanted things to turn out? Your father is the reason for this mess, it shouldn't have been brought down on Dacey to handle this. Dimitri Rokos should have been a bigger man and handled the situation between The Luh's but instead he put everything on his remaining son. Dacey was just doing what he thought was best for everyone." Nadia summarized.
Vito raised an eyebrow, "Sounds like to me you're fucking him."
Nadia spun on Vito, "Because I empathize with someone that immediately means that I'm screwing him? Please, Vito you know me better than that. Don't put me out to be sexualized just because you're bitter about what happened between us."
"No. What I know about you is that you're a liar." Vito bit in all seriousness, no traces of forgiveness written his eyes as he stood before the curly haired Dominican.
Nadia smirked, "Never claimed that I wasn't."
Korinna's eyes went wide at that, "Looks like Nadia gained some backbone."
Nadia leaned over Korinna and began tapping on the keyboard making the screen light up. Korinna watched impatiently as Nadia quickly went to work on the electronic device in front of her, going through multiple screens before the right side of the webcam flashed a white light and Dacey Rokos was sitting before them all.
"Hey loser." Dacey greeted his sister.
Korinna glared into the camera, "That's really how we're gonna start this?"
Nadia stepped out of view, jogging back over to her laptop.
Dacey stared at his sister through the lens, "We normally don't beat around the bush so shoot. Go for it, say whatever you need to say to me I can take it."
A deep frown appeared on Korinna's face as she stared up at the ceiling above her in disbelief, "What the fuck Dace?"
Korinna pressed her elbows against the edge of the table as she leaned towards the camera, "Do you have any, any idea what my life has been like the pass few months?"
"Mine hasn't been a walk in the park either, Korinna."
"This isn't up for debate," Korinna interrupted, "We're not going to share whose life is more fucked up than the others at the moment. We're not. You betrayed me. I'm your family but you must have forgotten that. It was always the two of us after losing our family, Kori and Dace right? Bull-shit. I don't think you understand what you've done to me."
Dacey carefully interpreted his sister's emotions as he played with his hands. Korinna easily noticed the difference in her older brother. His face was fuller, the stubble on his face was lightly groomed and he appeared smaller. He looked okay like he were safe and had no worries written in his eyes. "I can't apologize for that. Everything that happened was for all good reasons."
"Well tell me those reasons because I can't understand them! You're telling me that you kidnapping and pimping out innocent girls in our basement for cash to get one of the biggest men involved in cartel was for good reasons? You're telling me that signing the guardianship over to our sorry ass excuse of a father was a good reason?! Do you know that every possible moment that I spent living underneath his roof with his new perfect family that I wanted nothing more to be back here, home. I tried to kill myself over there, Dace. I got high every other day just to erase the true pain I was in because you did that to me. You sent me away. I watched and held our dying mother in my hands because of you. What was the reason for all of that?!" Korinna screamed into the lens.
Dacey stared, "You shouldn't be in Chicago. Chicago isn't your home. The goal of living on the south side is to get out and make something of yourself. We have the potential, even the fuckin' Gallaghers have it. I did what I had to do to survive, it might not have been the best choices but it'll all make sense in the end. I sent you away to start over with our dad, the reason for all of our problems is our mother you know that. Dimitri isn't the best dad but he tried and he deserved that second chance with you. He's never hurt you as bad as the rest of us. All you had to do was spend four more years with him, turn yourself around and then do whatever you want. I tried to protect you and if people have to get hurt in the process for us to live a happy life then so be it."
"Are you kidding me?! Who are you? Because you are not my brother."
"I'm that guy that just wants to live. I know i'm a fool, a good for nothing - useless son of a bitch and that's okay. I'm cleansing myself. You don't have to see things my way but I have every right to be selfish. I have every right to get myself out of this mess. Dimitri handed over this burden to me to make me a man, to better myself. You went through a lot but you're gonna be the most powerful woman in the future I know it. I can still get you out of Chicago if you want, you can live with me since things didn't work out with Dimitri and Astrid. We can be that perfect family that you've always build in your idea of a perfect dollhouse. I can make things happen but Herb and Epps are going to target you next, they've already gotten to mom and they will get you too. There's a new society, these group of people that will make all of our problems go away." A bright smile was written on Dacey's face as he spoke.
Korinna swallowed, her eyes watching in fear at the strangeness that her brother had become. This wasn't Dacey. Korinna leaned back into the chair looking up at Jovanna in panic who blinked and looked at her biological brothers behind them. Vito was already beside Nadia who was repeatedly shaking her head while Nicky moved taking matters into his own hands.
"You listen to me motherfucker. The kid ain't going nowhere with you, are you brainwashed? 'Cause the old Dacey Rokos I used to know would never say any of this shit to us right now. You put yourself and Korinna through enough. No kid should have to watch their parent die in front of their eyes. You got yourself involved with Herb and Epps, you made that choice. Hand yourself over to them, be the man that you put yourself out to be because if you don't. I will find you myself and personally see that you wish you were dead instead of your mother. You think Herb and Epps are to be feared, then you must not know what the fuck I can do." Nicky threatened with enough venom throughout his being.
Dacey tilted his head to the side before letting out a laugh. His white teeth shinning through the screen, once Dacey finished laughing he wiped his tears away with the pad of his thumbs before sitting up straight. His eyes went to his frightened sisters, "The offer still stands," Then to Nicky's, "Good luck, motherfucker." And with that he sent a wink before the screen flashed with a jumping winking face that had devil horns on them.
Korinna pushed herself out of the chair moving out of sight to press the palms of her hands to her face as she began to pant heavily. Jovanna quickly moved over to Korinna trying to comfort her but she jerked herself away as she screamed, "What the hell was that?!"
"Answer her!" Nicky screamed shoving the laptop towards Nadia.
Nadia held her mouth open as she stared at all of the people around her, "All I got from this is that Dacey might be in some sort of cult."
"Get me out of here, now."
She sat with her feet pulled to her chest and her arms wrapped around her. Korinna had been sitting this way for awhile now it almost seemed like days. She ignored everyone that tried to socialize with her, Janice didn't know what to do but she made a promise to Korinna's mother. From Enzo's attempts at calling Korinna, to Monte's usual bitching, to Cam's attempt at flirting, but it didn't seem that Korinna was the only one dealing with issues.
Korinna had taken the scolding from Viola and James when she returned home that night, even when the Gimello brother's explained that Korinna had been with them Viola had threatened to throw Korinna out if it were happen again. She had to follow the rules just like everyone else. Korinna didn't bother to argue with either of the adults heading to her room in a daze and in that daze she stayed. However James and Viola were going to get to the bottom of Korinna's emotions.
Viola remained in front of Korinna who didn't reply to any of her questions, "James call Gallagher."
"Um didn't we agree that-" James started but Viola cut her eyes at the man who sighed, "Which one there's a Debz and a guy named Francis in her contacts." The man browsed Korinna's phone.
Viola walked down the hallway, "Call both I don't care. Get someone here to break her out of her shell, this is the only time I'll do this."
James nodded his head as he pressed the phone to his ear after dialing.
Shortly after Debbie Gallagher was entering Edge Heart Grove. Debbie was carrying Franny in her arms as she strolled through the room as soon as Janice opened the door.
Debbie pulled the sheets off of Korinna's body but the girl didn't flinch, "Okay Rinna what's the up with you? While I'm here tying to figure out what's wrong with my best-friend I could be out there getting money to pay the stupid rent my sister is asking for."
"Good thing I didn't ask you come here then. You can leave." Korinna muttered reaching for the covers but Debbie slapped her hand away.
Debbie sighed, "I know we haven't seen eye to eye whenever we hung out lately but I still consider you my best-friend and I love you so much. I may have not been that good of a friend to you but I'm here now and I'm willing to listen."
"There's nothing to worry about. I'm fine."
"If you were fine then I wouldn't be here at rehab trying to get you to talk to these people who are trying to help you." Debbie argued as she lightly bounced Franny on her knee, "If you don't want to talk to them then talk to me. When have you never been able to talk to me?"
"Since the moment you raped someone." Korinna said.
Debbie swallowed the lump in her throat as she stared shocked at the bronze skinned girl.
"Since the moment you forced a baby on Derek." Korinna continued as she got on her knees staring Debbie directly in the eye, a wild glint appearing in her black coffee eyes.
Debbie stood from the bed, "You know what? Fuck you, okay? I don't need to take anymore judgments especially from you. Everyone hurts in life, Korinna. You're not the only one and you don't get the right to cry about it and push everyone away that wants to help you. Despite everything I'm still here trying to be a friend to you, even with this forced baby on my hip. I don't know why they bothered calling me when you clearly don't give a shit about our friendship anymore. So excuse me I have my own business to handle, like being a mother and trying to support my baby which you wouldn't understand."
"Bye have fun. Let me know when Derek decides to actually be a father, oh that's right he left the fuckin' state to get away from you." Korinna had a bitter smirk written on her small lips, "And fuck you too. That was your choice to have a baby and now you want to cry about all the hardships it takes to be a mother to me?! Yeah sorry I can't vibe with you on that."
Debbie scoffed, "Oh my god you are officially the biggest bitch I have ever met! Do you just realize what you said to me?"
"Yeah I'm pretty sure I remember it clearly." Korinna replied staring at her nails.
Debbie began to retreat from the room but not without turning to Korinna, "You're gonna end up alone with that attitude. You're gonna be one lonely bitch because you never let anything good stay with you. Consider us no longer friends, and oh by the way Carl's going to military school so how do you like that? Good luck with the rest of your disgrace of a life, I wish I never met you."
If Korinna could actually feel something at this moment she might have cried. With the slam of the door all Korinna could do was let a smile grace her lips and a burst of laughter escaped her lips and shortly more rounds after that. She laughed until the point her stomach hurt, with clenched fists, and hot tears dotted against her waterline. Korinna had nothing. No more siblings. No best-friend and the love of her life was leaving her. It was all bittersweet really. Everything could be so simple but it wasn't. Nothing no longer made sense, it felt like murder. The death of Korinna Rokos occured right now. As she lay on her bed with silent laughter with the housemates and two adults at Edge Heart Grove witnessing this breakdown currently, if it wasn't the end it was pretty damn close.
Korinna Rokos was beginning to lose her mind.
A/N: A short one that almost didn't get written today. Can't wait to see the outcome of Carl's decision for military school tonight. Although there was no Carlinna senses in this chapter (sorry about that.) how do you think Korinna is going to react the next time they're face to face? A bunch has happened in this chapter even if it wasn't that long. We are now officially seeing a drift in Korinna's character and it's honestly a little scary. Thoughts? I had a different plan for this chapter but it certainly turned out much darker than expected. There's a rumor going around that Ethan Cutkosky might be leaving the show and if that's true...then there's no hope for shameless. I'm also fangirling a little bit over Khleo Thomas (Zero - from holes) is on the show aye. Lip's new boss if you haven't caught that by now lol. Funfact: A guy that liked me favored him but he turned out to be a piece of shit so.
HENNYWAYS review? :)
-ALES