Part 9

Day of liberation November 2nd, 2007 – Friday - 11:00 am

I awake from a sound coming from the kitchen.

"Morning, Maria!" greets a female voice.

I have to blink two or three times before my eyes adjust to the brightness. Liz is standing behind the counter.

"I thought you weren't gonna wake up today."

"Why?" I murmur drowsily.

"It's almost noon!"

"What? … Oh… sorry."

She stops me with a wave of her hand. "Never mind. I'm glad you slept well. I've made some pasta bake for us – I know, pasta again, but I love it. You can shower and then we'll eat something, what do you say?"

I look at my wrist. "I'm not cuffed," I notice.
"Michael thought it wasn't necessary anymore. And since you slept until now... I think he was right." Liz smiles at me.

"Yeah," I smile back – an honest smile – I haven't done that in a long time.

***

After a long, warm shower and tons of pasta (again)...

We sit on the couch and watch TV, but I have the feeling Liz wants to tell me something.

"Max plans to release you today," she blurts out.

"Oh!" I don't know what else to say. Shouldn't I feel happy and at ease or something? Well, I don't.

"Don't worry. They won't hurt you."

Maybe not one of the Bandits, I think.

"I'm surprised that Billy isn't already searching the whole city for you. Before this you've always hung around each other all day. You disappeared three days ago, hasn't he noticed this?"

"Most of the time he picks me up after school. But when I'm not there he doesn't really care. He doesn't care about me or my feelings or anything."

"That sounds really bad, Maria." Liz looks at me, her expression one of pity.

"It's okay! I don't really care about him either."

"But why don't you break up with him?"

"Because Billy won't allow it, Liz; he won't let me go regardless."

"You have to try it, Maria."

"You sound like Michael!"

"Well, that should make you wonder, shouldn't it?"

***

Michael came home around 2 o'clock pm. He showered, ate something, and now he's watching TV.

"So…" I start, "you want to release me today?"

He looks at me in surprise. "Don´t worry. You won't get hurt. And after that you're free and don't have to hang around in this apartment the whole day anymore."

I stay silent.

"You are glad about it, aren't you?" He studies my face intently.

"Of course I am," I tell him unconvincingly.

Suddenly his cell phone starts to ring.

"Yeah," he answers the phone.

"You sure?"

...

"Okay, we're coming."

He hangs up and faces me, his features serious. "Okay, Maria. Showtime!"

I nod, stand up, and follow him to the door. I have a bad feeling, but who wouldn't? He lays one hand on the doorknob and stares down at me.

"Remember what I told you, Maria. You have a chance to get out of this."

"Stop it, Michael," I snap. "Don't give me advice when you don't even know the half of my life."

"But..." he breaks off and takes a deep breath. "Just try to stay away from him. Don't meet him every day at least."

"I will! I promise. And you… watch your cheek."

He smiles softly. "I will."

***

Lonnie is already waiting at Michael's car when we get there. She looks at me with spite, and if looks could kill... she really hates me. I sit down in the backseat and she slams the door.

Michael's face turned into stone the moment we walked out of his apartment. Now he seems cold and scary to me, just like in the past when I didn't know him. What will happen next?

I don't know. I just hope that it won't get too bad.

***

We stop at the skate park and I can see Billy, Brody and Sean through the tinted windows. They're skating and haven´t noticed us yet. Max, Kyle and Alex are in the other car in front of us.

Max gets out of the car and makes a signal for the others to follow.

"Stay here until I get her," Michael instructs Lonnie.

"Why do I have to wait in the car with that bitch?" she snaps.

Michael doesn't respond and slams the door. As the sound echoes off of the concrete, Billy finally notices our presence, but I don't think that he can see me in the car.

Within seconds Billy, Brody and Sean stand up in a row crossing their arms. Michael and Max confidently make it towards them, closely followed by Kyle and Alex.

"Fuck off, Bandits!" Billy hisses.

The front window of the car is open, so I can hear most of their words.

"Maybe we have something that you want!" Max tosses out offhandedly.

Billy looks amused. "What could YOU have to offer me?"

"A lot, I'd say!"

"What is it? I don't need anything! And sure as hell not from you."

"Maybe you're missing something?" Max adds.

"Well, I have my dick, that's all I need," Billy replies and grabs his cock.

"We'll give you a heads-up. Well, it's blonde..." Max starts.

"...and hot..." Michael adds.

He thinks I'm hot?

"... and a damn bitch!" Kyle rails.

Billy doesn't react, but I have the feeling that he suspects the right thing.

"Show him!" Max says to Michael with an arrogant grin. Michael nods and comes back to the car again.

He jerks the door open, grasps me roughly and pulls me out of the car. Before anyone can see me, he leans forward and whispers, "It's better if you don't listen now, okay?"

I don't have time to answer. He holds my arms together behind my back, but not too firmly. Billy's face turns into a grimace as soon as he sees me.

"Hands off, bastard!" he screams at Michael.

"Didn't you even notice that your little bitch was gone?"

It hurts to hear those words about myself from Michael.

"What've you done to her?" Sean screams.

"Oooh! How sweet," Lonnie taunts, "suddenly they're worried about her."

"Somebody had to show her what a REAL man feels like, right Rath?" Max says suggestively and gestures at Michael.

This pushes Billy over the edge. "If you ever laid a hand on her, I swear, I'll kill you!" He goes for Michael, his stride quickly eating up the distance between them.

"Get lost," Michael breathes and shoves me away.

Sean rushes to my side and pulls me away from the others. "Are you okay, Maria? Damn it, I had this weird feeling that they had you. I should've gotten involved in the matter."

"Don´t worry. I´m fine. Really."

Suddenly Billy is by our side. "We're leavin'! Ryan isn't here and they're all here."

"You're gonna let them go without doin' anything?" Brody asks angrily.

"For now. They´ll see." Billy grasps my arm and drags me along with him.

I carefully look back, once. My eyes lock with Michael's, who is staring at me in concern.

***