CHAPTER THIRTTEN – RED FOUNTAIN
"And why exactly are we going there?" asked Bloom. She had jumped on Stella's invite without thinking. She had missed her so much and had a feeling like she wasn't there for Stella enough, like the others were. She did know everything that had happened these past few days, but never had a chance to discuss it with her in private. Even though being around the girls was no problem, she thought it would be better to talk in private and let Stella talk how she felt without the group pressure on her shoulders. They were now heading to Red Fountain, where Brandon had invited her. Actually, he had told her to come. Stella was too nervous to drive, so Bloom had offered her car for the ride, and now Stella was sitting next to Bloom, who was the driver, with Musa and Aisha behind them in the back seat.
"He... invited us," managed Stella to say, but she really didn't want to speak until she got back home. Why was she going there? She had no idea; her feet were itching, and this must be a sign to go back before anything happened, she thought. She turned her head towards the window and closed her eyes. Why was this tiredness not letting her go? She felt so tired and exhausted.
The girls were not talking at all, and Bloom was watching them from the mirror, although they didn't have any clue she was. 'Why is everyone so... nervous?' thought Bloom. "We're here, but girls, listen. Whatever is bothering you, please calm yourselves before we go out there. Nothing bad can happen if we stay together, okay?" Bloom tried to calm the girls. For Musa and Aisha, this talk seemed to work, but for Stella, she just wanted to go home and sleep. 'Why do I act like a toddler? It's so early, and I already want to go to bed,' her thoughts were swirling, a deep voice in her whistled to her, saying, 'Maybe you'll be in bed soon.' Stella almost fell on the ground; her thoughts had a crush on Brandon, and she was surprised every time she heard them.
"Good! You girls made it!" Nabu was coming toward the girls with a huge smile on his face. "Hi!" came Aisha's squeaky voice from behind Musa. They were lined up one after another in a weird way, like they were going to buy tickets, with Musa in the front of the line, and Stella last. If she had luck tonight, the race wouldn't start, and they would have to go home sooner. She was biting her lip and looking around. The girls had forgotten about her because Nabu was telling them about the race that was going to happen tonight. Aisha was looking at him deep in thoughts, so just like Stella, she wasn't listening to him either.
Bloom, however, was now smiling at a blond guy who was definitely checking her out. 'Oh,' thought Stella, 'That's Sky; he was there the day I had the panic attack.' He was there during the fight, but when Riven tried to go after the Andros riders, he had to deal with him first. So Stella and Aisha had only heard the guys talk about Riven and Sky that day, but they hadn't really met in person. 'Great,' Stella's inner voice was saying, 'Another one of us just got charmed. Perfect.'
Stella looked at the girls again; Bloom was now engaged in an intense exchange with Sky. They were facing each other, the distance between them seemingly unimportant. 'Bloom got here fast. Aisha and Musa should learn from her,' thought Stella. Her gaze then shifted to Aisha and Musa. Aisha seemed lost in thought, and when Nabu approached her to talk, Stella saw that her friend would never notice anything anymore, let alone Stella's absence. As for Musa... She was now walking straight towards a guy with a helmet on. 'Oh, that must be Riven.' At that moment, Stella saw Brandon approaching Riven too, and her legs started to feel like jelly. 'I have to move,' she warned herself. She looked around again, this time trying to find a safe corner for herself to hide until the race started. Her eyes locked onto the old cars that were there for decoration. Some of them appeared burnt, while others were severely damaged. This place resembled a small car graveyard. No one was around, perhaps because it was dark. Stella began to walk in that direction, not considering it dangerous, but the lack of light was a little frightening to her. "If I were a character in a movie, and anyone saw what I was doing right now, they would boo me. I'm a coward," she murmured to herself, taking quick steps.
Upon reaching her destination, Stella started to look for a comfortable spot where she could sit without getting her clothes dirty. She thanked her lucky stars that she wasn't wearing white pants like Aisha or a skirt like Musa and Bloom. However, her choice of outfit wasn't any more comfortable than what the other girls were wearing. She had on her mom jeans and a black long-sleeve crop top. She was sure she was going to freeze. Her anemia never surprised her.
After finding a cozy spot in a car that looked better than most of the others, she relaxed and retrieved her phone from her pocket. Now she could do some reading and try to relax, even though she wasn't thrilled with her current surroundings. It was odd how this spot she had chosen was clean and pretty comfortable. Maybe it was someone else's secret spot, used often. Stella shrugged it off; that wasn't important now. Her book was getting to an exciting part.
"Seems like you're running away, huh?" a voice interrupted her from reading.
Not just any voice, though. It was a voice that sent shivers down Stella's spine. That jerk. "What do you want?" spat Stella.
"Oh, nothing cherry, nothing. What would I want from you?" Mike spoke, his voice making Stella sick.
Stella got up from her hidden spot so she could be seen by others. Well, maybe not too much. She had picked this spot so she wouldn't be too visible, and it was giving her what she wanted. Only, the timing was off, and she actually wanted to be seen right now. "Why don't we just ghost each other? It would be better for my stomach since I want to puke every time I see you." Mike let out a loud laugh, which caused Stella to grimace in disgust. But she also felt a kind of relief, as many faces turned towards them.
"Baby, if I ghost you, you'd have to face me 24/7. I won't leave you alone for a minute, until I get what I want. Just like an obsessive ghost, you know," he smirked at her. Stella gulped, wishing he hadn't realized her act. Looking scared in front of this jerk was definitely not what she wanted.
She straightened her posture and crossed her arms, now looking more confident for her own sake. "You have such a small brain to think that I can't protect myself, or that there's no one to protect me. It's funny," Stella shot back. "You saw how things turned out when you tried to touch me. What makes you think I'll be your victim? Jerk."
Insulting him at the end wasn't exactly mature, but she didn't care. This guy thinking so lowly and meekly about her was driving Stella crazy. She had to stand up for herself, so this guy wouldn't try anything, even if Brandon wasn't there for protection.
Mike took a couple of steps forward to be closer to Stella. She immediately backed away, but her last step was blocked by the car door. She didn't want to lean on it, but he was so close. The feeling of unease inside her acted before she could stop it, and she leaned on the car door. 'What now, Stella bella? You stupid moron that likes to talk,' she chided herself.
"Oh, your mouth speaks so much. But I wonder, how does it taste? You see, pumpkin," Stella furrowed her brows. She hated pumpkin, and she hated that nickname as much as "Bella." "I've never seen anything like you. Beautiful, seditious, and oh lord, that body." He was leering at Stella, his eyes scanning every part of her like he was using X-ray vision.
Stella pushed him to create more space, but he was still too close. A sense of panic started to well up inside her. 'Please, please no. I can't deal with another attack right now,' she pleaded with herself. "I've got my eyes on you, cherry. I'm not the type of man who lets things go without getting what he wants, you know." Stella was too shocked to respond. This kind of person, she thought, only existed in books or TV shows. She never imagined she'd have to face someone like this jerk. Her hands began to shake, and her eyes welled up with tears. She hated seeing herself like this. She wasn't weak or a coward, but right now, with her trembling hands and shortness of breath, she didn't feel strong at all.
At what felt like the worst possible moment, he grabbed Stella's waist and pulled her closer to him. This act ignited something inside Stella. With the last reserves of her strength, she let out a scream and kicked him in the shin. "Get off me!" she yelled. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Mike now looked completely enraged, and he grabbed her arm, dragging her towards a secluded area. 'Oh no, please no. No one can see me now,' her tears seemed relentless. She felt her body shaking, but if this was her last chance, she couldn't just act weak. She had to do something to protect herself.
"Let me go!" she screamed again, but her voice wasn't as powerful as it had been. Her tears were obstructing her vision, and her throat felt dry. She kicked him again with all her might and tried to free her arm, which was throbbing with pain. Mike let out a groan of pain and pushed Stella against the wall. Stella, now battling a pounding headache, couldn't seem to gain control over her panic attack. The air felt limited in her lungs, and she closed her eyes, desperately trying to figure out how to both stop the attack and protect herself. She raised her head, seeking more air, and also to catch a glimpse of the person who had caused her distress.
However, Mike wasn't in front of her. He was beneath Brandon, struggling to ward off the attack of punches. Brandon's rage was evident, his neck reddened with anger. Was he mad because he promised Stella he'd keep her safe? Stella knew he couldn't be there for her every moment, though. She clutched her throat, struggling to draw breath. "Brandon," her voice was weak and fragile. She hated to sound like this, and always thought that she was capable of protecting herself but never had occurred to her that the attacks she has would be holding her back from doing it. Brandon, even in the midst of his fury, glanced in her direction. His anger transformed into concern in an instant. He rose, delivering a few more blows to Mike before kneeling before Stella. He cupped her cheeks, gently wiping away her tears. "Calm down now, Stella. You're okay. I'm here." Stella's heart continued to race, but gazing into his emerald eyes had a strangely calming effect on her. "Brandon," she moaned, tears streaming down her face. Her arm and head throbbed with pain and her back ached. She didn't want any part of this; she didn't want to be hurt like this. And for what? She hadn't done anything to anyone. This guy's obsession was on the verge of destroying her.
Brandon's face contorted in pain, his hands trembling. Unlike Stella, his hands shook not from fear, but from the anger he was struggling to suppress. Mike remained behind them, groaning in pain and attempting to inch away from them. Or more accurately, inch away from Brandon.
Brandon lifted Stella by her waist to help her stand, but her legs were too unsteady to support her. He had no choice but to carry her to a spot with more light and air. "C'mon, beautiful. I've got you." Although Stella's state wasn't exactly terrible, she found herself shaking her head. "Please, Brandon. I don't want anyone to see me like this." Surprisingly, she managed to speak this long. The thought of her friends seeing her in this state terrified her. Flora and Tecna had just heard about the attack Stella had that day, and they were checking on her non-stop. Flora had baked her cookies, which Stella was pretty sure had something relaxing on it. Knowing Flora, it must be some kind of plant. Meanwhile Tecna had created a system that Stella can use to check her body's stress levels. 'I wish I had it with me.' thought Stella.
"Okay, we're staying far from the crowd. Don't worry," Brandon reassured her. Stella found herself trusting him. She leaned her head on his shoulder, letting him lead her wherever he was taking her. What set Brandon apart from Mike? Why was she trusting him? She knew nothing about him; he could be just as much trouble as the others. But these thoughts were fleeting compared to the trust Stella felt for Brandon. It was the third time she'd been in trouble, and he'd been there for her each time. Stella might have thought it was planned if Brandon's arms weren't so reassuringly comfortable.
Her breathing had improved, so she began to study Brandon. His jaw was clenched, and his hold on her was rather firm. As if she could run away. Not that she would. Brandon stopped after a while. "I'm going to lower you to the ground now, but if you feel like you can't stand, just hold onto me, okay?" His gaze was cautious and concerned. Stella nodded, her eyes locked onto his. When her feet touched the ground, albeit gently, she found she could stand with a bit of support from Brandon. He helped her sit down, not too far from where the races were held. Stella surveyed her surroundings, but she wasn't particularly familiar with this place anyway.
Brandon knelt in front of her, his eyes focused on hers. "Do you need anything?" he asked. Stella shook her head. What she really wanted was to go home.
Looking around, Stella realized they were seated behind Red Fountain, or rather, in its backyard. She found herself perched on a massive tire, most likely belonging to a large truck. The area was filled with tires, giving off the appearance of a makeshift depot. "Is this a backup station?" Stella inquired, momentarily catching Brandon off guard. "What?" he responded, clearly puzzled. Stella gestured towards the tires surrounding them. Brandon followed her finger and then offered a faint smile. "You could say that, yes."
Stella took a long, shaky breath and nodded, her eyes welling up again. She wanted to put this night behind her, wishing she'd never encountered that jerk. Brandon gently lifted Stella's chin with his finger, raising her gaze to meet his. "I'm sorry, Stella. I couldn't keep my promise," he confessed. Though his voice remained steady and emotionless, Stella could sense his deep regret. Her eyes then shifted to his bloodied hands. She reached out to hold one of them, examining them intently. "You did save me. You kept your promise. Don't feel sorry," she assured him. Brandon shook his head, a touch of confusion and a hint of nervousness in his demeanor. "We should check on these," she insisted.
However, Brandon redirected her attention. "We need to make sure you're okay first," he asserted. Stella raised her head, regarding him with a quizzical expression. "Is your race over?" Brandon furrowed his brows. "Stella, we should check on you," he repeated. It was now Stella's turn to furrow her brows, leaning closer to Brandon. It was then she noticed the blood on his face. Thankfully, it wasn't his. Stella tried to wipe it away as much as she could, but most of it had dried. They needed water and some clean towels. "There's blood on your face and..." Stella began but trailed off, looking at Brandon's expression, which now seemed a mixture of surprise, joy, and excitement. She couldn't quite read it. "If your race is over, can you take me home?"
Brandon collected himself, clearing his throat. He still gazed deeply into Stella's eyes. "Of course, I wasn't going to race tonight. I just wanted that fucker to see you with me. I wanted him to know he can't touch you, or even look at you. But I couldn't find you anywhere, and the girls were worried too. I kind of snapped at them for not looking after you." He explained his actions to Stella, who might have been upset under normal circumstances because of how he had treated her friends. Yet, considering what she had been through, his protective instinct was appreciated. After all it was her fault. Stella's voice was barely audible, "It was my fault. I was tired all day and just wanted a secluded area to read my book and pass the time. I didn't think my presence was really necessary." She murmured barely audible.
"Me being seen with you," she asked, puzzled, "how would that prevent them from doing something like tonight?"
Brandon watched Stella closely. He longed to kiss her, but he also felt guilty for feeling that way. He didn't want Stella to think he was taking advantage of her vulnerability. "I wanted to show everyone that you belong to me," Brandon stated firmly. Stella's eyes widened at this. If Stella heard correctly, Brandon was telling her he was an alien and instead of a penis, he has a banana. A banana that he can eat every time he wants, and just a day after it grows back again.
"Excuse me?" Stella asked softly, catching Brandon off guard. "I had no choice, Stella. They have these strange obsessions around here. It wasn't like this before I left for college. We were just racing and comparing cars, bikes or stuff. But when I got back, after a year, I was shocked to find out about the rules they'd established. Red Fountain doesn't strictly obey to those rules, though." He didn't want her to see him as a douchebag who thinks he can own girls and still live his life however he wants.
"So, why did you want to show them we're together? I mean, you said you wanted them to know I belong to you, so they'd leave me alone?" Stella inquired. She didn't want to be harsh on him, as his explanation suggested he wasn't entirely at fault.
"Yes, because that's the language they understand. I'm not an animal. I won't do anything without your permission. But it had to be done, so that pimp would stop harassing you. Do you have any idea what could've happened if I hadn't heard your scream and his curses? I don't even want to think about it." Stella's eyes welled up with tears again. Of course, she knew what could have happened. She was there. Brandon calmed himself for her sake, he still had to go back and finish the job he had started, "Don't," as he wiped away her tears. "Don't cry, Stella" he murmured, his face so close to hers. His breath brushing her wet cheeks. Stella's breath caught in her throat. She managed to respond, "Do it. Whatever you have to do, just do it. I don't want to see him again. I don't want him to touch me again," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, her tears falling silently.
Brandon's hands clenched with anger again. "He touched you?" he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Where?" Stella, unable to look away from Brandon's intense gaze, sniffed before responding, "He just grabbed me, but he didn't get the chance to do more because you came... and, uh..." She trailed off, lowering her gaze to her arm. She slowly raised her sleeves, revealing the spot where Mike had touched her. Brandon lowered his gaze as well, watching Stella carefully. Her already bruised arm was now a dark, angry red. It looked as though a car had rolled over it. Stella lifted her head to meet Brandon's eyes, which were now filled with fury. He got up cursing and walking back and forth, trying to restrain himself. But walking around wasn't really working. "Can you wait here? I'll be right back," Brandon instructed after a moment of gathering himself. Stella could tell he was still furious and he looked like he was thirsty for blood… 'Okay wow, thirsty for blood? You drama queen,' her inner thoughts teased. She pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on Brandon, who seemed barely in control. "Can you please stay? I don't want to be alone," she said softly, intentionally using her voice to try to calm him. 'Do you really think this guy would be softened just because you use your voice?' her inner thoughts chided again. Nevertheless, Stella noticed a slight change in Brandon; he was starting to calm down. "Look, behind those tires," he pointed to some older-looking ones, "there's my car. Take my keys and wait there for me. Lock the doors, and don't open them for anyone, unless you see me. Understand?" he spoke quickly, causing Stella's head to spin. She couldn't seem to find her voice. Wherever he needed to go, Stella felt it was in her best interest. She was staring at him so intently, Brandon had to take a step back to avoid kissing her. "Okay," Stella agreed, nodding. "What about my friends?" she asked cautiously. "Can you text them? They have a ride, right?" Brandon inquired, he asked hopping she wasn't their ride back home. "Yeah, Bloom," Stella confirmed, causing Brandon to relax a bit. "Good," he said, still watching Stella closely. "Come, I want to make sure you get into the car safely," he urged. "I'll be fine," Stella assured him, though she secretly hoped Brandon would come with her.
After Brandon made sure Stella was safely waiting in the car, he headed straight for the secluded area where he had found Stella and the pimp. Mike was gone, of course. Brandon retrieved his phone, typing a message to Helia. Still waiting at the same spot. After a while, Helia and Sky made their way over to Brandon. Worry was evident in their expressions. Brandon explained the situation, he asked them to make sure the whole Andros, Gardenia, Red Fountain and even Alfea knew that he was included with Stella. "Brandon, are you sure? You're not even here most of the time. People would want to see you together, and by 'together,' you know what I mean," Sky expressed his concern, choosing his words carefully. "I'll make sure there's no question about it. You can help me with that," Brandon stated. He didn't exactly ask; he knew Sky and Helia would do anything for him, just as he would for them. They both nodded in agreement. "We'll make sure Timmy spreads the word. Riven can gossip; he knows more people in Andros than any of us. And as for us," Sky looked at Helia. Helia smiled at him, he actually had an idea that would work more than the others, "We'll make sure to stick close to the girls." he spoke. Sky was a bit confused, but he liked the direction this was going. "Girls?" he asked, intrigued. "Yeah, mate. You're already doing your part," Helia pointed out. Sky was puzzled by Helia's remark. "What?" "You were hanging out with one of them tonight—the fire-haired girl. Remember?" Helia reminded him. Apparently, Sky was somewhat of a playboy; so Helia had to identify the girls by their appearances for Sky to have any clue who they were talking about. "Bloom?" Sky asked, now enlightened. "Yeah," Helia confirmed, equally surprised. "You remember her name! Atta boy," he chuckled, patting Sky on the back.
Brandon, still looking towards the tires, wondered if he could move them with his mind to get a better view of Stella. "Yeah, okay. Thanks," Brandon said to the guys without really looking at them, "Get ready for tonight. We have some visits to return." Turning to face Helia and Sky, Brandon was fiercely serious, radiating a certain level of intensity that Sky had never witnessed before. Despite their shared childhood, Brandon was now an entirely different, and somewhat threatening, figure. "Brandon, don't make Stella wait any longer than she already has. We'll make sure the girls know she's safe. After the race, Sky and Nabu can escort them home. You can tell Stella not to worry too," Helia spoke, urging Brandon to act quickly. Brandon glanced back at his cousin, nodding his head in acknowledgment. "Thanks," he uttered again, as firm and expressionless as ever.