Revamped!

[Considering there are three chapters left in this arc (including this one), I will be posting for three days straight.]

[I watched the first five minutes of Baby Driver on a constant loop and got so inspired.] [2020: One of the reasons I wanted to get to revamping this arc so bad was for this chapter onwards.]

The Big Bad Wolf: Part Eight

Cress groans in frustration as she holds her dead phone in her hands. It was the worst time for it to die. She was in the middle of a call that could save Scarlet's life, although it wasn't Scarlet she was talking to. She's happier that Wolf answered, now that she thinks about it. She paces back and forth, thinking on her toes as to what she should do now and it hits her: Wolf picked up Scarlet's phone and said that she left it at home. That means that Wolf is at her house. Even better. She doesn't even wonder why he's there and not her but she doesn't care now.

That's where she needs to go! And given where Cress is now, Scarlet's house isn't a far walk and an even closer run. She has never been happier to live on the edge of town. Cress sprints at top speed, hoping that her small legs will pick up speed at some point.

Cress knows that she has to do something. Not only is it the right thing to do but she feels as if she owes this to Wolf. If he didn't chase Thorne around, he wouldn't have ended up at her house and have given her the best night of her life … even if it meant facing Wolf on her own.

-o-

Scarlet walks through an alleyway with her head down and her hands shoved in her jean pockets. Her arms shiver a little since the approaching night brings the cold and she forgot her red hoodie at home. Typically, she wouldn't be walking in a sketchy alleyway on her own in the dark but she has company at home and this is a shortcut to avoid keeping him waiting.

"Hello, pretty lady."

Scarlet stops walking on the spot at the sound of that voice. She spins around and sees Derrick at the other end of the alleyway. She tilts her head in a mock defiance as Derrick approaches her.

"You're Wolf's girl," Derrick says as he approaches her.

"What?" Scarlet asks, unsure if she heard that right.

"Here's the thing: You're Wolf's girl and he owes us some money."

"I'm not his ATM. Get your money from Wolf yourself."

"That's the problem, Wolf won't pay so we need to get the money otherwise."

"And how do you plan on doing that?"

Derrick looms in closer to her. "Scream for him."

"I'm not a damsel," Scarlet grits through her teeth, knowing what he wants with her. It's nothing inappropriate since these boys want actual cash, based on what Wolf told her.

"You're Little Red and he's The Big Bad Wolf. He'll come for you."

Scarlet rolls her eyes. She can't believe they're actually saying that.

"Scream."

She might as well cooperate with them. Scarlet puts her hands on her hips. She takes a deep breath, preparing herself for the scream of her life.

"I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down!" Scarlet yells like a fairytale monster.

Derrick is silent, unsure of what just happened. Scarlet grins at him.

"Wrong fairytale but still," Scarlet says. "Bye!"

Scarlet turns around to run before crashing into a parked car that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Her head hits the door and she suddenly feels loopy. Scarlet stumbles back but feels Derrick catch her from behind. He gently places her in the backseat and closes the door. Derrick gets in the passenger seat as José drives off.

-o-

Cress finally approaches Scarlet's farm, panting for air. She needs to start exercising more often after this to get into shape. Cress drops at the doorstep before knocking, or pounding against it.

"Wolf!" Cress yells as she continues hitting the door. "Wolf, it's me, Cress!"

Wolf opens almost immediately and Cress finds herself hitting his solid chest, thinking it's still the door. Cress jumps with a small scream as she takes a step back from Wolf. She looks up at him and sees that he's fuming as he grabs her arm and yanks her into the house. Cress shakes, thinking that he might kill her because that's what it looks like.

"Explain," he orders.

Cress rapidly nods, panicking. "I-I heard your Pack talking while I was walking home from the store. They s-said something about taking your g-girl - Scarlet - so you'll pay up the money you never got from Thorne because he almost got away with cheating. Apparently, you have t-to pay because you're the alpha and you cancelled getting Thorne."

Wolf's sharp eyes soften, making Cress relax a little. Nevertheless, she's still scared.

"Scarlet isn't 'my girl,'" Wolf states. "Let's make that clear."

Cress hugs herself at her sides. "So you're not going to save her?"

"Of course I'll save her!" Wolf screams, running out of the house.

Cress stumbles on her toes as she runs out after him, closing the door behind her. She watches as Wolf paces back and forth, trying to think of what to do. Cress watches him and she can't help but wonder what's going through his mind. He could try to ask her where The Pack is going but she wouldn't know since she would've mentioned it.

"Let's go," Wolf orders.

It takes Cress a second to realize that he's talking to her. She runs in small strides as she keeps up with him. Since Wolf walked to Scarlet's house and Cress ran, they don't have a means of transportation. Wolf looks on Scarlet's driveway and sees a small white sedan in the driveway. He sighs and groans about how girly of a car it is but he has no choice … and no keys.

"Come here," Wolf says to Cress.

Cress is hesitant as she takes a few steps closer. Wolf reaches into her hair and Cress immediately tenses as he pulls out a bobby pin. Cress is stunned as Wolf uses it to unlock the car, muttering thanks that it's an old car requiring a physical key. He gets in the driver's seat as he makes her sit shotgun. Cress clumsily gets in the seat since this whole situation is scaring her now and she hasn't stopped shaking since she got here. Wolf rummages through the glove compartment for something useful and all that's there is a pair of old-lady sunglasses which he makes Cress wear.

"Why?" Cress is almost too terrified to ask.

"So any street cameras won't recognize you," he says. Cress's mouth goes bone dry. "I don't care if they recognize me since I probably already have a record. Tie up your hair as well."

Cress nods as she gathers her hair into a ponytail. Wolf uses the bobby pin he got from her earlier and jams it into the ignition, twisting it around. The car starts whirring and Wolf pulls out of the driveway.

"Which way?" Wolf asks.

Cress points straight ahead and she gasps when Wolf throws the car in reverse and starts driving backwards and the other way. Once he picks up speed, he spins the wheel and the car spins sharply. Wolf takes the next turn and Cress immediately buckles her seatbelt and grips tightly on the door handle and cup holder. Up ahead there's a green light that turns yellow.

"We're not going to make it!" Cress screams.

Wolf doesn't hear her, or doesn't listen. He only hears the roaring engine has his eyes focused on the changing traffic lights. As the light turns red, Wolf pulls on the emergency brake and lets the car drift right across the opposite traffic lane. Cars honk at them as they force their brakes. Wolf releases the brake and picks up speed once again.

Cress is rattled and feels like vomiting but her stomach was left back at the traffic light they just ran through. She turns around and sees that nobody was hurt back there but the police will be on their tails if this is only the start of Wolf's driving.

"Wolf…" Cress murmurs softly. "I'm scared."

"Don't be," Wolf replies.

"Why not?"

"It doesn't help." Wolf sighs. "Cress, you'll be fine. I will make sure you stay fine. We Lunars gotta stick together."

Cress looks at him differently now that she knows he's from Luna, in a good way, though. "How did you know that I was from Luna?"

Wolf grins. "I know everything."

Cress stops asking. Given that he's driving like a video game, she takes his word for it.

At the sound of sirens, Cress turns around and bites down on her tongue. She looks at Wolf who doesn't seem bothered. He presses harder on the gas and Cress watches their miles per hour number increase. Wolf looks ahead and a bus entering its terminal. Cress can't help but scream as he turns to cut the bus off and enter the terminal himself.

"Wolf, Wolf, Wolf!" Cress exclaims, pointing ahead.

Wolf looks and sees another bus pulling out of its bay. He quickly throws the car into neutral and drops the brake, spinning the wheel. Cress holds on tight as the car glides about 180 degrees. Wolf picks up the brakes again as he puts the car back in drive. He spins the car back around and gets back onto the main road.

"Where the stars is the freeway?!" Wolf exclaims.

"Turn left!" Cress replies.

Cress wasn't prepared for that turn at all, although she said it. On one of the roads, Wolf looks over to the next one and sees the flashing red and blue lights. He looks ahead at the intersection where both roads meet and sees a police man throw out a long metallic strip meant to pop their tires. Wolf expects Cress to scream or point it out but she has found comfort in chewing the ends of her ponytail.

Wolf rolls his shoulders back as he floors the gas. Cress holds her breath as Wolf keeps heading towards the strip. At the last second, the cop dives out of the way and Wolf drives through where he was standing and escapes that problem. Cress looks back and faces Wolf again.

"You'd think that the ones who are kidnapping my girl would be in a police chase but no, it has to be me," Wolf grumbles.

Behind the hair in her mouth, Cress smiles a little. For the first time in this entire ride, Cress feels at ease with Wolf behind the wheel. After all, he finally admitted that Scarlet was his girl.

[Haha poor, poor Cress.]