"When an old feeling takes hold in your heart, Nikki's wish begins to slip through her fingers. And now, she'll have to get anyone who dares to threaten your relationship out of the way."
warnings - part 1 here | everything u'd expect from the obsession universe, murder, psycho reader, freaky nikki ofc (w no wish), panic attack (not really)
now playing - My Way, by Olivia Rodrigo
"Well, here's a map of the lines I drew And some girl steps over, and the girl is you"
The days passed with a sense of peace that was unparalleled for Nikki. You had practically moved into her house by then, realizing that a quick trip back to your place to grab a few changes of clothes was the longest you could stay away from Nikki. The days were beautiful; the two of you had breakfast together, talked about everything, laughed, watched moviesāwhich were only the ones Nikki was interested in seeingāand you watched her write page after page of her bookāsince, with you around, she had unlimited inspiration.
It had been almost a month since the two of you had gone to work, and not only did Johnās calls keep coming in, but so did those from Ian, Sarah, and Bear. Nikki never answered themāat least not when you were aroundāwhich was almost always. By then, sheād only answered one call from Bear while you were in the shower, and all she had time to say to him was, āEverythingās fine, just stop calling for a bit, gosh!,ā before she joined you in the shower.
Nikki thought everything was perfect; she couldnāt imagine anything better. She had you, and the two of you had the life sheād always dreamed ofāor at least half of it, since you were still weighing your options for moving out as soon as possible.
Nikki noticed exactly when things started to change. It was precisely the day the two of you finally had to go back to work, neither of you having enough money yet to quit that crappy job and move on with your lives. You had to go pick up your work uniform at your place; that stupid shirt had been lying on your bed ever since the night you confessed your feelings to Nikki.
Walking into the house at that point felt like a mistake, like a dark past you wanted to leave behind, even though a part of you was screaming at you to read between the lines. But every time you walked in the door, a chill ran down your spine, a feeling of emptiness settled in your chest, and all you could think about was getting back to Nikki as fast as possible.
Your feet almost ran toward the exit; you slammed the front door harder than you intended, turning your back to the street to lock the door and get ready to get out of there as fast as you could. Your hands were shaking, your fingers fumbled with the keys, and the jingling noise made your head spin. Your senses felt jumbled, as if someone were banging your head against the wall a million times. And before you could even pass out from withdrawal, a hand on your shoulder brought you back to a state of consciousness you didnāt even realize you were losing.
āWhat the fuck. Damn it, Yn, Iāve been trying to talk to you for almost a month!ā The womanās voiceāwhich you recognized as Sarahās after a few secondsāsounded slightly distant, and her face seemed distorted before finally returning to normal. āAre you fucking listening to me?ā
Her hands shook your shoulders, and you looked at her more clearly. She looked like the same person youād seen at the bar last time, except for the slightly dark circles under her eyesāconcealed by makeupāand the lack of sparkle in her eyes. She looked tired.
āHi? Is that all you have to say, motherfucker?" Her voice was unmistakably a mix of exhaustion and anger, as if youād done something bad to herāsomething you definitely didnāt remember doing.
āWhatās wrong with you, Sarah?ā The question seemed to catch her off guard, because she looked at you as if she were about to blow your head off.
āWhatās wrong with me? What the hell is wrong with you?!ā Her hands shoved your shoulders, your back slamming into the front door before you even had a chance to react. āOne night Iām waiting for you to come back from karaoke, and the next day I find out youāre sleeping with Nikki? What the hell is wrong with you?ā
It was agonizing how you couldnāt understand why she was so aggressive, or how you couldnāt read the expression on her face. It was even more agonizing for Sarah to see that you didnāt seem to know what youād done wrong.
āYou said youād come back to karaoke, Yn. You fucking promised me!ā She had tears in her eyes, and it was as if a part of you was struggling to make your brain process that the way it really should be processed. āYou told me youād come back to me! And then I see that the next day you blocked me from everything, and that all Nikki posts on her stories are photos of you shirtless in her fucking bed!ā
Her whispers were very aggressive, and your furrowed eyebrows only made her want to slap you in the face even more.
āIā¦ I didnāt block you.ā That was the only thing you could say, pausing for a moment before remembering to put a smile on your face.
Because you were happier now!
You had the life youād always wanted!
āNikki has my phone. She must have blocked you...ā You paused, then continued like a robot. āI mean, you must have done something Nikki didnāt like. She wouldnāt block you for no reason.ā
āWhy the hell should I care what that bitch likes or doesnāt like? You were the one I was dating!ā
Dating? You and Sarah? Why couldnāt you remember that? I mean, youāre almost certain youād never dated anyone before. You were completely in love with Nikki, closed off to love unless it was for her. Youāre almost certain of that, right?! Right?
āWhat the hellā¦ā Sarah sighed, wiping the tears from her eyes before looking away from you for the first time since she saw you. āDamn, you donāt even seem like yourself anymore. What the hell did she do to you, Yn?ā
And for the first time in days, you asked yourself the same thing.
The ride home was a strange mix of troubled and melodramatic thoughts. Your mind wavered between thinking about Nikki and thinking about what Sarah had told you earlier. All you could think was that Sarah could only be lying to you at this point. You didnāt remember dating anyone. Every time your brain tried to retrieve that memory, all your receptors sent back was a blurry, distant memory of you and Nikki in moments that didnāt seem quite real.
It was almost as if her face had been pasted thereāsimply in place of someone elseās face.
You must be going crazy. That was the only reason! Maybe the time away from Nikki was really starting to affect your brain. You laughed at the thought. And as your eyes lit up at the sight of the front door of the Freeman girlās house, all your doubts dissipated, the questions faded awayāpushed to the back of your mindāwhile all you could think about was getting inside and having your girlfriend back in your arms.
āIām back!ā Announcing your arrival, you barely had time to properly step inside the house when Nikki hurried toward you.
āWhy the hell did it take you so long?ā Her tone was slightly angry, and you shruggedājust out of habitāand looked at her as if you already knew you were about to say something that would make her angry or, at the very least, disappointed.
āI ran into Sarah on the way...ā As soon as the first words left your mouth, Nikkiās eyebrows furrowed. āI mean, not exactly on the way. I was leaving the house and she was waiting for me outside.ā Your voice grew quieter as you watched your girlfriendās expression twist even further.
āDid you talk to her?ā The question was directāalmost too direct for Nikki.
āWhat the hell did you say to her?ā Her voice was harsh, and her footsteps toward you made you cower even further against the front door.
God, the feeling of being so small was awful, but not that awful because it was just Nikki.
Sheād never do anything bad to you, would she?!
āI didnāt say anything!ā Her body was practically pressed against yours, pushing you against the door as if it were instinct. āShe, she... she was just talking a bunch of nonsense and I... I just told her to leave and walked away. I swear!ā
Your breathing was slightly ragged, your fingers gripping the fabric of your shirt so tightly that Nikki thought you might tear it. And then she realized it. You were scared.
āMy loveā¦ā Her hands rose to your face, caressing your cheeks as she watched you force a smile.
She knew it was forced. You donāt think she cares.
āHey, look at me! Youāre shaking!ā Her voice was sweet and soft, a stark contrast to how sheād been speaking to you just a few seconds ago. āYou donāt have to be afraid of me. You know Iāll never hurt you, right?!ā Seeing you nod, the shorter woman pulled you across the room, finally letting you breathe and move away from the door.
She led you to the couch in complete silence and had you rest your head on her lap as if that could solve all the worldās problems.
āPoor girl. Youāre not scared because of me. It was Sarah who scared you. Trying to pin you against the wall like that.ā Her hands stroked your hair. And the way she stared at you made you feel two extremes at the same timeāpassion and emptiness. āTell me, baby. Did she say anything else to you that I should know?ā
The atmosphere in the store was tense. You served customers in a monotone voice, too bored to pay attention to anyone but Nikki. Bear wasnāt working today, and Ian had been holed up in the break room ever since you and Nikki arrived. Your eyes didnāt stray far from your girlfriend, and you seemed too mesmerized by Nikki Freeman to notice anything else around you.
You didnāt notice Sarahās glances at you, nor the way Nikki looked at her every five seconds, nor how Sarah caught her gaze a few times, nor even how the tension in the store seemed to be building more and more.
You swear you were distracted for less than five minutesāyou couldnāt spend any more time than that away from Nikki before that emptiness started to set inābut that was more than enough for the two women who were working the store with you to simply vanish from your sight. Frowning, you dismissed the last customer with half-hearted service and headed toward the break room. You knew Nikki would never go there without dragging you along, so the weight on your chest only seemed to grow at the thought that she might not want to spend her free time with you.
The door swung open with a jolt, and Ian jumped out of his chair as if youād just dropped a radioactive bomb in his lap.
āShit! Damn it, donāt you know how to knock?!ā The angry expression on his face didnāt faze you at all, because all your eyes were searching for was your Nikki.
āWhereās Nikki?ā Rolling his eyes, the man settled backāin a strange wayāinto the chair, sliding his body slightly forward on the seat and tilting his head back until it rested against the wall.
āHow the hell should I know!ā He crossed his arms. āYou two just canāt stay away from each other for a second...ā
His voice faded from your ears as you slammed the door shut with a dull thud, looking around the store again just to make sure your eyes werenāt playing tricks on you. Nikki was short; she could easily hide behind the counters.
You looked around once more, searching for a plausible place your girlfriend might have gone. The back exit door was slightly ajar, and you almost slapped yourself for not noticing that detail sooner.
As your feet carried you closer to the door, the voices became slightly more distinctānot screamsāat least not yetābut a brief argument, perhaps a confrontation starting to heat up. And then, through the crack in the door, you saw it.
āI told you to stay away from her, Sarah!ā Nikkiās voice was the first to reach your ears, that tone that made you cringe whenever she used it with someoneāor worse yet, with you.
āFuck you, Nikki!ā Sarahās voice came next, and your hand reached for the doorknob, ready to put an end to whatever was going on in there. āShe always does this when it comes to you!ā
āForget it! You always do this when it comes to Nikki.ā
The voice that echoed in your head made everything around you spin. It wasnāt the voice that had been in your thoughts all these weeks. For the first time in weeks, your brain managed to recall a memory that didnāt involve Nikkiāat least not entirely. The voice wasnāt the one you were used to; it was Sarahās. Loud and clear.
Stepping away from the door, the hand that had been about to grab the doorknob now clutched your head. Staggering backward, you leaned against the store walls, trying your hardest not to groan in pain as memories you didnāt even know existed flashed through your mind like a movie. The voices, the vivid imagesāit was as if you were fighting with yourself to regain control.
āNO! GET AWAY FROM ME! I WANT MY LIFE BACK! I WANT TO GO BACK! LET ME GO BACK!ā Nikkiās cold hands felt like a terrifying contrast against your warm skin, and your head spinning made all the sensations a thousand times worse.
The first thud came along with Sarahās scream - the woman reacted instantly when she saw you jerk your head back and slam it against the wall with all your strength. Once, twice, three times. It kept going. Your screams mingled with Nikkiās, who was now begging you to stop, and Sarahās, who was in a near state of shockāwhat the hell was happening to you?
āBaby, pleaseā¦ā The word slipped softly from Sarahās lips, amid her sobs.
āCan we keep this just between the two of us for now?ā The pain was intense, and your hands were pulling at your hair as if ripping it out would make things better.
āYou canāt hide from love forever just because you donāt want to hurt Nikki, Yn.ā Sarahās voice, crystal clear in your memories, felt like a million nails being hammered into your head, and with a loud scream, you finally let yourself fall to the floor.
āNO! STOP IT! STOP IT, FUCK! The screams drew attention; Ian ran out of the break room and found Nikki and Sarah kneeling next to you.
āWHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?ā He tried to shout over your screams, earning angry glances from both women.
āSHUT UP AND GO GET HELP, IAN!ā Sarahās voiceānow screaming right next to youāwas enough to make you cover your ears with your hands, screaming in despair again as you curled up in the corner by the wall.
āBaby, can you hear me? Please, you have to come back to me! Itās me, your Nikki!ā The moment the Freeman girlās hands touched you, your body curled up, shaking violently as your eyes struggled to focus on something real. It felt as if the two of you were in her bedroom, as if you werenāt begging to come backāor whatever that meant.
āTHATāS NOT ME! LET ME GO BACK! PLEASE!ā Blood began to stain the wall as a warning that things were about to get worse.
In a moment of panic, Sarah pushed Nikki off you; the turmoil and anguish in her chest at seeing that Freeman wasnāt actually doing anything to help overwhelmed her. Sarahās hands shot up like a shield projected from the heavens; her hands went to the back of your headāthe very part that was slamming relentlessly against the wall. It didnāt take long for the knuckles of her fingers to turn red from the blows, and then red with blood as she shielded you from the impact.
āWHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!ā Nikkiās screams made Sarah close her eyes, tears streaming freely as she tried her best to block out everything around her.
To forget that Nikki was there, to forget the threats sheād made just over seven minutes ago, and to forget that pain in her chest every time she remembered that you didnāt want to be with her anymore.
āStop, please.ā Her sobs were quiet, almost like a prayer she had no faith would be heard, but she kept repeating the same words faithfully nonetheless. āPlease, stop.ā
With one last shake of her headānow resting in Sarahās palmsāyou looked at her with a vacant, lifeless gaze, as if you werenāt even there anymore. As if youād lost that battle.
āI need help, please!ā Your weak eyes were almost closing when a whisper escaped your lips, and Sarah almost missed the faint breath that left your lips amid the sound of the ambulance siren. āOne wish. . . help Nikki. . .ā
Your eyes closed, and as if snapped out of a trance, Nikki finally got up from where sheād been sitting on the floor to push Sarah away from you. She knelt down in the same spot as before, cradling your head in her hands just to catch a glimpse of you, unconscious, your head limp as she tried to get you to respond.
Sarah was still there, paralyzed by fear, paralyzed by uncertainty, and when her ears picked up the sound of the paramedics taking over the scene, all she could do was get up and run.
The brightness made you wince as soon as you tried to open your eyes for the first time. The place smelled of disinfectant and bleach, and the strong smell of cleaning products made you feel like throwing up for a moment. As soon as you made a move to try to sit up, pain shot through your entire body, your neurons racing and sending thousands of signals through the synapses, only for you to end up groaning in pain and reaching for the injured spot.
āWhat the hell!ā Your throat was as dry as a desert, and you barely had time to think before Nikki was by your side.
Her hands on your chest, gently pushing you back onto the mattress while whispering words that took you a while to understand. Everything seemed like a blur at that moment, and all you remember is being in the record store, sirens, and someoneās hands on your face.
āHey, just lie still, okay.ā Freemanās soft voice sent shivers down your spine, and despite the strange reaction, you were still glad she was there. āCan you hear me, babe?ā
āWhat happened?ā Your question made Nikki stop completely for a second; she resumed her role as the concerned girlfriend and put a gentle smile on her face as she stroked your hairāor at least the strands that the bandage on your head didnāt cover.
āYou had a panic attack. Thatās what the doctors said.ā Her voice was slightly shaky, as if there was still something behind it waiting to be revealed.
But you knew you could trust Nikki.
āI havenāt had panic attacks since middle school,ā you muttered, looking at your girlfriendās hand, which was now intertwined with yours amid the white sheets of the hospital bed.
āI know, my love.ā She squeezed your hand three times. āI donāt even remember when the last time was. But the doctors said you might have had some kind of trigger earlier today.ā It was almost as if she were treading on thin ice.
The fear that at any moment it might crack and the house of cards would come crashing down was terrifying for Nikki. You asked for helpāthe real you, not that love-struck, silly version of you that Nikki had been experiencing these past few days. Not the version with the soft voice that woke her up with kisses every day, nor the version that dragged her everywhere you went, nor even the version that demanded affection and attention 24/7.
That was the real you. Asking for help, you trapped somewhere inside your own mind like a spectator unworthy of freely inhabiting your own body. She felt bad for you. She really did in the first few days. But thenā¦ then the feeling was so good that she couldnāt resist.
āIām so confused.ā Your weak voice was the reason she felt even the slightest bit bad for you. It wasnāt entirely fair to you, but it wasnāt fair to her either.
She just wanted you to love her.
āWhy donāt you get some sleep, huh?!ā Her hands roamed over your body as if they had a magical effect.
Sometimes you really thought it did.
āIāll be here when you wake up, huh!ā Her soft voice, her caresses as light as a feather. It was almost like a spell she had mastered perfectly.
You nodded in agreement. Carefully resting your head on the pillow and closing your eyes, you placed all your trust in Nikki, because that was what youād always done since you were a child.
Freemanās hands slowly pulled away from you; running them through her hair, she sighed in agony. Her plan to leave town was already too late for both of your sakes, and now, knowing that Sarah might try to interfere with your relationship with her, all Nikki could think about was a safe way to get the two of you out of that shitty town before anyone decided to take action and investigate further.
She wasnāt afraid anyone would find out about the wishāafter all, who in their right mind would believe that a wishing willow had granted Nikki Freemanās dream girl to her? Not even she believed it. She remembers the sinister phone call she made while you were asleep. After the first week, she began to get suspicious.
If thereās one thing Nikki Freeman isnāt, itās stupid! You were in a deep sleepāperhaps the first of the week since the two of you had actually started dating. Maybe your body had finally run out of steam, or maybe youād finally gotten tired of looking at herāand that thought alone sent a shiver down Nikkiās spine.
Ignoring the feeling of being watched, she grabbed her phone, taking one last look at you before closing the bedroom door and starting to pace around the living room. Her apartment was a mess; since all you two did now was basically eat, sleep, and have sex, cleaning had been constantly neglected over the last few days. Nikki made a mental note to take care of it in the morning, dialing the numbers blindly as if sheād memorized them long ago.
āOne Wish Willow, how can I help you?ā The voice was monotone, and unlike Nikkiāwho couldnāt hear any noise coming from the other end of the lineāall the person on the other end of the call could hear was Miss Freemanās heavy breathing.
āIs this real?ā Those were the only words that came out of her mouth.
Because if this really worked, she had the eerie feeling that whoever was on the other end of the line would know exactly what she was talking about.
A sigh was heard. āYou wished sheād love you the way you love her, didnāt you?ā
Nikkiās breath caught, and upon hearing a small noise coming from the bedroom, she spun around quickly. The door was still closed, and the phone was still on the line.
āShe loves you, Nikki.ā The way it said her name was enough to make young Freemanās stomach churn. āSheāll feel the emptiness you felt when she wasnāt around when youāre not around. She thinks about you day and night, just as you think about her. Sheās freaky for you, and only you. Because thatās exactly how you felt about her.ā
Nikkiās breathing quickened with every word, only for her to suddenly hold her breath when the thing on the other end of the line stopped speaking.
And then, in a drawling, completely distorted voice, Nikki heard the words being uttered on the other end of the line. āSheās yours until the day you die, Nikkieā¦ or until the day you finally kill herā¦ā
Nikkiās finger slammed down on the end call button, almost hard enough to burn the phoneās display. The voice fell silent; that sinister, distorted voice was gone forever, even as the weight of those words continued to hang over her.
āNikkiā¦ā With a start, the woman in the middle of the room turned around. Seeing you standing in the doorway, she tried to smile, but only a faint, forced, and frightened smile escaped her lips. āCan you please come back to bed? I get so, so, so sad when youāre not in my armsā¦ā
She waved, walking toward you and standing on tiptoe. Her lips touched yours as your hands rested on her waist.
She needed to take all of this as far away from there as possible.
It was around two in the morning when Nikki heard somethingāat first, very faint, but still disturbing enough to make her open her eyes and try to locate the source of the sound. The thought that Sarah might be trying to communicate with her crept into her mind like a curse, and she jumped up from the armchair. Her back ached from the choir practice and the cheap upholstery on the armchairs, and she swears she almost strained her back with the jump she made.
But everything was strangely normal. Quiet, almost as if nothing was really wrong there. Nikki knew that wasnāt true. That chill down her spineāwhich only came when something was about to happenāwas there again, very present, making her even more alert to whatever was about to happen.
āNikki!ā The voice made her jump slightly; taking her eyes off the door, she quickly turned toward the bed where you were lying.
She furrowed her brow. Even in the darkness, Nikki could see your closed eyes, your mouth slightly parted, and your breath as light as a feather. She paused to think, wondering if she was hearing thingsāonly for her thoughts to be interrupted by the voice sheād known her whole life.
āHelp me, Nikki!ā The whisper was soft, but still clear enough for the Freeman girl to understand every word you were saying.
āMy love, I...ā She took a step toward you.
āNo!ā you whispered, almost shouting. āPlease donāt wake her up! Youāll wake her up and Iāll have to go back to the bottomāplease, Nikki, donāt wake her up!ā
The sound of footsteps stopped; Nikki froze in the middle of the room, trying to figure out what she should do in a situation like this. You were there, struggling to control your own body for the first time in a long whileāa time you couldnāt even remember anymore.
āNikki, help me. Please, this isnāt fair!ā The cry in your voice made the woman slowly close her eyes. Partly because she felt sorry for you, but partly because she was fed up with trying to please you at all costs and still getting nothing in return.
āBaby, you donāt need help. Weāre in this together! Iām with you until the end! Letās get married! Live happily ever after or whatever bullshit like that! I want to do all of this with you!ā
āNikki, donāt do this to me. Please, you know weāre not like that! You have to understand...ā
āNo!ā Anger rose in her throatāyears and years of dedication about to be thrown away just because you were a little confused? She wasnāt going to let that happen.
āWe love each other, babe. Youāre just confused!ā A single tear rolled down Nikkiās cheek as she moved closer to you in bed, ignoring all your muffled protests. āAnd itās not fair to me, do you understand?! You say you love me and then you want to back out? Youāre just confused, babe. Youāll be fine soon!ā
āShh, babe. Youāll be back to normal in a minute!ā Her hands clasped both of yours; your bodyāor at least what was left of itājolted awake, your facial muscles smiling at Nikki while your true self was pushed kilometers away from what you were supposed to be.
The feeling of emptiness, of limboā¦ the feeling of helplessness. It all hit you like a tsunami. But you couldnāt move the way you wanted to; you couldnāt just curl up in a fetal position and cry until you were dehydrated. You couldnāt get down on your knees and beg Nikkiāwho used to be your best friend, your little sisterāto let you go back to being who you were.
āIāll get you some juice; maybe they still have something youāll like in the snack machine.ā
āOkay. I love youāyou know that, right?!ā The smile on your face was becoming Nikkiās favorite. Meanwhile, little by littleāeven without fully realizing itāshe was erasing the traces of the old you from her mind.
That version of you who still secretly loved herāas she used to tell herself. That version who thought sheād be happy without her. Nikki was starting to hate that version of you.
And she was going to make sure you hated her, too.
āI know! I love you even more,ā she said, leaning against the bedroom door and looking at you one last time before going to get something to eat. āIāll be right back.ā
āI miss you already!ā
Nikki smiled before disappearing down the empty hallway; she passed the room doors, casting a curious glance at those with their doors openāmost of the time, it was just nurses administering medication during their shift. And then she reached the cafeteria. It was more like a small break area inside the hospital; there was a coffee machine, a pitcher of tea, and a snack machine near the doorāshe walked over there.
Sighing, Nikki pulled some notes out of her pocket, ready to buy her favorite snack, but something seemed to draw her in more than the snack machine. Further ahead, the door near the snack machine was open, offering a view of the inpatient wardās reception area, and standing there, awkwardly chatting with the receptionist, was Bear. Nikkiās body froze; the reason she was in this hospital right now was indirectly because of him, since he was the one who had given her that magic stick.
Nikki knew that you and Bear werenāt even closeāyou two got along cordially while trying to avoid conflict within the same group of friendsābut you definitely had no interest in being friends with him. Nikkiās eyebrows furrowed, and she wondered why he was really here; as her hands began to sweat, her fear seemed to have drawn the manās gaze toward her, because all his attention was now focused on her.
āHi...ā Nikki heard the voice distantly, almost as if her brain hadnāt yet processed that he had already walked quickly over to her. āLook, Nikki, I need to talk to you.ā
āAre you here to see Yn? Because I donāt think visits are allowed at this hour...ā She changed the subject, inserting the one-dollar bill into the machine before choosing what she wanted.
āNo, I...ā Bear tried to speak, glancing between the vending machine and Nikki, noticing how she didnāt seem able to look in his direction.
āLook, Iām kind of tired...ā
āI know about the wish!" He whispered with conviction, and Nikkiās world seemed to stop for a second.
The only thing in the room was the sound of the vending machine starting up, dropping the chocolate bar Nikki had chosen with a soft thud.
āI donāt know what youāre talking about, Bear.ā She bent down, picking up the chocolate bar from the machine, ready to let the man know she was done with this conversation.
āSarah told me. Nikki, I called the companyāthey knew the whole story. They even knew who I was!ā The womanās eyes fluttered, a small nervous tic sheād developed over the last few hours. āIām thinking of making my wish too.ā
His voice was somber, as if Nikki could tell his intentions just from his tone.
āI convinced Sarah it wasnāt real.ā He went on, and Nikki felt the urge to smash his head against the machineās glass. āNikki, I donāt judge you for what you did. Iād do the same to tell the truth...ā He looked at her with compassion, but the looks he received were ones of pure hatred.
āIām going to do the same, actually.ā The whisper was almost imperceptible.
āStay away from me!ā She took a step back, looking past Bear only to see Sarah standing where he had been before he saw her.
They came together; theyāre here for the same purpose.
The people theyād fallen in love with.
She turned calmly, not wanting the despair that was beginning to settle in her chest to be noticeable. However, as soon as she disappeared from their view, Nikkiās feet began to run, moving at an unnecessary speed through the hospital corridors. She tried not to make a sound, but the rubber soles of her shoes sometimes betrayed her.
She arrived in the room like a blur, making your body sit up slightly startled from the bed, watching her walk across the room as she rummaged through her purse.
āBabe, are you okay?ā The question had barely left your lips before she walked toward you in long strides.
āIām fine, my love. But I need you to do something for me, okay?!ā Her voice was soft, almost as if she didnāt want to make you feel the panic she was feeling.
āAnything for you, babe.ā
āWe have to leave. Right now!ā She didnāt even wait for your reply; one of her hands quickly grabbed your arm while the other yanked out the IV needle you were hooked up to.
You stood up without saying a word. You were still wearing the hospital gown, and your girlfriend tossed you the pants youād been wearing before the incident just in time. She helped you take off the rest of your hospital clothes so you could put on the shirt youād worn under your work uniform that day.
āNikki, be honest. Is something wrong?ā She almost melted at your question; your voice was the very embodiment of concern, and she noticed how your hands seemed to be trembling before she grabbed them and pulled them to her lips, planting light kisses on them.
āTheyāre trying to tear us apart, my love. And I wonāt let that happen,ā she said, watching you immediately frown in anger. āWe have to get out of here as quietly and as quickly as possible, got it?! Can you do that for me?ā
āNo one will ever separate us!ā Your voice took on a somber tone, and a shiver ran down Nikkiās spine.
Not out of fear, but because she felt the sense of security that grim, somber voice conveyed to her.
The certainty that you would never let anything come between you two.
Going down the stairs was easy; getting past the front desk would be a little trickier. There were doctors everywhere, nurses walking around, and janitors and receptionists chatting casually. You and Nikki were standing in a small, empty triage room. She watched the stream of people passing by and tried to come up with a way to avoid drawing attentionāafter all, you still had a huge bandage on your head.
āIāll get this!ā you said suddenly, snapping Nikki out of her mental brainstorming session. āJust wait here and trust me, okay!ā She nodded, feeling the comforting warmth of your hands on her shoulders.
And then you quickly headed toward the snack machine. In the small room, there were a few people sleeping in the chairs, too tired from waiting for a diagnosis or evaluation. One boy in particular caught your attention; he was sleeping like the dead in his chair. He must have been about sixteen, and he didnāt seem to be with anyone.
The cap on his head was what caught your attention. Looking around, you quickly poured yourself some coffeeāthe paper cup burned your fingertips slightly, and it had surely been made just minutes ago. Your feet carried you close enough to the boy so that your hands could grab his cap and place the cup of coffee perfectly on his lap. The perfect balance so as not to spillāat least not yet.
As you adjusted the stolen cap on your head, you hissed in pain; the strange question of why you were doing all this surfaced in the back of your mind, as if screaming desperately only to be drowned out by something greater. Before returning to Nikki, your hand slammed hard against the glass of the vending machine near the door, causing a crash as you left the place as if nothing had happened.
The noise woke up a few people who were sleeping, but only one of their screams was heard echoing through the hospital walls. Nurses rushed past you, as did the receptionist. The smile on your face grew wider as you veered toward the exit, knocking on the door where your girlfriend was hiding to see her come out quickly, grabbing your hand as the two of you walked out.
āWhat did you do?ā Nikkiās question was answered when the reception speakers came on.
āAttention, emergency in the break room! Teenager with severe burns!ā
āI told you, no oneās going to tear us apart!ā Nikkiās grip was tight, and the feeling of confidence and security in her heart had returned before she even realized it.
The parking lot was empty. Nikki had another problem: walking home would take too long, but she barely had enough money for an Uber. The moment she saw the car approaching, she didnāt know if it was a blessing or a curse.
Why heād come back to the hospital alone was a mystery to Nikki, but she definitely wasnāt complainingāat least not once her brain started working. When the car door closed, Nikkiās thoughts cleared, and thatās when she realized youād stepped in front of her.
āYouāre pathetic! ā That was the first thing he said, directed at you. āI knew you knew I had a crush on Nikki, and here you are anyway.ā His gaze was one of pure hatred, and you squeezed your girlfriendās hand as if she were about to be snatched away from you.
āBut this is going to end!ā The little red box wasnāt familiar to you, but it was to the woman who was using her body as a shield for you. āAnd I wanted you to see it all happen right before your eyes.ā
Before his hands could even break the stick, youād already acted; the punch landed squarely on his chin, and you followed Bear to the ground as he stumbled and fell. All you could see was red, raising your fists and bringing them down with all the force needed to disfigure someoneās face. The parking lot was dark enough; there was no one around.
Just you, Nikki, and what she believed would be left of Baron.
Nikki didnāt try to stop you; she just watched. Standing there as if it were nothing, as if you werenāt beating the life out of someone, as if you werenāt sending your high school friendās soul up to heavenāin Bearās case, Nikki was more convinced heād be heading straight to hell. Nikki just thought that youād certainly do anything for her, and that feeling of safety and protection warmed her heart once again.
By the time you were already gasping for breathāand Bear was completely out of breathāand your hands were covered in blood, you stood up from on top of the man, trying not to look at what was left of his face. You reached out, taking the car keys from his pocket, and walked toward the trunk.
āIām going to put him in here...ā You began in a monotone voice, before Nikki interrupted with a low laugh.
She walked slowly toward Bear, bending down just enough to pick up the red box heād been holding earlier. She walked over to you right after that, holding up the small box and making your eyebrow arch.
āHere, I canāt, but you can...ā You hesitated; she smiled. Standing on her tiptoes, Nikki reached your lips; your blood-stained hands smeared her clothes as you grabbed her waist.
Her lips were like water quenching your thirst, and you wanted more and more with every passing moment of your day. Your hands slid down to grab her ass, your self-control beginning to slip as you thought about the adrenaline rush of having her right there. Unfortunately, Nikki pulled away before you could start anything, laughing as her fingers traced your jawline.
āYou donāt have to do anything, baby. Just break it, and make your wish!ā
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