Royal Havoc

26. Hot Pink Penis

twenty-six

Hot Pink Penis

Vexen: 2024

W e all flip a switch sometimes, shutting down our emotions to handle a situation… I get it. Turning off fear to face a phobia. Even that’s legit. Numbing yourself because someone’s broken you…

Opal ran off with Onyx and tucked her away somewhere she didn’t belong. Over the years, she chipped at her until the version she sculpted was barely recognizable.

Everything Onyx cared about, the heartless bitch took. Leaving Onyx alone and fractured, forcing her to be afraid to feel anything.

She’s mine now, and no one will ever take her away from me again. I’ll remind her who she really is, no matter how hard I have to push. She will feel every tiny insignificant speck of her life by the time I’m done with her, just like I’ve been forced to feel everything while she’s been gone.

Somewhere in that demented brain of hers, she thinks I hurt her, which isn’t the truth. It’s too soon to make her believe me. For her to see the reality, she’s altered. Eventually, things will become clear to her, but not until she wakes the fuck up and stops living in Opal’s fucked up universe she created for her.

Lunch was the first real emotion I’ve seen from her in years. So, I’ll take a million more hits to the face if that’s what it takes.

“I’m out,” I tell Zeke, slamming my locker.

“You still meeting with Hendrix tonight?” he asks, walking beside me down the hall.

“He wants to talk over dinner,” I inform him, scanning the crowded hall for her.

The closer we get to the doors, the more apparent it becomes that something is happening. No one hangs around at the end of the day unless they’re forced to. Zeke notices, too, side-eyeing me while we maneuver the crowd.

“Babe,” Kee calls, motioning for Zeke as soon as we step out the doors.

“I’ll catch up with you in a minute,” he calls over his shoulder, already on his way to see what he wants.

I’m pushing through the crowd on the sidewalk when Zoey sees me, her wide eyes watching, a hand covering her mouth.

I finally break free, quickly scavenging the scene to find out what the hell is going on.

“Tootles,” Onyx shouts, wiggling her fingers at me, quickly climbing into her Jeep.

“Motherfucker!” I shout at her, discovering what all the hype is about.

“Hoooly shit.” Zeke whistles before bursting into laughter.

“Who was stupid enough to paint that shit on your truck?” Gage asks, always late to the game.

“That’s what happens when you force a girl to carry your load,” Kee jokes, causing everyone to laugh but me.

She used neon pink paint, ruining my truck's matte black paint job. It reads: I (a picture of a heart) to play with my tiny (a picture of a tiny penis), the words take up the whole side of my truck, the paint runs already dried.

She must have been busy this morning.

Anger ignites inside me, my blood pressure instantly punching at my temples. The flames lace my veins, hardening my softened heart as I watch her laugh while circling the lot.

“Where are you going?” Zeke shouts through cupped hands.

She’s just started down the hill as I throw my truck in reverse. I can’t wait to catch her so I can taste her wicked tears as the evil drains from her pores.

I pull up behind her while she waits for the gate to open. Before I can get the gear into park, her demented ass takes off, her Jeep barely clearing the small opening.

I punch the dash, blood seeping from my knuckles down my hand. “What!” I shout at the speaker, answering Zeke’s call.

“She went right at the bottom of the hill,” he informs me.

“How do you —”

“The app. You made me download it, in case this exact scenario happened,” he reminds me quickly.

Fuck, this is why he’s my best friend. “Got it,” I yell, flooring the truck once the opening in the gate is wide enough.

“Left at the second stop sign,” he calls, and I can tell he’s on the move.

“I’m there,” I answer, making a sharp turn, cutting someone off. “I see her. She’s headed towards the park,” I tell him.

“She pulled in, hit the second entrance, and cut her off,” he instructs calmly, helping to douse some of my rage.

“I don’t see her.” Creeping down the entrance. I’d never forgive myself if I hurt an innocent kid — slow and steady wins.

“Shit, she’s turning around. She’s backtracking,” he sighs loudly into the phone.

“Damn it,” I growl, slamming my hand on the steering wheel.

“Wait!” he yells.

“What?” I question, slamming on the brakes, eyes surveying every inch of land in front of me.

“She’s parked. Second lot, bottom of the hill.”

I roll down the hill slowly, searching for her Jeep. “Got it,” I call to him, already throwing the truck into park, blocking her in. “Hold up,” I warn, just in case I need his eyes.

Charging to the driver’s door. “Fuck!” I yell, spinning around, searching the empty playground before running back to the truck. “She ditched us. She ran,” I growl. “Bring Kee. He can drive her Jeep back.”

“She left the fob too?”

“Obviously,” I grit, already thinking of where she could be headed if she’s walking. “Let Zoey know that we’re looking for her.”

“Done, on our way,” he tells me before the call ends.