15. Rebecca
Chapter fifteen
Rebecca
Linger
I find myself surrounded by the hustle and bustle of my school's cafe, lost in thought about this past weekend.
My mind keeps circling back to one question: how did things between Danny and me go from hostile to intimate so quickly?
I can't seem to make sense of it. One moment we were at each other's throats, the next… well, I had him down my throat.
I let out a heavy sigh, absently flipping through the pages of my notebook in front of me.
A soft cough startles me out of my thoughts and I look up to see Penny and Cat standing in front of me. Their smiles are bright, but something about their presence makes me wary.
"Hi," they both say simultaneously.
Penny speaks first, her voice laced with excitement. "We're bringing you into our circle."
I raise an eyebrow and shake my head. "Yeah, no."
Penny's smile falters, but Cat laughs and takes a seat next to me. As she settles in, I notice how similar we are - both cold outsiders in this world.
"Seriously, though." Cat says, still smiling.
"My friend card is filled up."
She winks at me, and I can't help but grin back. Maybe Cat and I have more in common than I thought.
"But really," Penny chimes in as she takes the seat on my other side. "We're coming over this weekend."
I raise an eyebrow. "To... hang out with me?"
Penny nods eagerly. "Well duh. The boys are all coming over and you're Danny's girlfriend, so-"
I hold up a hand to stop her before she can finish. "Uh, no. Not even close. I am living in his house against my will. And we are unfortunate partners in class."
Cat gives me a knowing look and winks again. "Yeah, sure."
"No!" I declare firmly, feeling frustration bubble up inside of me. "You guys don't understand. I will NEVER date Danny."
Cat shrugs nonchalantly. "That's what we both said, too. But here we are, living our best princess treatment lives."
Penny's head bobs up and down in agreement, her blonde ponytail swishing back and forth. "It's true," she says with a wistful look in her eyes. "They dig their way under your skin until you can't imagine life without them."
I scrunch my nose. "That sounds terrible."
Cat laughs at Penny's dramatic statement. "Come on, Penny, let's not scare her off. But she's right," Cat adds, turning to me. "Kaiden and I used to be enemies. I wanted to strangle him most days. But then I saw his softer side, and it changed everything."
Penny nods in agreement. "Same here. They just... get you."
Cat gives my shoulder a light nudge. "So we'll be at this house party this weekend."
I quickly come up with an excuse. "I'm actually busy..."
Penny lets out a knowing laugh. "Nice try. Trust me, we'll have a blast."
As they leave, the school bell rings, saving me from having to come up with another excuse. I let out a sigh of relief and continue on my way to class.
As soon as I enter the classroom, my eyes are drawn to Danny's desk. He's sitting there with Ashley draped all over him, whispering in his ear.
My stomach churns, and my blood boils with anger. I want to storm over there and hit them over and over, but I know I can't.
Not to mention, Danny isn’t mine. This rage is misplaced. I have no claim over him. We aren’t dating.
He just fucks me in secret when we fight…
I shake my head and slowly walk over to my desk. Danny and I are nothing. He can do whatever and whomever he wants.
But that will not be me.
I glance up and our eyes meet. Danny seems… conflicted. Riddled with guilt like he knows this is wrong.
Ashley glares at me before turning Danny’s face toward hers.
The teacher comes in and clears his throat. “In your seats, please.”
Ashley giggles this sickling sound and bounces to her seat.
God, she makes me sick. Fake little bitch.
Danny bumbles over, avoiding eye contact with me as he sits down.
The teacher goes on about some book, but my thoughts are just filled with rage and confusion.
Why the fuck are we playing these games? What does Danny want from me? It’s all too much…
The bell rings, bringing me out of my thoughts.
As I make my way through the deserted parking lot towards my car, I feel a sharp shove from behind. Turning around, I see Ashley and her gaggle of friends, their faces twisted with malice. Ashley sneers at me in disgust.
"Why the fuck were you staring at my boyfriend in class?" she seethes.
I can't help but let out a laugh, which only seems to fuel her anger.
"Go home, Ashley," I retort with a stony stare.
Other students begin to take notice of the confrontation, making Ashley visibly uncomfortable.
"I'm serious, Becca," she spits out venomously.
"Got it," I reply in an icy tone.
In a fit of rage, Ashley stomps her foot and snaps at me again, her voice rising to a screech. "Leave him alone!"
My blood boiling, I clench my fists and feel the urge to lash out. But I maintain my composure and give her one last chilling look before walking away.
Ashley's voice echoes across the parking lot, filled with anger and frustration.
“Don’t walk away from me!”
I turn to see Danny and the Elite Five standing in the lot now, their expressions cold and calculating. Iz steps forward, his eyes flicking towards me as if asking for permission to intervene.
But I can handle Ashley.
I step towards her, my heart pounding with anger but my face a mask of calm. "Or what? Gonna call your daddy to come bail you out?" I taunt.
"Fuck you, you homeless bitch," she spits back.
My stomach drops at her words, but I hold in my reaction.
How did she find out about my living situation? Now I can’t back down.
I push Ashley back. She stumbles, catching herself on a car.
Looking between her and Danny, I step forward again.
"I wouldn't call sleeping in your boyfriend's bed every night being homeless."
There’s a fire burning in my chest now as silence falls over the group as they process my words.
Ashley's shrill scream pierces the air as she launches herself towards me, her manicured nails clawing at my hair in a desperate attempt to bring me down.
But little does she know, I don’t fight like a little bitch.
I dodge Ashley's attack, my body moving on pure instinct. As she stumbles past me, I grab her arm and use her momentum to spin her around. She loses her balance, falling hard onto the asphalt.
"Is that all you've got?" I taunt, adrenaline coursing through my veins.
Ashley scrambles to her feet, her perfectly styled hair now a mess, her designer clothes smeared with dirt. Her eyes are wild with rage as she charges at me again.
This time, I don't dodge. I stand my ground, waiting until the last second before sidestepping. As she rushes past, I stick out my foot. Ashley trips, sprawling face-first onto the ground.
A collective gasp rises from the crowd. I hear whispers, see phones recording the fight. But I don't care. All I can do is focus on Ashley, who's struggling to her feet again, blood trickling from her nose.
"You bitch!" she screams, her voice cracking. "I'll fucking kill you!"
She lunges at me once more, but this time I'm ready. As she reaches for me, I grab her wrists, using her momentum to spin us around. In one fluid motion, I pin her against a nearby car; her face pressed against the cold metal.
"Listen carefully," I hiss in her ear, my voice low and dangerous. "I don't want Danny. I don't want anything to do with your pathetic little world. But if you ever come at me again, I'll make sure you regret it, suka ."
I release her and step back, my heart pounding. Ashley’s makeup smeared with tears and blood. The parking lot is deathly silent.
But she doesn’t back down. As she comes flying toward me, the school doors open and the teachers come rushing out.
Ashley tries to pull me down again by my hair.
I react instinctively, ducking low and driving my shoulder into Ashley's midsection. The air rushes out of her lungs as I lift her off her feet, slamming her onto the hood of a nearby car. The metal dents with a sickening crunch.
"That's enough!" a booming voice cuts through the chaos.
Police sirens sound in the distance, coming closer and closer as the teachers rush to separate us.
Ashley slides off the car, whimpering and clutching her side. I stand there, chest heaving, adrenaline still coursing through my veins.
The chaos of police sirens and shouting officers surrounds us, swirling like a hurricane in the parking lot.
As the cops storm towards us, I am thrown against a car and handcuffed with force. Despite their rough treatment, I can't help but smirk at the absurdity of it all. Ashley is dragged away by the officers, tears streaming down her face.
Iz rushes towards me. “Shit! Becca! Are you okay?”
Meanwhile, Ashley sobs uncontrollably, her finger trembling as she points towards me in search of reassurance from anybody.
Always the helpless victim. Makes me sick.
But I remain cool and collected, my expression blank and emotionless.
The cops shove me into the back of a patrol car while Iz surveys the aftermath of the brawl.
Iz leans on the car. “What can I do? You want me to call my mom? I can make a statement in your defense.”
His kind words prompt a rare smile from me. "Actually, there is one thing you could do," I say with a mischievous glint in my eye. "Tell Danny to pound fucking sand."
The door slams shut and we begin to drive away, leaving behind the mess and memories of the fight. I stare out the window, lost in thought, as we fade into the distance.
I sit on the cold, hard bench in the police station, my heart racing as I wait for my father to arrive. He always struts into this place like he owns it, flashing his politician's smile and oozing charm. But as soon as his eyes land on me, his face falls into a deep frown.
"Becca," he says through gritted teeth.
"Dad," I reply, trying to meet his gaze despite the guilt that tugs at my stomach.
He lets out an exasperated sigh and rubs his temples, a habit he only does when he's stressed. "What happened this time?"
I shrug nonchalantly, even though my insides are churning with nerves. "Not much."
"Rebecca," he warns.
"Dad, I haven't been in a fight in ages."
He shakes his head disapprovingly. "That's neither here nor there at the moment. This happened on school property!"
My cheeks flush with embarrassment. "Yeah, I know. Are you going to bail me out or just stand here and yell at me?"
His eyes scan the gathering group of cops, and he finally relents with a defeated sigh. "Fine. Let's go."
We sign the paperwork with the police and walk out to his sleek, black town car. The driver greets us with a polite smile and opens the door for us to enter. As we drive through the city streets, I can't help but feel a sense of dread as we approach my father's new condo in one of the exclusive gated communities.
My heart sinks when I see my mother's car parked in the driveway. I let out a groan, already dreading the confrontation that awaits me inside.
"On second thought, I'll just disappear into thin air," I mutter under my breath.
My dad lets out an exasperated sigh. "Rebecca, that's enough."
We make our way inside and my mom is already swaying on her feet, clearly intoxicated with a glass of deep red wine in her hand. Her disheveled appearance only adds to the tension in the room.
"Surprise, surprise. Rebecca was in another fight," she slurs, her words dripping with disdain.
"Fuck off, Hartley," I retort bitterly, not wanting to deal with her drunken judgment.
She sneers at me, her eyes narrowing. "Shut your fucking mouth. That's no way to speak to your own mother."
The tension in the room is palpable as my father steps between us, his face a mask of frustration and exhaustion.
"Both of you, please. Can we not do this right now?"
But my mother isn't finished. She stumbles forward, wine sloshing dangerously close to the rim of her glass.
"No, Theodore. I want to know why our daughter thinks it's acceptable to behave like some common street thug."
I clench my fists at my sides, anger bubbling up inside me. "Oh, that's rich coming from you. At least I'm not drunk off my ass at three in the afternoon."
"Rebecca!" my father snaps, but the damage is done.
My mother's face contorts with rage, and before I can react, she hurls her wineglass at me. I duck just in time, and it shatters against the wall behind me, leaving a crimson stain dripping down the expensive wallpaper. The room falls silent, save for the tinkling of broken glass hitting the marble floor.
My father's face turns an alarming shade of red. "That's enough!" he bellows, his composure cracking. "Hartley, go upstairs and sleep it off. Now."
My mother sways for a moment, her anger giving way to confusion and shame. Without another word, she stumbles towards the staircase, gripping the banister as she makes her unsteady ascent.
I stand frozen, my heart pounding in my chest. The adrenaline from the police station, the fight at school, and now this confrontation leaves me feeling drained and hollow.
My father turns to me, his expression a mixture of disappointment and concern. "Rebecca.”
“No, dad. I’m sick and tired of it all. I’m so tired of always having to put a smile on my face despite the fact that woman,” I point up the steps. “Is a monster.”
“That’s a little-”
I scoff. “No, it’s not. You have no idea what I’ve kept hidden all these years. The fucking trauma that woman has given me.”
“Becca, I…”
“Didn’t know. Yeah, got it. Didn’t know that your precious wife would beat the life out of me. And it only got worse when you both sent Katya away.”
My father's face pales at the mention of her name.
"We don't talk about Katya," he says, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Why not?" I challenge, my anger giving me courage. "Because it's easier to pretend she never existed?"
My father's shoulders sag, and for a moment, he looks older than I've ever seen him. "You don't understand, Rebecca. I didn’t have a choice."
“We all have choices in our life. But I guess I’m the only one in this family who knows how to make the right one.”
He sighs, walking into his office.
“That’s right, dad! Just walk away like always!”
A storm raged inside me, brewing anger and despair at the absence of the man I used to call Dad. The one who would spin me around in circles, laughing as I squealed with delight. The one who would wrap his arms around me and tell me he loved me.
But now, all I saw was a stranger. He comes back out of his office, in his hands, an envelope and my car keys.
“This is for you,” he says, his voice heavy with emotion.
I take the envelope, feeling a mixture of curiosity and dread. “What is it?”
He glances up at the stairs, then motions towards the front door.
We step outside into the cool evening air, and he takes a deep breath. “I haven't been honest with you. There's so much more...I...."
My mother's angry screams can be heard from inside the house. He lets out a defeated sigh.
"I have to handle that. Just know I love you. I love you more than anything and I am so sorry I had to keep this from you."
Without another word, he turns and heads back inside, leaving me standing there in a state of confusion and heartache.
The driver pulls up in my car, a wide smile on his face as he opens the door for me.
"Have a great evening," he says cheerfully.
I sit in the driver's seat for a moment, unsure of where to go. But deep down, I know exactly where I need to be - the truck stop.
I make my way there, silently praying that Liz and Jim will be working tonight. As I pull into the familiar parking lot, a wave of relief washes over me as I spot Jim's massive eighteen-wheeler parked towards the back. And sure enough, Liz's warm smile greets me as I park.
"What's going on, girly pop?" she asks, with a hint of amusement in her voice.
"So much," I reply with a nervous chuckle.
We head inside together and I immediately spot Jim seated at the booth near the window. The smell of hot coffee and freshly cooked food fills the air as we make our way over to join him.
I sit down and look at the both of them across from me. “Well… I got arrested today.”
Jim nearly spits his coffee out. “Becca!”
I shrug. “It was worth it. That bitch Ashley was running her mouth. Pushed me and, well… here we are.”
Liz laughs. “Proud of you for that one.”
My laughter slowly fades as I pull the envelope from my jacket pocket. “My uh, dad, gave this to me. Told me there’s so much I don’t know.”
Jim scrunches his eyebrows together. “Like what?”
“We’re about to find out.”
They both reach across the table, holding onto me as I open the letter. My father’s neat handwriting covers the front and back of the letter.
My dearest Becca, I can only hope you understand the gravity and complexity of this situation. As you are a young, educated woman now, I want to tell you about what really happened with Katya. My heart drops at the sight of her name. But I keep reading on. Katya was more than just a nanny; she was the love of my life. From the start, our love was forbidden. Katya was and always will be my one true love. Your mother and I were an arranged marriage, a marriage to unite two wealthy families. A marriage born out of blackmail. There has never been an ounce of love shared between us. I brought Katya in as your nanny to have her close to me, to provide for her, to have her raise you to be the wonderful woman you are today. But alas, your mother was never going to let that continue. Especially after she saw what Katya meant to you. There are… more complicated situations that play into this, but those are to be left for another day. Just know I never wanted Katya to leave. I had no choice if I wanted to live. I love you, Rebecca. Good luck and godspeed. Daddy
Tears rip through me like a raging storm, tearing apart my heart and leaving it in jagged pieces. Jim and Liz come around, their warm arms enveloping me as I convulse with sobs. My body trembles uncontrollably as the weight of what has happened crashes down on me.
Through blurry eyes, I can see Jim take out a crumpled piece of paper and slide it onto the table.
"I put some feelers out," Jim says softly. "Katya was last known to be living in Florida."
My sobs quieten as disbelief washes over me. Liz smiles, her eyes full of love and determination.
"We got you a plane ticket. Happy birthday, baby girl."
The words hang in the air, filling me with both excitement and apprehensiveness. I wipe away my tears and take a deep breath, ready to embark on a journey that could change everything…