Scars (Marked #2.5) (9 page)

All this had proven to me was that Talan was what I needed. No one else.

He’d make this right.

Once outside, I pulled my phone out and called Brian. It was time this fiasco was put to a stop. No more hurting or feeling alone.

“Hello,” he answered on the second ring.

“Tomorrow,” Was all I said and then hung up; he had to know what that meant. Our plan had been solidified that morning in the café where he got to witness and live what I’d dealt with for months. Brian had promised me he’d do anything, and he would.

His life and hers, then all would be better.

13

It didn’t happen the next day, nor did it happen the one after. It took almost a week after that disastrous Valentine’s Day dinner for us to catch a break. Days full of watching, following, and waiting with patience for her schedule to open up.

Brian followed her for me—memorized her schedule and helped me come to the conclusion that this had to happen in the early evening hours. That small break between afternoon and night classes that left the campus almost deserted. It would work out perfect as the twilight would cover us. We wouldn’t pull too much attention our way, and the parking lot wouldn’t be as full.

Today had to be that day. Maya would be alone, defenseless, and at my mercy.

They’d had an unexpected cancellation that day and were set to get out early, according to Brian. The minute he was sure that this would be our only chance; he rushed out of school and picked me up like the good little pet he was.

So stupid and trusting, he believed that I wanted to help him.

Brian’s car was parked off to the right of her car in the farthest corner of the lot. Not too much around us—almost all the vehicles in this section had left. No one noticed us, and if they did, they paid us no mind. After all, Brian was part of the student body and well enough liked.

“Are you sure she’ll be out soon?” Fidgety, I was unable to contain the excitement growing within. Each minute that ticked on the dashboard clock brought me closer to the end of the nightmare I’d been forced to live in. “It’s been two hours.”

“And I’ve explained
five
times now that this takes time. They have to clean up the lab before heading out…it’s not a fast process. Everything that has been done today has to be categorized and stored in its correct spot. Paperwork turned in, and the room cleaned.” Brian’s annoyance made me want to bust his face. Asshole was trying to ruin my fun.

My nerves were at an all-time high; too much adrenaline and anticipation were putting a strain on me. I desperately needed to release some of this pent-up energy before I exploded and ruined the plan.

“Don’t be such an ass, Brian. Remember that this is a happy day. Today we get what we both want most.” At least I would, because he would die right next to her. There was no way I could leave a witness behind, even the one that was essentially my accomplice.

A baseball bat sat between my legs, its structure wooden and heavy. A compromise between us:

I wanted to put a bullet in her head.

He wanted a one-on-one fight.

Our middle was this bat, and I wasn’t happy about it. Unfortunately, if I wanted his help, I had to acquiesce to his one demand. Or in this case, I made him think so. The gun inside my purse was hidden under my wallet and change of clothes. It held two bullets within, each with one of their names on it.

“Look, Janice, I was there when they cancelled our afternoon outing. Nothing will change; all we can do is sit back and wait. Trust me, she should be out soon.”

“Good. How did you get out, by the way?”

He shrugged and reached over for his docked iPod. “Told them I had a doctor’s appointment.” Brian flipped his player on and looked through his music, searching for something it seemed in particular.

“What are you looking for?”

“Something to set the mood,” he answered with an unsure smile. Brian was becoming nervous; I needed to keep a better eye on him. Who looked for music to set the mood? And they thought I was mental.

The song that filled the inside of his car seconds after was an excellent choice. Loved that song. It was the perfect anthem for my revenge. Hard rock blared through his car’s speakers; I bopped my head along to its harsh riffs. The song was familiar to me; I imagined these same lyrics running rampant through my mind as I finished her off.

“Perfection.” A giddy giggle broke free, and Brian looked over at me with concern in his eyes. Was he seeing the real me? Seeing the anger and hate? That evil that everyone had and hid, but very few let manifest?

I hoped so. Hoped he recognized that this would never end well for her or him.

“What?” Asking someone a question while trying to control your laughter was a difficult feat, but I tried nonetheless. “Quit looking at me like that?”

“It’s a bit scary to see how happy this all makes you, Janice. She would die if I wasn’t here.” This time I didn’t hide behind my concern for him, nor did I want to be nice. Faking niceties was a bore to be honest.

Turning to face him, I gripped the bat with one hand just in case. “You’re what’s keeping her alive, Brian. Don’t push me; trust me when I say that you won’t like the outcome if you continue to do so.” Leaning over in my seat, I grabbed the device from its docked station, hit the arrow back button, and waited for my song to play.

It played, and I thrummed my fingers against the door panel. Nothing could be heard inside the cab of the car, just the lead singer’s voice belting out the lyrics and my following hum of approval.

Then it ended and that wouldn’t do, so I hit repeat, placed it back in its place, and leaned back in my seat.

Mouthing the lyrics and body throbbing with excitement was how I sat until we spotted her coming our way. He sat there, not moving and breathing hard. What the fuck?

“Get out there and stop her, dammit! She can’t get into her car,” I argued with a stoic, wide-eyed Brian. “If you don’t get out of this car and stop her, I will hurt you…don’t make me.”

“This is wrong, Janice. Fuck…” He pulled at his hair and let out a frustrated scream. “I can’t.” This bitch squeaked, body trembling while he pleaded with me to stop this madness. Fuck him. Brian shook in his seat, hand trembling as he turned the key in his ignition.

No, I wouldn’t let him ruin this for me.

Without thinking, I grabbed the baseball bat, brought it up, and jammed the round tip at the very top into his face. Howls of pain erupted inside the car’s cab, and blood gushed down his face. I’d broken his nose if the sick crack I heard was any indication.

It wasn’t enough, so I hit him repeatedly, his body slumping down a bit, and it was my time to escape. I’d be back for him later, but first I needed to take care of her.

I was lucky that she never heard him.

Quietly, I walked around a pillar and behind Maya’s car. Then waited. She was a few feet from me now and on her phone; unaware of the dangers that lurked. Oblivious to me.

“I’m heading over there now…yeah, he’s waiting,” the cunt spoke while reaching into her purse for what I assumed were her keys. Once in hand, she leaned against the door and continued talking. “He’s picking up our food and meeting me at home.”

Home. Bitch, that was mine before you wrecked my life and his.

My hands became clammy, and the bat almost slipped through my fingers. I literally vibrated with excitement as I came around the back and drew the bat up and in the air.

Maya turned around then and put her key into the door’s lock, turned the key, and opened her door. The lights blinked, and she bent a little to put her school bag in, but she never made it in before the bat came down and across the back of her head. The woman never saw me coming, and I rejoiced in the moment.

This was it. My motherfucking revenge.

Her screams of agony were music to my fucking ears. Reveled in them and wanted to hear them again.

Maya clutched her head. “Oh God,” she cried out in pain while her livelihood poured out in rivulets of red. Her fingers were drenched in the crimson wetness—it was a beautiful sight. So I hit her again.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart? Does it hurt?” The pain she felt was nothing compared to the one she’d caused Talan and me.

“Janice,” she gasped and turned her head my way. The moment our eyes connected, I hit her again in the side of her head. Right at the temple where I thought I could do the most damage. As the bat connected, her eyes widened in fear and then rolled back into her head. She slumped over and stayed there.

I felt the wetness in my hands and dropped the bat.

Suddenly, my head felt as if would explode. I clutched at my head with my wet hands. Why were my hands wet? It wasn’t raining outside; the sky was as clear as could be.

More screaming then. Who was screaming? And more importantly, why was I in a parking lot?

“Shit,” I cried out and doubled over in pain. Fuck, the noise was too much, and all I wanted was for it to stop. It hurt, but how did I make it stop?

A male voice called out my name then and I tried to turn my body, but I was frozen in that spot. Closer now, they yelled again and grabbed onto my waist, pulling me against an unfamiliar chest.

I didn’t like this and fought this stranger’s hold. Why was I being detained?

No, not again. They couldn’t take me again.

The noise level rose, and I lashed out.

Thrashed.

Kicked.

Cursed.

“Calm the fuck down, Janice…I don’t have time for this shit! Look at what you did…Oh God, you killed her.” The voice obviously knew me, but what he spoke of, I didn’t understand. Killed? Why would I kill anyone?

“Get off me!” The shrill in my own voice made me pause, scared me. Panic, I was panicking.” Let go.”

“Look at what you did.” A hand appeared before my line of sight; it grabbed my chin and turned my head. There on the floor lay a woman who looked familiar to me. Blood pooled around her head, eyes closed, and barely breathing, she looked at peace.

“What happened to her? Should we call for help?”

“Janice…” the man trailed off, and I turned my face to look over at my companion. He too was bloodied. “Brian, were you attacked?”

“Fucking insane,” he muttered under his breath before releasing his hold on me and taking a step back. “Stay here while I call for help.”

“Okay.” Eyes wandering, I looked around the scene, trying to make some sense of it all. That’s when I saw it, the blood-coated bat on the ground a few feet from me.
Oh God. Fuck.
“I did this.”

“Quiet while I call.”

“I did this,” I repeated again. It was that horrifying realization that threw my already emotional state into a spin. Things began to make sense. Talan. He…he… “What have I done,” I wailed, sobbed, as reality crashed down and I broke. Falling to the ground, I cried for everything I’d lost and the damage I’d done. There was no fixing this.

Fucked—that’s what I was.

“Shit!” Brian snarled, and I flinched away. He began to pace then while holding a cell phone in his hand. Every few seconds he would look my way and curse, then begin pacing again. “Why did I listen to you? So fucked.”

Maya whimpered on the ground, yet her eyes remained closed. It was a pitiful sound that broke my heart and made me bleed within for her. He’d done this to us.

“Look at what he made me do.” Fingers clenched, the drying, caked-on wetness caused me to shudder in disgust, and I looked down. Bloodied.  Maya’s blood was literally on my hands now. “I’m so sorry.”

The world began to spin; I clutched my head again and scampered away from the scene. Too much. I’d crossed the line, and this time, no one would come and save me. I’d lost Jaime, and he had been all I had left.

Luke would hate me when he found out.

Talan would want to kill me.

My parents would turn me in.

I had no one.

Brian turned around and reached out for me, but before he could, I was on my feet and running. Ran as if my life depended on it, and it did. I’d just made it to the edge of the parking lot when my phone rang. Shit. They were coming after me.

Taking off again, I ran until I was a few blocks away from the school and by the beach.

The ringing stopped after a few seconds, and then it began again. Pulling out my phone from my back pocket, I checked the number on the screen; I was stumped by the caller’s area code. I didn’t know the number, and it sure as hell wasn’t a Miami number.

Curiosity got the best of me, and I answered after the next ring. “Hello.”

“Janice, it’s me, Luke…please, don’t hang up.” The sob that erupted from me at the sound of his voice was loud. A pain-filled wail of desperation that brought me to my knees in the middle of the public sidewalk. “What’s going on? Where are you?”