The Next Now

Chapter 52

April's P.O.V

"I killed your Sister" I cry, and run out of the dressing room and down the Stairs, not waiting for the Elevator as Noah yells my name.

I'm exhausted, but what right do I have to be?
I reach the end of the stairs, and run to the large hall downstairs where only the Cleaners are left, and outside to my Car.

"April?" I hear someone call out, and I freeze.
I hastily wipe away my tears and turn around to see --- Federico.

"Babe? Are you okay?" He walks quickly towards me, his face a mask of concern

"Yeah. Of course" I offer a tight-lipped smile "What are you doing here?"

"I-I came to talk to you" 

Well, doesn't everyone, today?

"What is it?" My voice breaks in the end, and I mentally curse myself before letting a short fake nervous laugh.

"Were you crying?" Federico comes closer to me, and the dam breaks.

Amidst the tears, I open my mouth to say something, but I'm interrupted by a blinding light that was flashed from the Building's Balcony.          

Paparazzi

I almost forgot about them.

Federico takes my hand and pulls me towards a car just two cars after mine.
We get in, and he zooms off and out immediately.

"I'll go back and get your car" He says, looking at the side mirror to probably check if anyone was following.

I just sit quietly, unseeing, and almost unfeeling.
I could only feel the pain in my chest from where my heart had been repeatedly stomped on.

"Babe?!" Federico yells, and I hum when I realize he was talking to me.

"Were you listening to me? Or were you busy thinking about some dude who doesn't even care about your existence?" He yells, and I close my eyes tight.

"What do you want, Federico?"

"Be with me" He says without skipping a beat "Goddamnit; Be mine, April. We used to be so good together" He tells me, and I don't even react.

"C'mon Babe" He drags and takes one hand to my bare thigh.

That, I react to

"Get your hands off me" I move his hand away and relax again on the seat.
I have to stay calm. I don't even have any fight in me.

Federico puts his hand back on my thigh and rubs, and I slap his hand away and move closer to the door; further from him.

"C'mon Babe, you used to love this" He smirks.

Yeah, 'used to'

"We're not dating anymore, Federico. Leave me alone"

"We are, April" He yells before blowing out a breath "I never wanted to leave you. I really wanted to be with you, April"

He takes a hand to my shoulder, and I tense "I want to be with you"

As soon as the words leave his mouth, an image of a little girl reaching for the latch on a car door flashes through my mind.

I slap Federico's hand away from my shoulder and relax well in my chair.

"Can we continue this discussion later?" Just not in the car.

He doesn't reply.
Instead, his grip tightens on the wheel. I clear my throat that now feels parched.
Then, in a split second, there's a really loud honk and Federico's hand flies in front of my face as my loud scream fills the car.