Coward Prince

Chapter Six

Chapter 6 

"Stop crying and get your ass up there. There's no more time!" I pulled Sherry up. "Go get the van yourself." I commanded her. 

"I don't have the keys." she sobbed. 

"What do you mean you don't have the keys? We need it now, Sherry! Where is it?" I panicked. 

"It's in Drew's pockets. He's still in the bar." she shivered. 

I covered her with a trash bag not caring if it will work or not and I rushed immediately to get Rico with Sherry by my side. I am aware that people are looking at us not knowing what's happening. When we finally reached the theatre, I saw Rico sitting on the bench. 

"Rico! We need to leave." I told him as my whole body is shaking. 

"Wait. I don't understand what's happening. Why is she covered with a trash bag?" Rico said, bewildered. 

"They're already here. They're looking for you. They will kill you, Rico." I exclaimed. Sherry isn't paying much attention from what I've said. 

"I-I-I know how to start the van...without keys." Sherry said. 

"Good. Let's just break the windows then." Rico suggested. 

"You don't need to." Drew said, holding the keys. 

"Drew!" Sherry and I both yelled in surprise. 

"Can you drive?" I asked him. 

"I think I still can but we better hurry." Drew quickly opened the van. 

All of us rushed inside. There's a loud gun shot that made us all startled. Without any hesitation, Drew stepped on the gas and sent the van flying up the street. As we are moving very fast, I saw people panicking because of the gun shot. There's a stampede in the theatre's entrance and I saw it in my peripheral vision: the terrorists. They're coming out of the bar and they quickly aimed their guns at us. 

"Look out!" Sherry yelled. 

The bullet went crashing through the windows. I covered my face with my arms to prevent the broken glass from hurting my eyes. I can feel Rico covering me with his arms to protect me. 

"Are you okay?" he asked. 

"We are being shot by morbid terrorists and now you're asking if I'm okay?" I told him. 

"Hold on, guys! This will get a little rough." Drew warned. 

We entered an off-road track that sent us stumbling inside the van. Things are flying in different directions. I can feel the broken glass pricking my feet. Our heads can't stop hitting each other. Sooner or later I feel like fainting. I never imagined that I will be in a big mess like this. Luckily, I think the terrorists already lost track of us. 

"Are they gone?" Drew asked. 

"I think so." Rico answered. 

"Great. Now, were going back to Malisbury." Drew said. 

"Do you think they'll find out? Do you think they will still follow us there? I don't understand this. Why are we targeted by terrorists? We didn't do anything!" Sherry complained. 

Rico felt gloomy and silent. He can't look on anybody's eyes at this moment. He seemed to be blaming himself. 

"Guys, don't you worry. I'm sure the police will handle this." I said. 

"Oh yeah? They stripped my clothes and locked me up in a room to keep me from coming out. I'm just lucky I survived." Sherry said angrily. 

"It doesn't matter. We are still alive, right?" Drew said optimistically. 

"Hey! I thought you are dead together with the other guys. How the heck did you-" 

"Will you stop talking about this now?" I interrupted Sherry. 

Everybody kept their mouth shut during the long drive. Sherry fell asleep. I can't blame her for feeling that way. It is really traumatizing. Drew kept himself concentrated while driving us back home. I never heard a sound from Rico. I know he feels so guilty about everything. He knows that he's who they needed. He's just staring blankly at the broken window, feeling worthless. 

"Still thinking about it?" I asked. 

"How could I not?" he told me. 

"We both know that this isn't entirely your fault." I whispered. 

"Who are you kidding?" he hid his face on his palm. 

"Fine. Blame yourself as much as you want." I quitted on him. 

I know I'm not really helping right now but there's no reason of being concerned about him, right? I mean, last time I really wanted him to go anyway. 

We reached Malisbury and everything seemed so normal and the same. That's a good sign. Drew parked the van in front of our house. All of us knew what happened isn't that easy to gulp in. How will we explain to the authorities and their parents of what happened to Andrew and Mark? How are we going to explain to Sherry's dad of what happened to his van and his daughter? This night sure is awful enough. 

"Now what?" I didn't notice that Sherry had woken up. 

"We are alive and that's what matters." Drew smiled. 

"I know that, you idiot. I mean the question is do we have to lie or tell the truth?" she asked us. 

"If we are going to tell the truth, the blame is on you." I pointed Sherry. 

"Hey! Why me?" she asked, bewildered. 

"She got a point. You're the one who took us there." Drew supported my answer. 

"Fine! We'll lie!" Sherry said, irritated. 

"Good. Discussion's done. Goodbye then," I jumped out the van and pulled Rico with me. 

The moment we got into house, Rico started to talk. 

"I need to leave." he told me. 

"Why? You know your life is in danger. You don't make sense." I complained. 

"I know that...and...yours and...everybody else's. You don't deserve to pay for my pain. Besides, this is what you've wanted all along, right? For me to leave? So what's the point of stopping me?" His eyes are eager to leave. 

I didn't answer his question. I know this is what I want. I'm convincing myself that this is what I want. I want him to leave. I wanted me and Stephanie to be safe. I wanted him to leave because he's just a big hell of a carriage for us. I wanted him to leave because of what he had done this night. I wanted him to leave because he is making me vulnerable. I wanted him to leave but I want him to be safe. 

"I don't know what I want." Is all I can say as I walked up to my room and left him face-palming at the kitchen.