A Fighting Heart

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

“Anthony,” I gasp, frozen in place. Bile rises in my throat, and I look around. If I can get my feet to move, I can run. I see an opening in the crowd to my left, and take a step, but Anthony sees. I’m too slow.

“Uh, uh, uh” Anthony says, clicking his tongue, stepping forward and grabbing me, pulling me to him. That’s when I feel it; a gun, hidden by his jacket, pressed against my side.

“What do you want?” I ask slowly. My voice shakes, giving away my lack of defense. I eye the lethal weapon he’s holding. It can’t be real. 

He gives me a smile. “I want to give you a choice. You can leave with me now, and we can.. talk, or I can start shooting. I have to say my aim has gotten better. I could probably even hit your precious cowboy from all the way over here.” 

I follow his gaze to where Chase is still standing, messing around with Ty. I take a minute to memorize his face. The way the corner of his eyes scrunch up, the shape of his mouth. I’m glad that he’s so happy. I’m glad this will be the last memory I have of him. 

“Okay. Let’s go.”

Anthony walks close to me as we make our way to his car, pushing the gun into my side. To anyone else, he’s a sweet boyfriend, a charming smile on his beautiful face. Beautiful and lethal. 

He opens the door and pushes me down into the passenger seat. No one notices. 

“Where are we going?” I ask, when he finally gets in the drivers’ seat. 

“You don’t have to worry about that, Savannah,” he says with a crooked smile. Then he starts the car. 

We leave the grounds and get on the highway. I stare at my hands, trying to think of some way to get out of this situation, but there’s nothing. I haven’t got my phone, and even though Gigi will realize I’m gone soon, she’d never think of this. She’ll be going crazy looking for me, but it’ll be too late. 

Suddenly, it dawns on me. My stomach drops and there’s bile again. I can’t believe I forgot. 

I haven’t given a second thought to home lately, and this must be what Grandma was so upset about. What she wouldn’t tell me. 

“The trial,” I say, finally realizing how stupid I’ve been. 

Letting out a laugh, Anthony nods gleefully. “You didn’t even show up!” he yells, slamming his hand into the steering wheel. “I have to thank you though, I’m pretty sure that’s what saved my ass. There I was on the stand, looking like the golden boy, and all you were was words on a piece of paper. The jury couldn’t see the way you look right now.”

I begin breathing quick, shallow. My chest is starting to hurt. 

“You set me free Savannah.”
I need to throw up. 

It’s my own fault. I deserve to die. 

We drive longer, further. I count to ten, count back from ten. Try not to panic. 

Looking at Anthony, it’s easy to see how I got so wrapped up in him. Good looks, strong personality and a hidden dark side. Coming from a good family with money. Who would have thought? 

God knows I didn’t. 

We drive for what feels like hours, and then we get off the highway. We’re in a ghost town; old, rundown stores and a car to pass on the road once every thirty minutes. 

Texas is full of these; sad, little drive through towns. 

I know if I let Anthony take me anywhere off of this road, no one will ever find me.

“I’m going to be sick,” I say quickly, covering my mouth. 

“Not in this car you’re not,” Anthony says angrily, pulling over to the side of the road. He always did care too much about cars. 

I stumble out and make myself sick by the side of the road. 

It’s not hard. 

When I stand back up, I wipe my mouth with my arm and turn. Anthony is standing there, leaning against the trunk, spinning the gun on the top. 

“You killed my brother,” I say, spitting as close to his feet as I can reach. 

“Look at you, gone all country have you?” he says stepping forward. I see his face contort and then his hand flies up, slapping me across the cheek. 

I fight back, grabbing his arm, but he grabs my neck and throws me into the car. There’s a sharp pain in my head and I reach up, bringing down a hand covered in blood. 

“What did I ever do to you?!” Anthony screams at me as I cower on the ground. “I gave you everything! I was the perfect guy. You were lucky to have me and you go and screw it all up!” He walks over so he’s standing above me. “And then when I go to fight for you? You just hurt me even more! And your brother, my god! He was the monster. I did this world a justice by getting rid of him.” 

“Shut up!” I scream, pushing myself up and reaching to grab for him, but it’s no use. I’m dizzy, so dizzy. I don’t even remember falling back onto the concrete road. 

I turn to Anthony, pleading, but he just laughs. He’s not finished 

Lifting his foot, he brings it down on my leg. There’s a sickening crunch and I scream, the pain vibrating through my body. 

No more running, I can’t. No quick get away. 

I slowed down, and worse, I forgot why I needed to go so fast. 

Now all I can do is crawl. 

“Look at you now, Savannah,” Anthony says, walking after me. I keep crawling into the road, silent tears rolling down my cheek. “If you had just stayed silent, stayed with me, none of this would have happened. And look at you now.”  

I make it to the other side. It’s an accomplishment. 

Things are getting dimmer.

Now there’s a pain in my chest. 

Maybe it’s my heart bursting. Maybe my fighting heart gave just a little too much. 

I know this is it, but Anthony keeps going. I don’t even register what he’s saying anymore, as he stands in the middle of the street, screaming. He’s engrossed in hearing his own voice. 

Then there’s a light. I don’t know if I’m imagining it. Every inch of my feels like its splitting open and breaking apart. Maybe I am. Maybe this is what people talk about. 

I close my eyes and let the light engulf me. I close my eyes and wait. Then there’s a crash.