ME AND HIM ✔️

Pt.41

Nadine's POV

I RUN THROUGH THE empty, dull halls. Sweat dripping from my forehead and my breathing unsteady. I call Rue's name, but she doesn't respond. I can't recall where her cry's were coming from earlier. They sounded so close, but there's no rooms around.

"Ah fuck!" I hear someone say in frustration.

I stop and slowly turn my head, wondering who the fuck just said that. I hear a series of grunts and frustrations.

I look to my right, to see a door, cracked open.
There's a dim light seeping out, but other than that, it's just darkness. I guess there are some rooms around.

I hear ruffling and a few sniffles as I make my way closer. As I open the door a bit wider, I flip a switch, the room becomes illuminated, and now I can see who is crying.

Aniyah.

Her blonde hair is ruffled and tears are running down her face. She's desperately trying to unravel the ropes around her hands.

I quickly run to her and start untying the ropes, allowing her to be free. Her wrists are red and swollen. She sends me an ungrateful smug, but quickly smiles. When she sees me.

"Took you long enough," She sniffles with a laugh, "I thought you and ginger left us behind."

"Ginger?- you mean Rue?" I say, "And us?" I ask, "Is everyone else here too?" She nods, and looks around the room frantically.

"What happened to you?" She asks motioning to my face, "Did someone finally beat you at combat?"

"Trust me, that will never happen." I say laughing.

"Not yet." I hear her mumble under her breath.
I finish untying her legs and as soon as she stands up, she immediately falls to the ground.

"Woah," I say catching her. I place her arm around my neck for support, as I wrap my own, around her waist.

"Nadine, Nadine- I have to tell you something in case I- I don't make it" She says slurring her words.

"What do you mean 'incase you don't make it'?" I ask. She gives me a sympathy smile, I watch her free hand go down and touch her stomach and when it comes back up, there's blood covering it, "Fuck, Aniyah. What happened?" I ask.

"I'd like to think I put up a good fight," She laughs, but soon started coughing a little, " but I do have to tell you something."

I sit her down on the ground and let her back rest against the wall. I cover her wound and immediately, blood is covering my hands. "What is it" I say.

She smiles and looks up at the ceiling.
"I used to really like Rue." She admits. I look down at her and see her smirking to herself.
"I loved the way her lips felt when we played that stupid game. You know, the night everyone died." She says, her mood dying down a bit, "we never did find Beatrice or Tommy. I- I hope they're okay. And the council too. My parents... I hope they made it. I hope they're looking for us."

"Why are you telling me this? You're not dying so I don't know why you told me that." I say, blood gushing out of her wound, I mentally scowl at myself. She was impaled. It's really bad.

"Just give up, Nadine. Admit something to me. I know we never got along, but I would like to say I think of you as my big brother." She says, "mostly because of the annoying part."

I give her a look. A look I give to people when I tell them to shut the fuck up. She smiles in return, it fades and she lets out a whimper. "Please, Nadine." She begs.

I guess I didn't really hate her this whole time. I guess I was just jealous of her. Jealous that for once, someone was better than me. Aniyah is a better person than me, she's not the brightest one in the crowd, but at least she could manage to put a smile on everyone's face.

And now to think that she may not get married to a woman as lovely as her, or adopt a curly headed baby she always talked about. She won't be able to-

No stop.

She's not dying.

No ones dying.

We are gonna make it out of here.

We're gonna find Diego, Kaylee, and Alex.

We're gonna find Rue.

Rue.

I'm gonna find Rue. I'm gonna tell her how sorry I am for dragging her to Russia and putting herself through all this shit and trauma. I'm gonna make it up to her.

We are not leaving until everyone is out.

Everyone.

If only it were that easy.

"Where did the guy that did this to you go?" I ask.

"After I got loose the first time, the girl that I met at the ball saw me making a run for it. They had left me alone in a room by myself- idiots if you ask me," she says trailing off, "but anyways, liyah, started taunting me-"

"Liyah?" I ask, cutting her off.

"The girl that I met at the ball, and if you would mine just not talking, I could get through this story. I'm on limited time, thank you very much." She says in a joking manner. Though her words were far from joking. She was on limited time, but I can't admit that to her. "She told me all of you were dead, that Diego- was dead." A few tears prickle in her eyes as she rewatches the memories, "I lost it. I went mad. Diego is my best friend, and to find out that he could've been dead- I just, I don't think I could handle that. It's gonna suck when I'm not there to watch movies with him." She says with a laugh.

It's useless. I can't save her. She's lost too much blood. At this point, the only thing we can wish for is a painless death.

Aniyah's eyes find mine and she can tell what I'm thinking, "So are you gonna tell me a secret or what?" She asks.

I look at her with sorrow. A smile makes its way on my lips. A sympathy smile, "what do you wanna know?" I ask. She smirks, and at this point, she's fully laying on the ground, her hand in mine and a smile stretched on her face.

"Are you In love with Rue?" She asks. I think for a moment. Am I? I feel like my world revolves around her, but I didn't think I could ever feel for something this way, let alone someone. I remember the night, me and Aniyah went after the man that caused Rue all that pain. I remember Aniyah saying how I liked her and how all I would do is drag her down with me.

She was right.

All I've done is drag her along the paths of my anger and vengeance. We're still looking for people who can't be found. My mom and dad are long gone. But I don't care. All I can do is watch the people that I'm much closer with, leave me.

"I don't know. I don't know what love should feel like."

-Brooke ♥️ 11/6/2021 Saturday.