Starstruck ✧ (Cherry Valance x reader)

33.

"Thought you could escape me, sweetheart?"

My fists clench. I don't dare to step any closer but my eyes latch onto Cherry the whole time. She's a wreck, sobbing behind the tape that masks her muffled pleas for help. "Let her go," I say calmly "This is between me and you Angela." She laughs in response, "You didn't think about that when you were about to cheat on her, did you Y/n?" 

"I didn't cheat," 

"Then why did you take me to a hotel?"

Cherry's glazed eyes shoot me daggered glares. "For companionship. There's only one person I'm in love with and that's my girlfriend" I point at her. She says something but I can't understand a word. Angela scoffs and replies "She's your girlfriend for now. By the time I'm done there won't be anything left but a skeleton."

My heart drops. "Seriously? You would kill just to have me?!"

"Why not? I've been in love with you since the night we met." 

I stifle a laugh at the word love. Love? This isn't love. This is infatuation, an obsession if you must. A fatal desire that's not healthy. I have to make a decision quickly. "Look Angie," I hold my hands up to prove I've got no weapons "I'll do anything you want but you have to let her go, untouched, unharmed." Angela hesitates for a moment then she frowns.

"I'm not falling for that. As long as she's around, you'll keep trying to run away from me!"

"I promise I won't, please? Just let her free and we can be together,"

"I have a better idea."

I don't like the sound of this.

"To prove your loyalty to me, you must kill her" Angela declares.

I'm instantly horrified and refuse, shaking my head. "Well one of us has got to do it" she yanks me close to her, the smell of alcohol lingers from her mouth. "Do it" the chainsaw is shoved into my hands. I'm about to toss it away when she pulls a gun out and holds it against my temple.

"I'm not that stupid. Now hurry up"

The barrel is cold against my skin. I look at Cherry and she's freaking out, tugging at the rope that restricts her freedom. I assume she's saying no please don't do it, that's what it sounds like at least. My hands shake as I lift the chainsaw up against her curved hip. "Good," Angela speaks behind me "Now turn it on and do what you need to do."

"I'm sorry Cherry..."

I've never heard a scream so ghastly before as it pierces my ears and fills me with fear.

Impulsively, I elbow Angela in the face which makes her drop the gun which skids across the bathroom floor. I bash her head in a rage with the chainsaw, rushing my assault. She passes out to the floor, now's my chance to untie Cherry. She trembles even more in my embrace. "It's okay, you're okay" I whisper. 

Freeing her from the bathtub, she clings to me tightly. "We have to call the police," I usher her out into the hall. "We can't! She cut all the telephone wires" Cherry pants. I run my hand through my hair stressed. "You need to go and find help, right now," I say. "I can't leave you with her" she protests but I'm not having it.

I give her a brief, passionate kiss. "Go now!"

It's clear she doesn't want to depart but she does anyway, running out as fast as she could. I make my way back into the bathroom to watch over Angela closely until the cops arrive. She's defenceless but I kick her body so harshly it almost leaves a mark. "This is the last time you ruin things for me," I bend down close "You will never get me, Angela. Never."

What I don't expect is her eyes to flutter open and the knife she draws from her pocket before stabbing me once in the chest. It doesn't go in too deep but the pain is immense, the only reaction I give is a single gasp. She stumbles to her feet and runs out so I'm left alone to bleed. I'm in such astonishment that it doesn't even feel real. Nothing feels real anymore.

I wince in discomfort, my shirt leaks with an undersized amount of blood. With no other choice, I have to pull the knife out. "One...Two...Three" I rip it out with a yelp and incessant cursing. It hurt more going out than in. I feel sick but I know I can't just wallow here in the bathroom. Using the bath ledge for support, I pull myself to my feet and give chase out of the apartment.

"Cherry?!" I cry out. I receive a lot of concerned and curious glances from strangers but I don't have time to mill about. The nearest phone box is down the street so I head there first, compressing my chest tightly with my hand. When I arrive at the alley, Cherry is being yelled at by Angela, I spot the gun in her pocket.

"HEY!" I pick up a stone and throw it to catch her attention "It's me you want so come and get me!"

Angela's head turns sharply, her hands loosen their grip from Cherry's shoulders. Her face is badly bruised from my earlier attack yet she still manages to flaunt that morbid smile of hers. She roughly shoves Cherry aside before sprinting towards me. I make a run for it, not focusing on where I'm going as I'm chased into the empty road. 

"ENOUGH Y/N!" Her shrieking causes me to stop and I come face to face with her gun once again.

I feel exhausted, the world suddenly blurs a little bit. "Please don't-" is all I could muster up.

"Tell me you love me," she says, her finger on the trigger. I could lie and give her what she wants but I don't. I stay silent and neither of us spots the car that is barreling towards us until it's too late.