𝘏𝘦'𝘴 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘰𝘮𝘦.

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚎𝚗.

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"Always remember this, Paulie: A snake smiles but shows no teeth.

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After school the next day, Pete came just as promised. Ringo hopped in his car and quietly began to read the book he got at the library.

"Wanna stop at a store? I'll buy you something." Pete offered as he kept an eye on his side mirror, admiring himself.

Ringo flipped the page. "Yeah, I just want a coke."

Pete pulled over to a store and told Ringo to wait. While he was waiting, his stomach began to get tight. He couldn't place a ring on it, he just knew something was wrong. He was about to jump out of the car and run home, but he knew he couldn't do that. That'll be rude.

Pete came back shortly after. Surprisingly, he didn't buy himself anything. He gave Starr his drink and kept driving. The book was put away.

"Um, how are things?" Ringo bounced his leg and drank his coke.

Pete didn't look at him. "Fine, I've been getting into new hobbies."

"You can still drum if you want."

"No. It's just not my thing."

The atmosphere got so tense Ringo had to open a window for fresh air.

"What hobbies have you been getting into?"

"Drawing." Pete grinned. "Maybe I'll be good as John one day."

Ringo didn't feel like joking back. His stomach was getting tighter.

-

When they were halfway there, Pete made a wrong turn. Ringo brought this to his attention but was quickly reassured when the other explained he had to make a quick stop to his house for something.

Then Pete stopped the car in the middle of nowhere. The blue-eyed one felt his stomach drop to his feet.

"Hate to bother you, man, but would you mind stepping out, yeah? I just gotta check the seat for something." It was the only time he looked at Ringo. There was something his eyes lacked that made his heart begin to jump.

Without a word, he got out of the car. He expected Pete to come out to find what he was looking for, but instead, he heard the door lock and saw Pete drive off.

Ringo knew something like that was going to happen, but there was something still off that was making him very frightened.

He looked around. He remembered which turn Pete made, so he followed that on his way back home. As he was walking, he felt his stomach get heavier and heavier with each step. Then he stopped altogether and stared in front of him, the clouds beginning to turn dark gray.

Something was wrong. Extremely wrong.

He knew he shouldn't turn the corner. He felt something was waiting for him. There was no other choice, however. From the looks of it, it was going to pour any minute. He had to go home. He took a deep breath and turned.

He was right.

The moment he turned, three kids from school circled him with bats. Those three were the biggest people in Junior grade, and they were known for winning all the school fights. One time, one of the three, Robert, punched a girl so hard she had to go hospital. They fought teachers, rugby players, even the girls. No boy in school ever hits girls.