Burn for You

25

Serena
"No. Kill me right here." He paused, most likely expecting me to just listen.

But like, where is he going to take me? And I don't think his car would be clean either so I'd rather just die right here ya know? Someone would hear it and find me eventually, I know what germs are on the road, just a better ending overall.

"Listen bitch!" He flung his hands around in an attempt to intimidate me. "I'll fucking shoot you, just get in the car!"

I raised my eyebrow, a slight smile forming.

"Why is your gun making crinkly noises?" He froze before subtly backing up. "Is that a bag, sir?"

He rolled his eyes and just put his bagged gun away.

"Fuck this. Hundred bucks isn't even worth it." He turned and walked off, defeated.

I watched him, lost at what just happened. I don't know if someone just tried to hire a man to mug me or kidnap me but either way, someone's going to prison.

...

"I should get my friends to help you out. You know Doug's son's wife's brother works with the FBI? I could probably get him to find out who did that then ya know...the boys and I can handle it. Maybe just your uncle and I..." His face scrunched up as he genuinely thought about what to do as he licked his fingers.

"Dad, it's ok. I know who did it already. She's nothing to worry about."

He paused, raising his eyebrow.

"She? Was it Grayson's crazy wife? Crazy white girls."

I chuckled and pressed my lips into his cheek.

"I'll be right back papa. Don't eat everybody else's food ok?"

He rolled his eyes and waved me off.

I walked up the steps and toward the kitchen. I was more than thirsty from telling dad about getting fired and faked mugged. Totally left the slap out of it, he doesn't need to know about that.

"Serena?" I turned toward the husky and tired-sounding voice. "What're you doing here?"

I smiled as I watched Grayson emerge from a dark room, rubbing his eyes like a toddler looking for their parent.

"I brought everybody a late dinner."

He approached me slowly, stretching his arms out as he did so. "Thought you had work."

I nodded, placing my hands on his waist and staring up at him. "I did. Got fired."

He paused, stopping himself from holding me against him.

"Why? Was it your boss's son you hate so much?" He leaned down, pressing a kiss into my ear before just laying his forehead on my shoulder.

"Yea. He slapped me so I-"

His body jolted upward, his eyes low but now full of energy. "He what?"

I giggled lightly, patting his sides in an attempt to calm him down. "Call down, Guard boy. I punched him in the face. It's fine."

He scrunched up his eyebrows, his hands holding my arms to my sides.

"Why would that ever be fine, Serena?" His voice was serious and almost confused sounding. "I swore I'd never let anything happen to you and some random fucker wants to put his hands on you and you think that's fine?"

I didn't really know what to say.

"...I mean, it's not like I didn't hit him back."

His eyes filled with fury but his expression remained calm.

"Grayson, it's really ok..."

He let me go, his arms dropping to his sides.

"It's not, Flower. Nothing about that is 'fine'."

"Serena! What're you doing-"

I peeked behind Grayson to see my dad coming up the steps.

"Sorry, Papa. I'll be down in a second. I just need to finish-"

"No. We're done."

My eyes widened as I looked up at Grayson.

"What? But we..."

He placed his hand on the back of my head as I stood there trying to comprehend his words and what they could've meant. He pressed a kiss into my forehead before walking off toward and into the room he came out of.

My heart was beating out of my chest as I tried to stop my eyes from watering. I don't know what that means. It sounded like a breakup. I know we aren't together but I didn't want to... I don't know what those words mean. I felt like I was learning a new language and someone just told me something important but I couldn't understand.

"What was the about? Are you ok?"

I looked up at my dad, my eyes watering and the tears making it look like he was angel.

"What does that mean papa?"

He scrunched his eyebrows together as he squeezed my shoulders. "What are you talking about, ladybug? Did he say something you didn't like?"

I shook my head. "I don't know what he said." I stuttered, a lump caught in my throat that was pressing on my wind pipes.

"Hey hey hey. Serena, calm down."

A tear rolled down my cheek as I held onto dad for support. Why do words I don't even understand hurt so much?

"Hey, let's sit down and you can tell me what's wrong. Maybe you won't want to cry so much, yeah?" I nodded as he guided me into a chair.

He knelt in front of me, a soft and fatherly look on his face. "What's wrong ladybug?"

I hiccuped as I tried to catch my breath. "He said we were done." I whined.

He smiled sweetly, keeping the same soft and concerned tone "done with what?"

I squeezed my eyes shut as I shook my head. "I don't know, I don't know what it means."

He stood up, pulling my body into his stomach. He rubbed my back as he shushed me.

"Ladybug, what did I tell you to do if you don't understand something huh? What should anybody do if they don't understand?"

I squeezed my eyes shut as I tried to slow my ragged breaths. "Ask them- ask them to repeat." I hiccuped.

"Good girl. That's right. Just ask him to repeat
himself ok?"

"Serena? What's wrong.?"

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