𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓, v. hopper ☑️

v. parking lot

―――monday, 9:43

"IM NOT GOING TO DIE, if he wanted to kill me he would have done it already. he's had so many chances, but he just hasnt. its weird." piper shrugged; but she was still thinking about the fact that vance hasn't murdered her yet, neither laid a hand on her – except for you know, slamming her against a wall a few times.

"Oh-- and he told me the right answer in english class, which is kinda weird for someone that wants to kill me, dont you think?" she added on, still examining the small knife placed in her hands.

"you know that one quote? kill 'em with kindness or something?" robin responded, "vance won't just let you get away with probably-- giving him a concussion. have you seen what he did to micheal just for messing with the pinball machine? which may i add, was an accident--"

"okay, okay. i get it, he has a bad reputation for, you know, beating the shit out of people. but girls? not so much."

"i mean, i guess. but do you not remember jenny? for cheating on him? she didn't come to school for a week!"

"okay, but jenny was stupid for doing that, and we both know that. cheating on vance hopper? thats like having a death wish."

"your right i guess. remember melissa? for literally walking in his way when he lost on the pinball machine. he nudged her and she fell on the floor!"

"this is my point! he pushed her over just for walking in his way, for no reason at all, but he has a valid enough reason to kill me and he hasnt done it yet."

"probably because he'll literally get expelled from school, so your staying with me after school, straight home."

The twin groaned; Piper pretended she hated it when her brother acted more of a dad to her than their dad ever did, but being truthful, she loved it. her dad would always spend time with robin more than her before he went to 'Nam, so she never really developed a "father-daughter relationship."

"ma will kill me if anything happens to you, pip." he spoke, "and anyways, we have to go straight home anyway, remember? this whole the grabber thing is still going on."

piper hated it when he talked about the grabber. it gave her a sick feeling, a weird one. whenever she heard the name come up, it would feel like a brick was being dropped into her stomach.

Something bad waiting to happen.

―――monday, 12:30

THE BELL RANG CONTINUOUSLY, signalling to the kids it was their favourite part of school, lunch.

Piper and robin walked out from under the stairs, and went to the cafeteria, sitting down with their food at their usual table; waiting for finn and gwen to get out of class.

They were arguing, as the twins usually do when they're alone – Until a worried Finney and Gwen took their seats.

"hey, finn. Whats happening?" robin asked, turning to look at the worried boy beside him, that was looking right at piper.

"piper, since you skipped, i had to work with buzz, and hes pissed. he wants his knife back, real bad."

"he can have his knife back when he stops fucking with you, finn." the girl replied.

Finns eyes shot to something behind piper, causing piper to spin in her seat to see Matty, Buzz and Jackass #3 approaching them. She pulled out the knife and examined it carefully with a smirk on her face. "Nice knife, right?"

The ginger kid was about to charge at piper, but matty pulled him back, signalling his head to robin, who was sat in front of her, the trio departed; looking back sometimes to see if robin had left. "see, that's why you have to stay with me." robin shrugged.

―――monday, 15:32

"come on, lets go to the store." robin said, dragging piper into yet another store, walking home with Robin was like walking home with a girl. Any shop that he thought looked fun, he would go in without question – Dragging his sister along.

Behind the store was a huge carpark, which was known as a shortcut to the Grab N Go.

Somewhere that she knew Vance would be. She felt drawn to it. As if she had to go.

"im waiting here." piper replied, pulling her arm out of robin's grip. robin looked confused, but didn't question it.

"fine, just. stay there. don't wander off or do anything stupid, i don't wanna have to save your ass again." robin opened the door, as the bell jingled, letting everyone in the store know he had just walked in as he put on his usual "I'm better than you" front.

Once she was out of robin's eye line, Piper roamed through the empty parking lot.

She started to sense the weird atmosphere. It was quiet. Not even quiet – Silent. No sounds of children, or fights.

When she was finally got behind the Grab N Go, she felt two hands grab onto her shoulders and push her down to the floor, her face colliding with the concrete as she held her bruised nose. fuck, matty. "hey piper." matty said, with an obvious smirk on his face, "cant run away from this one, huh?"

"Where's vance to help you, huh?" Buzz added on, his foot jolting into her abdomen; Pipers hands immediately clutching her stomach.

Piper tried to get herself up, but the curly haired boy kicked her to the floor again. As her back crashed into the concrete again, she could feel a bruise forming on her back.

One of the boys, she couldn't tell who now with the tears forming in her eyes that threatened to spill; kicked her in the face, blood pouring out of her nose.

Matty raised his foot to kick her again, but Buzz pushed him back, kneeling down to her level and grabbing her collar. "Where's the fuck is my knife, arellano?"

"Not sure, i think i might have lost it--" She was interrupted with a punch landing right on her face, causing her nose to spill with blood again.

"dont fucking play with me, whore! wheres the knife!" he yelled.

"you bitch!" She groaned, her hands moving to her nose. "i told you, i dont fucking know!" she lied again, it was in her pocket, but why did buzz need to know that?

he punched piper again, causing her to give in, there wasn't a point in trying to stop him, she was helpless on the floor behind the Grab N Go, no one was coming.

"for fucks sake..." she heard someones voice coming before she blacked out, as buzz had punched her square in the face again.

UPDATED :: JULY 2024