fallin' out of love (stemxstud)

26

Anaela

I haven't heard from AS in awhile. And I know I should be grateful, but something inside of me...pun intended, tells me that she'll be back soon. She can't just be gone like this. Am I doing better mentally? I mean...how can stuff like this even happen?

But then I think about Valentine, as we approach a little gas station off the freeway. AS wanted Tino gone, and if having her away meant the safety of someone I love then...I guess that's what I'd have to cope with.

I still remembered the last time we interacted:

Well...I guess I can disappear then, huh? Since you can handle life on your own now.

AS, no, that's not what I'm saying, but you can't just take over like this again. Now let me gain control.

No. Valentine needs to die.

If you won't give me back control, I guess I'll have to take it for myself!

No!

That meant AS could be back at any moment. Take over at any moment and I wouldn't even know if I had hurt Tino until it was too late. What if I wasn't strong enough to be my own person? What if AS deserved to...win? It was obvious that she was biding her time.

"Something's troublin' you," Valentine stated, pulling into the lot of the gas station. "Are you hungry, or something?"

"No, no. I'm fine," I sighed. "I just wanna get started on this research shit. Looking into you, and allat."

"You know now that your mother's gone you don't owe anybody anything. You don't have to lead shit."

"If only it was that simple. For me to just leave. I know it doesn't end there," I said, "I know it." I nodded towards one of the small bags in the backseat, "Money's in there."

Valentine's eyes seemed to light up.

"Not gonna lie, Anaela. You just gave me an idea."

My expression fell. "Tino...no. We are not doing that."

"We find some black masks...we get rid of this car, get the money from selling it, rob to keep some money coming in and find somewhere comfortable to hide out at."

"We use the money from the vehicle and that is it," I said firmly.

She got out of the car. "And what about when it runs out...?" I watched Valentine go inside to pay, my blood boiling. She was right. It'd take too long to find a real job. Robbing was the only thing that we could do. We had to sustain ourselves.

"I hate this," I held my head, my ears feeling scorching hot as a headache came over me. "Why do I have to do everything that I'm against?"

Hello, little leader.

Long time no see, AS. And I'm not much of a leader of anything, right now.

Now who's fault is that?

What do you want? I'm not in the mood for sarcasm.

You didn't kill her...like I told you to.

Teece is dead. My mother's dead. That isn't even?

I want the girl dead. I told you I'd do it myself if I had to. You were supposed to get rid of her, Anaela.

I don't want her gone anymore. I love her.

You haven't felt love before, little leader. You've only experienced the tip of the iceberg-

"Turn off the car," Valentine hit the hood a little, snapping me out of rubbing my temples. I blinked a bit to clear the headache away and turned the vehicle off as she pumped the gas. I expected AS to come back and finish our conversation as I sat inside of the Pagani, waiting for Valentine to finish pumping. But she never came back. And the waiting...and waiting...and waiting that I've done all of these months was starting to really press in.

When would AS make her next appearance? And what would happen to me and Valentine then?

Tino hopped into the car, closing the door and buckling her seatbelt. Finally, I thought with a little smile, trying to take my mind off of AS. All my complaining about the constant dinging and she finally put it on. "I talked to one of the guys inside. Said he saw the car when we pulled up and thought it was pretty cool too. Down the street, there's an auto shop and we can get a pretty nice sum of cash for her."

I grabbed my gun, making sure it was loaded.

"But just in case we come across any trouble, you know we're prepared," I smiled.

Valentine rose an eyebrow, and revved the engine, taking off onto the road and pressing the gas.