Millie Ripley has only ever known one player next door. Luke Dawson. But with only a couple months left before he graduates and a blackmailer on the loose, will their love story stand the test of time? And will they both need to grow up to face th...
She did it again! @IC_Rainereads with another mood board for Minnie <3
Your friendly reminder to ✰ please vote! ✰
Chapter 04: Chucky
Luke Dawson's head was outside my window. His irresistible, too-cute-not-to-kiss face looked mad.
Like, really mad.
"What the f*ck is this?!"
I peered out the window, looking from him down to the scene in front of us. That familiar feeling of dread sunk like a pit in my stomach. I felt sick.
I knew exactly who this was from.
Luke reached out to grab the thick, red ribbon tied around the side mirror of his car. It was tied in a double knot and the two strands extended – one flickered in the breeze and the other was weighed down by a small box.
"At least it's not a cat this time," Luke muttered.
"Rest in peace, Winnifred."
I stared up at the sky where sweet Winnifred was in cat heaven.
The sound of Luke taking a picture brought my attention to earth. Luke stepped back onto the sidewalk to take more pictures from other angles. Then he turned around to where we had just come from and took pictures of the park. The scene of the crime.
"Will you send them to Officer Patel?" I asked, my voice still a shell of its usual self.
He nodded, concentrating on the text he was sending the Officer.
Luke slipped his phone back into his pocket and ran a hand through his hair. He sighed and his eyes landed on me. His expression softened as he walked over, extending his hand to my cheek. His fingertips brushed my cheekbone softly.
"Are you feeling ok?" he asked me, concerned.
I nodded, feeling nothing close to OK but I wanted to lie. Luke liked to protect me and... I didn't want him to feel incapable.
The truth is, I was terrified.
The blackmailer was back.
They had been in the park... near the car... near me? I thought back to how I was walking around solo, getting lost near the fountain 97 times. Anything could have happened.
I really thought we were free of this.
I rested my fingers over Luke's hand and assured him. "I'm fine."
I lied.
Luke lowered his hand from my cheek to the windowsill, as he stared down at the box.
"What do we do?" I asked.
"We cut it loose," he said and pulled at the ribbon's knot.
It was tightly bound together, wrapped around the side mirror. A red ribbon, the color of blood, revenge, love. Luke tugged harder, both hands trying to ease the center knot.
"Do we have anything sharp?"
"A knife!" I exclaimed, grabbing my bag and rummaging through it.
"Yeah," Luke nodded, "That'd be ideal but what do we actually have that can-"
Luke's sentence trailed off when he saw the giant butcher's knife I was raising in my right hand with a manic grin. I was proud to be useful.
But he stepped back, hands raised and speaking to me like I was a delusional woman with a gun, "What are you doing with a weapon, Chucky?"
"It's a cheese knife."
"It's a butcher's knife."
"Well it was for cheese."
"Where's the cheese then, Millie?"
"I left it at the beach."
"You brought cheese to a beach?" he asked, believing me less and less.
"I feel like we're really getting off topic here," I said, raising my hands in frustration at this conversation and accidentally waving it too close to Luke who ducked out of the way.
"Oops, sorry I'm not used to holding a big cheese knife," I apologized, lowering the knife.
"I'm not playing around. Why are you carrying a massive knife in your backpack?" Luke asked, dead serious.
"I'm telling you the truth. It was for a picnic that I went to with Cearra. She kept the cheese and I brought back the knife. I promise I'm not carrying it for self-defence though it's extremely useful if I happened to need it for a situation like this."
I know Luke was worried about me. He was worried about my drinking and the weapons I sometimes left on my bedside table. The stress of the last year had been harmful to my mental health, but the joys of my relationship with Luke and my new friendships were what kept me in the light.
"I promise," I repeated in the silence.
Luke stayed quiet but the small nod he made was an indication he believed me. I slowly offered him the knife. He took it and in one quick motion, slashed the ribbon in half, letting the box fall into his open hand.
"Let's not open it," I said, reaching out to take the box from him, "We have a party to go to and fun to have. Whatever's in that box will still be in that box later. But it's about time this blackmailer stops dictating our schedule."
Luke was graduating soon, and I didn't want him to remember our time together as full of conflict, stress and torment. I didn't want to live like that either.
Luke still didn't say anything, but he handed me the box and the knife. Then he walked back to the driver seat of his car.
I wonder if he was fed up.
**
The car started to move and marked our second attempt at leaving the fancy park. I kept looking over at Luke, wondering how much longer he'd stay silent for.
It was like I disappointed him, but I hadn't done anything wrong.
His eyes stayed fixed on the road, but he broke the silence like it was a peace offering, "We're not that late."
Oh great, our friendly blackmailer leaving us another threat keeps us on schedule.
"Oh weeeell, about that," I said meekly in a high-pitched voice, staring out the window to avoid his gaze, dropping my voice for the next part, "We will be."
That sounded a teensy bit more ominous than I planned.
He hit the break. "Why's that Millie?"
He just Millie-d me.
I blabbered an explanation at breakneck speed, "Because-we-have-to-take-a-stop-on-our-way-to-pick-up-Austin-and-rescue-Cearra-from-her-prison. That's all."
I really hope I remember where I parked, because I felt like Luke was about to kick me out of his car.
A/N: OMG I just realized we don't have a title for this book yet. How?? Any ideas?? I'll get a poll up on Instagram (@NatalieInACorner) so you can vote for your favorite title!
See you here next Sunday & let me know your book title ideas!! Cheerio!
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
