Sacred Beauty// Marcus Baker

20. Chased

3rd POV

A little while after the party, Atlanta had finally decided to take her leave and go home. She had informed her friends before she left. She's currently walking home, her feet a tad bit sore from all the dancing, so she's carrying her shoes.

She walks in the dimly lit road. As she's walking, light from behind her flashes on her. As any normal person, she moves to the side to let it pass by and continues to walk. Though, the car still slowly drives behind her. Not wanting to look back out of fear, she pulls out her phone and calls Vera while speeding up her walking.

The car also speeds up and her heart pounds hardly in her chest that she can practically hear her fast blood flow. Vera picks up on the second ring. "Hello?" Vera answers on the other line.

"Vera, listen, I need you to stay on the phone with me okay? There's a car following behind right now," Atty informs her on what's going on.

Vera instantly begins to worry and tenses up in Angel's hold, who she's currently with. "Do I need to call the police, or text someone? Where are you?" Vera begins to ask worriedly.

Angel massages her shoulders to try and ease her worry, but he's worried himself about the girl's friend.

"I'm two blocks away from my house. I need you to text fucking Marcus that he needs to try and meet me halfway," The latina instructs her friend.

Vera shakes her head. "I'm just going to do a three-way to get his attention faster," she tells her friend. Immediately, Marcus joins the call.

His voice was monotone like usual. "Yeah, what's up?" He greets.

Quickly, Vera says, "Marcus we need you to meet Atty one block away from y'alls neighborhood. Some crazy person is following behind her in a car."

Marcus gets dressed quickly, while still on the phone. "Atty, can you see who's in the car?" He asks her while slipping on his shoes.

"I haven't turned around, and I'm not gonna. That's some white people shit. If I'm going to die, I'm going to die being fucking smart," she notes, trying to joke a bit to calm herself in her situation.

Vera rolls her eyes at her while Marcus furrows his eyebrows, slightly angry as he begins walking down the block. "Don't joke about that. You're not going to fucking die," he assures her.

Just then, the rev of an engine can be heard. The car speeds up and basically tries gunning for Atty. Vera's eyes widen from what she's hearing. "Atty, run!" She yells through the phone.

Not having to be told twice, Atty sprints down the road. Marcus also runs to hurry up and get to the girl. The person in the car continues to rev the engine to intimidate her. Thinking of her as a toy to play with in their own game.

A hiss and curse falls from Atty's lips, but she continues to run, barely feeling it from her adrenaline. She turns the corner and six feet away is Marcus. They both run to each other and crash in one another's arms. Finally, Atty looks back. The car turns the other direction and zooms off.

After her adrenaline runs out, Atlanta basically drops, exhausted from everything. She begins sobbing from the pain and because of the fear. Marcus is quick to hold her to comfort her. Tears slowly trickle down Vera's face as she hears her friends cries. Angel grabs her and brings her into his embrace.

Seeing her injured foot, Marcus carefully picks her up and takes her back home.

Timeskip

After a few minutes, Atlanta's cries has calmed down, and they made it to her house. When they get on the porch, Marcus softly places her down on the crowd. She's still shaking from the events. Her makeups ruined. Atlanta's completely vulnerable.

Marcus caresses her face and holds her in his arms. "We'll find out who did this to you, and I promise that won't see the light of day again," he promises, whispering in her ear.

Atty's hold on him tightens. She wasn't on the phone with Vera anymore, so it's just them. Suddenly, a ding is heard from Atlanta's phone. She lifts up to see the most terrifying thing. A text from her dead ex.

TEXT

Dead Jordan

I love to see you run.

Seeing the horror on her face, Marcus quickly looks at the phone. He softly grabs Atlanta and finally takes her inside. All attention goes onto them. Seeing her shaken up daughter, Georgia immediately rushes over to hold her.

Ginny looks at Marcus with bewilderment and a hint of jealousy. "Marcus, what are you doing here?" She asks, but her question goes unanswered.

Marcus hands Georgia Atlanta's phone. The woman takes it with caution. Looking at the text her face goes stone cold. She turns back to everyone that's in the living room. "Kids go to bed. Maddie, we will discuss this later," she says before guiding us into her room.

Virginia immediately runs to block their way. "I'm pretty sure this is can wait. Why would you not tell me ab-" She goes to rant, but she's interfered by Marcus.

"Ginny, that's enough!" He exclaims. Said girl looks at him with widened eyes as she thought everything was settled between them. Marcus and Georgia both carry the frozen girl into Georgia's room.

A heavy silence fills the room before it's broken by Atty. "They've come back, they're going to get me," she says with her hoarse voice. Her face blank, but it can be determined as her numbing pain.

Georgia rubs the girl's hands as she sits beside her. "No, they're not. I'm going to make sure of it. No one is going to a lay a finger on you, Pumpkin," She assures her, holding confidence to give her broken little girl.

Marcus was still confused on what's going on. Who is trying to hurt Atty? Georgia turns and looks at the boy. "Can you stay the night to watch over her?" She asks the teenage boy.

He nods his head immediately. "Yeah, I won't let anything happen to her," Marcus agrees and assures the southern woman. She gives him a soft smile before turning back Atlanta. She places a loving kiss on her forehead before leaving the two alone.

Everyone had either left or went to the rooms. Georgia makes her way Atlanta's room. She grabs the gub she had gifted Atty from her secret spot. She looks down at the gun, contemplating on what to do. Finally, she grabs her phone and calls someone.

"I need your help."

On the other side

The chaser sits in their laughing on the phone with a stuckup woman. "I loved the sound of her cries," the chaser chuckles, throwing their head back.

The woman on the other side phone of the phone chuckles as well. "I'm going to make sure that bitch and her slut of a mother pays. They'll not get to live while my son's not!" She exclaims.

The chaser nods their head in agreement, looking at a picture of Atty that's stuck to their rear view mirror. The chaser strokes her face before stabbing a dagger through it. "They'll pay for sure," they growl in a gruff. All they're doing is just waiting, then, it'll be time.