Watch Our Worlds Burn

Chapter 5 (Part 3)

I couldn't help but smile as relief flooded throughout my entire body.

Vincent sputtered and shook his head violently, running a jittery hand through his hair.

"You can't just say that! We worked years to get here. Are you saying all the sacrifices we made were for nothing?!"

"So you can sit around buying useless ass $15,000 jackets?" I shouted in reply, gesturing towards his leather jacket.

"Shut your goddamn mouth," he chided, leaning in dangersly close to my face, "You said fucking enough."

I narrowed my eyes but backed away in fear that he would lash out. His lips were curled back against his teeth and his eyes seemed to be lined with aggression and pure fucked up energy.

"Vincent-" Ace started.

"No! When the fuck did we care more about them being uncomfortable? If they are, so what? We shouldnt be giving more than two fucks about they're wellbeing," he snapped, glaring seethingly in my direction. My breath caught in my throat at his brutality. He was obviously a violent person but he had never been this blunt about his disregard. I pressed myself as hard as I could to the edge of the seat, putting as much distance between the two of us as I could. I couldn't help the disappointment and harsh shock that took over me like black ink, suffocating me on the words that he had said.

Never the fuck again.

"So hard for you to get rid of crime, huh?" I mumbled coldly, straightening my face to the point of no anger or hostility, but indifference and complete composure.

He didn't respond and instead flipped around and began tugging at the car door handle.

"Open the fucking door. I'm leaving," he snapped, not making eye contact with either of them. His heavy breathing was shaking his whole body as he fought to control his rage.

"I'm driving though-"

"Well pull the fucking car over!" He shouted, punching the back of Ace's seat. Ace twitched slightly as fear wrapped around his eyes.

I was pressing myself against the side of the door so hard that it hurt, terrified that he would lash out against me as well. There was such a dangerous look on his face, almost as if his vision was spotted in red. Blotches and blotches of red.

Adrian quickly veered the car to the side of the road, and the second he opened the locks, Vincent pounced out like a panther, slamming the door shut behind him. He strided several meters away and took out his pack of cigarettes, lighting one and smoking it with shaking hands.

Eventually, he stopped pacing around and instead stood there still, almost completely neutralized by the nicotine. There was an odd and blank expression on his face as he sat down on the elevated grass at the side of the road. The monster inside of him had been caged back up in chains inside his eyes.

Ace gulped as he watched him outside the window.

"That was scary," he mumbled quietly.

"He'll come around," Adrian replied without looking away from the steering wheel.

Seconds later, Vincent had gotten up and was rapping Ace's window. Very slowly, Ace pulled his window down.

"You can just leave without me,"

"Oh come on Vince-"

"Just go," he muttered, sparing a glance at me before turning back to them confidently. "If you guys want to drop everything that's up to you but I'm not."

"We can work something out, don't be like this..."

"I can't do this right now. I'm barely holding myself back as is,"

"You're not 5, Vincent. You can keep your anger issues under control," Adrian replied, looking up at him with narrowed eyes. A flash of disappointment crossed Vincent's face and as soon as he came, he left, walking away from the car in hurried and controlled steps.

I glanced out at him as he walked completely out of view and disappeared into the trees.

"Maybe if I..."

"Maybe if you what?" Adrian asked, glancing up at me. I shrugged but slowly opened the car door.

"Jordan?" Ace asked curiously. Without responding, I walked out, ignoring all the invisible arms wrapping around me, trying to pull me back, warning me.

No!

Don't go!

STOP!

I gulped and shut the door behind me, Ace's voice was basically an echo behind me.

"What is she doing?"

"Definitly suicidal..."

I didn't stop at the sounds of their calls behind me. Eventually, when I had reached the trees, I had to move the bristles in order to reach the clearing.

Vincent was sitting on the grass, one knee propped up to hold his elbow, while the other was spread out. He was leaning his face against his fist and he seemed lost in thought. He looked up and his face shifted in confusion.

"Smart of them to send you of all people,"

"They didn't send me," I replied simply and hushed. His eyes narrowed.

"Then why are you here?" he asked. I blinked.

"I don't know actually," I replied quite honestly. He sighed and sort of observed me for a moment.

"I'm not going back,"

"Well where will you go?"

"Why do you care?" He muttered. I glanced away and shrugged. He looked very confused as he said,

"Okay then leave,"

"Well no-I came here for a reason,"

"Then what is it?"

"I was going to-you know- ask you what else you thought was going to happen," I replied, slightly fidgeting in place. It was weird trying to talk to him when we weren't arguing or being genuine. I was mad at him but his position was strangely disarming. It was awkwardly casual.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm saying that there was no other idea. And both sides couldn't agree. Between my well being and your wealth, it was kind of obvious which was more important,"

"I know,"

"And you still don't care?" I replied, tilting my head slightly.

"I do," he replied, "I do, you know." I pretended like I wasn't affected but I was very taken back.

"Not what you said in the car,"

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry," he muttered, looking down at the grass under his feet. The look on his face was rather dejected-no-sorry?

"Sorry?" I asked, repeating the thought aloud.

"But your such a piece of shit,"

"Well thanks,"

"You're welcome," he replied, and then cleared his throat. He stood up and walked past me, his shoulder brushing against mine as he did so. He looked down at me and his eyes were unbelievably closed off.

"I'm going to go and do my own thing, far, far away so I don't have to ever see you again," he whispered, and then he just left, disappearing into such a dark place in the forest, that even I didn't dare to follow.