Sang's Freedom (Original And Rewritten)

Chapter 29: Phone Call

-Chapter 29-

Simba was curled up in my lap as I ducked my head behind Gabriel's shoulder. Nathan had put on a horror movie and I was not digging it.

So far a girl had been gutted by some freak in a white mask and was hung from a tree for her parents to find.

Gabriel was laughing at me, North was silent, and Nathan was leaned forward intently watching the characters move about on the screen.

"Ey, Trouble..."

Gabriel finally managed to get a hold on me and Simba let out an angry mew as he leapt onto the coffee table and launched himself into North's arms, purring.

Gabriel pulled me across his lap. "There we go!"

"I don't want to see--" I squealed as someone was gutted and ducked my head. I wasn't sure how I felt sitting on Gabriel's lap, but at least it was easier to hide my face.

The boys teased me until Mr. Blackbourne returned with Silas. I thought it was strange that he drove with a teacher, but then again, they were in a club together, and that was way less weird than sleeping over at your teacher's house, however nice it may be...

Mr. Blackbourne carried extra copies of a script and distributed them to our group. "Just read through these for now since Luke cannot be here. We will begin working through lines tomorrow."

My eyes worked over the scenes and I found myself blushing as I looked over my script at North.

The play itself could barely be considered loosely based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

Sure, there was a Romeo, starring North, and yes, Juliet was yours truly, and yes we were in love, but other than that the script had been gutted.

Romeo meets Juliet at a ball. He was just a lowly stable boy, but had snuck into the party.

They dance. They fall in love, yet over the course of the plot, we learn that Juliet's family wronged Romeo's through cheap tricks and ill will that had lead Romeo's family to be little more than stable folk and peasants.

Thankfully, through the union of Romeo and Juliet, the wrongs done by Juliet's family are corrected, and through a final kiss, the two are wed.

Through a final kiss.

I didn't like the idea of North kissing me. He was grumpy and rarely smiled, and I found myself studying his rugged appearance. His dark hair was a bit messy and his dark eyes scanned his script. He hadn't reached the end yet, I was sure.

North wore a black leather jacket and a black undershirt over his broad chest and thickly muscled arms. His legs were just as strong and were covered by dark, worn denim.

When I looked back up, North's eyes were on me. More specifically, my lips. His eyes narrowed. "I'm not kissing you."

I stuck my tongue out. "I'm not kissing you either!"

Silas chuckled, pulling me against him. "If he is not up to the part Aggele, I am."

"I'm not wearing tights either..." North grumbled as Gabriel tore through his bags of costumes.

"You'll wear whatever the fuck I say to," Gabriel snapped. "I don't tell you how to fix cars, so shut that big yap and go through your lines again."

***

When night time rolled around, my stomach bruises had begun to hurt again, and Mr. Blackbourne gave me another two pills along with a cold compress for where I hit my forehead on the sink.

The boys were leaving, but Gabriel asked if he could spend the night and Mr. Blackbourne warned me Dr. Green would be over later to see if I would be well enough to go to school tomorrow.

Apparently the principal had taken note of my absence and Mr. Blackbourne was in a hurry to get me back in class.

The clothes Gabriel had brought me were comfortable enough to sleep in, and I thought better than to remove my bra again within a house full of men.

My mother's voice drifted into my head. Whore. Tease.

Once my mother had caught me sharing my juice with a boy on the playground, I had been struck so hard in the face that I had to wait a week and a half for the bruising to go down so I could return to school.

I wondered what my mother would think of me kissing Victor's cheek while he slept or about Gabriel staying in the bathroom while I changed. I wondered what she would say if she knew Gabriel had kissed my head on his own volition and Nathan and Silas were giving me hugs.

And if Mother thought that was bad, what would she do if she knew I had let Dr. Green see my bruises? And Kota found my burn...And I was sleeping over at my teacher's house.

How did everything get so fucked up?

My new cellphone began to vibrate on the nightstand, scaring me half to death.

It was Luke! I forgot he was going to call.

I quickly put the phone to my ear. "Hey."

"Hi there, Cupcake," Luke's southern drawl filled the phone line, making me relax in the strange bed. "Did you have a good day?"

"I was kind of scared when I woke up here," I admitted, and Luke chuckled.

"No worries, Sang. My brothers and I aren't going to let anything happen to you." He paused. "It's good to hear your voice."

I smiled. "Same. Guess what!"

"What?"

"Mr. Blackbourne kept that kitten I found!"

"Hmm, which kitten?" Luke teased. "The one you tackled a stranger to save or is this a different one?"

"What makes you think there would be a different one?" I giggled.

"You're just good like that...Hey, Sang?"

"Hmm?"

"So, North isn't home yet. Do you know when he left?"

"Like an hour ago. Do you think he's okay?"

Luke sounded like he had moved outside and there was the sound of banging and tools dropping. "Yo, North, what are you doing?"

There was a muffled response.

"Well you shouldn't tear up your whole truck about it. When do you think you're going to bed? Hmm? No. I'm talking to Sang."

Another angry muffled response and then it was North's voice filling the line. "Sang, you should be asleep. You shouldn't be bothering Luke after...after he worked a full shift at the diner!"

"I--"

"No. You're there with Mr. Blackbourne and Gabriel; Dr. Green should be there later. Just go to sleep. Goodnight, Sang."

The line went dead.

Seriously?

I tried to keep my bottom lip from trembling.

What the fuck?