Read His Mind | ✓

Chapter 22

Abbie's POV

I shuffled my feet awkwardly on the dance floor as I waited for Benson to come back with the drinks. The refreshments table wasn't that far away so why wasn't he here yet? It felt so lonesome standing by myself and I could feel the stares on me. I peeked at the direction he left in and easily spotted him since he was the only there. 

Our eyes met and we exchanged smiles and waves. Benson began to walk toward me with drinks in his hands, our eyes never leaving each other, when he suddenly stopped midway. I could see his eyes double in size and the happiness leave them. Fear replaced it as Benson stared at something behind me. Was something wrong? Why was he like that? What was he looking at? 

I started to turn around when I heard someone yell. "No!!!!!" Benson screamed as he ran to me. 

"What is it? Did something happen?" I threw worried questions at him once he reached me. "Why did you suddenly stop? What were you looking at? Is something wrong? Is it the COT? Is it Bobby?" 

"N-nothing is wrong Abbie, but-" he paused and glanced behind me nervously. "-we should go. It's getting late and I think the dance is almost ending anyways. Let's go." He held tightly onto my hand and pulled us to the exit.

"Benson," I called him when we were at the parking lot. "Benson?" He was too busy checking our surroundings like someone paranoid would do and did not respond. "Benson?" I tried again but still nothing. "Benson!" 

"Yeah?" he finally answered before giving one last look at the school's entrance. "What is it?"

"Did something happen? Is something going on?" I asked. "You don't look okay." Benson was sweating and his eyes were everywhere- checking here and there. 

"I'm fine. Get in the car, hurry," he rushed, pulling open the passenger door.

"But-" 

"Abbie-" he began to say in exasperation when someone interrupted him and it wasn't me.

"Why are you two leaving so soon?" the voice asked. A silhouette of a man appeared in the shadows and slowly came out, revealing Bobby. I gasped and noticed that Benson did not look surprised at all. Did he already know? If so, why didn't he tell me? Was that why he was rushing to leave? "The dance was just getting started. I would hate for you two to miss the fun. I especially brought my buddies in for the fun. They were dying to meet you guys. Right guys?" That's when I saw his 'buddies'. He didn't come alone, I was stupid to think that he would. There was a guy, standing at the right of Bobby, with an ugly slightly pink scar from his eyebrow to his mouth and he gave me the creeps. 

"What do you want?" Benson asked guardedly, pushing me behind him. "If you don't leave, I'll call the cops."

"Oh I'm so scared!!" Bobby laughed. "You don't actually believe the COT won't have some people on our side in the police team."

"I won't let you hurt her." He held out his arm in front of me like a barrier and glared at Bobby.

"If you want to try to protect her, go ahead though I doubt you'll be able to hold out against my friends here for long," Bobby said casually. "You might as well give up now and let us finish this quickly." 

I tugged on his sleeve and whispered, "Benson, you don't have to do this." His eyes flickered over to mine and he gave me a weak smile. "But I want to do this."

"Aw, look at you two love birds. Aren't you two just adorable? I apologize but we have to break this up." Bobby did some sort of hand signal to his men and they made their way toward us, surrounding us. 

"Run, Abbie. Run as fast as you can to somewhere safe, okay? I'll try to slow them as much as I can." 

"No Benson, I can't leave you here against them. They're going to kill you. They'll kill you. You can't die because of me."

"Hurry and go," he demanded. The men were getting closer as we backed up. "Go!" He pushed me away and started to walk toward them.

"Benson!!" I ran to him and pulled him back. "What the hell are you doing? Don't do something stupid! Let's go together. We can outrun them, I'm sure we can."

"No, we can't. They'll catch up to us easily. I have to stall them or else you won't be able to get away," he argued. "Hurry and go before they get to us. Go." 

"No."  I shook my head. "I won't go without you. If we don't together, I'll just die here with you."

"Abbie!"

"If you want me to go by myself, I won't no matter what you say. We have to go together," I said looking at him in the eyes. 

We locked our eyes once again and he finally nodded. "Fine, let's go then!" He held out his hand and I was about to when Benson suddenly fell onto the ground. He gripped his stomach area in pain and groaned. I bent down and covered my mouth in shock. So much. So much blood. The crimson soaked his white dress shirt and it wouldn't stop. I covered the wound with my hands, trying to block even more blood from coming out. 

"Abbie.." he murmured weakly. "I-I can't run with you like this. Y-you go by yourself. S-save yourself." 

"Benson I have to call an ambulance. You're hurt, you're bleeding so much. We have to get you help or you'll die!!" I screamed as tears streamed down my face. The thought of him dying right here in the parking lot because of me was too terrifying. I couldn't imagine life without him. 

One of Bobby's guys knelt down beside me and held up a bloody knife. He was the one who stabbed Benson and now, I was next.

"D-don't hurt her," Benson begged to the man.

"Don't worry son, I won't. The COT needs her alive, but not you so don't you try butting in anymore. I stabbed you once with this and I can do it again if I have to," he threatened. 

Benson moved in front of me as a shield from the man and told me to leave again. The man lifted up the knife, a drop of blood fell down onto the cement, and was about to stab Benson when someone shouted, "Hey what are you guys doing here!" 

He immediately backed away and ran off with the others. 

I looked down at Benson and his eyes were closed. "Benson?" I touched his face gently. "Benson? Benson!"